Dear PRIME Tutors, international partners and Network friends,

You will be aware from recent emails, newsletters and prayer requests that PRIME is currently in a challenging place financially. For several years the costs of running the charity have been higher than our income which has meant we have had to draw on our reserves. I am sure that you will understand this position is not sustainable and the Trustees together with Andy Charley, as CEO, have had to prayerfully discern a way forward for PRIME which has entailed some difficult decisions. This situation is not uncommon for charities in the UK whose income, like ours, has fallen following the Covid pandemic.

On behalf of the Trustee Board, I would like to thank you for supporting us through prayer and donations, and also thank those of you who have shared thoughts about how PRIME might continue its ministry of whole person care modelled on the values and compassion of Jesus. We have really valued your support as we sought, prayerfully, to discern the Lord’s plans for PRIME. The Trustees have had to make some difficult decisions but are fully committed to PRIME going forward. However, this means that we need to reduce our costs, significantly, in order to ensure that our annual expenditure matches our income. This means operating with a reduced staff team, some of whom have already found new posts to move on to.

After many years of faithful and committed service, Jo Clark, our Operations Manager, is moving to a new post. We are thankful to Jo for her invaluable contribution to PRIME and we wish her every success in this new season of her life.

In the two years since Andy was appointed CEO, he has achieved a huge amount in taking PRIME forward, strengthening our international partnerships and steering us through these difficult times. As we look to the future, we are committed to a CEO role but at a reduced input that we can afford. Therefore the role will, of necessity need, to be different. Andy has decided to resign from the post of CEO from the end of May 2025. The Trustees are grateful that he will still continue to be actively involved in PRIME taking forward the work he has been leading in Pakistan, and contributing the expertise he has gained as CEO. The Trustees are deeply appreciative of all that Andy has achieved and look forward to continuing to work with him, albeit in a different role. Andy values highly the relationships he has built with many of you in his role as CEO, and I am sure he will want to maintain contact with many of you.

As we look to the future, we are reminded of the verse which has guided the Trustee Board to discern a way forward for PRIME in recent times.

‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain’. Psalm 127:1

As we continue prayerfully to discern the changes that need to be made to ensure the longer term viability of PRIME, we will be taking the opportunity to consult with many of you, starting at the forthcoming PRIME conference at the end of March. We plan to build upon the strengths of PRIME’s 20+ years of global ministry in order to continue to contribute to the building of God’s Kingdom. We believe that arising from the current challenge, God is creating a new opportunity for PRIME going forward and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the years ahead.

Yours in Christ,