Shrewsbury Ark

Registered charity 1163476 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SHREWSBURY CHRISTIAN CENTRE ASSOCIATION, SHREWSBURY CHRISTIAN CENTRE ASSOCIATION (CIO), The Shrewsbury Ark

Provision of support to homeless and vulnerable people in Shrewsbury

Objects

The objects of the CIO are to relieve persons in need, in particular people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, by offering care, compassion and support including but not limited to:(1) The operation of a day centre providing support for daily needs; and(2) The provision of services tailored to support each individual’s needs.

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

Causes: Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Shropshire, West Midlands, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£254k

Latest spending

£351k

Registered

2015

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net movement in funds of a deficit of £96,745 for the year ended 30 September 2024, driven by a drop in grant awards and increased costs. Free reserves stood at a surplus of £54,136, which is below the stated policy target of at least £55,000. The trustees consider the charity viable and sustainable provided donations and grants continue at current rates.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: Under £60,000 — in the top quarter for charities its size (median £60k)

“No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.” — page 15

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Fundraising cost ratio: 10.2% of fundraised income, as disclosed

“Raising funds 23,985”

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: at least £55,000 (held: £54k)

“We have continued our reserve policy of at least £55,000 during this year” — page 6

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Donations received from Trustees

“During the year donations of £840 (2023: £1,200) were received from Trustees.” — page 21

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 6 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.

Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest 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 30/09/2024

Volunteers: 50
Government income: £2,600 — grants £2,600 (1); 1% of the £254,497 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 30/09/2023

Volunteers: 65
Government income: £56,706 — grants £56,706 (2); 14% of the £392,757 total gross income on the same return

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 30/09/2022

Volunteers: 65
Government income: £73,860 — grants £73,860 (3); 24% of the £312,843 total gross income on the same return

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

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

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

Register events

Received assets from another charity (08/02/2018) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (05/09/2017) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Emily Jane Bellchair
Anna Louise Waddington-Feather
Craig Richard McWha
Elizabeth Maureen Moran · trustee of 1 other charity
Ian Plomer Somervaille CBE RN · trustee of 1 other charity
Jonathan Norman Davies · trustee of 2 other charities
Margaret Ann Thorne · trustee of 1 other charity
Michael Steven Henry Haffenden
Richard Jenkins · trustee of 1 other charity
Thomas Rolls

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

Operates in: Shropshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
30/09/2024	£254k	£351k
30/09/2023	£393k	£330k
30/09/2022	£313k	£301k
30/09/2021	£302k	£234k
30/09/2020	£330k	£215k

Common questions

Is Shrewsbury Ark financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net movement in funds of a deficit of £96,745 for the year ended 30 September 2024, driven by a drop in grant awards and increased costs. Free reserves stood at a surplus of £54,136, which is below the stated policy target of at least £55,000. The trustees consider the charity viable and sustainable provided donations and grants continue at current rates. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

What does the highest-paid employee of Shrewsbury Ark earn?

Per its FY2024 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the Under £60,000 band.

Who funds Shrewsbury Ark?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Shrewsbury Ark as a grant recipient include LLOYDS BANK FOUNDATION FOR ENGLAND & WALES, THE OWEN JENKINS TRUST, THE GROCERS' CHARITY, THE BEATRICE LAING TRUST, LORD BARNBY'S FOUNDATION.

Known funders

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

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
LLOYDS BANK FOUNDATION FOR ENGLAND & WALES	FY2021	£52k	Homeless and Vulnerably Housed
THE OWEN JENKINS TRUST	FY2022	£5k
THE GROCERS' CHARITY	FY2023	£5k	Youth
THE BEATRICE LAING TRUST	FY2025	£5k
LORD BARNBY'S FOUNDATION	FY2025	£3k
THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST	FY2024	£3k	Community Inclusion and Engagement
THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST	FY2022	£2k	Compassionate Support
R G HILLS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£2k
THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST	FY2025	£2k	Community Inclusion and Engagement
THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST	FY2021	£1k	Education and Training
MRS WINGFIELD'S CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£1k
MRS WINGFIELD'S CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£1k
THE EDWARD AND DOROTHY CADBURY TRUST	FY2023	£1k	Compassionate Support
THE AUSTIN AND HOPE PILKINGTON TRUST	FY2021	£1k
R G HILLS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£1k
MRS WINGFIELD'S CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£100
MRS WINGFIELD'S CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£100
THE OWEN JENKINS TRUST	FY2023	amount not stated

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	28/05/2024	£20k	Staff Costs
The National Lottery Community Fund	13/01/2023	£10k	All things washing at The Ark
The National Lottery Community Fund	19/03/2021	£8k	Enhancing The Ark
UK government	23/07/2020	£30k	Coronavirus Community Support 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 MOHN WESTLAKE FOUNDATION	1	£1.3m
THE NUFFIELD FOUNDATION	1	£682k
THE HEALTH FOUNDATION	1	£496k
THE PEARS FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	1	£300k
JOHN ELLERMAN FOUNDATION	1	£150k
THE DULVERTON TRUST	1	£145k
THE STEVE MORGAN FOUNDATION	1	£66k
Tinsley Charitable Trust	1	£50k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with WIRRAL CHURCHES' ARK PROJECT.

WIRRAL CHURCHES' ARK PROJECT income £1.7m
ARK MISSION income £135k
FULL FACT income £3.1m
SHREWSBURY HOMES FOR ALL income £41k
SHREWSBURY TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB FOUNDATION income £1.6m
SHERBURN HOUSE CHARITY income £4.3m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
Shrewsbury Ark	£254k	Under £60,000	0	unclear	10.2%	no doubt
WIRRAL CHURCHES' ARK PROJECT FY2025	£1.7m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
ARK MISSION FY2025	£135k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
FULL FACT FY2025	£3.1m	£110,000 - £119,999	9	above	—	no doubt
SHREWSBURY HOMES FOR ALL FY2026	£41k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
SHREWSBURY TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB FOUNDATION FY2025	£1.6m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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