THE EXODUS PROJECT

What THE EXODUS PROJECT does

The Exodus Project is a registered UK charity (Charity Registration 1118191) founded in 2000 by Jackie and Martin Sawdon, operating across Barnsley and Wakefield. The organisation delivers free youth and family services through 15 weekly activity clubs, including Kidz Klub (Years 3–5), Rock Solid (Years 6–9, capped at 20 members per club), toddler groups including SEND-specific sessions, family support sessions, the 6-week Family Cohesion Connection programme, and weekend camps at its activity centre. Service delivery combines games, crafts, music, and discussions on mental health, kindness, and bullying within a Christian biblical context, supplemented by home visits and family engagement that build long-term relationships.

The organisation operates from two physical sites: Jenny's Field, a 2-acre activity centre in South Hiendley transformed from a former Methodist Church (custodianship since 2010, Phase 1 building works 2020) featuring 40 solar panels and heavy insulation, and Connecting Cudworth in Cudworth, which also houses the Exodus charity shop. Governance is provided by a board of eight trustees, with 11 paid staff and 80+ volunteers supporting operations. The organisation is independent, with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external equity involvement.

Its revenue model is diversified across multiple streams: individual donations (one-off and Footsteps monthly Direct Debit), corporate sponsorships (AESSeal, The Dransfield Foundation, ABTech, Alton Cars), Charity of the Year partnerships, charity shop retail, venue hire (Jenny's Field at £10–£350 per session, Connecting Cudworth at £25–£35 per hour), Give As You Earn payroll giving, and legacy giving through Wills. Go-to-market is community-led through schools, ward alliances, and local authorities, supplemented by event-driven fundraising (marathons, Leeds 10K) and direct-to-consumer online donations via website and JustGiving.

Name

THE EXODUS PROJECT

Legal name

The Exodus Project

Website

https://exodusproject.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Exodus Project is a UK registered charity founded in 2000 that runs 15 weekly free youth and family activity clubs across Barnsley and Wakefield, serving children aged 0–5, primary pupils, and teens up to Year 9 through two physical sites and a volunteer-led, community-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barnsley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorship: One-off gifts and regular contributions through the Footsteps sponsorship scheme via Direct Debit. Corporate sponsors including AESSeal, The Dransfield Foundation, and ABTech provide ongoing support.
2. Charity Shop Sales: Revenue from retail charity shop operations selling donated goods to support the charity's work with children and young people.
3. Venue Hire: Income from hiring out Jenny's Field activity centre and Connecting Cudworth spaces for events, meetings, and activities with various hourly and daily rate packages.
4. Legacy Giving: Gifts left in Wills including shares of estates (residuary amounts) or specific sums, ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
5. Give As You Earn (GAYE): Payroll giving scheme allowing employees to donate directly from gross pay, with tax benefits for donors and matched giving options from employers.
6. Corporate Charity of the Year Partnerships: Companies adopt Exodus as their Charity of the Year, building team spirit and commitment through united fundraising efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Exodus Project is a UK-registered charity that delivers free youth and family activity clubs, toddler groups, family support programmes, and weekend residential camps to disadvantaged communities across Barnsley and Wakefield. It complements its charitable mission with a charity shop and pay-as-you-go venue hire at owned facilities, using self-generated revenue to subsidise free services.

Product overview

The Exodus Project is a charity organization offering a network of youth and family support services across Barnsley and Wakefield. The core portfolio consists of 15 weekly activity clubs (Kidz Klub for Years 3-5 and Rock Solid for Years 6-9), toddler groups (Jenny's Tots and Cudworth Tots), weekend camps at Jenny's Field, and family support programmes including the 6-week Family Cohesion Connection programme. Additional offerings include venue hire services at Jenny's Field and Cudworth, a charity shop in Cudworth, and the Footsteps regular giving sponsorship scheme. The organization operates from its headquarters at Jenny's Field, a converted former Methodist church activity centre.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kidz Klub
• Rock Solid
• Jenny's Tots
• Cudworth Tots
• Weekend Camps at Jenny's Field
• Family Cohesion Connection Programme Structured programme supporting families referred through professional partners to strengthen family relationships.
• Family Sessions and Family Days Engagement events including family sessions at club venues and larger family days at Jenny's Field designed to bring parents and children together.
• Exodus Cudworth Charity Shop Charity retail outlet in Cudworth selling donated and second-hand goods, generating self-earned income to support the charity's services.
• Jenny's Field Venue Hire Pay-as-you-go venue hire at the Jenny's Field residential facility for community and private events including parties, conferences, and group gatherings.
• Cudworth Venue Hire Pay-as-you-go venue hire at the Cudworth venue for community and private events.
• Footsteps Sponsorship Scheme Recurring giving and sponsorship programme allowing individual donors and supporters to contribute ongoing financial support to the charity.
• Charity of the Year Partnership Annual corporate partnership programme in which local businesses select The Exodus Project as their Charity of the Year and undertake fundraising and volunteering activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 activity clubs operating weekly during term time across Barnsley and Wakefield
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Barnsley CVScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded Exodus the Volunteering Quality Award after auditing processes, policies, and procedures and interviewing volunteers. Other organizations have sought guidance from Exodus on working with young volunteers.
• Schools, Community Associations, Ward Alliances, and Local AuthoritiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnerships to deliver events and support wider community development. These partnerships enable the delivery of activities across Barnsley and Wakefield.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NSPCC: The UK's leading children's protection charity focused on safeguarding and abuse prevention. Shares beneficiary group and child-safeguarding posture with Exodus, though focused on protection rather than positive activities.
• The Children's Society: National charity working with disadvantaged children and young people including county lines exploitation, mental health, and youth work. Matches Exodus on target population and community-based delivery.
• Action for Children: National UK charity supporting disadvantaged children through fostering, residential care, and community services. Directly comparable beneficiary focus (vulnerable children and families) and mixed grant/donation funding model.
• Barnardo's: The UK's largest children's charity, providing services across child welfare, fostering, and youth work. Compares to Exodus as a national-scale operating model for disadvantaged children and families, though at vastly greater breadth.
• Centrepoint: National UK charity supporting homeless and disadvantaged young people aged 16-25 with housing, learning, and wellbeing support. Comparable beneficiary age band and advocacy-driven model, though housing rather than activity-focused.

Direct peers

• UK Youth: National membership body supporting a network of youth organisations across the UK. Comparable as an infrastructure connector for youth clubs, though operating as an umbrella rather than direct provider like Exodus.
• Youthscape: UK charity providing youth work training, resources, and direct programmes for young people and those who work with them. Comparable in mid-sized operations, Christian heritage, and youth-club delivery focus.
• Spring Harvest: UK Christian organisation running residential holiday clubs, family events, and youth work programmes. Closely parallels Exodus's faith-based weekend camp and family engagement programmes.
• Urban Saints: Christian youth organisation running uniformed groups, holiday clubs, and training for young people across the UK. Directly comparable as a smaller, faith-anchored children-and-youth activity club provider.
• The Message Trust: Faith-based youth charity operating in the North of England and Manchester with Christian-ethos clubs, schools work, and outreach. Closely mirrors Exodus's Christian context, regional focus, and youth club delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-exodus-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 THE EXODUS PROJECT