CHURCH COMMUNITIES UK — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Charitable company
Registered: 13 November 1963
Removed: Not supplied
Company number supplied: 00455366
Financial period: 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025
Latest income: £28,524,636
Latest expenditure: £29,705,519
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: Yes
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: DARVELL, BRIGHTLING ROAD, ROBERTSBRIDGE, TN32 5DR

Website recorded by the regulator: www.churchcommunities.org.uk (displayed as text)

02 Activities

What the charity does

Advancing the Christian faith and particularly establishing church communities where members devote themselves to the service of Jesus Christ that includes work, worship, apostolic mission, education and family life. We welcome visitors and give charitable assistance in support of peace, justice, reconciliation, non-violence, community, education, and alleviation of poverty and suffering.

03 Official extract

Charity Annual Return History

Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2025
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Reporting Due Date: 31 January 2026
Date Annual Return Received: 29 January 2026
Date Accounts Received: 29 January 2026
Total Gross Income: £28,524,636
Total Gross Expenditure: £29,705,519

Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2024
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Reporting Due Date: 31 January 2025
Date Annual Return Received: 29 January 2025
Date Accounts Received: 29 January 2025
Total Gross Income: £28,831,365
Total Gross Expenditure: £25,050,624

Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2023
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Reporting Due Date: 31 January 2024
Date Annual Return Received: 19 January 2024
Date Accounts Received: 19 January 2024
Total Gross Income: £26,524,435
Total Gross Expenditure: £26,756,194

Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2022
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Reporting Due Date: 31 January 2023
Date Annual Return Received: 6 March 2023
Date Accounts Received: 6 March 2023
Total Gross Income: £30,437,397
Total Gross Expenditure: £24,482,276

Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2020
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2021
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Reporting Due Date: 31 January 2022
Date Annual Return Received: 19 January 2022
Date Accounts Received: 19 January 2022
Total Gross Income: £19,460,925
Total Gross Expenditure: £21,535,079

04 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Parta

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2025
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2026
Ar Received Date: 29 January 2026
Total Gross Income: £28,524,636
Total Gross Expenditure: £29,705,519
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Count Volunteers: 391

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2024
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2025
Ar Received Date: 29 January 2025
Total Gross Income: £28,831,365
Total Gross Expenditure: £25,050,624
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Count Volunteers: 380

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2023
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2024
Ar Received Date: 19 January 2024
Total Gross Income: £26,524,435
Total Gross Expenditure: £26,756,194
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Count Volunteers: 400

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2022
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2023
Ar Received Date: 6 March 2023
Total Gross Income: £30,437,397
Total Gross Expenditure: £24,482,276
Charity Raises Funds From Public: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 412

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2020
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2021
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2022
Ar Received Date: 19 January 2022
Total Gross Income: £19,460,925
Total Gross Expenditure: £21,535,079
Charity Raises Funds From Public: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 352

05 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Partb

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2025
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2026
Ar Received Date: 29 January 2026
Income Donations And Legacies: 3463616
Income Other Trading Activities: 176984
Income Charitable Activities: 24851294
Income Investments: 32742
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 28524636
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £29,625,718
Expenditure Other: 79801
Expenditure Total: 29705519
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 25829
Expenditure Governance: 2424599
Expenditure Support Costs: 94829
Expenditure Depreciation: 1414308
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £7,137,164
Assets Total Fixed: 34987933
Assets Own Use: 28403506
Assets Long Term Investment: 6584427
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £10,173,825
Assets Total Liabilities: £2,811,246
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £42,350,512
Creditors One Year Total Current: 2731957
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 79289
Assets Cash: £3,203,105
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 42350512
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 42350512
Count Employees: 0
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2024
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2025
Ar Received Date: 29 January 2025
Income Donations And Legacies: 7132210
Income Other Trading Activities: 94949
Income Charitable Activities: 21580462
Income Investments: 23744
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 28831365
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £25,028,431
Expenditure Other: 22193
Expenditure Total: 25050624
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 271309
Expenditure Governance: 45212
Expenditure Support Costs: 210891
Expenditure Depreciation: 1352187
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £7,523,774
Assets Total Fixed: 36101625
Assets Own Use: 29358767
Assets Long Term Investment: 6742858
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £9,600,829
Assets Total Liabilities: £2,173,796
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £43,528,658
Creditors One Year Total Current: 2173796
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £2,573,223
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 43528658
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 43528658
Count Employees: 0
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2023
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2024
Ar Received Date: 19 January 2024
Income Donations And Legacies: 3906257
Income Other Trading Activities: 191142
Income Charitable Activities: 22422676
Income Investments: 4360
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 26524435
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £26,738,702
Expenditure Other: 17492
Expenditure Total: 26756194
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 3774159
Expenditure Governance: 58450
Expenditure Support Costs: 162803
Expenditure Depreciation: 1185107
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £6,896,519
Assets Total Fixed: 33222662
Assets Own Use: 26333990
Assets Long Term Investment: 6888672
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £10,391,132
Assets Total Liabilities: £3,856,783
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £39,757,011
Creditors One Year Total Current: 2915342
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 941441
Assets Cash: £4,526,888
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 39757011
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 39757011
Count Employees: 0
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2022
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2023
Ar Received Date: 6 March 2023
Income Donations And Legacies: 6395354
Income Other Trading Activities: 195564
Income Charitable Activities: 23846479
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 30437397
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £24,476,881
Expenditure Other: 5395
Expenditure Total: 24482276
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 1483433
Expenditure Governance: 27668
Expenditure Support Costs: 171593
Expenditure Depreciation: 1209999
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £5,354,721
Assets Total Fixed: 35118266
Assets Own Use: 35118266
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £9,528,170
Assets Total Liabilities: £4,699,263
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £39,947,173
Creditors One Year Total Current: 3367462
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 1331801
Assets Cash: £3,088,481
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 39947173
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 39947173
Count Employees: 0
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2020
Fin Period End Date: 31 March 2021
Ar Due Date: 31 January 2022
Ar Received Date: 19 January 2022
Income Donations And Legacies: 1430781
Income Other Trading Activities: 6394
Income Charitable Activities: 17939883
Income Investments: 83867
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 19460925
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £21,507,245
Expenditure Other: 27834
Expenditure Total: 21535079
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 4324498
Expenditure Governance: 21060
Expenditure Support Costs: 117476
Expenditure Depreciation: 995937
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £1,180,632
Assets Total Fixed: 30511237
Assets Own Use: 30511237
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £7,781,610
Assets Total Liabilities: £4,500,180
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £33,792,667
Creditors One Year Total Current: 2553368
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 1946812
Assets Cash: £4,017,735
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 33792667
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 33792667
Count Employees: 0
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

Geographic Area Type: Local Authority
Geographic Area Description: Kent
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Local Authority
Geographic Area Description: East Sussex
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Germany
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Europe
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Austria
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Europe
Welsh Ind: No

07 Official extract

Charity Classification

Classification Code: 203
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: People With Disabilities

Classification Code: 108
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Religious Activities

Classification Code: 306
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Services

Classification Code: 302
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Makes Grants To Organisations

Classification Code: 205
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies

Classification Code: 105
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty

Classification Code: 305
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space

Classification Code: 301
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Makes Grants To Individuals

Classification Code: 207
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: The General Public/mankind

Classification Code: 102
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Education/training

Classification Code: 201
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Children/young People

Classification Code: 101
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: General Charitable Purposes

Classification Code: 202
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Elderly/old People

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: CHURCH COMMUNITIES UK
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 1963-11-13T00:00:00

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED 11TH JUNE 1948 AND SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS PASSED 3RD APRIL 1978, 11TH OCTOBER 1985, 14TH MARCH 1995, 22ND FEBRUARY 2002 AND 23RD APRIL 2007 as amended on 19 Jan 2022 as amended on 23 Aug 2023
Charitable Objects: The Company is established to advance the Christian faith, and to promote the moral and spiritual welfare of the general public in accordance with the principles set out in Foundations and for the public benefit, in such manner as is exclusively charitable pursuant to English charity law, in particular but not exclusively by: 4.1 advancing the vocation of Christian church community described in Foundations and inspired by the early Christian community described in The Acts of the Apostles 2:44-45 and 4:32-35, as a witness to the world and in service of humanity;4.2 establishing, supporting and maintaining Bruderhof church communities that are open to all people, thus enabling their participants to devote themselves to the service of Jesus Christ and the proclamation of the gospel through a shared life of worship, mission, common work, education and family life, recognising that productive labour is a vital aspect of church community life and is, in this context, a religious activity that advances the message of the Christian gospel;4.3 relieving poverty, advancing education, and supporting the principles and practice of the Christian faith in relation to peace, justice, reconciliation and non-violence; and4.4 furthering the purposes of the Bruderhof throughout the world insofar as they are exclusively charitable under English law.
Area Of Benefit: NOT DEFINED

10 Official extract

Charity Other Names

Charity Name Id: 334389
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: BEECH GROVE COMMUNITY

Charity Name Id: 334415
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: DARVELL COMMUNITY

Charity Name Id: 334393
Charity Name Type: Previous name
Charity Name: BRUDERHOF COMMUNITIES IN THE UK

Charity Name Id: 334386
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: - PLOUGH PUBLISHING HOUSE

11 Official extract

Charity Other Regulators

Regulator Order: 1
Regulator Name: Care Quality Commission

Regulator Order: 2
Regulator Name: Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education)

12 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Investing charity funds policy and procedures

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Risk management

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Investment