Community Sustainability Services
Analysis
Community Sustainability Services is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Tyne and Wear. It was registered in January 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, the prevention or relief of poverty, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02959482). It says it provides services.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Community Sustainability Services reported income of £584k and spending of £572k, spending 98% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £341k to £584k (+71%), an average of +14% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 34%. Over the whole period it spent 101% of the income it received.
Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Community Sustainability Services sits at the 89th percentile: it is larger than about 89% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 91st percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Bigkid Foundation (£583k), Brave Church (£585k) and Edukid (£582k).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 78%, donations and legacies 16% and trading 6.1%. Charitable activities took 85% of spending and raising funds 15%. Reserves of £69k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 10 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 16%
- Charitable activities 78%
- Trading 6.1%
- Investments 0.4%
In the charity's own words
The principal activity of the charity is supplying furniture and household goods to those most in need in the North East of England, in particular to people in Sunderland. The charity participates in charitable projects for the relief of elderly or disabled and vulnerable people in the same area. We promote reuse and recycling as a means of waste disposal and we provide recycling activities.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Bigkid Foundation | London | £583k |
| Brave Church | Lancashire | £585k |
| Edukid | Devon | £582k |
| New Life Church Ministries (Sleaford) | Lincolnshire | £585k |