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Challenge Ministries UK

Registered charity 1162211 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as CHALLENGE MINISTRIES SWAZILAND UK, CMS-UK, SWAZI CHILDCARE

The charity is promoting and protecting the physical and mental health of children and young people disadvantaged or marginalised by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Swaziland. Relieving poverty, financial hardship and advancing education in local communities, through the construction of orphan homes, the provision of educational facilities, apprenticeship training centres and business development.

Causes: Education/training · The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Overseas Aid/famine Relief · Religious Activities · Economic/community Development/employment · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£544k
Latest spending
£507k
Registered
2015
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity held total funds of £109,004, with unrestricted reserves of £99,867, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target range of £50,000-£70,000. The charity reported an excess of income over expenditure of £36,334 for the year, indicating a positive financial position with no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: £50-70k (held: £100k)
“The trustees seek to hold unrestricted reserves in the tange of £50-70k.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Consulting services paid to Salt and Light Coaching Ltd, a company related to Mark Herbert.
“in June 2024 £1,000 was paid for consulting servicesto Salt and Light Coaching Ltd, a.company related to Mark Herbert,”
“Since March 2024, the charity has employed on a part time basis Amy Edwards who is the daughter of a trustee, Siman Howard, Including employer pension contributions the amounts payablefor Amy Edwards in the year totalled £18,588” — page 18
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Amy Edwards, daughter of trustee Simon Howard, employed part-time; total pay £18,588 including pension.
“in June 2024 £1,000 was paid for consulting servicesto Salt and Light Coaching Ltd, a.company related to Mark Herbert,”
“Since March 2024, the charity has employed on a part time basis Amy Edwards who is the daughter of a trustee, Siman Howard, Including employer pension contributions the amounts payablefor Amy Edwards in the year totalled £18,588” — page 18
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustees reimbursed £1,715 for operating costs paid on behalf of the charity.
“in June 2024 £1,000 was paid for consulting servicesto Salt and Light Coaching Ltd, a.company related to Mark Herbert,”
“Since March 2024, the charity has employed on a part time basis Amy Edwards who is the daughter of a trustee, Siman Howard, Including employer pension contributions the amounts payablefor Amy Edwards in the year totalled £18,588” — page 18
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donations from trustees totalled £72,453.
“in June 2024 £1,000 was paid for consulting servicesto Salt and Light Coaching Ltd, a.company related to Mark Herbert,”
“Since March 2024, the charity has employed on a part time basis Amy Edwards who is the daughter of a trustee, Siman Howard, Including employer pension contributions the amounts payablefor Amy Edwards in the year totalled £18,588” — page 18
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Challenge Ministries UK (matched by registered charity number).

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income
£544k
Total spending
£507k
Cost of raising funds
£34k
Reserves (reported)
£100k
Employees
3

Reported reserves equal ~2.4 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (83% 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: 6.3% of total income — above the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Eswatini · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£544k£507k
31/03/2024£461k£487k
31/03/2023£429k£438k
31/03/2022£372k£375k
31/03/2021£525k£510k

Common questions

Is Challenge Ministries UK financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity held total funds of £109,004, with unrestricted reserves of £99,867, which exceeds the trustees' stated policy target range of £50,000-£70,000. The charity reported an excess of income over expenditure of £36,334 for the year, indicating a positive financial position with no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds Challenge Ministries UK?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Challenge Ministries UK as a grant recipient include THE CHARIS TRUST.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE CHARIS TRUSTFY2024£3kfood and water security in Eswatiland for vulnerable and orphaned children
THE CHARIS TRUSTFY2023£1kfood and water security in Eswatini for vulnerable and orphaned children

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
THE GOSHEN TRUST1£95k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST BURSCOUGH BRIDGE1£63k
ALLAN AND NESTA FERGUSON CHARITABLE SETTLEMENT1£25k
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION1£19k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST PETER WEST HARROW1£15k
THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED1£10k
W F SOUTHALL TRUST1£6k
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR ENGLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND1£6k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SWAZILAND CHARITABLE TRUST.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
Challenge Ministries UK£544k—0above—no doubt
SWAZILAND CHARITABLE TRUST FY2025£137k—0above—no doubt
CHALLENGEAID FY2024£126k—0unclear—no doubt
TEEN CHALLENGE UK FY2025£3.7m—0unclear—no doubt
THE CHALLENGE FUND - THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER IN THE EMERGING WORLD FY2025£290k—0above—no doubt
SWANSEA AND BRECON DIOCESAN BOARD FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FY2025£2.3m——unclear—no doubt

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