PASSION TRUST
Passion Trust is a UK-registered charity that supports free outdoor Easter Passion Plays staged by churches and community groups, providing resources, training, small grants, and mentorship to directors across the UK and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersGUILDFORD, SURREY
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PASSION TRUST does
Passion Trust is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1141493, Company No. 07330034) founded in 2010 by Alex Stewart-Clark to support the staging of Passion Plays — free, outdoor Easter theatrical performances — in towns and cities across the United Kingdom. The charity does not sell products or charge for services; every performance is free to attend and every resource is free to use. Its core offerings are a comprehensive free resources library (scripts, music, staging guides), the Directors Development Programme (£2,000 grants paired with mentoring for early-career directors), an annual conference, and grant-making to individual Passion Play productions. Since inception the Trust has supported more than 100 Passion Plays domestically and has backed international productions in Louisiana, Milan, Brazil, Cape Town, and Perth (Western Australia).
The Trust is funded entirely by donations and charitable grants, with 2024 figures showing £202,052 raised by grantee plays and 762 volunteers mobilised; 2025 numbers declined to £150,700 and 490 volunteers respectively. Headcount sits in the 11–50 employee band, with offices in London and Ripley (Surrey) and a board comprising Alex Stewart-Clark, Suzanne Lofthus, David Robinson, and James Burke-Dunsmore. Operations are deeply relational — built on partnerships with churches, dioceses, and community theatre groups — and the Trust serves both upstream (directors, producers, volunteer casts) and downstream (audiences of free performances) beneficiaries. The business model is a classic grant-funded non-profit: donations and charitable grants in, resources and small cash grants out, with no pricing or revenue mechanics in a commercial sense.
PASSION TRUST firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PASSION TRUST
- Legal name
- Passion Trust
- Website
- https://passiontrust.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Passion Trust is a UK-registered charity that supports free outdoor Easter Passion Plays staged by churches and community groups, providing resources, training, small grants, and mentorship to directors across the UK and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PASSION TRUST industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Theatre Support Charity
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Trust Funds & Multi-Donor Pooled Funds (BPADAOAE)
Keywords
Where PASSION TRUST is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- GUILDFORD, SURREY
Offices2 records
Markets served
PASSION TRUST business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Grants: Passion Trust is funded entirely by donations from individuals, charitable trusts, and businesses. The organization explicitly states that 100% of donations go directly to supporting Passion Plays in the UK, with the Trust covering its own administrative costs separately. Revenue is received as charitable contributions and grants, with no commercial revenue streams. The Trust also makes grants available to Passion Play directors via its Directors Development Programme (£2,000 grants plus mentoring).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
PASSION TRUST product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Passion Trust is a UK charity that supports the production of free outdoor Passion Plays — theatrical performances of the Easter story — by community groups, churches, and local councils across the United Kingdom. The Trust provides free resources (scripts, manuals, marketing templates, safeguarding policies, budgeting tools), training and advice, an annual conference, and grant funding through its Directors Development Programme (£2,000 grants plus mentoring) to qualifying directors. All performances supported by the Trust are free to attend for audiences.
Product overview
The Passion Trust is a UK charity supporting the resurgence of Passion Plays through a comprehensive suite of free resources, funding programmes, and training opportunities. The organization operates primarily through its main website (passiontrust.org) providing free resources including a complete manual, marketing guides, scripts, casting advice, technical crew guidance, and fundraising materials. A sister site (passion-plays.co.uk) enables audiences to find free performances. Key offerings include the Directors Development Programme providing £2,000 grants with mentoring support, annual conferences featuring workshops and expert Q&A sessions, and downloadable safeguarding policies. All resources are provided free of charge to support community theatre productions of the Easter story.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Passion Play Directors Development Programme A grant and mentorship programme offering £2,000 grants plus free mentoring from experienced directors to professional and early-career directors of Passion Plays in the UK.
- Passion Trust Annual Conference An annual training and networking event for Passion Play directors, producers, actors, fundraisers, and technical crew, featuring workshops, expert speakers, and Q&A sessions on directing, casting, fundraising, and marketing.
- Free Resources Library A free online library of resources covering every aspect of Passion Play production, including a manual, marketing materials, scripts, casting guides, technical crew advice, fundraising tips, volunteer management, educational materials, and safeguarding policy documents — available at no charge to community groups producing Passion Plays.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ Passion Plays supported since 2010
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use PASSION TRUST
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PASSION TRUST technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PASSION TRUST partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Saltmine TrustminorChristian theatre company that has partnered with Passion Plays in Birmingham, Norwich, and Stafford, providing professional actors and production support to local volunteer communities.
- Scripture UnionminorChristian charity that has supported Passion Plays in the UK.
- Cutting Edge TheatreminorEdinburgh-based theatre company run by trustee Suzanne Lofthus, specializing in community theatre with marginalized and learning-disabled people. Has directed the annual Edinburgh open-air Passion Play since 2005.
- Various UK Local Councils (Brighton & Hove, City of York, Birmingham City Council, Edinburgh City Council, Leicester City Council, Glasgow City Council, Oxford City Council, and 20+ others)minorOver 25 UK local councils have supported Passion Plays by providing venue permissions, public space access, and promotional support for performances in their areas.
- Centric Community ProjectsminorOrganization that provides free office and storage space for smaller charities and non-profit organizations. Passion Trust refers Passion Play teams to this resource for free workspace.
- LAMPS CollectiveminorChristian theatre collective that travels around the UK with touring Passion Play productions, working with local volunteer casts.
- Oddments Theatre CompanyminorTheatre company that tours Passion Play productions around the UK, partnering with local communities.
- Good News For Everyone (formerly The Gideons)minorChristian organization that distributed 103 portions of scripture at an Abingdon Passion Play, engaging audience members in conversations about the Easter story.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
PASSION TRUST competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Stewardship: UK Christian charity providing giving-account and financial services to Christian donors and ministries. Listed Passion Trust financial supporter; comparable as an adjacent faith-based charitable infrastructure provider.
- Bible Society: Major UK Christian charity focused on Bible translation and engagement. Listed Passion Trust financial partner supporting Passion Plays — comparable as a Christian mission-driven charity and ecosystem participant.
- Scripture Union: UK Christian charity working with children, young people and schools on Bible engagement. Listed Passion Trust supporter; comparable as a faith-based mission organisation and potential audience-recruitment channel.
Direct peers
- Oddments Theatre Company: UK touring theatre company that produces Passion Play productions in partnership with local communities. Directly comparable in offering, audience, and Christian community-theatre focus.
- Cutting Edge Theatre: Edinburgh-based community theatre company run by Passion Trust trustee Suzanne Lofthus, specialising in marginalised and learning-disabled participants. Has directed the annual open-air Passion Play in Edinburgh since 2005 — a directly comparable Passion Play producer.
- Searchlight Theatre Company: Christian touring theatre company whose artistic director is Passion Trust trustee David Robinson. Operates in the same touring Christian theatre niche with overlapping mission and audience.
- LAMPS Collective: Christian theatre collective that tours Passion Play productions across the UK with local volunteer casts. Operates in the same niche as Passion Trust's beneficiary communities and provides comparable touring Passion Play experiences.
- Wintershall: UK estate producing large-scale open-air biblical plays including 'Life of Christ' and 'Trafalgar Passion'. Trustee James Burke-Dunsmore performed as Jesus in 76 Wintershall productions between 1998 and 2022 — a directly comparable producer of Passion-themed outdoor theatre.
- Saltmine Trust: UK Christian theatre company specialising in touring productions. Saltmine has partnered with Passion Plays in Birmingham, Norwich and Stafford, providing professional actors and production support — directly comparable to Passion Trust's mission and beneficiary community.
Broad incumbents
- Actors' Charitable Trust: UK-wide charity providing welfare and financial support to theatre professionals in need. A broader incumbent in the UK theatre-charity space with overlapping beneficiary base (theatre professionals and creatives).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PASSION TRUST social profiles
Digital presencePASSION TRUST financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PASSION TRUST leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
PASSION TRUST funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PASSION TRUST M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PASSION TRUST
What does PASSION TRUST do?
Passion Trust is a UK charity that supports the production of free outdoor Passion Plays — theatrical performances of the Easter story — by community groups, churches, and local councils across the United Kingdom. The Trust provides free resources (scripts, manuals, marketing templates, safeguarding policies, budgeting tools), training and advice, an annual conference, and grant funding through its Directors Development Programme (£2,000 grants plus mentoring) to qualifying directors. All performances supported by the Trust are free to attend for audiences.
Is PASSION TRUST a public or private company?
PASSION TRUST is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PASSION TRUST founded?
PASSION TRUST was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PASSION TRUST based?
PASSION TRUST is headquartered in GUILDFORD, SURREY.
How does PASSION TRUST make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Grants.
Who are PASSION TRUST's main competitors?
Others on record are Stewardship, Bible Society and Scripture Union. Direct peers are Oddments Theatre Company, Cutting Edge Theatre, Searchlight Theatre Company, LAMPS Collective, Wintershall and Saltmine Trust. Actors' Charitable Trust is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does PASSION TRUST have an API?
No public API is recorded for PASSION TRUST.
What industry is PASSION TRUST in?
PASSION TRUST's product category is Community Theatre Support Charity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAI, Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts, with a secondary code of BPADAOAE, Trust Funds & Multi-Donor Pooled Funds. Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 7900.