The partnership was first announced over the summer at the Fields of Life award ceremony, attended by Matthews managing director Christopher Riddell, and will initially involve the donation of £4,000 to sponsor the construction of a well, which is likely to begin next year, with Matthews then likely to send a delegation to open it once complete.

Riddell first came across Fields of Life through the work Matthews has been doing as a sponsor partner for the past seven years with family business support network Family Business Place. 

He said: “I am delighted and proud, I think that probably sums it up. I’ve been aware of them for a number of years and it just felt the right time and the right thing to do.

“It’s incredible that we are in this day and age and there are people out there who don’t have fresh drinking water. It’s that real thing of making a difference and helping people that are much less fortunate than we are, with what we consider to be a basic humane need that we take for granted.”

He added that this was the most high-profile endeavour the 75-staff outfit had so far been involved with and that it would continue to choose a different annual cause and encourage others to do, with Matthews business development director Gemma Firth currently in the process of organising a post-Christmas event for businesses looking to forge similar partnerships. 

Debbie Cameron, Fields of Life head of development and fundraising for Great Britain, said it was “truly wonderful” to have Matthews’ support. The charity has completed the construction of more than 117 schools and 580 wells in the likes of Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Rwanda.

Founded more than 30 years ago, £11.5m-turnover Matthews provides a range of print and project management services. In 2018 it is likely to initiate an upgrade to its digital offering, which currently consists of two Heidelberg Versafire digital presses.