Gags for Good CIC was founded in 2025 by April Thompson and Graeme Rayner. Read more about each of them below.
April Thompson
I’m April Thompson a Sheffield-based comedian, writer and co-founder of Gags for Good.
After breast cancer and becoming a mum, my confidence took a huge knock. I turned to stand-up comedy as a way to rebuild it to process everything I’d been through and find light in a dark time. What started as a personal outlet soon became a lifeline, helping me feel more connected and less isolated.
With over two decades of experience in events and community projects, I’ve seen first-hand how shared laughter brings people together. That’s why we founded Gags for Good to use comedy as a force for connection, confidence and wellbeing.
Now, I combine my love of comedy and community to help others find their voice, rebuild their confidence and laugh their way through life’s challenges.
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Graeme Rayner
I'm Graeme Rayner. I made my comedy debut in November 2018 after completing a stand-up comedy course, which I did to kill two birds with one stone - to rasise funds in memory of my late ma, Jean, and because I'd always wanted to perform stand-up but was too scared I'd be awful to do it without help.
Since then I have performed at venues up and down the country, and beyond. I'm also a comedy promoter with my brand Gag N Bone Man Comedy. I was a finalist in the 2025 Halifax Comedian of the Year Competition, and a former British Comedian of the Year Semi-finalist.
I'm also a mental health advocate, having had my own mental health crisis in the period following my mum's death, and I'm a fully qualified Mental Health first Aider.
James Hashem
I’m James. I came to stand-up comedy after 15 years in the British Army and completing three tours of Afghanistan. Comedy gave me a way to talk honestly about my experiences and find some lightness in places that were not always easy to sit with.
I grew up in an Army family and my dad also served so moving around was just part of life. That constant change shaped how I see people and places and how I tell stories. I’m of mixed Arabic and Irish heritage and that sense of identity runs through my comedy as well as my outlook on the world.
My sets often focus on my time in the Army and the strange everyday moments that sit alongside it. I’ve been performing stand-up since 2025 and now help run comedy nights for Open Room Comedy where I support new comedians and help create welcoming spaces to try things out without pressure.
I’m part of Gags for Good because I believe comedy is about connection. It can help people feel seen heard and included and sometimes it can do far more than just get a laugh.
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