The Light Church

What The Light Church does

The Light Church is a registered charity (no. 1192346) operating from the Jubilee Centre on Jermyn Street in Bradford, United Kingdom. Founded on 25 August 2008 by Matt and Josie Barlow and John and Lizzie Kirkby, the church runs weekly Sunday worship services, a network of home church groups across at least six Bradford postcode clusters, and dedicated children and youth ministries (Rooted Youth and Kids Ministry).

Beyond worship, the organization operates a portfolio of community-facing services: Bradford Central Foodbank, delivered under the Trussell Trust network and feeding over 17,000 people annually with referrals from 300+ partner agencies; a Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Debt Centre established in 2009 and a CAP Job Club; a Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) Education Centre; and the Renew 23 wellbeing cafe, partnered with local mental health services. The Jubilee Centre is also available for commercial venue hire.

The church is led by Senior Leader Dave McKeown (appointed 2024) and Associate Pastor Rachel Dawson, supported by a Pastoral Care Lead and a board of trustees chaired by Pete McMahon. Revenue is generated primarily through member tithes, one-off and recurring donations (with Gift Aid reclaim from HMRC for UK taxpayers), supplemented by venue hire income from the Jubilee Centre. The organization employs approximately 10 staff and relies on a significant volunteer base across its programs.

Name

The Light Church

Legal name

The Light Church Trust, Bradford

Website

https://thelightchurch.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Light Church is a registered Bradford-based Christian charity (founded 2008) running Sunday worship, home church groups, and community programs including Bradford Central Foodbank, a CAP Debt Centre, and the Renew 23 wellbeing cafe for residents of Bradford and surrounding areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

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 Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Religious community services
• Church worship services
• Food bank services
• Community wellbeing programs
• Charitable venue hire

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Members and attendees give financially through one-off donations, standing orders, or tithing (giving 10% of income). Gift Aid scheme allows reclaiming 25p per £1 from HMRC for UK taxpayers.
2. Venue Hire - Jubilee Centre: The Jubilee Centre is hired out for business events, meetings, and conferences. As a registered charity running Bradford Central Foodbank, prices are kept competitive and proceeds support charitable income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Light Church is a registered Christian charity that delivers weekly Sunday worship services, midweek home church groups, and dedicated children's and youth ministries in Bradford. It also runs community outreach programs including Bradford Central Foodbank (Trussell Trust network), Renew 23 wellbeing cafe, and a CAP Debt Centre, and hires out the Jubilee Centre for external events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly Sunday services 10am-12pm at the Jubilee Centre, Jermyn Street, Bradford, featuring worship and teaching, free entry with tea/coffee, all-age welcome, and free parking at SIP car park. Aimed at anyone seeking a Christian spiritual community.
• Home Church Groups Midweek small groups meeting across Bradford on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, plus online groups, providing deeper connection, study, and pastoral support. More than 200 members participate in this community ecosystem.
• Children's Ministry (Kids) Age-appropriate ministry for babies, toddlers and children from creche through to Year 6, including children's worship, bible time, and activities during Sunday services. For parents of children aged 0-11.
• Youth Ministry (Rooted Youth) Youth ministry for 12-18 year olds combining midweek youth meetings, Awaken events every other month, and integrated Sunday services to support identity formation and spiritual growth.
• Bradford Central Foodbank Emergency food aid and support services open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am-1pm at Jubilee Centre, providing food parcels, hot meals, benefits advice (via Equality Together), Job Centre social-justice support, asylum-seeker support, fuel grants, and a delivery service for those unable to leave home.
• Renew 23 Wellbeing Cafe Free community-run cafe and quiet 'living room' style space offering wellbeing activities and hobbies based on the 5 ways to wellbeing, with optional prayer and supported signposting to local mental health services and charities.
• Jubilee Centre Venue Hire Hire of the Jubilee Centre for business events, meetings and conferences at competitive charity rates, with free parking at SIP car park and easy access from Bradford train and bus stations.
• Bradford Central Foodbank Wraparound Support Services Expert benefits advice provided by Equality Together and Job Centre Social Justice Team support at all foodbank sessions to help address the root causes of food crisis, including benefits issues, unemployment, and financial hardship.
• Online Service Streaming and Catch-up Video YouTube-based live streaming of Sunday services and on-demand video archive allowing remote attendees to participate in worship and teaching.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,000+ people fed annually through foodbank
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trussell TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Light Church operates Bradford Central Foodbank as part of the Trussell Trust network. Trussell supports foodbanks across the UK with infrastructure, best practices, and partnership recognition. The foodbank fed over 17,000 people last year through this partnership.
• Bradford Central Foodbank Referral AgenciescoreOthersOver 300 referral agencies across the city refer individuals and families to Bradford Central Foodbank. These include social services, doctors, housing officers, and other support organizations. This ensures those who receive help are genuinely in need.
• Equality TogethercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExpert benefits advice provided by Equality Together at all foodbank sessions to help address the root causes of food crisis.
• Job Centre Social Justice TeamcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupport from the Job Centre's Social Justice Team provided at foodbank sessions to help people back into work.
• Christians Against Poverty (CAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAP Debt Centre opened in October 2009, and CAP Job Club launched to help people out of debt and poverty. CAP is a Christian poverty-fighting charity with a network of debt centres across the UK.
• Local Mental Health Services and CharitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenew 23 wellbeing cafe is partnered with local mental health services, charities and organisations for additional support beyond what volunteer hosts can provide.
• Transforming Lives for Good (TLG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLG is a Christian charity focused on transforming lives. The Light Church has a TLG Education Centre, and team members Rae Morfin and Rachel Dawson previously worked at TLG. Hope Park Workspaces, a social enterprise set up by TLG, generates income for TLG purposes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trussell Trust: The Light Church operates Bradford Central Foodbank as part of the Trussell Trust network, the UK's largest foodbank operator. Trussell is the most direct operational peer for the foodbank subsidiary and the referral infrastructure that supports it.
• Christians Against Poverty (CAP): The Light Church runs a CAP Debt Centre and CAP Job Club on-site. CAP is a direct partner and a peer in the Christian anti-poverty services space, with comparable debt-counseling and employment support models.
• KingsGate Community Church: Independent evangelical UK church network with comparable size, community programs, and multisite model. Operates similar small-group and social action ministries.
• Transforming Lives for Good (TLG): The Light Church hosts a TLG Education Centre and has leadership team members previously employed at TLG. TLG is a close peer in faith-based education and early intervention services for children and families.
• Soul Church: Contemporary evangelical UK church with a similar community-outreach profile, including foodbank and social services, and a comparable volunteer-driven operating model.

Broad incumbents

• New Frontiers (UK): Network of evangelical churches across the UK with overlapping mission-driven, community-engagement models. A broader peer in the contemporary evangelical church space.
• Elim Pentecostal Church (national): Large UK Pentecostal denomination with hundreds of churches running foodbanks, debt centres, and community programs. A broader incumbent in the same faith-based community services space.

Emerging players

• Equality Together: Bradford-based disability and advice charity that delivers benefits advice at The Light Church's foodbank sessions. Comparable advisory services to vulnerable populations in the same geographic catchment.

Regional players

• Hope Church (Salford): Northern UK evangelical church with foodbank and community outreach programs. Comparable mission and community-services orientation but operating in a different city (Greater Manchester).

Others

• CentrePoint (UK): UK homelessness and youth charity. Thematically adjacent as a community-services peer in addressing disadvantage among young people, which overlaps with The Light Church's youth and asylum support work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWvD6oXLl7B1HEhgv5GqbGQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/thelightbradford
• Instagraminstagram.com/tlc_bradford
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-light-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 The Light Church