Harborne Parish Charity
Charity 518415
Overview
Summary
Harborne Parish Charity appears to be a locally rooted grant-making body with a deliberately broad civic remit. Its role is less that of a direct service provider than of a flexible local steward: able to direct support to individuals and organisations, while connecting poverty relief, education, older and younger residents, and Church of England religious purposes. This combination may allow it to respond to small, place-specific needs that fall between larger organisations’ priorities, although the available evidence does not show how it sets those priorities.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Harborne
Confidence: medium
The charity's reported current activities, charitable objects and grant eligibility all centre on the parish of Harborne. Its stated activity is grant-making for the community in the Civil Parish of Harborne and its immediate neighbourhood.
- Charity Commission for England and Wales, Harborne Parish Charity (518415), charity overview
The charity reports making grants to individuals and organisations, with activities benefiting the community in the Civil Parish of Harborne and its immediate neighbourhood. - Charity Commission for England and Wales, Harborne Parish Charity (518415), governing document
Its charitable objects are for the benefit of the community in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Harborne and its immediate neighbourhood. - St Peter Harborne, Parish Office page
The parish states that Harborne Parish Charity awards discretionary one-off financial grants to people with a valid connection to St Peter's Church or school, or who live in the parish.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence establishes Harborne as the principal operational geography but does not define the precise boundary of the charity's 'immediate neighbourhood' or identify which neighbouring areas, if any, receive grants.
- The charity may support people connected with St Peter's Church or St Peter's School who do not live in Harborne; available evidence does not show the scale or locations of such awards.
- The registered contact address and shared parish-office email indicate an administrative connection with St Peter Harborne, but do not by themselves confirm that the charity operates a separate public-facing physical site there.
- No current evidence identifies partnerships that materially extend the charity's operational reach beyond its local grant-making remit.
Additional evidence needed
- A recent grant-award list or trustees' report identifying recipient organisations, beneficiaries and delivery locations.
- Confirmation from the charity of the geographic boundary it uses for 'the parish' and 'immediate neighbourhood'.
- Confirmation of whether the St Peter Harborne parish office or church hall is used as an operational or only administrative base for the charity.
Areas of work
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
- Religious Activities
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
How they help
- Makes Grants To Individuals
- Makes Grants To Organisations
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A flexible local funding mechanism
The charity appears to operate as a local source of discretionary support rather than around one narrowly defined issue. Its ability to make grants both to individuals and organisations may enable it to address immediate hardship while also strengthening local capacity.
Why it matters
This suggests the charity could occupy a bridging role in Harborne’s civic landscape: supporting needs that are too personal for organisational funding alone, or too small and specific for larger funders.
Show evidence
“Makes Grants To Individuals, Makes Grants To Organisations.”
Source:Charity Commission“General Charitable Purposes, Education/training, The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty, Religious Activities.”
Source:Charity Commission
Place is the charity’s primary organising principle
Its remit appears defined chiefly by Harborne and its immediate neighbourhood, rather than by a single beneficiary group or service theme. This may position local knowledge and judgement as central to its value.
Why it matters
A geographically bounded remit can make the charity especially relevant where needs are overlooked in citywide provision, but it also raises questions about which nearby communities are considered within reach.
Show evidence
“The promotion of any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Harborne and its immediate neighbourhood.”
Source:Organisation“Promotion of any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in the Civil Parish of Harborne and its immediate neighbourhood.”
Source:Charity Commission
A civic remit with a Church of England connection
The charity appears to combine broad community benefit with a specific provision for advancing Church of England religion. This may create both an institutional link to parish life and a wider role beyond religious activity.
Why it matters
Understanding this dual character is important for potential partners and beneficiaries: the charity may be a connector between faith-based networks and wider local charitable needs, rather than solely a religious funder.
Show evidence
“In particular advancement of the Church of England's religion.”
Source:Charity Commission“Other exclusively charitable purposes which are in the opinion of the Trustees beneficial to the community in the said Parish and its immediate neighbourhood.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which needs, groups and organisations have actually received support, and whether children and older people are priority groups or only eligible beneficiaries.
- How trustees interpret the difference between the ecclesiastical and civil parish references, and whether this affects eligibility.
- Whether religious purposes receive a substantial share of funding or are one element of a broader grant portfolio.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports, accounts or grant lists showing recipients, grant sizes, themes and repeat funding.
- Information on application criteria, trustee decision-making and relationships with parish, community and voluntary-sector organisations.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
1) promotion of any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in the Civil Parish of Harborne and its immediate neighbourhood, subject to specifications and in particular advancement of the Church of England's religion; 2) other exclusively charitable purposes which are in the opinion of the Trustees beneficial to the community in the said Parish and its immediate neighbourhood
Charity objects
THE OBJECTS FOR WHICH THE CHARITY IS ESTABLISHED ARE THE PROMOTION OF ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HARBORNE AND ITS IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURHOOD.