CENTRE FOR ACTION ON RAPE AND ABUSE — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Charitable company
Registered: 31 May 2008
Removed: Not supplied
Company number supplied: 06525343
Financial period: 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025
Latest income: £1,729,062
Latest expenditure: £1,629,315
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: No
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: CARA, Mailbox 302, Communications House, 9 St. Johns Street, COLCHESTER

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

02 Activities

What the charity does

CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs.CARA works with adults, young people (aged 13-19) and children aged 12 and under from across mid and north Essex.

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: 1 September 2025
Date Accounts Received: 1 September 2025
Total Gross Income: £1,729,062
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,629,315

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: 8 August 2024
Date Accounts Received: 8 August 2024
Total Gross Income: £1,477,358
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,557,151

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: 20 October 2023
Date Accounts Received: 20 October 2023
Total Gross Income: £1,392,560
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,339,189

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: 29 September 2022
Date Accounts Received: 29 September 2022
Total Gross Income: £1,214,593
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,022,259

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: 5 August 2021
Date Accounts Received: 5 August 2021
Total Gross Income: £982,069
Total Gross Expenditure: £886,775

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: 1 September 2025
Total Gross Income: £1,729,062
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,629,315
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 1
Count Govt Grants: £0
Income From Government Contracts: 197880
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
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
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 5

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: 8 August 2024
Total Gross Income: £1,477,358
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,557,151
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 1
Count Govt Grants: £2
Income From Government Contracts: 115430
Income From Government Grants: £62,273
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
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
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 2

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: 20 October 2023
Total Gross Income: £1,392,560
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,339,189
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £2
Income From Government Grants: £41,000
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
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
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 3

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: 29 September 2022
Total Gross Income: £1,214,593
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,022,259
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: Yes
Count Govt Grants: £1
Income From Government Grants: £21,000
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 15

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: 5 August 2021
Total Gross Income: £982,069
Total Gross Expenditure: £886,775
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: Yes
Count Govt Contracts: 1
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: Yes
Count Govt Grants: £4
Income From Government Contracts: 452743
Income From Government Grants: £234,516
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 5

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: 1 September 2025
Income Donations And Legacies: 26898
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 1690142
Income Investments: 11673
Income Other: 349
Income Total Income And Endowments: 1729062
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £25,423
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £1,603,892
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 1629315
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 0
Expenditure Support Costs: 74665
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £781,570
Assets Total Fixed: 50001
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 50001
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £934,600
Assets Total Liabilities: £112,210
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £872,391
Creditors One Year Total Current: 112210
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £911,447
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 781570
Funds Restricted: 90821
Funds Total: 872391
Count Employees: 36
Charity Only 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: 8 August 2024
Income Donations And Legacies: 16665
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 1446464
Income Investments: 11793
Income Other: 2436
Income Total Income And Endowments: 1477358
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £24,924
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £1,532,227
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 1557151
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 0
Expenditure Support Costs: 77931
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £656,327
Assets Total Fixed: 50001
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 50001
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £794,070
Assets Total Liabilities: £71,427
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £772,644
Creditors One Year Total Current: 71427
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £746,791
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 656327
Funds Restricted: 116317
Funds Total: 772644
Count Employees: 35
Charity Only 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: 20 October 2023
Income Donations And Legacies: 12370
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 1369155
Income Investments: 6482
Income Other: 4553
Income Total Income And Endowments: 1392560
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £24,936
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £1,314,253
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 1339189
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 0
Expenditure Support Costs: 62498
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £631,023
Assets Total Fixed: 50001
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 50001
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £860,801
Assets Total Liabilities: £58,365
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £852,437
Creditors One Year Total Current: 58365
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £849,751
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 631023
Funds Restricted: 221414
Funds Total: 852437
Count Employees: 31
Charity Only 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: 29 September 2022
Income Donations And Legacies: 30391
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 1179330
Income Investments: 458
Income Other: 4414
Income Total Income And Endowments: 1214593
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £23,941
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £998,318
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 1022259
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 0
Expenditure Support Costs: 64164
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £615,291
Assets Total Fixed: 1
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 1
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £842,976
Assets Total Liabilities: £43,911
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £799,066
Creditors One Year Total Current: 43911
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £828,057
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 615291
Funds Restricted: 183775
Funds Total: 799066
Count Employees: 25
Charity Only 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: 5 August 2021
Income Donations And Legacies: 15562
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 959901
Income Investments: 368
Income Other: 6238
Income Total Income And Endowments: 982069
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £19,304
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £867,471
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 886775
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 0
Expenditure Support Costs: 55953
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 1
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £384,708
Assets Total Fixed: 1
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 1
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £639,609
Assets Total Liabilities: £32,878
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £606,732
Creditors One Year Total Current: 32878
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £628,609
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 484708
Funds Restricted: 122024
Funds Total: 606732
Count Employees: 24
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

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

07 Official extract

Charity Classification

Classification Code: 103
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives

Classification Code: 307
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Advocacy/advice/information

Classification Code: 310
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Other Charitable Activities

Classification Code: 117
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Other Charitable Purposes

Classification Code: 206
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Other Defined Groups

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

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

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

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: CENTRE FOR ACTION ON RAPE AND ABUSE
Charity Event Order: 2
Event Type: Asset transfer in
Date Of Event: 2025-07-23T00:00:00
Reason: Removed by application
Assoc Organisation Number: 5153921
Assoc Registered Charity Number: 1187478
Assoc Charity Name: SUFFOLK RAPE CRISIS

Charity Name: CENTRE FOR ACTION ON RAPE AND ABUSE
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 2008-05-31T00:00:00

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED 6 MARCH 2008 as amended on 30 Sep 2016 as amended on 03 Apr 2019 as amended on 23 Sept 2025 as amended on 23 Sept 2025 as amended on 23 Sept 2025
Charitable Objects: TO SUPPORT ADULTS, CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED ANY FORM OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
Area Of Benefit: UNDEFINED. IN PRACTICE, ESSEX.

10 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Volunteer management

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Paying staff

Policy Name: Risk management