MERTON COMMUNITY TRANSPORT
Registered charity 1073312 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register
Merton Community Transport (MCT) is a local not for profit charity providing innovative, flexible and accessible transport solutions to affiliated organisations and individuals in Merton and surrounding districts.
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Disability · Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £339,093 align with the charity's stated policy target of three months of operational expenditure. The trustees report that the charity is a going concern, having implemented measures to replenish reserves and mitigate risks associated with funding security. The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme and has no disclosed pension deficits.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: three months of operations (held: £339k)
“We operate on a reserve policy that states that the level of unrestricted funds required should equal three months of operations to safeguard the organisation's core activities, protect options for future development, and achieve a level of working capital, ensuring continuity as a going concern.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Loan to WIFFA
“During the year, the charity advanced an interest-free, unsecured loan of £3,170 to West Indian Family and Friends Association (W.I.F.F.A) Limited, an entity in which the CEO of Merton Community Transport also serves as a director. The full balance was repaid prior to the year-end.” — page 30
“Additionally, a short-term interest-free loan of £387 was made to the CEO. This amount was unsecured and fully repaid by 31 March 2025.” — page 30
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Loan to CEO
“During the year, the charity advanced an interest-free, unsecured loan of £3,170 to West Indian Family and Friends Association (W.I.F.F.A) Limited, an entity in which the CEO of Merton Community Transport also serves as a director. The full balance was repaid prior to the year-end.” — page 30
“Additionally, a short-term interest-free loan of £387 was made to the CEO. This amount was unsecured and fully repaid by 31 March 2025.” — page 30
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Hartley Fowler LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Corporate structure
Funders the charity credits
Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).
- National Lottery Charities Board — “The organisation was launched with support from the National Lottery Charities Board and the Bridge House Estates Trust Fund” (source page)
- Bridge House Estates Trust Fund — “The organisation was launched with support from the National Lottery Charities Board and the Bridge House Estates Trust Fund” (source page)
Company officers (Companies House)
Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.
- CHARLES, Caroline — director, appointed 13/09/2023on trustee list
- HOOPER, Rebecca Mary — director, appointed 13/03/2020on trustee list
- FRASER, Brenda Lorraine — director, appointed 18/10/2019on trustee list
- OTITE, Otuagoma Marcus — director, appointed 18/10/2019on trustee list
- OCAN, Akidi Kasalina — director, appointed 17/05/2019on trustee list
- HICKEY, Stephen Harald Frederick — director, appointed 08/12/2017on trustee list
- OSAYAMEH, Olumide — director, appointed 28/05/2017on trustee list
- HIBBERT, Francesca May — director, appointed 01/06/2016on trustee list
- MAKIN, Russell John — director, appointed 05/12/2012on trustee list
- SAVAGE, Abayeh — director, appointed 07/12/2006on trustee list
- DAWSON, Fitzroy Lesmore — secretary, appointed 19/02/2014
Official officers record.
Public-sector contracts awarded
From the official Contracts Finder and Find a Tender notices (supplier matched by exact registered name). Contract income is distinct from grants.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Reported reserves equal ~2.9 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (94% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.1% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Russell Makinchair
- ABAYEH SAVAGE
- Akidi Ocan
- Brenda Fraser
- Caroline Charles
- Dr STEPHEN HARALD FREDERICK HICKEY · trustee of 1 other charity
- FRANCESCA MAY HIBBERT
- Olumide Osayameh
- Otuagoma Otite
- Rebecca Hooper
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Surrey · Throughout London
Income and spending
Common questions
Is MERTON COMMUNITY TRANSPORT financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £339,093 align with the charity's stated policy target of three months of operational expenditure. The trustees report that the charity is a going concern, having implemented measures to replenish reserves and mitigate risks associated with funding security. The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme and has no disclosed pension deficits. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Hartley Fowler LLP.
Who funds MERTON COMMUNITY TRANSPORT?
Funders whose own accounts filings name MERTON COMMUNITY TRANSPORT as a grant recipient include MERTON VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL, THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with MERTON VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.