Thanet Community Development Trust

What Thanet Community Development Trust does

Thanet Community Development Trust Ltd. (TCDT) is a UK registered charity and company limited by guarantee (Charity No. 1094701; Company No. 4385681), founded on 1 May 2002 and headquartered at the Hereson Family & Community Centre on Lillian Road, Ramsgate, Kent. The organization delivers free employability training, accredited first aid courses, social-inclusion clubs (Cookery, Craft, History), heritage trails, cost-of-living advice, and room hire, primarily to residents of Thanet and East Kent. Core training products include the 'Build a Future' CSCS programme and Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work / First Aid at Work certifications, alongside bespoke first aid packages (AM/PM half-day, Twilight evenings, in-house delivery) introduced in 2024.

The trust generates fee-based revenue from first aid training (£89.95 per person for Emergency First Aid; £150 for First Aid at Work, with group discounts from £899/£1,299) and room hire at its community centre, while all community-facing programmes are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. It receives no core government funding, relying instead on grants, donations, and work contracts brought into the Thanet economy from national and European sources. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-led and distributed through the Ramsgate community centre, on-site at client premises for training, and via a website (www.tcdt.org.uk), word-of-mouth, and local press coverage (Thanet Extra, Isle of Thanet Gazette).

The organization operates with a small team of 1-10 employees under Chief Executive Andrew Morris, supported by a board of trustees chaired by Richard Chapman, with Hollie Evans in a dedicated fundraising role. Its competitive positioning rests on community ownership, 20+ years of local operating history, and an embedded network of partnerships (Armed Forces Covenant Fund, Turner Contemporary, Olby's Creative Hub). The trust has received multiple regional recognitions, including the 2024 Kent Charity Awards and the 2019 KM Charity Mark (Gold).

Name

Thanet Community Development Trust

Legal name

Thanet Community Development Trust Ltd.

Website

https://tcdt.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Thanet Community Development Trust is a Ramsgate, Kent-based registered charity (founded 2002) that delivers free employability training, first aid courses, social-inclusion clubs, and heritage trails to local residents, funded by grants, donations, and fee-based training and room hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK)

Keywords

• Community training services
• First aid certification
• Charitable education programmes
• Community heritage activities
• Social welfare advice

Headquarters

HQ city

Kent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: The trust relies solely on grants, donations, and work contracts. They receive no core government funding. Income is invested into ongoing development of local communities.
2. First Aid Training Courses: Provides accredited first aid training including Emergency First Aid at Work (£89.95 per person) and First Aid at Work (£150 per person), with group bookings available.
3. Room Hire: Hires out rooms for meetings, training, and counselling sessions. Provides large/medium rooms for group meetings and small rooms for one-to-one meetings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Thanet Community Development Trust delivers free and low-cost training courses, community clubs, heritage activities and welfare advice to residents of the Thanet area in Kent. Its paid-for training includes accredited First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work courses alongside CSCS construction-card "Build a Future" training, while community clubs (Cookery, Craft, History) and walks, plus room hire, are also provided.

Product overview

Thanet Community Development Trust operates as a non-profit community organization offering a portfolio of free training programs, community clubs, and venue hire services. The core offerings include employability programs (Build a Future/CSCS training, Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work), social activity clubs (Cookery, Craft Club, History Club), heritage preservation (Heritage Trails), and community support services (Cost of Living Advice, Room Hire). The organization generates revenue through first aid training services and room hire, which funds its community programs. All programs for community beneficiaries are free, while business training services are fee-based.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Build a Future (CSCS) Training Free or low-cost CSCS construction card training that equips unemployed or underemployed adults with the qualification and site-readiness needed to enter the UK construction workforce. Targeted at Thanet residents seeking work in the building trades.
• Emergency First Aid at Work Accredited one-day Emergency First Aid at Work training course delivered for local employers, voluntary groups and individuals needing HSE-aligned workplace first aid certification.
• First Aid at Work Accredited multi-day First Aid at Work training course covering workplace first aid responsibilities to HSE standards, aimed at employers and groups needing compliant trained first aiders.
• Bespoke First Aid Training Tailored first aid training delivered to the specific needs of a requesting group or organisation, offered in addition to the standard accredited courses.
• Cookery Courses Community cookery courses teaching practical cooking skills to local residents, contributing to social inclusion and household food management.
• Craft Club Drop-in craft club providing social and creative activity for local residents, designed to reduce social isolation and encourage participation in community life.
• History Club History-themed community club for local residents interested in the heritage of the Thanet area, led by trustee Ralph Hoult.
• Heritage Trails Guided heritage walks and trails around the Thanet area, engaging residents and visitors in local history and landscape.
• Cost of Living Advice Free cost-of-living advice service offering local Thanet residents guidance on managing household finances, benefits and welfare support during the cost of living crisis.
• Room Hire Hire of the charity's rooms and facilities at its Ramsgate premises to external groups and organisations, with the income supporting the trust's charitable activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• CSCS card holders can access construction work as general labourers
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Turner ContemporaryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021Job Club members partnered with Turner Contemporary and Olby's Creative Hub to create a video celebrating the community.
• Olby's Creative HubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021Job Club members partnered with Turner Contemporary and Olby's Creative Hub to create a video celebrating the community.
• Various Partners (Logos Displayed)minorOthersThe organisation displays logos of multiple partners on their website but individual partner names are not identified in the source text.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Locality: UK-wide membership body supporting community-led organisations including community centres, training providers, and neighbourhood trusts — comparable mission of empowering local communities through training and social inclusion.
• Groundwork UK: National federation of Groundwork trusts delivering community training, employability programmes, heritage/environmental projects and venue-based services — directly comparable grant-funded community development model.
• CSV / Royal Voluntary Service: Large UK charity delivering community engagement, training, and social inclusion programmes for vulnerable populations — comparable grant-funded operating model targeting isolation, employability, and community wellbeing.

Others

• Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES): UK think-and-do tank supporting community wealth building and local economic development; comparable grant-funded mission aimed at improving employability and economic inclusion in deprived areas like Thanet.
• UK Community Foundations: Network of place-based community foundations channelling grant funding to local charities like Thanet Trust; relevant ecosystem peer given shared reliance on hyper-local grant funding and place-based impact focus.
• The National Lottery Community Fund: Major UK funder of community organisations like Thanet Trust; included as a comparable ecosystem participant since both operate in the same grant-funded community development space, though as funder rather than deliverer.

Emerging players

• St Giles Trust: Charity providing employability training, vocational qualifications, and personal development for disadvantaged groups — comparable focus on accredited training (similar to First Aid/CSCS) and job-readiness outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Direct peers

• Kent Enterprise Trust: Identified sister charity operating for almost 40 years alongside Thanet Community Development Trust; both deliver employability and community development services in Kent with overlapping training and grant-funded mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tcdt.org.uk%2F
• Xx.com/tcdt_thanet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thanet-community-development-trust-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Thanet Community Development Trust