YOUNG ROOTS

Registered charity 1139685 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as REFUGEE YOUTH PROJECT

Young Roots works with young refugees supporting them to improve their wellbeing and fulfil their potential, through intensive one-to-one Casework, youth and sporting activities, English language mentoring, youth leadership and access to specialist therapeutic and legal advice.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Economic/community Development/employment · Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity · Recreation · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£1.4m

Latest spending

£1.8m

Registered

2011

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that total income decreased by 22% to £1,403,986 while total expenditure increased to £1,836,717, resulting in a net expenditure for the year. Despite this deficit, the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £515,215, which exceeds the trustees' stated target range of £425,000-£475,000.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £60,001 - £70,000 — below the median for charities its size (£70k)

“One employee earned within £60,000 – 70,000 band during the year (2023: 0).” — page 36

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 1

“One employee earned within £60,000 – 70,000 band during the year (2023: 0).” — page 36

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: Grants for charitable activities (77% of income)

“Most of our income, 78% (68% in 2023), continues to come from restricted grants from Trusts and Foundations for our charitable activities.” — page 15

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Fundraising cost ratio: 11.4% of fundraised income, as disclosed

“89% of the total organisational expenditure was spent on charitable activities (2023: 88%) with 11% expended on raising funds (2023: 12%) to support Young Roots to achieve its objectives. Fundraising costs have increased by 28% as we invest in resourcing within the team.” — page 15

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: between £425,000-£475,000 (held: £515k)

“The trustees have agreed that the level of free reserves needs to be between £425,000-£475,000.” — page 15

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“The Board of Trustees considers that Young Roots remains a going concern. As a grant-funded organisation that depends on restricted grant funding for a large part of its income, Young Roots begins each financial year without having secured all the income to cover its operational costs in the year.” — page 16

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Godfrey Wilson Limited. Discloses 6 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Reserves position vs the charity's own policy moved from "within" (FY2023) to "above" (FY2024).

Comparing this charity’s FY2023 and FY2024 accounts as analysed by this site.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Young Roots (matched by registered charity number).

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/11/2024)

Total income

£1.4m

Total spending

£1.8m

Cost of raising funds

£210k

Reserves (reported)

£515k

Employees

32

Reported reserves equal ~3.4 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (77% 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: 14.9% of total income — above the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (24/04/2025) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (18/09/2012) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

GRACE CAPELchair
Andrea Vukovic
Edward Abel Smith
Hannah Stott
Laura Puddefoot-Knaggs
Radhika Ravi
SEONAID ROSINA ELSPETH MURRAY WEIGHTMAN
Sami Gichki · trustee of 2 other charities
Stephen Roger Corker
Wasig Zaid

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

Operates in: Brent · Croydon

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
30/11/2024	£1.4m	£1.8m
30/11/2023	£1.8m	£1.4m
30/11/2022	£1.4m	£960k
30/11/2021	£985k	£925k
30/11/2020	£801k	£629k

Common questions

Is YOUNG ROOTS financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that total income decreased by 22% to £1,403,986 while total expenditure increased to £1,836,717, resulting in a net expenditure for the year. Despite this deficit, the charity holds unrestricted reserves of £515,215, which exceeds the trustees' stated target range of £425,000-£475,000. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by Godfrey Wilson Limited.

What does the highest-paid employee of YOUNG ROOTS earn?

Per its FY2024 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £60,001 - £70,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds YOUNG ROOTS?

Funders whose own accounts filings name YOUNG ROOTS as a grant recipient include The Leathersellers' Foundation, THE PRUDENCE TRUST, BELRON RONNIE LUBNER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION, THE FORRESTER FAMILY TRUST.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
The Leathersellers' Foundation	FY2024	£200k	ACE Charity Main Grants
THE PRUDENCE TRUST	FY2022	£200k	Personalised support for refugees and asylum seekers
BELRON RONNIE LUBNER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2024	£176k
THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION	FY2025	£60k	Two-year commitment funding (£30,000 pa).
THE FORRESTER FAMILY TRUST	FY2023	£40k	Theme of the Year
THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION	FY2022	£30k	restricted to meeting 50% of the costs for the creation of a new role of Policy and Advocacy Director
THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION	FY2023	£30k	Year-two commitment for Policy and Advocacy Director role (50% of cost)
The Leathersellers' Foundation	FY2023	£25k	Community support grant
TREEBEARD TRUST	FY2024	£25k
THE A B CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£22k
THE A B CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£20k
WEMBLEY NATIONAL STADIUM TRUST	FY2023	£20k	For sports activities for young refugees
THE A B CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£20k	Migrants and Refugees
MARTIN CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2026	£15k
THE ALLEN OVERY SHEARMAN STERLING FOUNDATION	FY2023	£10k
THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION	FY2023	£10k	Unrestricted inflationary payment
THE ALLEN OVERY SHEARMAN STERLING FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k
THE NORTHWICK TRUST	FY2022	£10k
THE SHELDON TRUST	FY2024	£10k	Youth Development
THE PETER STEBBINGS MEMORIAL CHARITY	FY2023	£5k
THE SHELDON TRUST	FY2023	£5k	Youth Development
THE ALLEN OVERY SHEARMAN STERLING FOUNDATION	FY2024	£5k
THE PETER STEBBINGS MEMORIAL CHARITY	FY2022	£5k
THE PIXEL FUND	FY2025	£5k
THE CHERUBY TRUST	FY2025	£3k
THE CHERUBY TRUST	FY2023	£3k
W F SOUTHALL TRUST	FY2023	£3k	Social Action
W F SOUTHALL TRUST	FY2024	£3k	Social Action
SIR JULES THORN CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£3k
THE CHILDHOOD TRUST	FY2023	£3k
THE CHILDHOOD TRUST	FY2025	£3k
WEMBLEY NATIONAL STADIUM TRUST	FY2022	£3k	for a young refugees football project
THE CHERUBY TRUST	FY2024	£2k
THE CHERUBY TRUST	FY2026	£2k
LONDON CATALYST	FY2022	£2k
LONDON CATALYST	FY2023	£1k	Hillside Clubhouse
THE OAKDALE TRUST	FY2022	£1k
THE KURT AND MAGDA STERN FOUNDATION	FY2024	£100	Year-three of three-year commitment for Policy and Advocacy Director costs (co-funded with Treebeard Trust)
TREEBEARD TRUST	FY2023	£0

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
A B Charitable Trust	10/10/2024	£22k	A grant to Young Roots
A B Charitable Trust	12/10/2023	£22k	A grant to Young Roots
The National Lottery Community Fund	17/02/2023	£10k	Casework Support for Young Refugees in Brent
A B Charitable Trust	06/10/2022	£20k	A grant to Young Roots
The National Lottery Community Fund	20/06/2022	£195k	Young Roots' Advice & Support Hubs
Sport England	14/04/2022	£10k	Jubilee Fund - Supporting the physical health of young refugees in Croydon
The National Lottery Community Fund	26/11/2021	£10k	Young Roots’ 1:1 Casework Support for Young Refugees and Asylum Seekers
A B Charitable Trust	07/10/2021	£20k	A grant to Young Roots
Barrow Cadbury Trust	07/10/2020	£42k	COVID-19 - Young Roots
Greater London Authority	01/10/2020	£141k	Surviving to Thriving: supporting young refugees and asylum seekers (YRAS) in Brent
A B Charitable Trust	02/07/2020	£15k	A grant to Young Roots
UK government	28/02/2020	£20k	UK Youth Fund YAF
City Bridge Foundation	30/01/2020	£289k	Grant to Young Roots
The National Lottery Community Fund	24/01/2020	£10k	Young Roots' Advice and Support Hub
A B Charitable Trust	24/01/2019	£10k	A grant to Young Roots
Greater London Authority	02/01/2019	£146k	Young Londoners Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund	19/12/2018	£240k	Action to Grow
The National Lottery Community Fund	27/01/2016	£500k	Young Roots 'Rise Up Project'
The National Lottery Community Fund	29/04/2015	£10k	Girls Pizazz
The National Lottery Community Fund	18/01/2013	£282k	Bridging London
The National Lottery Community Fund	22/12/2011	£10k	Independence Together
The National Lottery Community Fund	19/10/2005	£5k	Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Students

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
SOUTHWELL AND NOTTINGHAM DIOCESAN BOARD OF FINANCE	1	£109k
UBS UK Donor-Advised Foundation	1	£40k
THE P27 TRUST	1	£25k
SOCIETY OF THE HOLY CHILD JESUS CIO	1	£15k
THE THOMAS FARR CHARITY	1	£11k
BOOTS CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£10k
TWO RIDINGS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION	1	£10k
THE JONES 1986 CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£10k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE ROOTS FOUNDATION WALES.

THE ROOTS FOUNDATION WALES income £246k
ROOTS AND SHOOTS income £1.8m
REFUGEE ROOTS income £326k
WORKSOP AND RETFORD HOUSING PROJECT LIMITED income £2.2m
INTERCULTURAL ROOTS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH income £247k
THE YOUNG FOUNDATION income £4.1m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
YOUNG ROOTS	£1.4m	£60,001 - £70,000	1	above	11.4%	noted
THE ROOTS FOUNDATION WALES FY2025	£246k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ROOTS AND SHOOTS FY2025	£1.8m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
REFUGEE ROOTS FY2025	£326k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
WORKSOP AND RETFORD HOUSING PROJECT LIMITED FY2025	£2.2m	—	0	unclear	1.2%	no doubt
INTERCULTURAL ROOTS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH FY2025	£247k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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