OPEN HANDS COVENTRY

Registered charity 1115626 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The principle activities of the charity is to benefit the public by the prevention of alcohol and substance misuse; the provision of a stable and supportive recovery houses for people recovering from alcoholism and substance misuse (and the eventual rehabilitation of those people) and extended outreach to other alcoholics and their families in Coventry and the Midlands

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Accommodation/housing · Other Charitable Purposes · Get email alerts

Latest income
£346k
Latest spending
£340k
Registered
2006
Accounts read
FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity recorded a deficit on unrestricted funds of £4,578 for the 18-month period ended 29 November 2024, with unrestricted funds carried forward totaling £121,369. The trustees confirm the charity is in a solid financial position and expect it to be a going concern for at least the next 12 months. The charity relies heavily on Housing Benefit income, which exposes it to policy risks, but forecasts a surplus for the upcoming year.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Housing Benefits (69% of income)
The principal funding sources remain unchanged from prior years, with 69% of all income provided by residents' Housing Benefits (2023: 69%). — page 4
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: £105,000 (held: £116k)
The reserve policy at the period end equates to approximately £100,871 (approximately 3 months running costs) but has been set at £105,000 to guard against the rising cost of living. — page 4
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: Mr J S McCrea received remuneration totalling £38,850 and Rev A Norton received payments totalling £3,780.
Over the 18 months to 29 November 2024 Mr J S McCrea received remuneration totalling £38,850 (2023: £32,550) and Rev A Norton received payments totalling £3,780 (2023: £2,948). Both are Trustees of the charity & received remuneration for services provided in managing the charity, not for their service as Trustees. — page 14
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee Rev Timothy Menezes is also a Trustee of the Birmingham Diocesan Trust who own the premises at Stoney Road which are provided free of charge to the charity to provide supported accommodation to its clients. The value of this ‘gift in kind’ has been included in these accounts (see note 9).
Trustee Rev Timothy Menezes is also a Trustee of the Birmingham Diocesan Trust who own the premises at Stoney Road which are provided free of charge to the charity to provide supported accommodation to its clients. The value of this ‘gift in kind’ has been included in these accounts (see note 9). — page 15
Colm McCrea, the son of John McCrea, a Trustee was paid £3,900 during the period for providing accounting support services to the charity. — page 15
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Colm McCrea, the son of John McCrea, a Trustee was paid £3,900 during the period for providing accounting support services to the charity.
Trustee Rev Timothy Menezes is also a Trustee of the Birmingham Diocesan Trust who own the premises at Stoney Road which are provided free of charge to the charity to provide supported accommodation to its clients. The value of this ‘gift in kind’ has been included in these accounts (see note 9). — page 15
Colm McCrea, the son of John McCrea, a Trustee was paid £3,900 during the period for providing accounting support services to the charity. — page 15
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 29/11/2024)

Total income
£548k
Total spending
£553k
Reserves (reported)
£100k
Employees
3

Reported reserves equal ~2.2 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 7.0 months; benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Birmingham City · Coventry City · Leicestershire · Warwickshire · Worcestershire

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
29/11/2025£346k£340k
29/11/2024£549k£553k
28/05/2023£381k£403k
28/05/2022£369k£361k
28/05/2021£357k£344k

Common questions

Is OPEN HANDS COVENTRY financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity recorded a deficit on unrestricted funds of £4,578 for the 18-month period ended 29 November 2024, with unrestricted funds carried forward totaling £121,369. The trustees confirm the charity is in a solid financial position and expect it to be a going concern for at least the next 12 months. The charity relies heavily on Housing Benefit income, which exposes it to policy risks, but forecasts a surplus for the upcoming year. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Community Fund20/12/2012£10kBack to Work Project
The National Lottery Community Fund19/01/2009£10kOpen Hands Project

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with OPEN HANDS.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
OPEN HANDS COVENTRY£346k0aboveno doubt
OPEN HANDS FY2025£137k0unclearno doubt
HANDS OF GIVING FOUNDATION FY2025£123k0aboveno doubt
THE SOCIETY OF ST JAMES FY2025£17.9mbelowno doubt
MULBERRY COMMUNITY PROJECTS (BLACKPOOL) FY2025£251k0belowno doubt
THE ALCOHOL AND DRUG SERVICE FY2025£5.4m£90,001 - £100,000unclear0.5%no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.