There is a cult living amongst us — one that is secretive and one that chooses, as part of their doctrine, to separate themselves from the world wherever possible. This is the story of how a Brethren community operates in the town of Peterhead.
Peterhead is a small town with a population of around 18,000, located on the North East coast of Scotland. Known locally as the 'blue toon', it is a fishing town and the biggest port in the UK in terms of fish landed. Like 90 other towns and cities across the UK, Peterhead is home to a small settlement of followers of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church — previously known as the Exclusive Brethren.
Since 2006 I have visited Peterhead many times. In my line of work I have become friends with a number of small business owners in the town. I recently asked them whether they knew a Plymouth Brethren community resided there. The response was almost universal: "no, never heard of them" or "do you mean the ones where the women wear scarves on their heads?" It is the same across the UK. If you look closely, you will find communities of Plymouth Brethren members who separate from what they call "worldly people." It is a cult hiding in plain sight.
This community of 100 to 150 people has a wealth possibly in the region of £100 million. The majority of that wealth lies with just a few selected members.
Open & Candid Investigation, 2024The cult has a number of unusual rules, some of which appear to have transformed a previously evangelical church into little more than a commercial enterprise focused on the accumulation of wealth. Leader Bruce Hales and his family have built one of the largest property portfolios in North West Sydney. Hales' control could be viewed as coercive: to go against the self-proclaimed 'Man of God' is the worst sin a Brethren member could commit.
The rules include separation from anyone outside the fellowship, which has led to the devastating impact of splitting families apart. When one member escapes the cult, they are unable to see the family or friends who remain. Other rules include no televisions, no ties, and no radios in cars. Brethren members cannot dine with non-community members and rarely visit restaurants. They are not allowed to share a drain with a "worldly" person and must therefore live in detached properties.
Brethren members are prevented from working for companies not owned by Brethren members. You will not find a Brethren member who is a doctor, nurse, firefighter, lawyer, teacher, civil servant or serving in the armed forces. They give little back in terms of public service, yet they are granted charitable status for advancing religion for public benefit.
Brethren Families of Peterhead
There are six extended Brethren families in the Peterhead community: the Cowie, Rabey, Whitbourn, Hill, Knight and Smith families. There are connections to some of the elite Brethren families in the UK. Mark Woodcock, who married into the Cowie family, is the brother of the highly influential Garth Woodcock. We believe that Graham Whitbourn and Doug Cowie are high in the ranking of the UK Brethren elite.
The Cowie, Whitbourn and Rabey families run the most successful companies and are likely to be the leading Brethren families in this community. We estimate the size of the community to be somewhere between 100 and 150 — less than 1% of the population of Peterhead.
Keycraft
Keycraft Ltd is the largest of the Brethren companies in Peterhead, employing 70 people. Owned predominantly by the Cowie family, the business turned over £17 million in 2022 and sits on net assets of over £5 million. Keycraft operates in the pocket money toy market, importing toys often from China. Its products dominate tourist attraction shops across Scotland including Edinburgh Zoo, Glamis Castle and the Dundee Science Centre.
The company also owns a 50% share in Keycraft Australia Pty Ltd and shares common directors with Keycraft Global Inc in North America, which owes almost £1.7 million to Keycraft Ltd. The Covid contract-winning company Orcagel Company Limited shares common directors and shareholders and owes Keycraft Ltd over £1.4 million. We estimate the value of this company to be between £15 and £25 million.
Orca Hygiene
Orca Hygiene is another business owned by the Cowie family, employing 13 people and trading under Orca Global Company Limited. Incorporated in March 2020 — just after the start of the first UK lockdown — it was one of the many Brethren companies successfully awarded a Covid contract, supplying hand sanitiser to Leeds County Council. The Cowie family were joined by brothers Mark and Garth Woodcock in setting up the company. Garth Woodcock was one of the founders of Unispace, one of the UK's largest Covid contract winners.
Demco Group
Demco Group is the parent company of Nuvik Global, Nuvik UK and Caledonian Stone, owned by the Rabey family. The last set of accounts (2022) show Demco Group with a turnover of £13.3 million, largely driven by the Nuvik companies and their Uniwipe and Ultragrime cleaning wipe brands. Nuvik Global employs 14 people with net assets of £2.7 million. Nuvik UK employs 15 people with net assets of £1.9 million. In total Demco Group reports 53 employees. We estimate the company to be worth a minimum of £10 million, possibly as high as £15 million.
Ocura Healthcare Furniture
Owned by the Whitbourn family, Ocura Healthcare Furniture is a subsidiary of Ocura Holdings Ltd. Employing 42 people, the last accounts showed a turnover of £14.6 million — a highly profitable company with profits after tax of £2.25 million and assets of £8 million. The company supplies healthcare furniture to the NHS and private healthcare providers. Ocura was also awarded Covid contracts worth over £1.5 million with NHS England. We estimate the value of the company to be between £15 and £20 million.
The Vision Investment Fund
The Rabey family company Demco Group provides a rare insight into how the Brethren's Vision Investment Fund operates. The Rabey family originally owned 60% of Nuvik Global when it was incorporated in October 2018, with the Brethren investment fund Vision Accelerator Pty Ltd — based in Sydney — owning 40% having invested £600,000. Just four years later, in September 2022, Demco Group purchased the 40% share back for almost £2 million — a return of £1.35 million on a four-year investment.
The Brethren ecosystem benefited to the tune of almost £2.5 million on investments of £640,000 in just four years — and this is just one example, in one community.
Open & Candid Investigation, 2024Separately, the trading arm of Brethren charity Rapid Relief Team took a 10% shareholding in Nuvik UK. Having invested £40,000 in October 2018, Demco Group purchased this 10% share for approximately £422,000 in September 2022, with potential dividends of £112,222 received during the holding period — a total return of up to £534,222 on a £40,000 investment over four years.
Commerce or Faith?
The Peterhead Brethren are a typical Plymouth Brethren community. They live and work in the community but play no active part in it unless there is a financial benefit for their business or charity. Even in a small community like Peterhead, there is a clear Hales Brethren hierarchy of control. This community of 100 to 150 people has a wealth possibly in the region of £100 million — though the vast majority of that wealth lies with just a few selected members.
This is not a church or an evangelical sect or a Christian group. It is a commercial operation for the benefit of Bruce Hales and a chosen few — run through fear, coercion and control, from the cradle to the grave.