Churches Action For The Homeless

What Churches Action For The Homeless does

Churches Action For The Homeless (CATH) is a Scottish registered charity (SC 021740) operating since 1995 in Perth, Scotland. The organisation provides a continuum of support services for people facing homelessness, social exclusion, and crisis across the Perth and Kinross region. Its service portfolio comprises the Community Hub drop-in at Ladeside (offering advice, meals, shower and laundry facilities, and recovery groups), Tayview House (eight self-contained temporary accommodation flats with 24/7 staff on Shore Road), the Positive Pathways 12-month recovery and training programme, the On The Mend upcycling and wellbeing programme, a charity retail shop (CATH Shop, operating since 2010), Adult Learning courses, the CATH Futures programme for excluded young people, and Starter Packs for people moving into permanent accommodation. CATH does not operate any proprietary technology platform; service delivery is in-person and human-led across four physical sites in Perth.

CATH is funded through three streams: charitable donations processed via JustGiving, grants from government bodies and charitable foundations (NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation, Community Mental Health and Well-being Fund, Green Living Fund, Aviva Community Fund), and revenue from the CATH Shop. Most direct services are free to end users, with Community Hub lunch priced at £1 and some On The Mend workshops carrying nominal fees. Distribution is geographically limited to Perth and Kinross, with statutory referrals into Tayview House channelled through Perth and Kinross Council (assessed at Pullar House). The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees, led on an interim basis by CEO Emma MacGregor (covering Laura Stewart's maternity secondment), with a Finance Officer (Simon Havers), Service Coordinator (Angela Pugh), and CATH Shop / On The Mend Project Manager (Sarah Hambrook).

Recent strategic activity through 2025-2026 has focused on deepening the service portfolio rather than expanding geographic scope: securing multi-source grant funding for On The Mend, launching a redesigned website, partnering with UK SMART Recovery on family-facing recovery sessions, obtaining Cyber Essentials certification, and recruiting additional trustees. Operational scale remains modest, with 11-50 employees, capacity for eight residents in supported accommodation, and no disclosed revenue.

Name

Churches Action For The Homeless

Legal name

Churches Action for the Homeless

Website

https://cath-org.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Churches Action For The Homeless (CATH) is a Scottish registered charity in Perth providing drop-in support, temporary accommodation, recovery programmes, and a charity shop for people facing homelessness and social exclusion across Perth and Kinross.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness and Social Support Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Homeless support services
• Temporary accommodation
• Addiction recovery programs
• Community drop-in services
• Charity retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth, Scotland

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Individual and corporate donations received through JustGiving platform and direct contributions to support CATH services and programs.
2. Charity Retail: Revenue generated from CATH Shop sales of donated clothing, housewares, decorative items, and upcycled goods. Shop has operated for 15 years.
3. Grant Funding: Funding received from government bodies, charitable foundations, and community funds including NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation, Community Mental Health and Well-being Fund, Green Living Fund, and Aviva Community Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Churches Action for the Homeless (CATH) is a registered Scottish charity that delivers a continuum of social support services for people facing homelessness, crisis, addiction, and social exclusion in Perth and Kinross. Offerings include drop-in crisis support at the Community Hub, supported temporary accommodation at Tayview House (8 self-contained flats), a 12-month Positive Pathways recovery and training programme, On The Mend creative upcycling workshops, a charity shop, Starter Packs for those moving into homes, Adult Learning services, and CATH Futures for young people at risk of exclusion.

Product overview

CATH operates as a coordinated set of social service programmes rather than a unified technology product. The organisation provides a continuum of support services including drop-in crisis support through the Community Hub, temporary accommodation at Tayview House, creative wellbeing programmes at On The Mend, charity retail at CATH Shop, structured recovery training via Positive Pathways, adult education services, and dedicated support for young people through CATH Futures. These services work together to support people facing homelessness and exclusion, from crisis intervention through to independent living.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Hub Drop-in sanctuary service providing crisis support, advice, recovery groups, meals (free breakfast, lunch for £1), shower, laundry, computers, phones, and confidential support rooms for people facing homelessness or difficulty accessing services elsewhere in Perth and Kinross.
• Tayview House Temporary supported accommodation on Shore Road, Perth, offering 8 self-contained flats with 24/7 staff support for individuals who are homeless and need help to move forward, including assistance with daily living skills and community integration.
• Positive Pathways A 12-month recovery and training programme helping individuals recover from addiction, homelessness, and trauma through personal growth sessions, skills development, accredited qualifications, voluntary positions, peer mentoring, and outdoor activities.
• On The Mend Creative and sustainable community activities project offering textile upcycling, knitting, needle felting, sewing, and repair workshops to promote creativity, wellbeing, and environmental sustainability through reuse and upcycling.
• CATH Shop Charity shop selling donated clothing, bedding, housewares, decorative items, and jewellery at affordable prices; also accepts quality donations and operates a swap rail for textile exchange.
• Starter Packs Programme providing starter packs to help people moving into their own accommodation establish a home with essential household items.
• Adult Learning Flexible adult learning courses supporting service users to improve literacy, numeracy, and digital skills, with partnerships including ESOL Perth for English language support.
• CATH Futures Programme for young people facing exclusion, supporting them to build inclusive, safe, and supportive environments with a focus on independent living and sense of purpose.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 years of continuous service delivery to the Perth and Kinross community since 1995
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Perth and Kinross CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerth and Kinross Council is a key referral partner for CATH services. Referrals for Tayview House temporary accommodation are assessed at Pullar House by the council. The council also provides funding through the Green Living Fund.
• NHS TaysidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS Tayside provides healthcare service access for CATH service users. NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation has awarded £10,000 to support the On The Mend project. CATH can make referrals to NHS Continuing Healthcare.
• PKC (Perth and Kinross Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPKC provides funding through the Green Living Fund for On The Mend sustainability activities. Participated in the 30th anniversary celebration of CATH Community Hub.
• UK SMART RecoverysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with CATH to bring Family and Friends Recovery sessions, starting December 2026. Sessions held every Wednesday at The Hope Hub on Perth High Street.
• Health and Social Care Alliance ScotlandsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Collaborative Change Team from the Alliance delivered a presentation on the Charter of Rights focused on people affected by substance use at CATH Community Hub.
• Hillcrest ScotlandsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHillcrest FB staff and volunteers collaborate with CATH on various initiatives. Participated in the 30th anniversary celebration and Family and Friends Recovery sessions collaboration.
• UNITY Community CAFEsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNITY community CAFE collaborates on Family and Friends Recovery sessions and participated in the 30th anniversary celebration of CATH Community Hub.
• Circular Communities ScotlandsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATH is a member of Circular Communities Scotland who champion the reuse sector. CATH staff attended the Share and Repair Network Gathering 2026 in Stirling.
• ESOL PerthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerESOL Perth provides specific support to assist people where English might not be their first language as part of CATH's Adult Learning services.
• Terra Garden MaintenanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTerra Garden Maintenance provided work in the CATH Community Garden to prepare a welcoming environment for service users.
• PRYDE Water & Drainage LTDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRYDE Water & Drainage LTD contributed work to the CATH Community Garden.
• Aberlour Family Advice and Community Connections ServicesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAberlour staff and volunteers joined CATH for On The Mend sessions, bringing creativity and crafting reusable gift bags.
• Letham Climate ChallengesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLetham Climate Challenge staff and volunteers participated in On The Mend sessions, sharing their passion for sustainability and community action.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Simon Community Scotland: Major Scottish homelessness charity operating direct-access hostels, supported accommodation, and outreach services. Directly comparable in service scope and Scottish operating geography.
• Emmaus UK: UK charity supporting people out of homelessness through companion living, retail (charity shops), and training. Highly comparable on the combined charity-shop + supported-accommodation model.
• Bethany Christian Trust: Edinburgh-based Christian-affiliated homelessness charity providing supported accommodation, recovery programmes, and furniture reuse. Closely comparable faith-rooted operating model and service mix.
• Cyrenians: Scottish charity delivering homelessness prevention, supported accommodation, and recovery services across multiple regions. Highly comparable as a similarly-sized Scottish homelessness charity with a continuum-of-care service model.
• Turning Point Scotland: Scottish charity providing social care, housing support, and recovery services to people facing addiction, homelessness, and mental health issues. Strong overlap on supported accommodation and recovery programme delivery.
• Streetwork UK: Edinburgh-based charity providing outreach, support, and accommodation services for people experiencing homelessness. Comparable in service scope, Scottish regional focus, and small-charity scale.
• Social Bite: Scottish social enterprise tackling homelessness through café operations, housing provision, and the Sleep in the Park fundraising model. Comparable on mission, Scottish focus, and blended commercial/charity revenue approach.

Broad incumbents

• Crisis UK: National UK homelessness charity providing housing, education, and employment support, plus policy advocacy. Overlaps on service delivery but operates at materially larger scale and breadth than CATH.
• Shelter Scotland: Larger national campaigning and services charity tackling homelessness and bad housing across Scotland. Comparable mission and target beneficiaries, but operates at much greater scale with a policy/advocacy focus CATH lacks.
• The Salvation Army UK: Large faith-based charity running hostels, supported accommodation, and recovery services across the UK. Comparable faith-rooted operating model and homelessness service mix, but at much greater scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cathorgperth
• Facebookfacebook.com/CATHOrgPerth
• Instagraminstagram.com/churchesactionforthehomeless
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/churchesaction

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Churches Action For The Homeless