Homeless people's tents in Central London, UK

Alms

The Alms charity is a combination of several very old Christian charities created to relieve poverty in the area around St Giles-in-the-Fields Church, known as the ‘Rookeries’. In 18^th century, the area was notorious for poverty and squalor.

While the last couple of centuries have seen significant changes in this part of central London, our charity’s mission to alleviate poverty continues and we help local residents who are facing hardship by giving:

Values

As a charity we aim for:

COMPASSION – guided by generosity of spirit, we aspire to act with care and kindness, being attentive to the needs of those who seek our help.

CONNECTION – so we are known and available for those in need in our local community, understanding of their needs and working alongside other organisations to deliver assistance.

CONTINUITY – our longevity and independence allow us to take a thoughtful approach to almsgiving in today’s society – we aim to use our resources sustainably, thinking about future generations.

Our Impact

We are really proud of the impact that our grants have – they make a huge difference to the people who receive them or the services we fund.

33 households helped with Individual Grants during 2024.
Over £100,000 distributed in Individual Grants in last ten years.
Nearly £500,000 awarded in Grants to Organisations in last ten years.

Individual Grants in 2024

During the year, a total of £20,425 was approved for 33 individuals. Our actual expenditure was £19,148 due to savings purchasing items and one grant was not taken up. The average grant was £580, as several grants exceeded our £600 maximum where more than one appliance or item of furniture was required.

This year, 70% of grantees lived outside our small area of benefit and were supported on a discretionary basis. This reflects our growing collaboration with St Pancras Welfare Trust which covers a wider area with limited funds. When they identify applicants with additional needs, they refer them to us for supplementary grant support.

Individual Grants from 2015-2024

Over the past decade, we’ve awarded £108,686, in 234 grants to over 200 households who are experiencing hardship. Our grants help households who may be struggling to replace faulty appliances or basic furniture. Often applicants have faced serious challenges and are allocated a new home, but it comes unfurnished and without flooring. The most common items funded have been essential household items such as cookers, fridge freezers, and sofas.

The Individual Grants scheme was introduced in 2017, with a grant limit of £500. In the first year, we awarded £7,707 in 18 grants, and since then there’s been steady growth in the amount awarded. The number of grants jumped significantly during the pandemic in 2020 to 35 and has then been fairly consistent. In 2022, we increased the grant limit to £600 (and up to £800 in extraordinary circumstances) which led to 25% increase in grants awarded in 2023. As demand continues to increase (2025 will reach new heights), the scheme remains a crucial lifeline for local people facing hardship.

Grants to Organisations 2015-2024

Over the past decade, we’ve awarded £464,905 in 56 grants to local organisations. This includes Block Grants where they pass on funding to their clients and Project Grants providing services that address our key themes of older people, homelessness and independent advice.

Block Grants – awarded £57,502 altogether in 18 grants to 4 organisations. We see these as long-term partnerships with grants renewable when funds run low. Sadly, two relationships have ended but we still work closely with St Andrew Holborn and Changing Lives who run move-on accommodation in Covent Garden.

Project Grants – awarded £407,403 in 38 grants to 16 organisations. Half of the grant funding has focused on projects supporting those at risk of homelessness or already rough sleeping as this is a big issue in the area. We’ve supported small projects based at St Giles like Street Storage and ShowerBox, other church-based services such as C4WS Winter Night Shelter and recently the Swiss Church ‘Breakfast on the Steps’. As it is such a small area of benefit, we often fund the same organisations repeatedly, such as £78,000 to the Soup Kitchen and £83,376 to Covent Garden Dragon Hall Trust for their work with older people. The advice theme is fairly new with only one large three-year grant to Mary Ward Legal Centre so far.

Our Trustees

Our Board has eight places – half are allocated for church nominations, and the others are selected for their expertise in different fields and come from a range of backgrounds. Find out more about them below.