ISLINGTON CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

Registered charity 1135205 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ST MARY MAGDALENE CENTRE, ST MARY MAGDALENE CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

Support Service and Referrals and Sign Posting for refugees and asylum seekersEnglish Language (ESOL) TeachingArt, Writing, Choir, Drama, Theatre, Music, Sport

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£529k

Latest spending

£530k

Registered

2010

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved an almost balanced budget, spending only £503 of its opening reserves to cover a slight deficit. The trustees report that unrestricted reserves of £172,052 represent 3.8 months of the total expenditure budget, which is below their stated policy target of 3 to 6 months. The charity notes that the fundraising landscape remains uncertain and that they are managing expenditure carefully to strengthen their position.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £60,000 - £70,000 — below the median for charities its size (£60k)

“One employee received employee benefits within £60,000 - £70,000 band during the year” — page 36

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 1

“One employee received employee benefits within £60,000 - £70,000 band during the year” — page 36

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: Trusts and Foundations (69% of income)

“Trusts and Foundations 69%”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: 3 to 6 months of average operating costs (held: £172k)

“The policy is to maintain unrestricted funds of between 3 to 6 months of average operating costs as an Operating Reserve Fund” — page 30

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants (matched by registered charity number).

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2025)

Total income

£529k

Total spending

£530k

Cost of raising funds

£93k

Reserves (reported)

£172k

Employees

Reported reserves equal ~3.9 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (50% 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: 17.5% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Victoria Shelley Raechair
Alice Emily Singer
Charlotte Julia Lilley
Gabrielle Samuels
Ghadeer Al-Seragi
Gjelina Durgaj
Imran Malik
Kathy Margerison
Margaret Mary Lally
Syed Zahid

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

Operates in: Throughout London

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£529k	£530k
31/08/2024	£499k	£505k
31/08/2023	£475k	£448k
31/08/2022	£325k	£385k
31/08/2021	£436k	£365k

Common questions

Is ISLINGTON CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved an almost balanced budget, spending only £503 of its opening reserves to cover a slight deficit. The trustees report that unrestricted reserves of £172,052 represent 3.8 months of the total expenditure budget, which is below their stated policy target of 3 to 6 months. The charity notes that the fundraising landscape remains uncertain and that they are managing expenditure carefully to strengthen their position. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

What does the highest-paid employee of ISLINGTON CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £60,000 - £70,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds ISLINGTON CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS?

Funders whose own accounts filings name ISLINGTON CENTRE FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS as a grant recipient include CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY, THE FORRESTER FAMILY TRUST, CHARITY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON, THE FRENCH HUGUENOT CHURCH OF LONDON CHARITABLE TRUST, THE PETER STEBBINGS MEMORIAL CHARITY.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2024	£105k	Health and Welfare Grant
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2022	£90k	Health and Welfare - Principal Grants
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2023	£75k	Principal Grant
THE FORRESTER FAMILY TRUST	FY2023	£40k	Theme of the Year
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2022	£30k	Health and Welfare - Development and Support Grants
CHARITY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON	FY2024	£25k	Church & Communities Programme
CHARITY OF SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON	FY2025	£21k	Church & Communities Programme
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2024	£20k	Health and Welfare Grant (via Partners)
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2023	£20k	Cloudesley Partners Grant
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2022	£17k	Health and Welfare - Cloudesley Partners
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2025	£10k	Cloudesley Partner Grant
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2025	£10k	Large Health Grant
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2024	£10k	Health and Welfare Grant (via Catalyst)
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2025	£10k	Catalyst Programme Grant
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2022	£10k	Health and Welfare - Catalyst Programme
THE FRENCH HUGUENOT CHURCH OF LONDON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2021	£6k	Hardship Fund
THE PETER STEBBINGS MEMORIAL CHARITY	FY2023	£5k
THE FRENCH HUGUENOT CHURCH OF LONDON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£5k	Grants to institutions
THE PETER STEBBINGS MEMORIAL CHARITY	FY2024	£5k
THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUST	FY2024	£5k	Mount Fund
CHARLES S FRENCH CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£3k
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2024	£3k	Development and Support Grant
LONDON CATALYST	FY2023	£2k	Mental health support and welfare calls service for refugees.
ST LAWRENCE JEWRY GUILD CHURCH COUNCIL	FY2024	£2k	Charitable donation
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2023	£2k	Grants Support Fund
THE AUSTIN AND HOPE PILKINGTON TRUST	FY2025	£1k	Grant Round 3: £1,000

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
Sport England	17/09/2025	£3k	New Gym Fitness Session for Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The National Lottery Community Fund	17/04/2025	£20k	Exercise Classes for Refugees
The Mercers' Company	04/10/2023	£68k	Grant to Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants
City Bridge Foundation	16/01/2023	£212k	Grant to Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants
The National Lottery Community Fund	29/03/2021	£180k	To expand our innovative online English school for refugees and migrants
The National Lottery Community Fund	05/02/2021	£9k	Relief packages for essentials to vulnerable migrants during COVID-19
A B Charitable Trust	21/01/2021	£20k	A grant to Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants
UK government	17/07/2020	£60k	Coronavirus Community Support Fund
A B Charitable Trust	10/10/2019	£15k	A grant to Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants
Greater London Authority	30/09/2019	£72k	Sport for Change: supporting asylum seekers and refugees at the heart of our community
A B Charitable Trust	03/07/2018	£15k	A grant to Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants
City Bridge Foundation	27/07/2017	£50k	Grant to Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants