Chair & Chief Executive
Rajeev Philip
Rajeev Philip is the founding trustee of The Ambrose Initiative Limited and serves as Chair of the board and Chief Executive, leading the charity’s services and its day-to-day operations.
About us
Who we are, what we believe, and how we are governed.
Our story
A charity built around one stubborn idea
The Ambrose Initiative Limited was founded on a simple conviction: that nobody in one of the world’s wealthiest countries should be left to sleep outside in the rain, and that the people who end up there are not a problem to be managed but neighbours to be helped back on their feet.
We are named for Ambrose, the fourth-century bishop who sold the treasures of his own church to ransom the destitute, and who argued that what the wealthy give to the poor is not generosity but restitution — returning something that was always owed. That is the spirit we try to work in: not pity, but obligation met plainly and without fuss.
We are a registered charity in England and Wales, number 1212816, governed by a board of trustees who serve voluntarily.
What we believe
Five principles we will not trade away
01
Dignity first
People are guests, not cases. They choose their own clothes, keep their own possessions, and are spoken to as adults.
02
Shelter is not enough
A bed for the night that leads nowhere is a holding pattern. Every stay comes with a plan for what happens next.
03
Work is the goal
Independence, not indefinite support. We measure ourselves by how many people stop needing us.
04
No conditions on kindness
Food, warmth and dry clothes are given without a test of worthiness, faith or background.
05
Open books
We publish our accounts, answer questions about our spending, and never claim results we cannot evidence.
Governance
Who is responsible
The charity is directed by its board of trustees, who are collectively responsible for its strategy, finances and compliance with charity law. Trustees are unpaid.
Board
Our trustees
The full register of trustees, together with our governing document and annual filings, is published on the Charity Commission register under charity number 1212816.
View our Commission entry
Accountability
Reports and accounts
As a newly registered charity we will publish our first annual report and accounts following the end of our first financial year, and file them with the Charity Commission.
Our objects
What the charity exists to do
Our charitable objects, as registered with the Charity Commission, centre on the relief of those in need in the United Kingdom by reason of homelessness, financial hardship or other disadvantage. In practice, we pursue this by:
- providing or funding safe, temporary accommodation for people who are sleeping rough or at imminent risk of doing so;
- providing food, hot drinks, warm and waterproof clothing, and other essential items to people experiencing homelessness;
- providing advice, advocacy, training and practical support to help people move into secure housing and sustainable employment; and
- working with statutory services, other charities and employers to help people rebuild an independent life and participate fully in their community.
Our formal governing document is the authoritative statement of our objects and powers. A copy is available on request by emailing help@theambroseinitiative.org.uk, and is published on the Charity Commission register.
Work with us
Whether you can give an hour a month, a box of winter coats, or a standing order, there is a place for you here.