The Friends Hall, Gooch Street, Recreation Ground Trust
Charity 246233
Overview
Summary
The Friends Hall, Gooch Street, Recreation Ground Trust appears to be a place-based asset-holding charity whose role is to maintain recreational space in Stirchley, particularly a cricket ground, while using a broad welfare mandate to frame recreation as a means of improving quality of life. Its distinctive contribution may be less about delivering a wide range of services directly and more about safeguarding access to shared outdoor facilities that can support sport, leisure and informal community use.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Stirchley
Confidence: medium
The charity's recorded activity specifically states that it provides recreational facilities in Stirchley, particularly a cricket ground. Its Charity Commission record remains registered and includes financial information for the year ended 31 December 2024, but no accessible current website, annual report or venue record confirms the ground's location or present-day use.
- Supplied organisation record, Charity Number 246233
The recorded activity is: "To provide for recreational facilities in Stirchley, Birmingham, in particular a cricket ground." - Charity Commission register search result
The charity is listed as a registered charity, with reporting received on time and reported income of £46.
Remaining uncertainties
- The available evidence does not identify the location, boundaries or current condition of the cricket ground or any other recreational site operated by the trust.
- The charity's Kings Heath registered or correspondence location is not sufficient evidence of an operational site there.
- No evidence was found of current programmed activities, service delivery beyond maintaining facilities, or partnerships that extend the trust's reach beyond Stirchley.
- The very low reported income for the year ended 31 December 2024 makes the scale of current activity unclear, although it does not establish that the trust is inactive.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual report, trustees' report or Charity Commission filing describing the facilities held, leased or maintained by the trust.
- Current evidence confirming the location of the cricket ground.
- Evidence from the trust or a current user organisation confirming whether the ground is actively available for recreation or cricket.
- Details of any formal delivery partners, user clubs or management agreements.
Areas of work
- Amateur Sport
- Recreation
Who they help
- Other Defined Groups
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Recreation is treated as social welfare infrastructure
The trust appears to position recreational provision not simply as sport or leisure, but as a welfare response for people whose circumstances may limit access to suitable facilities.
Why it matters
This suggests the cricket ground and associated facilities may have value beyond organised sport: they may function as a local resource for inclusion, wellbeing and everyday social connection.
Show evidence
“The charity's objects include providing or assisting recreational or leisure-time facilities for people in need because of youth, age, infirmity, disability, financial hardship or social circumstances.”
Source:Charity Commission“To provide for recreational facilities in Stirchley, Birmingham, in particular a cricket ground.”
Source:Organisation
A broad charitable mandate is anchored in one local physical asset
Although its objects allow it to support many groups facing disadvantage, the stated activity is geographically concentrated in Stirchley and centred particularly on a cricket ground.
Why it matters
This may make the trust an important steward of local civic infrastructure: its impact is likely shaped by how accessible, shared and adaptable that physical space is rather than by the scale of a conventional service programme.
Show evidence
“To provide for recreational facilities in Stirchley, Birmingham, in particular a cricket ground.”
Source:Organisation“The charity provides buildings, facilities or open space.”
Source:Charity Commission
There may be an unrealised bridge between amateur sport and wider community inclusion
The trust's formal purpose includes people affected by disability, hardship and social circumstances, while its stated activity highlights amateur sport and a cricket ground. It would be worth exploring whether these strands are actively connected in practice.
Why it matters
If the facility is used mainly by established sporting participants, the broad welfare mandate may be only partly realised. If it enables low-cost, inclusive or multi-group access, it could represent a valuable local platform for community wellbeing.
Show evidence
“What the charity does includes amateur sport and recreation.”
Source:Charity Commission“Who the charity helps includes other defined groups and the general public.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Whether the trust directly manages activities, leases the ground, or mainly acts as a property steward.
- Which groups use the facilities, and whether people facing exclusion or hardship are actively reached.
- Whether the cricket ground is available for wider recreation, community events or partner organisations.
Remaining uncertainties
- Information on ownership, management arrangements, bookings, pricing and public access.
- Evidence of users, participation patterns, accessibility measures and relationships with local clubs or community organisations.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
To provide for recreational facilities in Stirchley, Birmingham, in particular a cricket ground
Charity objects
TO PROVIDE OR ASSIST IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NEED OF SUCH FACILITIES BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE, INFIRMITY OR DISABILITY, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP OR SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THEIR CONDITIONS OF LIFE.