SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
Registered charity 1147009 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SOHK · also registered in Scotland as SC046118 (OSCR)
School of Hard Knocks uses sport and other challenging activities to help participants re-engage with school or find employment. All of our courses seek to develop a sense of citizenship and work towards improvement in mental and physical health and wellbeing. Other objectives include: Reduced crime, money management, career planning, increased confidence and increased personal responsibility.
Causes: Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Economic/community Development/employment · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2026 accounts
The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a surplus of £61k and unrestricted reserves of £179,044. The trustees note that this reserve level is currently below their stated policy target of £358k (three months of operating costs), though they consider the current 6.5 weeks of cover to be favourable compared to the interim target. The auditor confirmed that the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate with no material uncertainties identified.
Automated summary of the FY2026 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £179k; policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure)
“Although currently operating below target, the Trustees are committed to addressing this in the short to medium term (by 2030 latest).” — page 8
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustees contributed financially to the organisation: receiving cash donations of £17,236 (2025 - £1,336) from trustees, Financial support of £14,000 (£0) from related parties of Trustees supported fundraising events to the value of £32,060 (2025: £31,450), of which £4,985 (2025: £0) was deferred at the year end.
“During the year various trustees contributed financially to the organisation: receiving cash donations of £17,236 (2025 - £1,336) from trustees, Financial support of £14,000 (£0) from related parties of Trustees supported fundraising events to the value of £32,060 (2025: £31,450), of which £4,985 (2025: £0) was deferred at the year end.” — page 33
“In addition to this, we appreciate the pro-bono work provided by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a law firm of which James Cameron is a partner, the value of which is assessed as £52,857 (2025 - £55,100). This has not been recognized as income or expenditure in the accounts.”
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Pro-bono legal work provided by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a law firm of which James Cameron is a partner, valued at £52,857.
“During the year various trustees contributed financially to the organisation: receiving cash donations of £17,236 (2025 - £1,336) from trustees, Financial support of £14,000 (£0) from related parties of Trustees supported fundraising events to the value of £32,060 (2025: £31,450), of which £4,985 (2025: £0) was deferred at the year end.” — page 33
“In addition to this, we appreciate the pro-bono work provided by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a law firm of which James Cameron is a partner, the value of which is assessed as £52,857 (2025 - £55,100). This has not been recognized as income or expenditure in the accounts.”
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — School of Hard Knocks (matched by registered charity number).
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Ken Cowen — Founder & CEO (source)
- Jim Cameron — Chairman (source)
- Peter Grant — Director of Finance (source)
- Torran Macdougall — Director of Programmes (source)
- Francesca Keynton — Head of Fundraising (source)
Listed on the charity’s own website when we last crawled it; roles may have changed. Pay-band disclosures above are anonymous statutory disclosures and are not attributed to any named individual.
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
- Investec — “Trying Together: SOHK x Investec Eton Manor Tournaments 2026” (source page)
- Firethorn Trust — ““Supporting School of Hard Knocks allows us to make a meaningful difference for the next generation, giving them the opportunity to reach th…” (source page)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2026)
Cost of raising funds
£322k
Reported reserves equal ~1.5 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (46% 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: 21.6% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).
- James Cameronchair
- Chris Webb
- Dr Mikel Mellick
- Karen Dawn Neale
- Neel Sood
- Nicholas Dent
- Shaunagh Brown
- Thomas Edward Lockyer Walsh
- Victoria Griffin
- Yasmine Hafiz
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Scotland · Throughout England And Wales
Income and spending
Common questions
Is SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS financially healthy?
Per its FY2026 accounts: The accounts state that the charity ended the year with a surplus of £61k and unrestricted reserves of £179,044. The trustees note that this reserve level is currently below their stated policy target of £358k (three months of operating costs), though they consider the current 6.5 weeks of cover to be favourable compared to the interim target. The auditor confirmed that the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2026 accounts were audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP.
Who funds SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS?
Funders whose own accounts filings name SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS as a grant recipient include IMPETUS - THE PRIVATE EQUITY FOUNDATION, THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION, WOODEN SPOON SOCIETY, THE QUILTER FOUNDATION, WASPS LEGENDS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.
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.
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Side by side with its peers
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