STORYHOUSE PROJECT

Registered charity 1165340 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Operates as a cafe church with activities including the offer of pastoral listening; an accessible Christian presence; regular public worship, prayer, bible study, preaching and teaching; the teaching, encouragement, welcome and inclusion of young people; nurture and growth of Christian disciples; education and training for Christian community service; supporting social action in Sefton.

Objects

THE OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY ARE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC:(1) TO ADVANCE THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES, PRACTICES AND TENETS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND IN SUCH WAYS AS THE TRUSTEES IN THEIR ABSOLUTE DISCRETION SHALL THINK FIT;(2) ANY OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE THAT IS EXCLUSIVELY CHARITABLE ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF ENGLAND AND WALES AS THE TRUSTEES IN THEIR ABSOLUTE DISCRETION SHALL DETERMINE FROM TIME TO TIME.

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

Causes: Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Sefton, North West, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£277k

Latest spending

£267k

Registered

2016

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £10,185 for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total net assets increasing to £14,503. However, the trustees note that unrestricted cash reserves were significantly below their stated policy target of £47,750, standing at only £8,541. Additionally, the trustees disclosed a decision to close the coffee shop operations in December 2025 due to unsustainable costs, which will incur closure costs between £9,000 and £17,000.

Automated summary of the FY2025 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 staff received salaries at a rate of more than £60,000 per annum.” — page 13

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: no less than £47,750 (held: £9k)

“The trustees have previously determined that the charity would aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £47,750.” — page 5

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Elizabeth Lowrie, closely related to key management member David Lowrie, received employment benefits totalling £10,827 for providing services as Co-Lead Pastor.

“Elizabeth Lowrie, who is closely related to David Lowrie, who is a member of key management, received employment benefits totalling £10,827 (2024: £10,827) for providing services as the Co-Lead Pastor to the charity.” — page 16

“Jemima Swift, who is closely related to Anya Swift, who is a trustee, received employment benefits totalling £1,177 (2024: £1,117) for providing barista services to the charity.” — page 16

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Jemima Swift, closely related to trustee Anya Swift, received employment benefits totalling £1,177 for providing barista services.

“Elizabeth Lowrie, who is closely related to David Lowrie, who is a member of key management, received employment benefits totalling £10,827 (2024: £10,827) for providing services as the Co-Lead Pastor to the charity.” — page 16

“Jemima Swift, who is closely related to Anya Swift, who is a trustee, received employment benefits totalling £1,177 (2024: £1,117) for providing barista services to the charity.” — page 16

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The charity received donations totalling £36,404 from related parties, including trustees and key management.

“Elizabeth Lowrie, who is closely related to David Lowrie, who is a member of key management, received employment benefits totalling £10,827 (2024: £10,827) for providing services as the Co-Lead Pastor to the charity.” — page 16

“Jemima Swift, who is closely related to Anya Swift, who is a trustee, received employment benefits totalling £1,177 (2024: £1,117) for providing barista services to the charity.” — page 16

Per its FY2025 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.

Bullying and harassment 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
Investment
Paying staff
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

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 09838070

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

FOSTER, Geraldine — director, appointed 01/11/2022on trustee list
SMYLLIE, Eleanor — director, appointed 01/11/2022on trustee list
CONDRAN, Helen — director, appointed 09/06/2020on trustee list
HEDLEY, Andrew Michael — director, appointed 02/07/2018on trustee list

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

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

Trustees · trustee networks

Andrew Michael Hedley
Eleanor Smyllie
Geraldine Foster
Helen Condran

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

Operates in: Sefton

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£277k	£267k
31/03/2024	£324k	£367k
31/10/2022	£214k	£229k
31/10/2021	£217k	£198k
31/10/2020	£198k	£170k

Common questions

Is STORYHOUSE PROJECT financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus of £10,185 for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total net assets increasing to £14,503. However, the trustees note that unrestricted cash reserves were significantly below their stated policy target of £47,750, standing at only £8,541. Additionally, the trustees disclosed a decision to close the coffee shop operations in December 2025 due to unsustainable costs, which will incur closure costs between £9,000 and £17,000. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

What does the highest-paid employee of STORYHOUSE PROJECT earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the Under £60,000 band.

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
HEREFORDSHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION	1	£10k

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 BATH, WESTON, ALL SAINTS.

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF BATH, WESTON, ALL SAINTS income £1.2m
ADORE CHURCH income £260k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAINT JOHN FARNCOMBE income £183k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST LUKE, GAMSTON AND BRIDGFORD income £359k
THE CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST SALVATION ARK PARISH income £242k
ST MARY'S CHRISTIAN WORKERS TRUST income £483k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
STORYHOUSE PROJECT	£277k	Under £60,000	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF BATH, WESTON, ALL SAINTS FY2024	£1.2m	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ADORE CHURCH FY2025	£260k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAINT JOHN FARNCOMBE FY2025	£183k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST LUKE, GAMSTON AND BRIDGFORD FY2025	£359k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST SALVATION ARK PARISH FY2025	£242k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

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