THE COMMONWEAL TRUST

Registered charity 1053157 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as COMMONWEAL, COMMONWEAL TRUST, THE COMMONWEAL COLLECTION

The Commonweal Trust maintains the Commonweal Collection, an independent specialist library devoted to issues around nonviolent social change working to promote peace and justice. The library provides literature, resources and other support for those who share its vision of the good society.

Causes: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£43k

Latest spending

£29k

Registered

1996

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total receipts for the year were £42,795, primarily from restricted funding, while total payments were £29,173.26, resulting in a net increase in funds. The trustees report that the charity is not in deficit and is actively building unrestricted reserves with a target of holding two months of running costs.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: JRCT (100% of income)

“Total receipts for the year were £42,795 the majority of which was funding for Growing the Movements from JRCT (£42,612)” — page 4

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £183; policy: 2 months running costs)

“The charity is building its unrestricted funds with an aim towards holding 2 months running costs as reserves. We are not yet at this stage.” — page 4

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Commonweal Trust (matched by registered charity number).

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

Trustees · trustee networks

Blessing Onwudiwe
Dr Ute Kelly
HEATHER BLAKEY
MS ELLIE CLEMENT
MS JEN FOX
Matthew Kieran Dunne · trustee of 1 other charity
Rachel Julian · trustee of 2 other charities
Shabina Aslam · trustee of 1 other charity

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

Operates in: Bradford City

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
05/04/2025	£43k	£29k
05/04/2024	£11k	£5k
05/04/2023	£5k	£1k
05/04/2022	£5k	£238
05/04/2021	£136	£238

Common questions

Is THE COMMONWEAL TRUST financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total receipts for the year were £42,795, primarily from restricted funding, while total payments were £29,173.26, resulting in a net increase in funds. The trustees report that the charity is not in deficit and is actively building unrestricted reserves with a target of holding two months of running costs. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE COMMONWEAL TRUST?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE COMMONWEAL TRUST as a grant recipient include THE JOSEPH ROWNTREE CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE JOSEPH ROWNTREE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£85k	Growing the movements: inspire, support and organising for nonviolence
THE JOSEPH ROWNTREE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2021	£10k	Funding for final updating of Civil Resistance web bibliography up to 2022 and its maintenance up to end of 2026

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	27/04/2004	£5k	"This Charity Is The Trustee Of The Commonweal Collection Which Is A Large Public Peace Library With Books And Other Information Resources Fo"
The National Lottery Community Fund	22/04/2004	£5k	There is no project name available for this record