UCB Annual Report 2025

CHANGING LIVES FOR GOOD

BY THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD UCB 2025 Annual Review Summary

CONTENTS P3

THANK YOU FROM UCB

P4–P5

BROADCASTING

P6

PEACE’S STORY

P7

COMMUNICATIONS

P8

THE UCB WORD FOR TODAY

P9–P10

REAL-LIFE STORIES

P11

PRAYERLINE

P12

KINGDOM ACADEMY

P13

STEWARDSHIP OF FUNDS

P14–P15

EXCITING THINGS TO COME IN 2026

2

THANK YOU FROM UCB… Dear Friend, As we reflect on 2025, we do so with deep gratitude for God’s faithfulness and for the unwavering partnership of people like you. This past year marked a significant season of transition for UCB, one that called us to trust God deeply while remaining anchored in the unchanging truth of His Word.

We have been especially encouraged to see how, through the faithful prayer and support of our UCB family, God is enabling this ministry to branch out beyond our own borders.

Walking in unity of vision with our European UCB affiliates, many more lives across the continent are being transformed by the same hope found in God’s Word.

Scripture reminds us that ‘there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.’ (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV). During this season, we have seen God at work through UCB’s two national Radio stations, the UCB Word For Today, our digital platforms, UCB Prayerline, and our wider ministry, bringing hope, encouragement, and spiritual connection into the lives of people across the UK and beyond.

At the same time, this has been a year of purposeful preparation. Across UCB, teams have worked hard to strengthen organisational foundations, upgrading systems, planning future facilities, and stewarding resources with care, integrity, and accountability, so that we are well equipped for the years ahead.

Throughout 2025, we have continued to hold onto the I SEE vision, a vision rooted in spiritual awareness, discernment, and expectancy. It reminds us that this is not simply a time to look back with gratitude, but to look ahead with faith, believing that God is opening new doors, widening our influence, and preparing hearts to receive His Word in fresh ways.

2025 was also a year that required leadership decisions which were not always comfortable, but which we believed were necessary to ensure UCB remains faithful, resilient, and ready for the season God is leading us into. We took to heart God’s instruction in Joshua 3:5 (ESV), ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you,’ choosing to step forward in obedience, trusting Him to guide us into what comes next.

As we look towards 2026 and celebrate 40 years of UCB ministry, we do so with expectation and confidence in God. United in purpose and vision and inspired by what we see God doing and about to do, we remain committed to seeing lives changed for good by the power of God’s Word.

Thank you for standing with us. Together, we are building firm foundations for the future.

With every blessing,

David L’Herroux UCB Chief Executive

Mark Oakes Managing Director 3

Anne Henderson, Head of UCB 2

Paul Hammond, Head of UCB 1

BROADCASTING UCB RADIO

In 2025, Broadcasting continued to serve and connect with listeners, reaching both familiar audiences and new ones across trusted and emerging platforms. Alongside our regular programming on UCB 1 and UCB 2, podcasts such as the faith‑and‑football series The Big Man Up Top offered fresh ways for listeners to engage with God’s Word in ways relevant to their lives, while our News & Current Affairs team faithfully shared hope in the headlines amid a volatile world. We also created new opportunities to connect through our new Instagram channel, where behind‑the‑scenes glimpses, audiograms, and exclusive devotional content were warmly received.

Broadcasting also reached new audiences at Big Church Festival. For the first time, eight live road shows were broadcast from the festival site on UCB 1 and UCB 2. Over three days, listeners and festival-goers enjoyed 45 interviews with headline artists. All of this together helped listeners feel even more closely connected to the vision, mission, and heart of UCB.

Matt Brown, UCB 2 Presenter

Ashley Andrew, UCB 1 Presenter

More details at UCB.CO.UK/ucbplayer

UCB News: Up-to-date reports on national and world affairs from a Christian perspective.

UCB PLAYER

STUDIO

UCB 1 & UCB 2: Two national Christian radio stations featuring a wide range of Christian music, worship songs, edifying conversation, and Bible-based wisdom.

Listen to UCB 1/UCB 2 via website: Average weekly listening up 3.3%.

STUDIO 4

Vicky Gibbens, News and Current Affairs Editor David Peek, Senior Broadcast Journalist

News & Current Affairs

The News and Current Affairs Team work tirelessly to share news with integrity and truth, and with God at the centre.

They bring a Christ-centered perspective to what can often be a troubling world brings hope beyond the headlines.

Daily reels were introduced on social media to extend awareness of UCB’s news service and stories that have been covered. One reel about the new Archbishop of Canterbury received almost 16,000 views.

UCB.CO.UK/listen

UCB Player

Brand-new podcast series were released, including Explorers – a new resource for parents, grandparents, and children’s leaders.

A new addition to the hugely successful …in 30 Minutes series was launched: Bible Songs in 30 Minutes. This is the sixth series from Mike Beaumont and David Taviner, generating over 50,000 listens on UCB Player, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

2025 Total Downloads

27,507 5

PEACE’S STORY I’ve seen God’s miracles and healing. That was all I believed and knew.

Nothing prepared me for what I was about to experience, which was this illness of my first daughter and eventually her death.

My world collapsed. I didn’t want to pray. I stopped reading the Bible. Everything about my life changed.

The only thing that didn’t change, and I don’t even know why, was that I didn’t tune my car radio away from UCB. Then gradually, I started saying ‘Amen’ once in a while when there was a prayer, without realising that I was saying it.

‘My faith started coming back’ Then when there was singing, praise, and worship, I’d start joining in to sing without realising that I was singing.

My faith started coming back.

So God is healing me gradually.

He is still faithful.

I just want to thank God and thank UCB for walking this journey with me. It felt like they knew what I was going through.

LISTEN TO PEACE’S STORY HERE

SCAN WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE

Find out ways to listen to UCB 1 and UCB 2 at UCB.CO.UK/listen

6

COMMUNICATIONS SPARK

New kids’ devotional app, Spark, went from strength to strength in 2025 after being launched the previous year.

With 10,282 downloads in 2025 (and 16,814 since launch) and 8,422 weekly users, so many more 8- to 12-year-olds now have a fun and accessible way to engage with God’s Word each day.

UCB reaches children and young people in other ways too!

By working in partnership with YouVersion, the Bible App for Kids has had 100 million worldwide downloads so far, and counting!

EVENTS

It was wonderful to meet so many readers and listeners at events including Foundation and Big Church Festival. Over 300 people attended the Great Is Thy Faithfulness celebration event in London!

VOLUNTARY INCOME UCBSPARK.CO.UK

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

A unified campaign was developed to celebrate UCB’s 40th anniversary in 2026. Preparations were also well underway for a new database, website, and other technical systems, which will improve communication with supporters and also supporters’ interaction with UCB.

UCB gives thanks to God for the sustained generosity of its supporters. 2025 was another strong year, with increases in both regular giving and all-at-once gifts.

Partnership with churches also went from strength to strength, and in November 2025, for the first time, we surpassed £500,000 raised by a single UCB Radio Appeal!

7

THE UCB WORD FOR TODAY This daily Bible devotional has the greatest reach of all areas of UCB’s ministry. It is read in hundreds of thousands of homes, churches, workplaces, and communities every single day. The desire to get closer to God on a daily basis continues to grow, from humble beginnings over 40 years ago.

In 1994, the first edition of the UCB Word For Today (written by Bob and Debby Gass) was published, with just 3,500 copies distributed free of charge.

In 2003, the devotional was adapted for a younger audience, and this youth outreach continues today through UCB’s Spark app.

In 2009, the UCB Word For Today began to be read on air each day to a national radio audience on UCB UK (now UCB 1).

It soon followed on UCB’s website and Player app.

By its 25th anniversary in 2019, the UCB Word For Today was being distributed to over 400,000 readers in print and digital platforms.

In 2025, 1.5 million copies were printed – around 60% are sent directly into homes, and 40% into churches and communities.

Over 60,000 people also choose to read it each day via email.

These little readings are making a big difference in getting people into the habit of spending time with God each day and then going deeper into His Word.

8

God has been a beacon and constant source of strength, guidance, wisdom, and grace throughout the years…

UCB has done a great job, providing God’s love through devotionals and broadcasting, reaching out to many.

…UCB Prayerline was on fast dial on my mobile – it was a lifeline in the times of darkness and loneliness to have someone there with comforting words and prayers that spoke into my situation.

Susan*

Phebe

REAL LIFE STORIES

Thank you for UCB SPARK... I make this a habit with my 10-year-old daughter every morning before school. She actually asks if we are doing Spark today! It’s a fun and engaging way to start our day with God and I’m always smiling at how creative you all are.

Ruth

* Pseudonym used to protect this person’s identity 9

I have been reading UCB Word For Today for the past 30 years ever since my children were at primary school. I cannot thank this organisation enough for all the encouragement, support and timely words that I have received over the years.

Sarah*

UCB 2 has become like a family member in our home, part of our everyday life, and much loved for the worship music, stories, Bible teaching, and words of encouragement. We cannot imagine life without UCB 2.

REAL LIFE STORIES

Share your story with us at UCB.CO.UK/stories

Anne*

* Pseudonym used to protect this person’s identity 10

Karen Baker, Head of UCB Prayerline

Changes to the telephone system for Prayerline volunteers have made it easier for people to receive prayer when they most need it.

Teething problems with this resulted in a dip in calls throughout the year, and perhaps as a result, there was an increase in web, email, and postal prayer requests. By the end of 2025, calls had increased significantly and should be back to around 85,000 in 2026.

Some of our wonderful Prayerline volunteers retired in 2025, and a very proactive recruitment campaign meant 15 new phone volunteers were recruited and trained. Almost 200 incredible prayer warriors volunteer in this crucial ministry, and we give thanks for each one!

Phone calls

65,534

Website and Emails

12,106

Voice messages

5,327

Letters

3,522

Supporter Care

6,080

Prayer Breakthrough

1,325

(Received and prayed with)

(Received and prayed over)

(Received and prayed over)

UCB Prayerline Team

(Received and prayed over)

(Supporters’ prayer requests prayed over)

(Listeners prayed for) UCB.CO.UK/pray

Find out more about UCB Prayerline’s work at UCB.CO.UK/pray 11

News of the Kingdom Academy is growing! Since 2022, over 320 students have come through the Kingdom Academy.

In 2025, 105 people experienced what God has planned for them by being part of it.

• The UCB Kingdom Academy’s Worship Training Weekends have become extremely popular; whole church Worship Teams joined from Coventry, Luton, Shepherd’s Bush and Cobham (that’s 40 people) with many more churches represented by their worship leaders.

God is moving in a powerful way!

Certificate in Modern Media:

• Publicity grew for the training and courses available, thanks to a new 2025-2026 Kingdom Academy Prospectus, featuring our Accredited Certificate in Modern Media, media and worship training weekends, radio skills training, songwriting, and more. The team enjoyed meeting prospective students at Big Church Festival.

Worship Training Weekends:

• Our application to the UKVI Home Office for a Student Sponsor Licence is well underway; once granted this will enable non-UK residents to access the Kingdom Academy courses.

Media Theory

Storytelling

Biblical Foundations

Media Specialisation

Digital Film

Plus much more

Music Theory

Songwriting Workshop

Worship Night

Worship Leading Workshop

Sheron Ferguson, Director of Kingdom Academy

2025 was a year of incredible growth for the UCB Kingdom Academy.

Music Sectional

More details about UCB Kingdom Academy can be found at UCB.CO.UK/academy

12

STEWARDSHIP OF FUNDS UCB has been blessed with resources which must be carefully stewarded and allocated, as shown below. We praise God, and give thanks to our supporters, for this continued provision.

2025 INCOME

2025 EXPENDITURE

Total £10,426,546

Fundraising and publicity costs

Charitable donations and grants

Broadcasting and digital media

Global broadcasting and publication support

£860,507

£4,914,502 Publications

£2,657,408 Prayerline

£370,131 Total Expenditure

£717,066

£203,975 Kingdom Academy

£288,040 OneHope

£70,370 £10,081,999

The above figures are summarised from our draft unaudited reports and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.

13

EXCITING THINGS TO COME…

These are the exciting things to come in 2026.

ONE ST RY. HIS GL RY.

ONE STORY. HIS GLORY.

LIVE

Celebrating 40 years of UCB’s ministry in the UK

ONE STORY. HIS GLORY.

As UCB celebrates 40 years of ministry, supporters will be invited to be part of the One Story. His Glory. campaign through a series of events and opportunities throughout the year.

Saturday 27th June 2026 at Bethel Convention Centre, Birmingham ONE ST RY. HIS GL RY.

Reserve your seat at

UCB.CO.UK/onestorylive

UCB KINGDOM ACADEMY

2026 will be another year of growth for the Kingdom Academy, with plans to develop a training programme for church and ministry organisations, individuals, small groups, and also UCB staff and volunteers.

INTEGRATED DATA

UCB’s CRM database and other technical systems are being brought together.

This will enable us to become more efficient in data management, outbound communications, and reporting, which will make a tremendous difference in how we serve our supporters.

14

A NEW HOME FOR UCB

Work is underway to repurpose UCB’s two buildings to create a new home for UCB, with plans to move in late 2026. One of our buildings will be transformed into a contemporary media centre, where broadcasting and operations can come together. The other building will become the home of the Kingdom Academy.

These buildings will be filled with creativity, prayer, training, and mission, and will help UCB to have an even greater impact across the nation!

Thank you for partnering with UCB in 2025 and for being part of lives being changed for good by the power of God’s Word.

Together, we have built firm foundations so UCB can be equipped and prepared for an unprecedented move of God!

If you have a story of how God has changed your life through UCB, please get in touch by email at testimonies@UCB.CO.UK

United Christian Broadcasters Ltd Operations Centre Westport Road Stoke-on-Trent ST6 4JF 01782 911 000 | ucb@ucb.co.uk

Company Registered in England 2182533 Registered Charity 299128 Registered Office: Stoke on Trent ST4 8RY