Off The Record

What Off The Record does

Off The Record (OTR) is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number 1085351, Company Number 4150044) that provides free mental health and wellbeing services to young people aged 11-25 across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. Founded in 1994, the organization describes itself as a 'mental health social movement by and for young people,' delivering services through community-based drop-in Hubs and more than 20 specialized programs spanning nature-based therapy (Ardagh Youth Nature Project, Woodcraft Wellbeing and Wilding), creative arts (Creative Space, Art Works, Open Space field recording, WORDCUP 2026), sports and outdoor adventure (Waves for Wellbeing, OTR Sportsworks, Urban Uprising), identity-focused support (Shameless, Project Zazi, Freedom, Bristol Hate Crime and Discrimination Services), individual therapy (1:1 Therapies, Mind Aid), and resilience-building training (Resilience Lab).

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery relies on physical hubs, in-person sessions, and a standard website with direct sign-up capability. Distribution is regional and primarily physical, complemented by organic social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), an email newsletter, and a paid outdoor advertising partnership with Bauer Media Outdoor UK on Bristol bus stop screens.

OTR's business model is that of a non-profit charity: all services to beneficiaries are free, with revenue derived from donations, fundraising campaigns (including a £100,000 30th anniversary appeal in 2024 that raised £73,000), grants, NHS-commissioned services via the Mental Health Support Team (MHST), and Training & Consultancy (Diffusion) delivered to educators, healthcare workers, and voluntary sector staff. The organization employs 101-250 staff across its Bristol headquarters at 8-10 Old Market and a separate North Somerset operational site.

Name

Off The Record

Legal name

Off The Record (Bristol)

Website

https://otrbristol.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Off The Record is a Bristol-based registered charity providing free mental health and wellbeing services to young people aged 11-25 across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire through drop-in Hubs and more than 20 specialized programs in arts, sport, nature, and therapy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: OTR operates as a registered charity relying primarily on donations and fundraising campaigns. In 2024, the organization launched a £100,000 fundraising appeal for its 30th anniversary, having already raised £73,000.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Off The Record (OTR) is a mental health social movement that provides free, peer-led mental health and wellbeing support to young people aged 11-25 living in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. The organization delivers services through physical drop-in Hubs and a portfolio of specialized programs spanning arts, sport, nature, creative expression, and one-to-one therapeutic support.

Product overview

OTR (Off The Record) is a mental health social movement by and for young people aged 11-25, operating across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of services centered around its core Hubs (drop-in centers) supplemented by specialized programs including nature-based activities (Ardagh Youth Nature Project, Woodcraft Wellbeing and Wilding, Nature Works), creative arts (Creative Space, Art Works, Open Space audio program), sports and outdoor adventure (OTR Sportsworks, Urban Uprising, Waves for Wellbeing), therapeutic support (1:1 Therapies, Resilience Lab, Mind Aid), identity and community support (Shameless, Project Zazi, Freedom, Bristol Hate Crime Services), and professional training (Diffusion). Additional offerings include holiday activities, a book club, exam stress resources, and the NHS Mental Health Support Team collaboration. The organization celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024 with the launch of Connected Roots, a project supporting young black people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hubs Physical drop-in centers across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire offering accessible mental health support for young people aged 11-25 without appointment or referral.
• 1:1 Therapies Individual therapeutic support providing one-to-one mental health sessions for young people aged 11-25.
• Waves for Wellbeing Water-based wellbeing program providing therapeutic activities through watersports for young people.
• The Ardagh Youth Nature Project Nature-based therapeutic program connecting young people with outdoor environments for mental health support.
• Creative Space Arts and creative expression program supporting mental health through artistic activities for young people.
• Resilience Lab Resilience-building workshops teaching young people techniques to build mental resilience, and offers training for professionals to deliver resilience workshops in their own organizations.
• Training & Consultancy (Diffusion) Professional training program for educators, healthcare workers, youth workers, and voluntary sector staff, including workshops on neurodiversity, CBT tools, and resilience lab delivery.
• Mental Health Support Team (MHST) NHS-collaborative service providing professional mental health support for young people.
• Bristol Hate Crime and Discrimination Services Specialized support service addressing hate crime and discrimination affecting young people.
• Connected Roots Project supporting young Black people, launched as part of the organization's 30th anniversary celebrations and fundraising appeal.
• Holiday Activities at OTR School holiday program offering relaxed, welcoming sessions for young people aged 11-16 to connect, create, and unwind with activities including creative workshops, free food, and social connection.
• Invite Us In Outreach program bringing OTR services and information to schools, community settings, and other venues.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bauer Media Outdoor UKminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 November 2024Bauer Media Outdoor UK partnership to display OTR marketing materials on bus stop screens across Bristol, increasing visibility of free mental health services for young people in the city.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Mix: UK charity providing free, confidential support for under-25s across mental health, relationships, and wellbeing. Direct peer given similar target demographic, free multi-channel support model (digital, phone, peer-led), and charity funding structure.
• Place2Be: UK children's mental health charity providing in-school counselling, training, and mental health support for pupils. Comparable as a youth mental health charity combining direct service delivery with school-based commissioning and professional training — overlapping significantly with OTR's NHS MHST collaboration and Diffusion training arm.
• Childline (NSPCC): UK free, confidential helpline and online service for children and young people up to 19, run by NSPCC. Comparable as a free, charity-funded support service for under-19s covering mental health, identity, and safeguarding — overlapping with OTR's drop-in hub model and free-access positioning.
• Anna Freud Centre: UK mental health charity for children and young people delivering clinical services, research, and training. Comparable as a youth mental health charity combining direct therapeutic support with workforce training (similar to OTR's Diffusion) and NHS commissioning relationships.
• YoungMinds: UK's leading charity dedicated to children and young people's mental health. Directly comparable as a youth-focused mental health charity operating across advocacy, services, and parent support, serving a similar 11-25 demographic with free, non-clinical and clinical interventions.
• Stem4: UK charity promoting positive mental health in teenagers through apps, resources, and education. Direct peer serving a similar teen demographic with free digital resources and school-based engagement, operating under comparable charity funding and free-access model.
• Kooth: UK digital mental health platform commissioned by the NHS for young people's wellbeing. Direct peer serving the same 11-25 demographic with free, anonymous support; differentiated by digital-first delivery versus OTR's community-led hubs, but competing for the same NHS-commissioned youth mental health funding pool.
• Papyrus UK: UK charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide, providing support, resources, and training for under-35s. Comparable as a youth-focused mental health charity combining direct support (HOPELINEUK) with training and awareness work, operating under similar donation-funded UK charity model.

Broad incumbents

• Mind: UK's largest mental health charity, providing information, services, and advocacy across all age groups. Broad incumbent offering overlapping mental health information and local services (including for young people), but not specializing in OTR's 11-25 youth focus.
• CAMHS (NHS): Statutory NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services providing specialist mental health assessment and treatment for under-18s across the UK. Broad incumbent operating in the same youth mental health space as a publicly-funded alternative; OTR's NHS MHST collaboration and free drop-in hubs directly supplement CAMHS capacity in the Bristol region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@otrbristol
• Facebookfacebook.com/otrbristol
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/otrbristol
• Instagraminstagram.com/otrbristol
• Xx.com/otrbristol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Off The Record