FREE THE BEARS UK — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Other
Registered: 27 April 2010
Removed: Not supplied
Financial period: 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2024
Latest income: £567,137
Latest expenditure: £545,621
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: No
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: 628 High Road, South Benfleet, Essex, SS7 5SU

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

02 Activities

What the charity does

Free the Bears works to end the exploitation of threatened bear species and supports the protection of bears in the wild. We work with governments and nongovernmental partners to strengthen wildlife law enforcement, improve environmental awareness and promote sustainable livelihoods for communities that previously relied on the exploitation of bears.

03 Official extract

Charity Annual Return History

Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2024
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2025
Date Annual Return Received: 31 October 2025
Date Accounts Received: 31 October 2025
Total Gross Income: £567,137
Total Gross Expenditure: £545,621

Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2023
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2024
Date Annual Return Received: 31 October 2024
Date Accounts Received: 31 October 2024
Total Gross Income: £543,797
Total Gross Expenditure: £497,994

Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2022
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2023
Date Annual Return Received: 13 November 2023
Date Accounts Received: 14 November 2023
Total Gross Income: £297,369
Total Gross Expenditure: £282,993

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: 31 January 2023
Date Accounts Received: 20 February 2023
Total Gross Income: £326,301
Total Gross Expenditure: £516,457

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: 29 January 2022
Date Accounts Received: 29 January 2022
Total Gross Income: £369,305
Total Gross Expenditure: £117,116

04 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Parta

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2024
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2025
Ar Received Date: 31 October 2025
Total Gross Income: £567,137
Total Gross Expenditure: £545,621
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £1
Income From Government Grants: £130,971
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
Count Volunteers: 3

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2023
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2024
Ar Received Date: 31 October 2024
Total Gross Income: £543,797
Total Gross Expenditure: £497,994
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £1
Income From Government Grants: £116,680
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
Count Volunteers: 1

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 April 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2022
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2023
Ar Received Date: 13 November 2023
Total Gross Income: £297,369
Total Gross Expenditure: £282,993
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: Yes
Charity Agreement Commerical Participator: Yes
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: Yes
Count Govt Grants: £2
Income From Government Grants: £81,209
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 1

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: 31 January 2023
Total Gross Income: £326,301
Total Gross Expenditure: £516,457
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: Yes
Charity Agreement Commerical Participator: Yes
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 3

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: 29 January 2022
Total Gross Income: £369,305
Total Gross Expenditure: £117,116
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: Yes
Charity Agreement Commerical Participator: Yes
Grant Making Is Main Activity: Yes
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 3

05 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Partb

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2024
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2025
Ar Received Date: 31 October 2025
Income Donations And Legacies: 401306
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 165831
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 567137
Income Legacies: 9003
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £542,664
Expenditure Other: 2957
Expenditure Total: 545621
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 0
Expenditure Support Costs: 384
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £126,579
Assets Total Fixed: 0
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £148,076
Assets Total Liabilities: £0
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £148,076
Creditors One Year Total Current: 0
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £148,076
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 126579
Funds Restricted: 21497
Funds Total: 148076
Count Employees: 0
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2023
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2024
Ar Received Date: 31 October 2024
Income Donations And Legacies: 349097
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 194700
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 543797
Income Legacies: 12404
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £495,840
Expenditure Other: 2154
Expenditure Total: 497994
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 0
Expenditure Support Costs: 225
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 4080
Reserves: £50,000
Assets Total Fixed: 0
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £126,560
Assets Total Liabilities: £0
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £126,560
Creditors One Year Total Current: 0
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £126,560
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 100235
Funds Restricted: 26325
Funds Total: 126560
Count Employees: 0
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Cambodia
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Asia
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Vietnam
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Asia
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Laos
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Asia
Welsh Ind: No

07 Official extract

Charity Classification

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

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

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

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

Classification Code: 112
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Environment/conservation/heritage

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

Classification Code: 111
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Animals

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

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: FREE THE BEARS UK
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 2010-04-27T00:00:00

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: CONSTITUTION ADOPTED 31 MARCH 2010
Charitable Objects: TO PROMOTE HUMANE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS ANIMALS, IN PARTICULAR BEARS, BY PROVIDINGAPPROPRIATE CARE, PROTECTION, TREATMENT AND SECURITY FOR ANIMALS WHICH ARE IN NEEDOF CARE AND ATTENTION BY REASON OF SICKNESS, MALTREATMENT, POOR CIRCUMSTANCES OR ILLUSAGE AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN MATTERS PERTAINING TO ANIMAL WELFARE IN GENERALAND THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY AND SUFFERING AMONG ANIMALS.
Area Of Benefit: UNDEFINED. IN PRACTICE, OVERSEAS.

10 Official extract

Charity Other Names

Charity Name Id: 338733
Charity Name Type: Previous name
Charity Name: FREE THE BEARS - UK BRANCH

11 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investment

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investing charity funds policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Volunteer management

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Risk management

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures