the charities advisory trust

What the charities advisory trust does

Charities Advisory Trust (CAT) is a UK registered charity (Charity Number 1040487), founded in 1979 by Dame Hilary Blume and headquartered at Radius Works, Back Lane, London NW3 1HL. The organization develops and operates a portfolio of charitable trading initiatives designed to tackle inequality and injustice through practical, ethical, and sustainable programs. Its flagship projects are Knit for Peace, a nationwide volunteer movement of thousands of UK knitters producing handmade items distributed to homeless shelters, refugee centres, hospitals, and overseas humanitarian projects, and Good Gifts, an e-commerce ethical gift catalogue launched in 2003 where every purchase funds a specific item such as goats, solar lights, or medical support rather than a general fund. CAT also maintains the legacy Card Aid charity Christmas card initiative, a Grant-Giving Programme that historically distributed over £500,000 annually, and previously managed trading operations for institutions including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and London Museum Stores.

The organization's core technology consists of a Squarespace-hosted website, an e-commerce platform for Good Gifts at goodgifts.org, and basic web infrastructure maintained by an in-house developer. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capability disclosed. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: volunteer recruitment relies on word-of-mouth within the UK knitting community and presence at events such as the Alexandra Palace Knitting and Stitching Show, while donor acquisition for Good Gifts runs through the online shop, organic social media, email newsletters, and content marketing. Revenue mechanics are diversified across ethical gift purchases (transaction-based), donations, managed trading operations for partner institutions (professional services), and historical grant distributions. The Trust operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees plus trustees and benefits from long-tenured key personnel, including a Finance Manager with 25+ years and an Executive Director with 20+ years involvement.

CAT serves three primary segments: vulnerable populations in need (recipients of knitted items and Good Gifts-funded interventions), socially-conscious individual donors seeking transparent alternatives to traditional presents, and charitable partner organizations that benefit from CAT's initiatives and grant-making. Distribution spans UK domestic channels and international humanitarian relief including Ukraine. The organization is governed by a board of trustees, has no parent company or external investment, and underwent a significant leadership transition when Dame Hilary Blume retired in January 2025 after more than four decades at the helm.

Name

the charities advisory trust

Legal name

Charities Advisory Trust

Website

https://charitiesadvisorytrust.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Charities Advisory Trust is a UK registered charity founded in 1979 that operates ethical trading initiatives including Knit for Peace (a volunteer knitting movement) and Good Gifts (an ethical gift catalogue), serving vulnerable populations, socially-conscious donors, and charitable partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Services and Ethical Trading

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Ethical gift giving
• Charitable fundraising
• Volunteer knitting programmes
• Ethical trading initiatives
• Humanitarian aid support

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Gift Purchases (Good Gifts): Good Gifts generates revenue through the sale of ethical gift items where every purchase funds the specific item or service described. Supporters buy meaningful gifts such as goats, solar lights, medical support, and tools, with proceeds going directly to charitable causes worldwide. The trust has raised many millions of pounds through this model.
2. Charitable Trading Operations: CAT manages trading operations for partners including the Royal Shakespeare Company and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, generating income through sales of cards, merchandise, and specialty items.
3. Grant-Giving and Fund Distribution: For many years the Trust distributed over £500,000 annually through proactive grant-making to emerging needs and grassroots causes, supporting innovative individuals and charitable projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Charities Advisory Trust develops and runs ethical charitable trading initiatives and social impact programmes. Its core offerings are Knit for Peace (a nationwide volunteer knitting movement distributing handmade items to vulnerable populations) and Good Gifts (an ethical gift catalogue where every purchase directly funds a specific charitable item). It also manages trading operations for charitable partners and runs grant-making, advocacy, and sustainable tourism projects.

Product overview

The Charities Advisory Trust operates a portfolio of ethical trading initiatives and charitable projects rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include Knit for Peace (a nationwide volunteer knitting movement distributing handmade items to those in need) and Good Gifts (an ethical gift catalogue where purchases fund specific charitable items). Additional legacy and subsidiary initiatives include Card Aid (charity Christmas cards), The Green Hotel (sustainable tourism in India), Peace Oil®, a Grant-Giving Programme, and the Scrooge Awards transparency initiative. The Trust acts as an incubator, supporting initiatives to become independent sustainable entities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Knit for Peace: Flagship initiative bringing together volunteer knitters across the UK to donate hand-knitted items to homeless shelters, refugee centres, hospitals, and overseas humanitarian relief projects.
• Good Gifts
• Card Aid
• The Green Hotel
• Peace Oil®

Products and services

• Knit for Peace A nationwide movement of volunteer knitters across the UK who donate hand-knitted items (blankets, clothing, accessories) that are distributed to homeless shelters, refugee and asylum-seeker centres, hospitals, community organisations, and overseas humanitarian relief projects including Ukraine. The initiative benefits recipients through warmth, dignity and comfort, and benefits knitters through improved wellbeing, purpose and mental health.
• Good Gifts An ethical gift catalogue where supporters purchase meaningful, life-changing gifts such as goats for peace, solar lights for survivors, medical and educational support, and tools, seeds and training for livelihoods. Every purchase directly funds the specific item or service described rather than a general fund, ensuring full transparency. Has raised many millions of pounds for charities around the world.
• Card Aid A pioneering charity Christmas card initiative that provides tailored card services to charities, supplies companies with ethical cards, and established a chain of charity Christmas card shops in London. Over the years, Card Aid raised tens of millions of pounds for charities.
• Grant-Giving Programme An annual grant programme that distributed over £500,000 each year, proactively identifying emerging needs and supporting innovative individuals and grassroots charitable causes.
• The Green Hotel A model of sustainable tourism located in Mysore, India, with all profits reinvested into charitable and environmental work. Described by Time Magazine (Asia) as 'The best place in Asia to improve your karma.'
• Peace Oil® A registered trademark ethical trade product: olive oil produced in Israel by Jews, Arabs, Druze and Bedouin working together, promoting co-operation, economic development and peace-building through ethical trade.
• Charitable Trading Management Services Trading operations management services delivered for major cultural institutions including the Royal Shakespeare Company and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, supporting their sustainable income generation from retail and merchandise activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of millions of pounds raised for charities through initiatives like Card Aid
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 flagship, core and legacy.

• Good GiftsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Good Gifts was launched in 2003 and is one of CAT's flagship projects. It revolutionised ethical giving by offering an imaginative alternative to traditional presents. Supporters can give meaningful, life-changing gifts such as goats for peace, solar lights, medical and educational support, and tools, seeds and training for livelihoods. Every Good Gift funds the specific item or service described, raising many millions of pounds for charities around the world.
• Knit for PeaceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnit for Peace is one of CAT's flagship initiatives, bringing together people from different often historically divided communities. It has grown into a nationwide movement with thousands of volunteer knitters across the UK donating hand-knitted items distributed to homeless shelters, refugee centres, hospitals, and overseas humanitarian relief projects. The initiative provides warmth, dignity and comfort while improving wellbeing and mental health of knitters themselves.
• Royal Shakespeare CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAT managed trading operations for the Royal Shakespeare Company, supporting their commercial activities and charitable mission.
• Birmingham Museum & Art GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAT managed trading operations for Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, supporting sustainable income generation.
• SURF (Survivors Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSURF was one of the first charitable partners of Good Gifts back in 2004. SURF supports survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda through programmes focused on mental health, livelihoods, and long-term wellbeing. Mary, SURF's founder, now volunteers with CAT directly. David serves as UK Coordinator for SURF.
• The Green Hotel (Mysore, India)legacyStrategic or Co-development PartnerA model of sustainable tourism conceived and initially managed by CAT, with all profits reinvested into charitable and environmental work in India. Time Magazine (Asia) described it as 'The best place in Asia to improve your karma.' Stella attended the knitting holiday at The Green Hotel, Mysore.
• Charity Retail AssociationlegacyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAT helped found the Charity Retail Association (originally the Charity Shop Group), establishing standards and support for charity retail operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Charities Aid Foundation (CAF): A UK-based charity that helps individuals, families, and businesses give to charitable causes through giving accounts, donor-advised funds, and grantmaking services. Directly comparable to CAT in providing intermediary charitable giving infrastructure, though operating at much larger scale.
• The Big Give: A UK online giving platform that matches donations to charities through ethical and transparent campaigns. Closely comparable to Good Gifts as an online ethical-giving marketplace for donors seeking specific, traceable impact from their contributions.
• Charity Retail Association: The UK membership body for charity shops that CAT itself helped found (originally the Charity Shop Group). Directly comparable as a sector-support and standards organisation within the charitable trading space CAT pioneered.

Broad incumbents

• National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO): The umbrella organisation for the voluntary sector in England. Comparable to CAT's original advisory mandate, providing practical support, research, and standards guidance to charities, though as a much larger membership organisation.
• Comic Relief: A major UK charity running flagship fundraising campaigns (Red Nose Day, Sport Relief) and distributing grants to charitable projects. Comparable to CAT in combining public-facing fundraising with grantmaking, including support for grassroots causes.
• Oxfam GB: A large UK-registered charity that combines fundraising with extensive trading operations (charity shops). Comparable to CAT's blend of charitable trading and grantmaking, though at vastly greater scale and with a single dominant mission focus.
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): A UK charity with substantial charity retail and trading operations. Comparable to CAT's history of running charity card and merchandise trading for partner organisations and cultural institutions.
• WWF UK: A major UK charity operating ethical merchandise, gift catalogues, and adopt-an-animal schemes analogous to Good Gifts. Comparable in combining ethical gift-giving products with broader charitable programmes.

Emerging players

• ActionAid UK: A UK-registered international charity offering sponsor-a-village and ethical gift schemes where donations fund specific interventions (similar to Good Gifts). Comparable as a charity combining UK donor engagement with international grant-funded humanitarian programmes.
• Reach Volunteering: A UK charity that brokers skilled volunteering between professionals and the voluntary sector. Comparable to CAT's volunteer-led programmes (especially Knit for Peace) in mobilising voluntary effort for charitable impact.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charities-advisory-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about the charities advisory trust