The Oxford Foundation
Charity 1175923
Overview
Summary
The Oxford Foundation appears to operate as a civic-education and interfaith bridge-builder, using cultural and theological forms of engagement to strengthen relationships across faiths and cultures. Its role is distinctive because it combines local community-facing activity in Oxfordshire with educational resources, counter-extremism work and connections to wider interfaith initiatives. The available evidence suggests an organisation focused less on direct welfare provision than on shaping understanding, confidence and participation through dialogue, arts and learning.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence from the Charity Commission confirms that the charity currently reports operating in Birmingham City, but it does not identify any Birmingham ward, neighbourhood, venue or service location.
- The organisation's official 'United for Peace' page records two events at the University of Birmingham, including one delivered with the University's Chaplaincy Team and another with the Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion. However, both are described in the past tense and are not dated, so they do not provide sufficiently current evidence to record Edgbaston as an operational area.
- There is no evidence of a Birmingham physical site. The Charity Commission records an Oxford correspondence address and states that the charity does not own or lease land or property.
- The regional classification is a reasonable interpretation of the Charity Commission's current geographic return, which lists Birmingham City alongside Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Slough. The Foundation also describes its 'United for Peace' initiative as national, but the available evidence does not establish that its overall present-day delivery footprint is national.
Additional evidence needed
- A current programme, annual report, event listing or partner confirmation identifying Birmingham delivery during or after the 2025 reporting year.
- Evidence identifying any publicly advertised Birmingham venue for Foundation-led activity, if operationally relevant.
- Evidence showing whether Birmingham activity is recurring, partnership-led or limited to occasional events.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
- Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- Other Defined Groups
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- People With Disabilities
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Culture is used as relationship infrastructure
The Foundation appears to treat poetry, drama, art, music, storytelling and theology not as separate cultural activities, but as practical methods for creating contact and trust between communities.
Why it matters
This helps explain its operating model: its contribution may lie in making difficult conversations and cross-cultural relationships possible through shared experiences rather than through dialogue alone.
Show evidence
“The Foundation uses theology, poetry, interfaith dialogue, drama, art, music and storytelling to bring communities together.”
Source:Organisation“Its objects include promoting religious and racial harmony and educating people about the distinctive features and common ground of different beliefs and cultures.”
Source:Charity Commission
Education serves both prevention and participation
The organisation appears to connect counter-extremism education with a broader ambition to help young people participate confidently and responsibly in society.
Why it matters
This suggests that its work is not framed solely as responding to risk; it may also seek to build agency, belonging and a constructive public role for young people.
Show evidence
“The Oxford Muslim Pupils' Empowerment Programme addresses violent extremist ideology and supports an emerging British Muslim identity.”
Source:Organisation“Its objects include challenging extremism and developing young people's skills, capacities and capabilities to participate in society as mature and responsible persons.”
Source:Charity Commission
It may be a connector between local civic life and wider interfaith networks
The Foundation appears to combine Oxford-based partnerships with international religious and educational initiatives, potentially giving local activity access to wider ideas, resources and legitimacy.
Why it matters
This could make it an unusually useful intermediary for organisations seeking to connect local inclusion work with academic, faith-based or international networks.
Show evidence
“The One World Festival was delivered with the Ashmolean Museum and supported by Oxford Civic Society and the Oxford Council of Faiths.”
Source:Organisation“Its website references A Common Word Initiative, United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week and resources supported by the Royal Aal al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.”
Source:Organisation
- There is no evidence of programme scale, frequency, reach or outcomes.
- It is unclear which communities shape programme design and whether relationships extend beyond event-based engagement.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or impact evaluations showing participants, partners, locations and outcomes.
- Evidence about funding, governance, repeat collaborations and beneficiary feedback.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
The Oxford Foundation utilises theology, poetry, interfaith dialogue, drama, art, music, storytelling, to bring communities together so that they may get to know each other, thereby creating understanding, respect and good relationships between persons coming from different faiths and cultures.
Charity objects
3.1 THE OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY ARE, FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, TO: 3.1.1 PROMOTE RELIGIOUS AND RACIAL HARMONY AND GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN PERSONS OF DIFFERENT FAITHS AND RACIAL GROUPS, PARTICULARLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY: (A) EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE WIDER PUBLIC WITH REGARD TO THE DISTINCTIVE FEATURES AND COMMON GROUND OF DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND CULTURES; AND (B) CHALLENGING EXTREMISM IN ALL ITS MANIFESTATIONS. 3.1.2 EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE WIDER PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND ARTS BASED PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS, CAPACITIES AND CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY AS MATURE AND RESPONSIBLE PERSONS.