THE MARGINS PROJECT

Registered charity 1153070 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as Union Chapel Project The Margins Project

The charitable activities of The Margins Project are to relieve need, hardship and distress of persons who are in need by reason of their social and/or economic circumstances, in particular those who are facing homelessness and poverty, through a range of services including providing a safe space where they are encouraged to explore and develop their potential and progress to recovery.

Objects

TO RELIEVE NEED, HARDSHIP AND DISTRESS OF PERSONS WHO ARE IN NEED BY REASON OF THEIR SOCIAL AND/OR ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IN PARTICULAR THOSE WHO ARE FACING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY, THROUGH A RANGE OF SERVICES INCLUDING PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE WHERE THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL AND FEEL EMPOWERED TO PROGRESS TOWARDS THEIR RECOVERY.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

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

Registered contact address: Islington, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£415k

Latest spending

£313k

Registered

2013

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £102,154 for the year, with total income increasing by 39% to £415,109. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £86,460, which the trustees note represents a restoration to a stronger level to ensure sustainability.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: six months’ unavoidable costs (held: £86k)

“Margins’ policy is to maintain reserves sufficient to cover six months’ unavoidable costs.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025

Volunteers: 14
Government income: £25,000 — grants £25,000 (1); 6% of the £415,109 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024

Volunteers: 22
Government income: £15,000 — grants £15,000 (1); 5% of the £297,780 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023

Volunteers: 21
Government income: £16,250 — grants £16,250 (1); 7% of the £223,123 total gross income on the same return

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — The Margins Project (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).

Oak Foundation — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
Slaughter and May — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
Cloudesley — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
The Henry Smith Charity — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
London Borough of Islington — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
Cripplegate Foundation — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
Govia Thameslink Railway — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
Islington Giving — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
Derwent London — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
The Rose and Sally Russell Charitable Trust — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
Streets of London — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
London Housing Foundation — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
The Albert Hunt Trust — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
The Linbury Trust — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)
The Spencer Charitable Trust — “Thank you to our supporters Oak Foundation, Slaughter and May, Cloudesley, The Henry Smith Charity, London Borough of Islington, Cripplegate…” (source page)

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

Trustees · trustee networks

Kenneth Beechchair · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Angela Burnett
Fajer Qasem
Rev Catherine Bird · trustee of 1 other charity
SIMON CARRUTH · trustee of 2 other charities
Sue Lukes

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

Operates in: Camden · Hackney · Islington

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£415k	£313k
31/03/2024	£298k	£270k
31/03/2023	£223k	£281k
31/03/2022	£186k	£235k
31/03/2021	£255k	£229k

Common questions

Is THE MARGINS PROJECT financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £102,154 for the year, with total income increasing by 39% to £415,109. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves stood at £86,460, which the trustees note represents a restoration to a stronger level to ensure sustainability. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE MARGINS PROJECT?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE MARGINS PROJECT as a grant recipient include CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY, THE SLAUGHTER AND MAY CHARITABLE TRUST, THE PRET FOUNDATION, LONDON CATALYST, INNER LONDON MAGISTRATES COURT POOR BOX.

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	FY2022	£90k	Health and Welfare - Principal Grants
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2023	£75k	Principal Grant
THE SLAUGHTER AND MAY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£33k
THE SLAUGHTER AND MAY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2021	£30k
THE SLAUGHTER AND MAY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£22k
THE PRET FOUNDATION	FY2022	£10k
LONDON CATALYST	FY2025	£10k	Mental health & advice support for refugees & migrants.
THE PRET FOUNDATION	FY2023	£10k
INNER LONDON MAGISTRATES COURT POOR BOX	FY2021	£7k
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2025	£6k	Large Health Grant
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2025	£6k	Cloudesley Partner Grant
THE GROCERS' CHARITY	FY2022	£5k	Relief of Poverty
THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUST	FY2025	£5k	Mount Fund - Homelessness
THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUST	FY2024	£5k	Mount Fund
UNION CHAPEL	FY2025	£4k	Purchase of kitchen equipment for grant-funded work with asylum seekers
THE PRET FOUNDATION	FY2021	£4k
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2024	£3k	Health and Welfare Grant (via Partners)
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2023	£2k	Cloudesley Partners Grant
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2022	£2k	Health and Welfare - Cloudesley Partners
UNION CHAPEL	FY2025	£600	Catering at a church event
UNION CHAPEL	FY2025	£425	Providing Sunday lunches
THE SLAUGHTER AND MAY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	amount not stated
CHARITY OF RICHARD CLOUDESLEY	FY2024	amount not stated	Health and Welfare Grant

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
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON TOWN TRUST	1	£148k
Thomas Waley-Cohen Charitable Trust	1	£110k
THE KING HENRY VIII ENDOWED TRUST, WARWICK	1	£34k
UPP FOUNDATION	1	£23k
WARWICK RELIEF IN NEED CHARITY	1	£10k
THE PWC FOUNDATION	1	£5k
SOUTH HACKNEY PAROCHIAL CHARITY	1	£5k
LORD MAYOR OF MANCHESTER'S CHARITY APPEAL TRUST	1	£5k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BEYOND THE MARGIN.

BEYOND THE MARGIN income £175k
The Places Foundation income £996k
THE BRIDGE GROUP income £435k
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CENTRES income £1.7m
THE PARENTING PROJECT income £566k
THE PEOPLE'S RECOVERY PROJECT income £213k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE MARGINS PROJECT	£415k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
BEYOND THE MARGIN FY2026	£175k	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
The Places Foundation FY2025	£996k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE BRIDGE GROUP FY2025	£435k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
VOLUNTARY SECTOR CENTRES FY2025	£1.7m	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE PARENTING PROJECT FY2026	£566k	—	0	below	—	no doubt

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