OXFORD CENTRE FOR RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE

Registered charity 1139185 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as OCRPL

The Charity's object and its principal activity is that of the advancement of education in the subject of religion and in particular its contribution to public life by:a) the establishment and operation of an institute.b) promoting and conducting research and disseminating the useful results thereof.c) the promotion of religious harmony for the benefit of the public

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

Latest income

£413k

Latest spending

£815k

Registered

2010

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity ended the period with a net asset deficit of £89,727, having incurred a net outgoing of £402,440. The Trustees acknowledge that unrestricted funds have not increased in line with expenditures and that the charity is heavily reliant on ongoing support from the KAF Kiti Almond Foundation for funding academic programs and administrative support.

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

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: none

“Received From Purpose Nexcus International Academic programs KAF Kiti Almond Foundation Core costs”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £-98k; policy: adequate to cover the ongoing promotion of the Charity’s objects, together with the associated support and administration costs)

“The Trustees are aware that the current level of unrestricted funds has not increased in line with the increase in expenditures. They have the intention to increase the level of unrestricted funds to provide sufficient funds to a level which is adequate to cover the ongoing promotion of the Charity’s objects, together with the associated support and administration costs.” — page 5

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Two former Trustees were owed £853 for travel costs incurred on behalf of the charity.

“Two of the former Trustees, Reverend Canon Dr V K Samuel and Reverend Canon DrCM N Sugden, were owed a total of £853 at the year end date, in respect of travel costs, incurred on behalf of the charity, and not yet reimbursed.” — page 19

“At the year end date £43,544 was owed to TBF Trust in respect of expenditure made on behalf of OCRPL. Reverend Canon Dr C. M. N. Sugden and C. J. C. Kerslake are Trustees of TBF Trust.” — page 19

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The charity owed £43,544 to TBF Trust, which is a related party because two OCRPL Trustees are also Trustees of TBF Trust.

“Two of the former Trustees, Reverend Canon Dr V K Samuel and Reverend Canon DrCM N Sugden, were owed a total of £853 at the year end date, in respect of travel costs, incurred on behalf of the charity, and not yet reimbursed.” — page 19

“At the year end date £43,544 was owed to TBF Trust in respect of expenditure made on behalf of OCRPL. Reverend Canon Dr C. M. N. Sugden and C. J. C. Kerslake are Trustees of TBF Trust.” — page 19

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Governance: The Independent Examiner reported that disagreements between former Trustees and the remaining Board caused issues in accessing records, creating a risk that accounting records were not kept in terms of completeness as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act.

“Disagreements that arose between persons who previously held the position of Trustee, and the remaining Board, caused issues in accessing certain of the charity’s records. Accordingly, there is a risk, albeit considered small, of omission of some of the year’s transactions and balances.” — page 8

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Charity Commission inquiry

The Charity Commission launched statutory inquiries into four charities linked to the 'Barnabas Family' due to identified risks regarding shared premises, trustees, and fund flows with Barnabas Fund, which is itself under inquiry. The regulator has frozen bank accounts or restricted transactions for the charities to protect charitable assets while it assesses trustee compliance and potential misconduct.

Per the Commission’s published report. Summary is automated; the official report is authoritative.

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 05662830

The charity’s company — latest Companies House iXBRL filing (balance sheet 31 December 2025)

Average employees: 5

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

BANDA, Joshua Harrimon Kaitshuleke, Bishop Dr — director, appointed 13/05/2025on trustee list
KASERA, Basilius Mbanze, Dr — director, appointed 12/05/2025on trustee list
ERIC, Yassir Andrew, Bishop Dr — director, appointed 05/04/2023on trustee list
KITAYIMBWA, Lydia Nabunya Nsaale, Rev Dr — director, appointed 05/04/2023on trustee list
SUGDEN, Christopher Michael Neville, Canon Dr — secretary, appointed 09/05/2025

Official officers record.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2023)

Total income

£937k

Total spending

£831k

Reserves (reported)

£0

Employees

8

Reported reserves equal ~0.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 7.0 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (100% 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: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (2.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Bishop Dr Joshua H K Banda
Canon Dr Christopher Michael Neville Sugden · trustee of 4 other charities
Dr Basilius Mbanze Kasera
Dr Yassir Andrew Eric
Rev Lydia Nabunya Nsaale Kitayimbwa

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

Operates in: India · Kenya · Oxfordshire · South Africa · Sri Lanka

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£413k	£815k
31/12/2023	£937k	£831k
31/12/2022	£886k	£682k
31/12/2021	£364k	£394k
31/05/2021	£490k	£519k

Common questions

Is OXFORD CENTRE FOR RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity ended the period with a net asset deficit of £89,727, having incurred a net outgoing of £402,440. The Trustees acknowledge that unrestricted funds have not increased in line with expenditures and that the charity is heavily reliant on ongoing support from the KAF Kiti Almond Foundation for funding academic programs and administrative support. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds OXFORD CENTRE FOR RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE?

Funders whose own accounts filings name OXFORD CENTRE FOR RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE as a grant recipient include TBF TRUST.

Shared trustees with funders

Register facts shown side by side: a person serves as trustee of both this charity and a funder whose accounts record grants to it. Shared trusteeship is lawful and common; well-run charities manage it through declared-interest procedures.

Canon Dr Christopher Michael Neville Sugden — trustee here and at TBF TRUST

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
TBF TRUST	FY2025	£46k	Grant funding of activities