GAFIRS

Registered charity 1159681 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Provision of lifeboat and other inshore rescue capabilities on the Solent and in Portsmouth Harbour, training for Junior members, 14 to 18 years in life-saving skills and water safety presentations to local schools, youth and community groups.

Objects

THE OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY ('THE OBJECTS') ARE:1 THE SAVING OF LIVES PRIMARILY OFF THE COAST OF GOSPORT AND FAREHAM IN THE COUNTY OF HAMPSHIRE (THE AREA OF BENEFIT) BY RECRUITING MEMBERS AND TRAINING THEM IN LIFE SAVING FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT; AND2 THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN ALL ASPECTS OF WATER SAFETY.

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 Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£358k

Latest spending

£109k

Registered

2014

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity held total funds of £1,300,738 at the end of 2025, comprising unrestricted general funds of £1,116,246 and designated funds of £184,492. The trustees acknowledge that continuing activity is dependent on receiving a substantial proportion of income from the Lifeboat Lottery, though they maintain a two-year reserve to mitigate this risk.

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

What the accounts disclose

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“The Trustees acknowledge that the Charity’s continuing activity is dependent upon receiving a substantial proportion of total income from the Lifeboat Lottery. The Charity has maintained a 2-year reserve to fund continuing activities and allow time for other sources of income to be sought should income cease.” — page 17

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 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
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
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

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

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

Register events

Received assets from another charity (22/10/2024) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Andrew Barber
Joanne Frances Young · trustee of 1 other charity
Kelly Louise O'Neill
Lenie Helena Martina Johanna Stephens-Voorhorst
Marianne Clapton
Owen James Sargant Mr
Robert Frederick White

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

Operates in: Hampshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£358k	£109k
31/12/2024	£123k	£106k
31/12/2023	£112k	£137k
31/12/2022	£87k	£129k
31/12/2021	£108k	£104k

Common questions

Is GAFIRS financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity held total funds of £1,300,738 at the end of 2025, comprising unrestricted general funds of £1,116,246 and designated funds of £184,492. The trustees acknowledge that continuing activity is dependent on receiving a substantial proportion of income from the Lifeboat Lottery, though they maintain a two-year reserve to mitigate this risk. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
UK government	—	£5k	Inshore & Inland Rescue Boat Grant Fund

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
THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY HOUSE OF DEPTFORD STROND	1	£65k
THE SUNRISE (SIDMOUTH) CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£25k
THE GEORGE CADBURY TRUST (GEORGE HENRY T AND LAURENCE J CADBURY SECTIONS)	1	£1k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with HEMSBY INSHORE RESCUE SERVICE.

HEMSBY INSHORE RESCUE SERVICE income £150k
ROYAL AIR FORCE SAILING ASSOCIATION income £135k
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME RESCUE FEDERATION income £635k
HAMBLE LIFEBOAT LIMITED income £126k
GOSPORT DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL income £126k
PETT LEVEL INDEPENDENT RESCUE BOAT ASSN. income £159k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
GAFIRS	£358k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
HEMSBY INSHORE RESCUE SERVICE FY2025	£150k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
ROYAL AIR FORCE SAILING ASSOCIATION FY2024	£135k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME RESCUE FEDERATION FY2024	£635k	£70,001 - £80,000	1	unclear	—	no doubt
HAMBLE LIFEBOAT LIMITED FY2024	£126k	—	0	below	—	no doubt
GOSPORT DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL FY2025	£126k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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