ADRA-UK
Introduction and Overview
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency in the United Kingdom (ADRA-UK) is part of the global humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church – part of the 21.9-million-strong Adventist community, with hundreds of thousands of churches globally and the world’s largest integrated healthcare and education network.
By partnering with local communities, organisations and governments, we are able to deliver culturally relevant programmes and build local capability for sustainable change and impact.
The work of ADRA-UK, along with our global network, touches millions of lives in more than 120 countries around the world. Our on-the-ground approach allows immediate assistance in times of crisis and true partnership with the communities we serve.
ADRA-UK has been working to end extreme poverty for over 40 years. In 2024, we celebrated 40 years of the work that ADRA-UK has been doing to bring about positive change.
As part of the Seventh-day Adventist family, ADRA-UK lives out the service side of our mission by walking alongside those in need. We seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus– feeding the hungry, standing with the vulnerable, giving a voice to those who are unheard, and restoring dignity to those who have been pushed aside. Through this work, we do not simply respond to need: we affirm hope, strengthen communities, and help people build a future grounded in dignity and possibility.
Major Shifts
The international development and humanitarian sector has long been highly competitive, but this has intensified significantly in recent years due to reductions in official development assistance (ODA) by many governments, including the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
In this increasingly volatile and uncertain environment, ongoing disruptions and funding cuts are not only reducing services, but also threatening to reverse decades of progress in global health, food security and disaster response.
At the same time, most funding continues to be awarded to large international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), while the growing emphasis on localisation has shifted more resources to grassroots organisations in implementing countries.
These changes have affected ADRA-UK’s operations, and we are therefore continuing to rely on strategic partnerships within the ADRA network and with other NGOs, as well as on our ability to contribute specialist expertise and demonstrate clear added value.
Safeguarding
ADRA-UK continues to work closely with ADRA International to review and update our network-wide safeguarding policies, as well as complaints and response mechanisms for our partner offices.
Staff are given regular safeguarding training, and our policies are reviewed annually and changed according to governmental and donor guidelines.
Annual Appeal
The annual ADRA Appeal remains fundamental to funding the humanitarian work of ADRA-UK. In recent years, ADRA-UK has moved away from door-to-door collections, as this approach has become less effective and increasingly difficult to promote. This activity ceased during the 2020 pandemic, and the ADRA Appeal was relaunched in 2024 in a renewed and updated format.
While the Appeal continues to be formally launched at the end of March each year, churches are now encouraged to undertake fundraising initiatives throughout the year to support it.
Each church also has the opportunity to appoint an ADRA Ambassador to help coordinate, promote, and champion the ADRA Appeal within their congregation and community.
One Year in Mission and Service
ADRA-UK has worked in partnership with the Trans-European Division and Newbold College of Higher Education to deliver this course. Through a series of interactive sessions, students were introduced to the work of ADRA and the international development sector. They also explored how ADRA embodies the service aspect of mission, and how they can apply these concepts when they embark on a life-enriching mission trip with ADRA Europe or the Adventist Volunteer Service.
Impact at a Glance
ADRA-UK’s programme approach is rooted in the belief that lasting change happens when communities are empowered to lead their own development. In a time of global uncertainty and increasing pressure on aid resources, we work alongside local churches, partners and communities to deliver support that is practical, dignified and sustainable – strengthening local leadership and building resilience for the future.
Across education, livelihoods, climate action, health and humanitarian response, ADRA-UK supports people both in times of crisis and as they work towards long-term wellbeing. Resilience lies at the heart of this approach, helping families and communities prepare for challenges, recover from shocks, and adapt to a changing world.
Between 2021 and 2025, ADRA-UK programmes reached approximately 1.2 million people. Of those reached, an estimated 58% were children and around 40% were women, reflecting ADRA’s commitment to serving vulnerable children, girls and women.
Through our development programmes, we worked alongside communities in Ghana, Chad, India, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nepal, Rwanda, Somalia, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, eSwatini (formerly Swaziland), Thailand, Timor-Leste, Yemen and Zambia – supporting livelihoods, education, health and long-term resilience.
At the same time, growing humanitarian needs driven by climate shocks and conflict required rapid emergency responses. Working with partners across the global ADRA network, ADRA-UK provided life-saving assistance – including food, clean water, sanitation, shelter and protection – to communities affected by crises in Afghanistan, Brazil, Chad, Dominica, Gaza, Grenada, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malawi, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Türkiye, Ukraine and neighbouring countries, Venezuela and Zambia.
Our commitment does not end when the immediate emergency is over. ADRA remains alongside communities as homes and livelihoods are restored, supporting families to rebuild their lives and prepare for future challenges – serving with compassion, faith and lasting hope.
Looking Ahead
Over the past five years, ADRA-UK has experienced steady growth. However, this progress has taken place alongside ongoing challenges, including securing funding for new projects, meeting match-funding requirements for existing programmes, and navigating the broader financial pressures facing the international development sector. The question of how ADRA can remain a strong and effective organisation, making a meaningful difference in the lives of the most vulnerable, continues to guide our thinking and our work.
The financial support of our church members, through donations, annual appeals and fundraising initiatives, remains vital. We are therefore strengthening our engagement with ADRA Ambassadors in churches, schools and community groups. Through our ADRA Angels initiative, we will also be encouraging more people to support our work by becoming regular monthly donors.
In addition, we will be reintroducing our UK church-engagement domestic projects through the ‘I Am Urban’ initiative, in partnership with Adventist Community Services. This programme will support churches to engage in social justice projects and play an active role in bringing positive change to their communities through practical, compassionate service.
Acknowledgements
We at ADRA-UK extend our sincere appreciation to our trustees, partners, donors, church members and the dedicated staff of ADRA-UK. Your commitment, generosity and faithfulness make our work possible.
We thank the trustees of the ADRA-UK Board for their dedicated governance, strategic oversight and faithful stewardship. We are grateful to our partners for their collaboration, and for strengthening our collective impact. To our donors and church members, we acknowledge with thanks your generosity, trust and continued prayerful support, which enable our work to reach those most in need.
Finally, we commend the ADRA-UK team for their professionalism, resilience and unwavering commitment to serving communities in challenging contexts.
Together, your contributions ensure that our mission is delivered with integrity, compassion and measurable impact. You are not just supporting projects: you are changing lives and reflecting God’s love in action. We are deeply grateful to each of you.