STARFISH ZAMBIA

Registered charity 1126909 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as STARFISH, STARFISH UK

We partner with education providers in the third world to provide vocational courses for underprivileged young people, in particular orphans.

Objects

TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN AFRICA TOENABLE THEM TO FULFIL THEIR POTENTIAL AND OBTAIN A CAREER THOUGH WHICHTHEY CAN RAISE THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING AND THAT OF THEIR FAMILIES.

Area of benefit: AFRICA

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

Causes: Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: West Berkshire, South East, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£33k

Latest spending

£30k

Registered

2008

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity operated with a surplus, carrying forward £8,880 from the previous year to a closing balance of £8,880 after total income of £32,533 and expenditure of £29,656. The trustees report that they operate on a principle of 100% efficiency regarding donations, with overheads and some student funding covered by trustees. The charity holds its capital in a deposit account with Nat West Bank and has no disclosed debts or creditors.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: The Chair of Trustees commits to making up any shortfall, should one arise, to ensure that all students in the current cohort are funded to completion. (reserves figure: £9k)

“The Chair of Trustees commits to making up any shortfall, should one arise, to ensure that all students in the current cohort are funded to completion.” — page 5

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2025

Grant-making is its main activity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2024

Volunteers: 1
Grant-making is its main activity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/12/2023

Grant-making is its main activity

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Starfish Zambia (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).

UK Institution of Structural Engineers — “Here is our most recent graduate Jelly Hantambo, who now has a CEng in Structural Engineering, sponsored by the UK Institution of Structural…” (source page)

Trustees · trustee networks

MARK SHEIRCLIFFchair · trustee of 1 other charity
CAROLYN SHEIRCLIFF
ROGER RYTON
Shelley Bowden
Shirley Springer

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

Operates in: South Africa · The Gambia · Zambia

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£33k	£30k
31/12/2024	£27k	£22k
31/12/2023	£18k	£19k
31/12/2022	£20k	£25k
31/12/2021	£19k	£14k

Common questions

Is STARFISH ZAMBIA financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity operated with a surplus, carrying forward £8,880 from the previous year to a closing balance of £8,880 after total income of £32,533 and expenditure of £29,656. The trustees report that they operate on a principle of 100% efficiency regarding donations, with overheads and some student funding covered by trustees. The charity holds its capital in a deposit account with Nat West Bank and has no disclosed debts or creditors. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
ALLAN AND NESTA FERGUSON CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT	2	£60k
THE DEO GLORIA TRUST	2	£30k
MISS E F RATHBONE CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£7k
THE S M B TRUST	2	£7k
AEONIAN FOUNDATION	1	£204k
MOONDANCE FOUNDATION	1	£50k
THE ANGUS LAWSON MEMORIAL TRUST	1	£45k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH AND ST PAULS ANERLEY	1	£30k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with STARFISH MALAWI.

STARFISH MALAWI income £220k
THE STARFISH ALLIANCE income £75k
STARFISH GREATHEARTS FOUNDATION income £343k
ZAMBIA OVERSEAS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP income £42k
STARFISH SERVICES LIMITED income £76k
STARFISH ASIA income £655k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
STARFISH ZAMBIA	£33k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
STARFISH MALAWI FY2025	£220k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE STARFISH ALLIANCE FY2025	£75k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
STARFISH GREATHEARTS FOUNDATION FY2026	£343k	more than £60,000	1	above	—	no doubt
ZAMBIA OVERSEAS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP FY2025	£42k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
STARFISH SERVICES LIMITED FY2025	£76k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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