The Traidcraft Exchange

Analysis

The Traidcraft Exchange is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. It was registered in August 1995, 31 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and the prevention or relief of poverty, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03031674). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Traidcraft Exchange reported income of £3.5m and spending of £3.5m, spending 101% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £3.8m to £3.5m (-9.2%), an average of -2.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income dropped by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 103% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, The Traidcraft Exchange sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Traidcraft Foundation (£3.5m), Cripplegate Foundation (£3.5m) and Integrity Action (£3.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 57% and donations and legacies 43%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £200k. Charitable activities took 79% of spending and raising funds 21%. Reserves of £228k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 49 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.