CHESS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
Registered charity 1133120 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register
Advancement of education, amateur sport,social inclusion for the public benefit by promoting the mental and moral development and improvement of young people, socially and economically disadvantaged and socially excluded as a result of unemployment, financial hardship, old age, ill health or disability through the promotion, teaching, coaching, playing and competition of chess
Causes: Education/training · Environment/conservation/heritage · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the charity achieved a deficit of £232,903 before net investment gains, resulting in a net decrease in total funds. However, the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £1,057,517, which the trustees confirm are adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.
Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Donations and legacies (50% of income)
“Total income 954,640 287,107 1,241,748 1,210,106” — page 19
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The son of Malcolm Pein received £3,636 during the year (2023: £1,658) for his work as a Chess tutor at the Charity.
“The son of Malcolm Pein received £3,636 during the year (2023: £1,658) for his work as a Chess tutor at the Charity. The rate used was in accordance with rates used for all people that work for the Charity.” — page 33
“There were transactions between Chess in Schools and Communities and Chess Promotions Limited within the ordinary course of business during the year. As at 31 August 2023 CPL owed the Charity £77,960 (2023: £77,960).” — page 33
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: There were transactions between Chess in Schools and Communities and Chess Promotions Limited within the ordinary course of business during the year. As at 31 August 2023 CPL owed the Charity £77,960 (2023: £77,960).
“The son of Malcolm Pein received £3,636 during the year (2023: £1,658) for his work as a Chess tutor at the Charity. The rate used was in accordance with rates used for all people that work for the Charity.” — page 33
“There were transactions between Chess in Schools and Communities and Chess Promotions Limited within the ordinary course of business during the year. As at 31 August 2023 CPL owed the Charity £77,960 (2023: £77,960).” — page 33
Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by CAS House Limited. Discloses 3 of 6 completeness components.
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Chess in Schools and Communities (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).
- John Lyon's Charity — “John Lyon's Charity has given over £100 million in support of education initiatives across north-west London since 1991. CSC is delighted to…” (source page)
- Google DeepMind — “Google DeepMind , the company behind the groundbreaking Alpha self-teaching AI, is supporting Chess in Schools and Communities in a pioneeri…” (source page)
- The ORP Foundation — “The ORP Foundation is a UK charitable trust set up in 2011 by first and second-generation descendants of refugees. CSC is very grateful for …” (source page)
- The Vincit Foundation — “We would also like to express our gratitude to: The Vincit Foundation” (source page)
Public-sector contracts awarded
From the official Contracts Finder and Find a Tender notices (supplier matched by exact registered name). Contract income is distinct from grants.
Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2025)
Reported reserves equal ~8.1 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (66% 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: 0.5% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Alison Sharp
- Christopher John Clark
- Isabel Keen
- Stephen Meyler
- Stephen O'Connell CBE
- WILLIAM WATSON
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Gibraltar · Isle Of Man · Kenya · South Africa · Throughout England And Wales
Income and spending
Common questions
Is CHESS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved a deficit of £232,903 before net investment gains, resulting in a net decrease in total funds. However, the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £1,057,517, which the trustees confirm are adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by CAS House Limited.
Who funds CHESS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES?
Funders whose own accounts filings name CHESS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES as a grant recipient include KUSUMA TRUST UK, THE ORP FOUNDATION, The Portal Trust, The Jones Community and Education Trust, THE ANGUS LAWSON MEMORIAL TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
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 THE CARDIFF BLUES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.