Heathercombe Brake Trust
Analysis
Heathercombe Brake Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Newton Abbot. It was registered in June 2001, 25 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, accommodation/housing, religious activities and amateur sport, which this site groups under housing and shelter. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04175683). It says it provides human resources, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.
In the financial year ending December 2025, Heathercombe Brake Trust reported income of £1.0m and spending of £1.1m, spending 108% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £551k to £1.0m (+87%), an average of +17% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 139%. Over the whole period it spent 98% of the income it received.
Among 2,324 England and Wales charities whose main cause is housing and shelter and that reported income, Heathercombe Brake Trust 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 94th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Friends of St Davids Cathedral (£1.0m), Dolanog Residential Home (£1.0m) and The Abbeyfield (Weymouth) Society Limited (£1.0m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 96%, donations and legacies 2.3% and investments 1.7%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £1.5m would cover about 16 months of spending at that rate. It employed 33 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.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 2.3%
- Charitable activities 96%
- Investments 1.7%
In the charity's own words
To advance the education and promote the physical, spiritual and mental welfare and development of children and young people and their families within a Christian environment and ethos by providing, managing and improving one or more residential activity centres conducted on Christian principles and to assist in organising conferences and training courses for the advancement of such purposes.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| The Friends of St Davids Cathedral | Haverfordwest | £1.0m |
| Dolanog Residential Home | Rhyl | £1.0m |
| The Abbeyfield (Weymouth) Society Limited | Weymouth | £1.0m |
| Ridgegate Home | Reigate | £1.0m |