ROKT Foundation

What ROKT Foundation does

ROKT Foundation is a UK registered charity (Charity Number 1175904) operating from a converted flour mill in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, that delivers climbing-based and urban adventure programmes targeted at disadvantaged and underserved populations. The venue, branded ROKT Urban Adventure Centre, contains Yorkshire's highest indoor lead climbing wall at 21.5m, four 16m silo rope climbs, an indoor caving system, abseiling facilities, ROKTFACE — the UK's highest outdoor man-made climbing wall at 36m — Project Breakout escape rooms, and a £18,000 sensory room. The charity's product set spans core adventure activities (bouldering, rope climbing, caving, abseiling, escape rooms) and a portfolio of specialised programmes: Climbing For All Families (disabled children and their families), Moving Through Menopause, Girls' Empowerment, Safety Nets (young people mental health), Police Early Intervention, Swap Smokes for Ropes (NHS smoking cessation), Block Rockin' Meets (asylum seeker integration), Money Course, and NICAS climbing qualifications.

The business model is a charity-funded hybrid: cash and in-kind donations through LocalGiving, multi-funder grants (Sport England, BBC Children In Need, The National Lottery Community Fund, Community Foundation for Calderdale, Mayor of West Yorkshire, Comic Relief, European Social Fund, Hedley Foundation, Boshier Hinton Foundation, Sovereign Healthcare, Locala, Tesco Small Grants, Toy Trust, Creative Minds, EyUp NHS Charity, One Community in Kirklees), and nominal activity fees (£5 donation for taster sessions, £10 donation for 6-session courses). Delivery is largely referral-driven through partnerships with NHS trusts, West Yorkshire Police, schools, mental health charities, and refugee centres. The small team (1-10 employees) is led by CEO Katie Kinsella under founder Dr M E Noble, with a Board of Trustees including Chair Lidia Shinwell, Calderdale Council Sports Services Manager Gary Byrnes, and charity-sector specialist Jason Costello. Patrons include former Detective Superintendent Bob Bridgestock and Huddersfield Town Commercial Director Sean Jarvis. The charity is accredited by the Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC) and the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), and has been recognised as a finalist for the Calderdale Community Spirit Awards (Charity of the Year 2022, Breakthrough of the Year and Best Marketing Campaign 2023).

Name

ROKT Foundation

Legal name

ROKT Foundation

Website

https://roktfoundation.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ROKT Foundation is a UK registered charity operating a converted flour mill adventure centre in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, delivering climbing, caving, abseiling and escape room programmes for disadvantaged and disabled children, adults with mental health needs, asylum seekers, women, and families across Calderdale and Kirklees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Adventure & Wellbeing Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Climbing & Mountaineering Gyms/Guides (Indoor, Outdoor, Via Ferrata) (THAAAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climbing & Via Ferrata Guiding / Instruction (THAAALAH), Via Ferrata & Adventure Climbing Parks (THAAACAE)

Keywords

• Indoor climbing
• Community adventure programmes
• Youth mental health
• Adaptive disability sport
• Charity health initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighouse

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The charity relies on donations from individuals and organizations to provide activities for disadvantaged people who cannot afford full fees
2. Grant Funding: Funding from various foundations and government bodies including Sport England, Community Foundation for Calderdale, BBC Children In Need, The National Lottery Community Fund, and others
3. Activity Fees: Fees for climbing activities, parties, school trips, and team building events for those who can afford them

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ROKT Foundation is a registered charity that delivers climbing-based and urban adventure programmes through its ROKT Urban Adventure Centre in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. It provides indoor climbing, bouldering, caving, abseiling, escape rooms, and the UK's highest outdoor man-made climbing wall (ROKTFACE), combined with adapted equipment and a sensory room to support health, wellbeing, life skills, and personal development for children, young people and adults, particularly those who are disadvantaged, disabled, or affected by mental health challenges.

Product overview

ROKT Foundation is a charity providing active urban adventure experiences through its facility at ROKT Urban Adventure Centre in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. The core offerings include bouldering, rope climbing (featuring Yorkshire's highest 21.5m indoor lead wall), indoor caving, abseiling, ROKTFACE outdoor climbing wall, and Project Breakout escape rooms. Specialized programmes target specific demographics including Climbing For All Families for disabled children, Moving Through Menopause for women, Girls' Empowerment, mental health support through partnerships with NHS and Invictus Wellbeing, police early intervention, and NICAS climbing qualification courses. The organization also operates a sensory space and Healthy Holidays programmes. Since launching in 2019, the charity has helped thousands of children, young people and adults with mental health issues, physical and learning disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bouldering Rope-free climbing experiences for all ability levels, featuring traverse walls, caves, and main chamber 'problems' that build confidence and teach technique and problem-solving skills. For individuals, families, school groups, and charity programme participants.
• Rope Climbing Indoor rope climbing experiences including Yorkshire's highest 21.5m indoor lead climbing wall and four 16m silo rope climbs, led by expert instructors. For individuals, school groups, and adapted disability climbing participants.
• Indoor Caving An indoor caving system featuring darkness conquest, tight spaces, and team support challenges with high capacity and easy exits suitable for all participants including school, family, and disability groups.
• Abseiling Indoor abseil experience from the top of the ROKT building down the atmospheric spine, offering secure and unforgettable descent experiences for individuals, school groups, and team-building participants.
• ROKTFACE Outdoor Climbing Wall The UK's highest outdoor man-made climbing wall with routes of 28m and 36m, used for community groups, out-of-school groups, and charity climbs. Fundraiser events for other charities.
• Project Breakout Escape Rooms Interactive escape room experiences including antiques shop themed treasure hunts used for team building, educational activities, birthday parties, and corporate events.
• Sensory Space A sensory room launched in 2023 featuring musical touch wall, light plinth, Bluetooth musical stool, rainbow ball, UV carpet, and projection equipment for children and young adults who feel overwhelmed, including those with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing conditions.
• Climbing For All Families A Sport England-funded programme enabling families with disabled children to climb together using specialist equipment and training, supporting up to 100 families in 2024.
• Moving Through Menopause A 10-week pioneering course combining climbing with clinical and holistic interventions including nutrition, pilates, GP expert advice, and mindfulness to help women through menopause.
• Schools Trips School visit programmes featuring bouldering, rope climbing, abseiling, indoor caving, and escape rooms aligned with national curriculum requirements, designed for West Yorkshire schools.
• Birthday Parties Birthday party packages on Saturdays featuring all climbing experiences, bouldering, rope climbing, indoor caving, and optional Project Breakout escape rooms for children and families.
• Team Building Corporate team building activities using adventure-based experiences including climbing, caving, and escape rooms with conferencing and team games facilities for businesses.
• NICAS Climbing Qualification Courses Formal national climbing qualification programmes delivered in partnership with NICAS and Access Sport, including Level 1 courses and the Wild Climbers and Ascend programmes for children and young people.
• Healthy Holidays Programme Holiday activity programmes for children including climbing, caving, drumming, healthy eating, escape rooms, and various activities funded through Healthy Holidays grants.
• Girls' Empowerment Programme A programme combining climbing, boxing and police intervention to build self-esteem, discipline and confidence in girls and women, funded by the Mayor of West Yorkshire.
• Swap Smokes for Ropes A joint campaign with NHS Yorkshire Smokefree Calderdale, Creative Minds and Brighouse Mind & Body combining climbing, mindfulness and NHS support to help people quit smoking.
• Safety Nets A Creative Minds project blending social, physical and mental health workshops with climbing and urban activity to engage, inspire and empower young people.
• Block Rockin' Meets Integration programme for asylum seekers from St. Augustine's Centre, Halifax, providing climbing activities and community integration support.
• Money Course Financial literacy course teaching cost of living, money management, and hidden everyday bills through table-top exercises, climbing activities, and escape room treasure hunts.
• Police Early Intervention Programme Partnership with West Yorkshire Police supporting young people at risk of crime through climbing, bouldering, caving and escape room activities combined with knife crime and gang awareness.
• Boxing for Mental Health Mental health support through boxing sessions in partnership with Brighouse Boxing Club, Creative Minds and EyUp NHS Charity for adults from Calderdale Insight EIP and C & K Recovery & Wellbeing College.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 2021, supported thousands of children, young people and adults with mental health issues, learning disabilities, and life skills
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NICAS for National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes. ROKT Foundation delivers NICAS level 1 climbing courses and qualifications. Tom Vaessen-Walker from NICAS highlighted the vital nature of partnerships like ROKT and NICAS in changing lives through climbing. Looking forward to teaming up with NICAS Wild Climbers and Ascend programme in partnership with Access Sport.
• Access SportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Access Sport for the Ascend programme, working with NICAS Wild Climbers initiative to change lives through climbing.
• Creative MindscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health charity providing funding and support for projects including Safety Nets project for young people and Boxing for mental health sessions. Creative Minds and EyUp NHS Charity funding supports adult mental health programmes at ROKT Foundation.
• NHS Yorkshire Smokefree CalderdalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS partnership for Swap Smokes for Ropes campaign - a joint programme where climbing, mindfulness and NHS support help people quit smoking and find healthier activities.
• Brighouse Boxing ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for boxing sessions supporting mental health and wellbeing. Also partner for Girls' Empowerment programme combining climbing, boxing and police intervention.
• AndysmanclubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMen's mental health charity partnership. ROKT Foundation, Andysmanclub and Recovery College Calderdale & Kirklees join forces to save and change lives through climbing activities.
• Recovery College Calderdale & KirkleescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health and wellbeing education provider partnering with ROKT Foundation for courses supporting adults' emotional health. Partnership with Andysmanclub and ROKT Foundation for suicide prevention and mental health support.
• Invictus Wellbeing FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health charity partnership delivering confidence boosting courses using climbing as catalyst. 60 children engaged in taster sessions, 20 went on to NICAS level 1 climbing course. Jointly secured funding for free mental health courses for children aged 9-17 in Calderdale, Kirklees and Bradford schools.
• West Yorkshire Police - Calderdale Early Intervention ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolice partnership for early intervention programme supporting young people at risk of crime or becoming victims. Four-week intensive programme teaching about dangers of knife crime, gang culture, assault, and County Boundary Lines, culminating in active urban adventure activities.
• Calderdale CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner supporting Healthy Holidays programmes and providing Better Living team support for nutrition education.
• St. Augustine's CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHalifax-based centre supporting asylum seekers. Partnership for Block Rockin' Meets integration programme bringing refugee children to climb together, make friends, and learn about their new surroundings.
• Calderdale Disability SportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Climbing for All sessions delivering specialist courses, equipment and trained staff to build skills and confidence for children with learning and physical disabilities.
• UK YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization partnership visible on website.
• Groundwork TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partnership visible on website.
• Express Bi-Folding Doors (Leeds)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated state-of-the-art window for sensory room.
• SpaceKraftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany specializing in sensory stimulation installed sensory room equipment. 30 years of supporting children with sensory conditions.
• British Mountaineering Council (BMC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of BMC alongside ABC for climbing industry standards and safety.
• Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of ABC alongside BMC for climbing industry standards and safety accreditation.
• RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford & DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ROKTFACE fundraising events. Human Scratching Post Challenge fundraiser for animal welfare.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Westway Climbing Centre: Major London indoor climbing centre at Westway providing lead and bouldering walls, coaching and youth/school sessions. Closely comparable in its mix of instruction, youth pathways and large climbing wall infrastructure.
• Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA: Ratho): One of the UK's largest indoor climbing centres near Edinburgh, with leading and bouldering walls, abseil and groups/schools programming. Comparable to ROKT in offering steep indoor climbing experiences and group/school activity packages at scale.
• Access Sport: UK charity that uses climbing and other sports to support disadvantaged young people, partner of ROKT Foundation on the Ascend programme with NICAS Wild Climbers. Closely comparable in mission (adaptive climbing for disadvantaged groups) and funder base.
• The Warehouse Climbing Centre: Edinburgh-based indoor climbing centre offering bouldering, lead climbing, coaching and youth programmes. Operates a similar indoor climbing, instruction and youth pathway model to ROKT Foundation's NICAS-accredited programmes.
• Big Cat Climbing: UK climbing centre with bouldering, rope climbing, coaching and youth sessions. Comparable to ROKT's mix of family-friendly climbing, instruction and youth sessions.
• The Climbing Academy: Multi-site UK indoor climbing operator (Bristol, London, Cardiff) offering bouldering, rope climbing, coaching and parties. Closely comparable to ROKT's core indoor climbing and coaching activities, though commercially rather than charitably structured.
• The Climbing Hangar: Multi-site UK bouldering-focused climbing operator with coaching, youth programmes and community sessions. Comparable to ROKT in bouldering emphasis, beginner-friendly programming and youth pathway content.
• The Castle Climbing Centre: London indoor climbing centre in a converted industrial building, offering lead, bouldering, coaching and group sessions. Comparable to ROKT's repurposed-mill heritage and full-service climbing activity stack.
• Beacon Climbing Centre: Large indoor climbing centre in Caerphilly, Wales, with lead and bouldering walls, NICAS delivery and school/team-building packages. Comparable in operating scale, NICAS pathway offering and educational group work.

Broad incumbents

• British Mountaineering Council (BMC): National governing body for climbing, hillwalking and mountaineering in the UK and a member body of which ROKT Foundation is a member. Comparable as an industry standards and safety umbrella body for climbing, while operating at a far broader remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ROKTFoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ROKTFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/ROKTFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/roktfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roktfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 ROKT Foundation