The OutHouse

Registered charity 1006244 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as COLCHESTER GAY SWITCHBOARD, OUTHOUSE EAST, POLARITY

Outhouse East supports the delivery of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of Essex and East Anglia. Offering services around information and support for LGBT people. Operating a counselling service and social groups. We also operate an LGBT community hub in Colchester, which has a cafe, meeting room and large library.

Objects

A) TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING MENTAL, EMOTIONAL OR OTHER CRISIS DUE TO THEIR HOMOSEXUAL, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER NATURE, OR WHO MAY BE IN DOUBT AS TO THEIR SEXUAL IDENTITY, AND TO WORK TO PREVENT THEIR ISOLATION AND HELP THEM REALISE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. B) TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED OR INFECTED BY HIV OR AIDS. C) TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY, GENDER ISSUES, HIV OR AIDS. D) TO PROVIDE TELEPHONE COUNSELLING, ADVICE AND INFORMATION FOR THE ABOVE PURPOSES. E) TO OFFER SUPPORT TO CARERS, PARTNERS AND FAMILIES OF THE ABOVE. F) TO BE A POINT OF CONTACT FOR HOMOSEXUAL, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDERED PEOPLE AND ANYONE AFFECTED BY HIV OR AIDS.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED - IN PRACTICE NORTH ESSEX

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity holds total reserves of £722,355, with unrestricted free reserves of £333,318, which significantly exceed the stated policy target of approximately £65,000. Although the charity reported a net deficit for the year due to the end of a major National Lottery grant, the trustees confirm there are no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investing charity funds policy and procedures
• Paying staff
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — The OutHouse (matched by registered charity number).

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

• East of England Co-op — “Thanks to the @eoecoop and their Local Giving Grants Shelley Bell, independent celebrant, has been able to secure funds to provide a 'Mourni…” (source page)

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram · linkedin

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2022)

Reported reserves equal ~5.1 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 7.1 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (94% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.0%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• Steve Mannixchair · trustee of 1 other charity
• Benjamin Michael Woods · trustee of 1 other charity
• Faye Nora Edwards · trustee of 1 other charity
• Jordan Newell
• LINDSEY ILSLEY · trustee of 1 other charity
• Nicola Goodchild · trustee of 1 other charity

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Essex

Income and spending

Common questions

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).