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

Objects

THE OBJECT OF THE CIO IS: 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.

Area of benefit: LOCAL

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

Causes: Disability · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Richmond upon Thames, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

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

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 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
• 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

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.

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

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).

• Co-op Customer Donation Fund — “Co-op Customer Donation Fund A community fund run by The Co-operative Bank that provides grants of up to £1,000 to help charities and commun…” (source page)
• Dolan Charitable Trust — “Dolan Charitable Trust A local family trust based in Richmond upon Thames that supports charities making a real difference, particularly tho…” (source page)
• Hampton Fund — “Hampton Fund A local grant making charity supporting people living in Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hampton Wick, Teddington, Twickenham, and Whitt…” (source page)
• Henry Smith Charity — “Henry Smith Charity Founded in 1628, it is one of the UK’s largest independent grant makers, providing funding to organisations tackling soc…” (source page)
• Inspire Hounslow — “Inspire Hounslow A local charity dedicated to creating lasting opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people up to age 25 and st…” (source page)
• Kew Fete — “Kew Fete A much loved annual community event on Kew Green, organised entirely by volunteers. Over 15 years, it has raised over £250,000 for …” (source page)
• The Mrs Smith & Mount Trust — “The Mrs Smith & Mount Trust A grant making trust supporting registered charities across London and the South East, helping disadvantaged peo…” (source page)
• Richmond Foundation — “Richmond Foundation Formerly Richmond Parish Lands Charity, Richmond Foundation was founded on a royal land gift from King George III and Qu…” (source page)
• Richmond May Fair — “Richmond May Fair Richmond’s biggest annual community event, giving local charities the opportunity to raise both funds and awareness on Ric…” (source page)
• Shanly Foundation — “Shanly Foundation Funded by the Shanly Group of companies, the Shanly Foundation has contributed over £30 million since 1969 to local charit…” (source page)
• William Brake Foundation — “William Brake Foundation A family charitable trust that supports registered charities through annual nominations from members of the William…” (source page)

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

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

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

• Alex Calcuttchair
• Annabelle Meddings
• Charles Bruce
• Dipika Aggarwal
• Nicholas Ireland
• Olusiji Sanya

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

Operates in: Throughout London

Income and spending

Common questions

Known funders

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

Government & lottery funding

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

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 PURPLE ELEPHANT FAMILY SUPPORT CIO.

• PURPLE ELEPHANT FAMILY SUPPORT CIO income £158k
• THE ELEPHANT GROUP income £456k
• THE ELEPHANT TRUST income £78k
• THE PHOENIX DETACHED YOUTH PROJECT income £197k
• THE CRYPT PRE-SCHOOL income £88k
• THE PARENTING PROJECT income £566k

Side by side with its peers

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