City Life Church Southampton

What City Life Church Southampton does

City Life Church Southampton is a UK-registered charity (Charity: 1100602; Company: 4913171) founded in the 1970s, operating from Aldermoor Farmhouse in Southampton. The organization functions as both a Christian church and a community services provider. Rather than holding traditional Sunday services, the church operates through home-sized "Church Communities" — small groups meeting in members' homes and various venues across the city as part of daily life. A resident prayer community lives at Aldermoor Farmhouse, which also serves as a venue hire space including The Shepherd's Hut prayer garden.

The church runs an extensive portfolio of charitable programs serving vulnerable populations in Southampton. These include CLEAR (refugee education, advice, and integration support running 20+ years), Amber Chaplains (outreach to women selling sex on streets), Hope into Action: Southampton (housing for homeless individuals), Street Light chaplaincy, Night Light Cafe, Soup Run, Churches Winter Beds (seasonal overnight accommodation), Church Rent Deposit Scheme, and resettlement programs for migrants (EU Welcome, Hong Kong Welcome, SO Welcome). The church also provides chaplaincy to the Rose Road Association, serving 300+ children and adults with disabilities.

Revenue is generated through charitable donations (PayPal and BACS with Gift Aid), National Lottery grants, Government grants, Trust-funded projects, and venue hire income at Aldermoor Farmhouse and Townhill Park Community Centre. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees and operates as part of the Pioneer Network of churches. International engagement includes annual trips to communities in Thailand, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Name

City Life Church Southampton

Legal name

City Life Church

Website

https://citylife.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

City Life Church Southampton is a UK-registered charity operating home-sized Church Communities across Southampton and delivering an extensive portfolio of charitable programs serving refugees, homeless individuals, women in vulnerable situations, and migrants. Founded in the 1970s, it is funded through donations, grants, and venue hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Community and Charitable Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH), Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Religious community services
• Homeless outreach programs
• Refugee support services
• Church venue hire
• Charitable chaplaincy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Southampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tithes: Primary revenue stream through voluntary donations from congregation and supporters via PayPal and BACS transfers. The church accepts one-time and recurring donations with Gift Aid declaration support for UK tax payers.
2. Grant Funding: The organization has received and successfully delivered several National Lottery grants, Government grants, and Trust-funded projects to support their various community initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

City Life Church Southampton is a registered UK charity (1100602) and company (4913171) that operates home-sized Church Communities across Southampton as the primary community model, rather than holding regular large Sunday services. Beyond spiritual community, the church delivers a portfolio of charitable programs including refugee support (CLEAR, EU Welcome, Hong Kong Welcome, SO Welcome), homelessness services (Hope into Action housing, Churches Winter Beds, Night Light Cafe, Soup Run, Street Light chaplaincy), chaplaincy for women in vulnerable situations (Amber Chaplains), youth ministry, and venue hire at Aldermoor Farmhouse and Townhill Park Community Centre.

Product overview

City Life Church Southampton offers a portfolio of community-focused programs and venue services rather than a traditional technology product. The core offering is Church Communities—small home-sized groups forming the church's primary community structure. Supporting this are venue hire services at Aldermoor Farmhouse (including The Shepherd's Hut for prayer) and Townhill Park Community Centre. The church operates an extensive network of charitable initiatives including refugee support (CLEAR, EU Welcome, Hong Kong Welcome, SO Welcome), homelessness services (Hope into Action, Churches Winter Beds, Street Light Chaplain, Soup Run, Night Light Cafe), chaplaincy (Amber Chaplains), youth programs (Youth Group), and spiritual gatherings (Morning Prayer, Presence of God, Worship Evening). These programs are offered as direct charitable services rather than software products, and no public API or integration platform is provided.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Church Communities Small home-sized groups meeting across Southampton in members' homes and various venues, forming the primary community structure of the church and emphasizing everyday faith practice rather than traditional Sunday services.
• Aldermoor Farmhouse Venue Hire A versatile venue at Aldermoor Farmhouse offering living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, garden, and two guestrooms for hire, suitable for retreats, prayer gatherings, leadership days, and spiritually focused events.
• The Shepherd's Hut A dedicated prayer space in the gardens of Aldermoor Farmhouse, available for individuals and groups (up to 10 visitors) seeking prayer, reflection, and worship.
• Townhill Park Community Centre A modern, fully equipped community building available for hire for meetings, group activities, children's parties, and fitness classes, accommodating groups up to 80 people.
• CLEAR (City Life Education and Action for Refugees) A refugee support project providing free English classes, immigration and benefits advice, housing and job assistance, and integration courses to asylum seekers and refugees in Southampton.
• Amber Chaplains A twice-weekly evening outreach providing non-judgemental care, wellbeing bags, safety items, and onward referrals for women selling sex on the streets of Southampton, delivered via a multi-agency network.
• Hope into Action: Southampton A housing project partnering with local churches to provide homes and support for the most vulnerable homeless individuals, including ex-street homeless, recovering addicts, refugees, survivors of domestic abuse, and ex-offenders.
• Churches Winter Beds A seasonal collaborative project providing overnight accommodation and meals for people sleeping rough during the coldest months, operated at The Boathouse venue.
• Night Light Cafe A warm, welcoming space at the Day Centre on Cranbury Avenue offering free drinks, toast, and snacks weekday evenings (except Wednesdays) from 4-8pm, open to anyone needing rest and recharging.
• Soup Run A weekly Friday night outreach distributing fresh food, hot drinks, and clothing to homeless and vulnerable people on the streets of Southampton.
• Youth Group A weekly youth group for ages 11-17 meeting on Sundays, partnered with Young Life International, creating space for faith formation and lasting friendships.
• Online Giving Digital donation channel via PayPal and BACS transfer with Gift Aid declaration support for UK tax payers, supporting one-time and recurring contributions.
• EU Welcome Program providing assistance and support to migrants in the Southampton area from the EU and other European countries, including empowerment and integration support.
• Hong Kong Welcome Program welcoming and supporting new residents from Hong Kong to the South East of England, working in partnership with HongKongers in Britain.
• SO Welcome Community Sponsorship home for refugee families in Southampton as part of the national resettlement programme, delivered in partnership with Southampton City Council, Caritas, and ResetUK.
• Church Rent Deposit Scheme Scheme assisting individuals on low income or receiving welfare benefits who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to access private rented accommodation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple projects have been operating successfully for over 20 years (CLEAR, Amber)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pioneer Network of ChurchescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity Life Church is part of Pioneer - a relational network committed to taking the gospel into new places and spaces. Pioneer connects, inspires and equips churches to make Spirit-filled disciples and see kingdom transformation expressed creatively and courageously across different communities and generations.
• Hope into Action UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHope into Action: Southampton is a project of City Life Church and part of the national charity Hope into Action UK. The national organization supports local churches to house and support homeless individuals through a proven model.
• One Body SouthamptonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcumenical network of churches in Southampton working together for shared mission.
• Advice in SouthamptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing advice services including Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme collaboration with Citizens Advice service.
• Street SupportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork supporting street homeless population in Southampton.
• City of SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated City of Sanctuary - commitment to welcoming and supporting individuals who have come from overseas, whether for education, work, or as refugees or asylum seekers.
• Southampton ChaplaincyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChaplaincy network serving the city of Southampton.
• Anti-Poverty NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork addressing poverty issues in Southampton.
• Young Life InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership engaging with teenagers throughout Southampton. Paul Woodman serves as board chair for local community action. Young Life operates clubs for children and groups in secondary schools.
• Two Saints Homeless ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency in Amber Chaplains multi-disciplinary approach to supporting women in vulnerable situations.
• Solent Sexual HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner in Amber Chaplains collaborative support network.
• CGL (Change Grow Live)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubstance misuse team partner in Amber Chaplains outreach collaboration.
• Southampton City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Community Sponsorship home (SO Welcome) and various outreach initiatives including Winter Beds provision.
• CaritascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SO Welcome refugee resettlement program.
• ResetUKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SO Welcome refugee resettlement program.
• HongKongers in BritaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Hong Kong Welcome program supporting new residents from Hong Kong to the South East of England.
• Alder TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization for Aldermoor Community Farm managed by City Life Church members Richard and Kathy Pitt.
• Hands (Thailand)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual two-week trip support to communities in Northern Thailand facing poverty, exploitation, conflict, and disaster.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Two Saints (Stonewater housing association supported): Regional housing and homelessness charity operating across Hampshire including Southampton, already a City Life Church partner in Amber Chaplains outreach. Direct segment peer with overlapping beneficiaries and referral networks.
• Oasis Church Southampton: Large Southampton church operating community projects and social outreach including homelessness and family support. Operates in the same city with a comparable mission of combining worship community with practical social action.
• Society of St James (Southampton): Southampton charity providing housing, homelessness, and recovery services to vulnerable adults. Direct competitor for Southampton statutory and lottery grant funding in the same beneficiary segments.
• Hope into Action UK: National charity partnering with local churches to house homeless individuals. Hope into Action: Southampton is one of its local franchises hosted inside City Life Church, so the two are operationally entangled and serve the same model of housing plus church-based support.
• Pioneer: UK relational network of churches dedicated to planting gospel-centred communities in new contexts. City Life Church is itself a member and Pioneer shares its movement-orientation, missional theology, and decentralised church-community format.
• Southampton City Mission: Southampton-focused Christian charity delivering homelessness outreach, mentoring, and chaplaincy. Direct mission-overlap peer in the same city, active in homelessness, hardship support, and community engagement.
• Above Bar Church Southampton: Southampton church engaged in city mission including partnerships with marginalised populations. Comparable as a similarly sized Southampton congregation integrating social action alongside worship.
• Caritas Diocese of Portsmouth: Catholic social action charity covering Southampton with refugee resettlement and community engagement. Already an SO Welcome partner; comparable scope in refugee resettlement, social justice advocacy, and faith-rooted outreach.

Regional players

• Citizens Advice Southampton: Southampton-based advice services including Homes for Ukraine sponsorship — City Life Church's CLEAR project routes asylum and benefits advice work to this network. Comparable advice-and-advocacy function with shared beneficiary pool.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA Southampton: National youth and community organisation with a Southampton footprint delivering housing and youth programmes. Overlaps City Life's homelessness, housing, and youth ministry programmes at a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@citylifechurchsouthampton
• Facebookfacebook.com/citylifechurchsouthampton
• Instagraminstagram.com/citylifesouthampton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-life-church-southampton

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries10 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 City Life Church Southampton