THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HACKNEY

Registered charity 1158545 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ST JOHN AT HACKNEY CHURCH, THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JOHN AT HACKNEY, The Parish of Hackney

Sunday and midweek worship as part of the Church of England. Mission and outreach activities include a weekly Foodbank in association with Hackney Food Bank, a winter night shelter and Credit Union. Other activities include outreach to youth and children, and pastoral care for people within the parish.

Causes: Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£3.6m

Latest spending

£3.4m

Registered

2014

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity operates with a negative unrestricted fund position, reporting an accumulated deficit of £280,588 at the end of the financial year. Despite this deficit, the trustees and auditors confirm the entity is a going concern, citing a viable budget and continued congregational support as sufficient to manage the position without adversity.

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

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: unclear

“Two (2024: Two) employees earned in excess of £60,000 in the year 2025.” — page 20

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Employees paid over £60,000: 2

“Two (2024: Two) employees earned in excess of £60,000 in the year 2025.” — page 20

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Largest income source: Donations and collections (100% of income)

“The principal source of funding is from the congregation members and other supporters in the form of regular donations and collections, standing orders and direct debits. The total amount raised in this way for the ministries of Hackney Church in 2025 was £1,502,876 (2024: £1,378,047).” — page 7

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £-281k; policy: not deliberately build up reserves)

“PCC policy is to not deliberately build up reserves. Any reserves that may exist, result from accumulated giving at any one time. Total unrestricted and designated PCC accumulated deficit at 31 December 2025 amounted to £280,588 (2024: £438,612).” — page 7

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: St. John's Housing Trust (SJHT) is a related party consolidated in the accounts. The PCC manages 100% of the trust, and its objectives are aligned to the church.

“St. John’s Housing Trust (SJHT) is a charitable entity whereby the trustees are also trustees of Hackney Church and therefore SJHT is consolidated in the financial accounts attached to this report. The objectives of the trust are to provide, through two Leasehold properties held in the Hackney Gardens housing development, reasonably priced accommodation to church clergy and/or employees or to other people in need.” — page 4

“Saint Music Collective Limited (SMC), Company Number 13448340, was formed in June 2021 for the purpose of recording and promoting Christain worship music. The majority of SMC's directors are also trustees of Hackney Church. At this time, the activies of SMC are immaterial and the accounts of SMC have not been consolidated as the amounts are immaterial. Transactions made between Hackney Church and SMC are disclosed in Note 7.” — page 15

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Saint Music Collective Limited (SMC) is a related party where the majority of directors are also trustees of Hackney Church. Its activities are immaterial and not consolidated, but transactions are disclosed in Note 7.

“St. John’s Housing Trust (SJHT) is a charitable entity whereby the trustees are also trustees of Hackney Church and therefore SJHT is consolidated in the financial accounts attached to this report. The objectives of the trust are to provide, through two Leasehold properties held in the Hackney Gardens housing development, reasonably priced accommodation to church clergy and/or employees or to other people in need.” — page 4

“Saint Music Collective Limited (SMC), Company Number 13448340, was formed in June 2021 for the purpose of recording and promoting Christain worship music. The majority of SMC's directors are also trustees of Hackney Church. At this time, the activies of SMC are immaterial and the accounts of SMC have not been consolidated as the amounts are immaterial. Transactions made between Hackney Church and SMC are disclosed in Note 7.” — page 15

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Members of the PCC and Clergy gave £154,314 to the church during their time in office in 2025. While Hackney Parochial Council is not a related party, transactions with its trustees are disclosed for transparency.

“St. John’s Housing Trust (SJHT) is a charitable entity whereby the trustees are also trustees of Hackney Church and therefore SJHT is consolidated in the financial accounts attached to this report. The objectives of the trust are to provide, through two Leasehold properties held in the Hackney Gardens housing development, reasonably priced accommodation to church clergy and/or employees or to other people in need.” — page 4

“Saint Music Collective Limited (SMC), Company Number 13448340, was formed in June 2021 for the purpose of recording and promoting Christain worship music. The majority of SMC's directors are also trustees of Hackney Church. At this time, the activies of SMC are immaterial and the accounts of SMC have not been consolidated as the amounts are immaterial. Transactions made between Hackney Church and SMC are disclosed in Note 7.” — page 15

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Clergy are ex-officio members of the PCC and thus related parties regarding accommodation benefits provided by Hackney Church, though details are not separately analysed.

“St. John’s Housing Trust (SJHT) is a charitable entity whereby the trustees are also trustees of Hackney Church and therefore SJHT is consolidated in the financial accounts attached to this report. The objectives of the trust are to provide, through two Leasehold properties held in the Hackney Gardens housing development, reasonably priced accommodation to church clergy and/or employees or to other people in need.” — page 4

“Saint Music Collective Limited (SMC), Company Number 13448340, was formed in June 2021 for the purpose of recording and promoting Christain worship music. The majority of SMC's directors are also trustees of Hackney Church. At this time, the activies of SMC are immaterial and the accounts of SMC have not been consolidated as the amounts are immaterial. Transactions made between Hackney Church and SMC are disclosed in Note 7.” — page 15

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: Hackney Church Experiences Limited

“The PCC, through nominees, manages 100% of the issued share capital of Hackney Church Experiences Limited (registered number: 12470018) ("HCEL"), whose principal activities during the year were those of operating as a venue coordinator for gigs, music events and other hiring of the church spaces.” — page 18

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Brewers Chartered Accountants. Discloses 6 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Top pay band moved from more than £60,000 (FY2024) to unclear (FY2025).

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

Leadership, per the charity’s website

AL GORDON — Rector (source)
NAOMI MAXWELL-BABATUNDE — Associate Rector (source)
STEVE OPIE — Lead Pastor (source)
ZAC LLOYD — Executive Director (source)
CHRIS WEIR — Director of Finance & Operations (source)
ISAK PETERSEN — Ministry & Discipleship Director (source)
THANDO ZULU — Experiences Director (source)
JACQUIE DRIVER — Director of Development (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.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2025)

Total income

£3.6m

Total spending

£3.4m

Cost of raising funds

£733k

Reserves (reported)

£0

Employees

31

Reported reserves equal ~0.0 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (42% 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: 20.5% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (11/07/2019) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Hackney

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£3.6m	£3.4m
31/12/2024	£3.7m	£3.5m
31/12/2023	£2.6m	£2.8m
31/12/2022	£2.0m	£2.6m
31/12/2021	£2.0m	£2.2m

Common questions

Is THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HACKNEY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity operates with a negative unrestricted fund position, reporting an accumulated deficit of £280,588 at the end of the financial year. Despite this deficit, the trustees and auditors confirm the entity is a going concern, citing a viable budget and continued congregational support as sufficient to manage the position without adversity. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Brewers Chartered Accountants.

What does the highest-paid employee of THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HACKNEY earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the unclear band, and 2 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HACKNEY?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HACKNEY as a grant recipient include THE MERCERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, HACKNEY PAROCHIAL CHARITIES.

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.

Rev Alexander Gordon — trustee here and at HACKNEY PAROCHIAL CHARITIES
Rev Naomi Maxwell-Babatunde — trustee here and at HACKNEY PAROCHIAL CHARITIES

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE MERCERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2022	£33k	Church & Communities Programme
HACKNEY PAROCHIAL CHARITIES	FY2024	£30k

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	17/08/2020	£47k	"COVID19: The Parish of Hackney"
The Mercers' Company	15/05/2020	£1k	Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund Grant
The Mercers' Company	04/07/2019	£100k	Grant to The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St John at Hackney
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	03/12/2014	£2.2m	"The St John at Hackney Project"

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF OXSHOTT.

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF OXSHOTT income £316k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY, ATTENBOROUGH. income £164k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL FOR THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST CHRISTOPHER, BOURNEMOUTH income £264k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST GEORGE, BICKLEY income £147k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY'S ELY income £462k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAINT MARY AND ALL SAINTS WHALLEY income £116k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HACKNEY	£3.6m	unclear	2	below	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF OXSHOTT FY2025	£316k	—	0	within	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY, ATTENBOROUGH. FY2024	£164k	—	0	below	—	noted
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL FOR THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST CHRISTOPHER, BOURNEMOUTH FY2025	£264k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST GEORGE, BICKLEY FY2025	£147k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARY'S ELY FY2025	£462k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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