ACHING ARMS — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: CIO
Registered: 8 August 2013
Removed: Not supplied
Financial period: 1 August 2024 – 31 December 2025
Latest income: £561,511
Latest expenditure: £571,262
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: No
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: Yes

Public contact address: 33 Victoria Road, Warley, BRENTWOOD, Essex, CM14 5DR

Website recorded by the regulator: www.achingarms.co.uk (displayed as text)

02 Activities

What the charity does

Aching Arms provides comfort teddy bears to parents whose baby has died during pregnancy, birth or infancy. They gift bears to parents via maternity health professionals and befriending groups in the UK. The bears are used to discuss support available to parents. The charity also leads awareness training for health professionals and hosts a telephone befriending service for bereaved parents.

03 Official extract

Charity Annual Return History

Fin Period Start Date: 1 August 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2025
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2026
Date Annual Return Received: 3 September 2026
Date Accounts Received: 3 September 2026
Total Gross Income: £561,511
Total Gross Expenditure: £571,262

Fin Period Start Date: 1 August 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 July 2024
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Reporting Due Date: 31 May 2025
Date Annual Return Received: 7 March 2025
Date Accounts Received: 7 March 2025
Total Gross Income: £299,478
Total Gross Expenditure: £394,384

Fin Period Start Date: 1 August 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 July 2023
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Reporting Due Date: 31 May 2024
Date Annual Return Received: 1 February 2024
Date Accounts Received: 1 February 2024
Total Gross Income: £293,585
Total Gross Expenditure: £278,395

Fin Period Start Date: 9 August 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 July 2022
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Reporting Due Date: 31 May 2023
Date Annual Return Received: 25 April 2023
Date Accounts Received: 25 April 2023
Total Gross Income: £270,364
Total Gross Expenditure: £213,317

Fin Period Start Date: 9 August 2020
Fin Period End Date: 8 August 2021
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Reporting Due Date: 8 June 2022
Date Annual Return Received: 21 April 2022
Date Accounts Received: 1 June 2022
Total Gross Income: £178,933
Total Gross Expenditure: £126,450

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 August 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2025
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2026
Ar Received Date: 3 September 2026
Total Gross Income: £561,511
Total Gross Expenditure: £571,262
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
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: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 1
Count Volunteers: 142

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 August 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 July 2024
Ar Due Date: 31 May 2025
Ar Received Date: 7 March 2025
Total Gross Income: £299,478
Total Gross Expenditure: £394,384
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
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: 142

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 August 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 July 2023
Ar Due Date: 31 May 2024
Ar Received Date: 1 February 2024
Total Gross Income: £293,585
Total Gross Expenditure: £278,395
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
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: 150

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 9 August 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 July 2022
Ar Due Date: 31 May 2023
Ar Received Date: 25 April 2023
Total Gross Income: £270,364
Total Gross Expenditure: £213,317
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: £350
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: Yes
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: Yes
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: Yes
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 150

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 9 August 2020
Fin Period End Date: 8 August 2021
Ar Due Date: 8 June 2022
Ar Received Date: 21 April 2022
Total Gross Income: £178,933
Total Gross Expenditure: £126,450
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: £3,000
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: Yes
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: Yes
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 150

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 August 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2025
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2026
Ar Received Date: 3 September 2026
Income Donations And Legacies: 544107
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 14932
Income Investments: 2472
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 561511
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £22,860
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £543,652
Expenditure Other: 4750
Expenditure Total: 571262
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 6365
Expenditure Support Costs: 393267
Expenditure Depreciation: 1470
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £38,059
Assets Total Fixed: 1917
Assets Own Use: 1917
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £166,667
Assets Total Liabilities: £9,790
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £158,794
Creditors One Year Total Current: 9790
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £141,137
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 38059
Funds Restricted: 120735
Funds Total: 158794
Count Employees: 12
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

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

Geographic Area Type: Region
Geographic Area Description: Throughout England And Wales
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Scotland
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Europe
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: 207
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: The General Public/mankind

Classification Code: 308
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Sponsors Or Undertakes Research

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

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

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

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: ACHING ARMS
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: CIO registration
Date Of Event: 2013-08-08T00:00:00

Charity Name: ACHING ARMS
Charity Event Order: 2
Event Type: Asset transfer in
Date Of Event: 2025-09-09T00:00:00
Reason: Removed by application
Assoc Organisation Number: 5161167
Assoc Registered Charity Number: 1191411
Assoc Charity Name: OUR SAM

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: CIO - Foundation Registered 08 Aug 2013
Charitable Objects: THE OBJECTS OF THE CIO ARE TO:-(1)PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING) OF PARENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHEN A BABY DIES IN UTERO, AT BIRTH OR SOON AFTER BIRTH ("BABY LOSS");(2)ADVANCE EDUCATION ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF BABY LOSS PARTICULARLY, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, AMONGST HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS; AND(3)SUPPORT AND PROMOTE RESEARCH INTO BABY LOSS AND THE METHODS OF ALLEVIATING SUFFERING ARISING FROM BABY LOSS AND TO DISSEMINATE THE RESULTS OF SUCH RESEARCH.

10 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Volunteer management

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Paying staff

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Risk management