THE DOROTHY PARKES CENTRE

Registered charity 1093189 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

An award-winning community centre based in Smethwick, West Midlands, providing an inclusive place of welcome & opportunity, bringing people & organisations together in a spirit of friendship & equality, enabling our local community to thrive. Addressing local issues including poor physical, mental health, obesity, & social isolation by providing/hosting a range a groups, activities, and services.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Amateur Sport · Economic/community Development/employment · Recreation · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£299k

Latest spending

£378k

Registered

2002

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity ended the financial year with a deficit of £78,580 and holds unrestricted reserves of £78,419. The trustees note that the charity has no guaranteed source of long-term income and is dependent on charitable grants and hiring out its facilities. The trustees acknowledge the need to rebuild reserves to the desired level over the next three years.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Charitable Activities (44% of income)

“Income from charitable activities totalled £132,852, representing an increase of £10,757 compared to the previous year. The income from charitable activities equates to 44.39% of our total income” — page 9

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure (held: £78k)

“aims to maintain reserves at the level required to fund a minimum of three months operations without additional charitable income.”

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 — Dorothy Parkes Centre (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).

The George Henry Collins Trust — “Everybody associated with our Centre would like to thank the following charitable trusts for their grants and donations in recent years: The…” (source page)

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

Register events

Received assets from another charity (08/12/2023) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

JULIE MARY McKIRDY
Jodie Andrews
Louise Johnson
Paul Leonard Martin · trustee of 1 other charity
Paul Simon Preston
Ravi Harsh
Rev Sara Moore
STAN WILLIETS
Zaida Sauda Nembhard

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

Operates in: Sandwell

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£299k	£378k
31/03/2024	£358k	£315k
31/03/2023	£262k	£283k
31/03/2022	£315k	£269k
31/03/2021	£198k	£129k

Common questions

Is THE DOROTHY PARKES CENTRE financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity ended the financial year with a deficit of £78,580 and holds unrestricted reserves of £78,419. The trustees note that the charity has no guaranteed source of long-term income and is dependent on charitable grants and hiring out its facilities. The trustees acknowledge the need to rebuild reserves to the desired level over the next three years. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE DOROTHY PARKES CENTRE?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE DOROTHY PARKES CENTRE as a grant recipient include THE ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST, THE SAINTBURY TRUST, THE COLE CHARITABLE TRUST, THE AUSTIN AND HOPE PILKINGTON TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£8k
THE ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£7k
THE ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£6k
THE ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£5k
THE SAINTBURY TRUST	FY2024	£2k	Advancement of Citizenship or Community Development
THE SAINTBURY TRUST	FY2025	£2k	Advancement of Citizenship or Community Development
THE SAINTBURY TRUST	FY2023	£2k	Advancement of Citizenship or Community Development
THE COLE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£2k	Personal and Community Empowerment
THE COLE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£2k	Personal and Community Empowerment
THE COLE CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£2k	Personal and Community Empowerment
THE AUSTIN AND HOPE PILKINGTON TRUST	FY2024	£1k	Round Three - Food Poverty

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	19/09/2024	£19k	Dorothy Parkes Centre
The National Lottery Community Fund	23/09/2022	£10k	Dorothy Parkes Centre
Sport England	22/07/2021	£10k	TGC CF FUN Fitness Sessions for Women
The National Lottery Community Fund	14/05/2021	£10k	Dorothy Parkes Centre - Centre Improvements
UK government	25/09/2020	£9k	Coronavirus Community Support Fund
Sport England	13/05/2020	£5k	COVID-19 CEF
The National Lottery Community Fund	17/10/2019	£9k	Community Allotment Plot
The National Lottery Community Fund	11/08/2016	£8k	Improved soundproofing in Main Hall and other improvements
The National Lottery Community Fund	15/04/2015	£8k	Improvements to the Dorothy Parkes Centre
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	15/02/2007	£9k	"A Project To Install Blinds And Sound Deadening Panels At This Community Centre In Smethwick, West Midlands. The Grant Will Pay For The Blin"
The National Lottery Community Fund	09/02/2007	£9k	Improvement of Community Centre
The National Lottery Community Fund	15/06/2004	£5k	develop organisation