THE PURPLE ELEPHANT PROJECT

Registered charity 1186434 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

For the public benefit to preserve and protect good health among children and young people aged 0-16 resident in the Greater London area who have been affected by traumatic life experiences, attachment or developmental trauma, in particular but not exclusively, by providing subsidised Play Therapy and other therapeutic services, emotional support and training to parents, carers and school staff

Causes: Disability · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£658k
Latest spending
£658k
Registered
2019
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £63,669, representing approximately 2.1 months of operating expenditure, which is below the charity's stated policy target of three to six months. The document notes that fund balances reduced by only £5 during the year, demonstrating financial resilience despite challenges with government funding changes.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: three to six months of defined operating expenditure (held: £64k)
“The Charity's long-term objective is to build unrestricted reserves equivalent to between three and six months of defined operating expenditure.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: 22. Related party transactions
“The daughter of the Chair was paid £7,944 in 2025 to support with administrative tasks, marketing, social media and communications. These services were charged at below market rate and pre-approved by trustees on 30 July 2025.” — page 49
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 — The Purple Elephant Project (matched by registered charity number).

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/11/2025)

Total income
£658k
Total spending
£658k
Cost of raising funds
£40k
Reserves (reported)
£64k
Employees
8

Reported reserves equal ~1.2 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (89% 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: 6.2% 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: Throughout London

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
30/11/2025£658k£658k
30/11/2024£625k£614k
30/11/2023£518k£498k
30/11/2022£409k£402k
30/11/2021£317k£318k

Common questions

Is THE PURPLE ELEPHANT PROJECT financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves stood at £63,669, representing approximately 2.1 months of operating expenditure, which is below the charity's stated policy target of three to six months. The document notes that fund balances reduced by only £5 during the year, demonstrating financial resilience despite challenges with government funding changes. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds THE PURPLE ELEPHANT PROJECT?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE PURPLE ELEPHANT PROJECT as a grant recipient include HAMPTON FUEL ALLOTMENT, THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUST, Richmond Foundation.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
HAMPTON FUEL ALLOTMENTFY2025£42kContribution towards core costs to support all young people in the HF area of benefit.
THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUSTFY2025£30kMount Fund - Mental Health
Richmond FoundationFY2025£19kProject Grant
Richmond FoundationFY2024£14kGateway grant
Richmond FoundationFY2023£14kEnhancing community cohesion
THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUSTFY2023£5kMount Fund - Mental Health
THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUSTFY2024£5kMount Fund
THE MRS SMITH AND MOUNT TRUSTFY2022£3kThe Mount Fund - Mental Health
HAMPTON FUEL ALLOTMENTFY2022£3kContribution towards core costs for CEO salary and therapeutic sessions for 27 children in our area of benefit.

Government & lottery funding

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

FunderDateAmountPurpose
City Bridge Foundation30/04/2024£96kGrant to The Purple Elephant Project
London Borough of Hounslow12/07/2022£11kGrant to The Purple Elephant Project
City Bridge Foundation06/07/2022£50kGrant to The Purple Elephant Project
Postcode Lottery26/02/2022£19kKey staff salaries
The National Lottery Community Fund28/01/2022£10kThe Purple Elephant Project Therapeutic Hub
The National Lottery Community Fund14/07/2021£131kPlay therapy interventions for children with complex needs
UK government19/08/2020£38kCoronavirus Community Support Fund
London Borough of Hounslow22/06/2020£10kGrant to The Purple Elephant Project

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.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE SOUTHCOURT AND WALTON COURT COMMUNITY PROJECT.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE PURPLE ELEPHANT PROJECT£658k—0unclear—no doubt
THE SOUTHCOURT AND WALTON COURT COMMUNITY PROJECT FY2025£102k—0unclear—no doubt
WEST HEATH 2000 FY2025£11.4m——unclear—no doubt
THE ANTHONY KNIGHTS FOUNDATION TRUST FY2025£264k—0unclear—no doubt
THE TRIANGLE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND ASSOCIATION FY2025£239k—0unclear—no doubt
THE PIXEL FUND FY2025£3.0m—0unclear—no doubt

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