THE GATE READING

Registered charity 1132037 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as READING COMMUNITY CHURCH

The church undertakes to work with people of all ages to relate to and serve the local community and to further the Christian faith.

Objects

THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSES OF THE CHURCH ARE:-1. THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND/OR OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD AS THE CHARITY TRUSTEES THINK FIT;2. THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOMAND/OR OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD AS THE CHARITY TRUSTEES THINKFIT; AND3. THE RELIEF OF THOSE IN NEED BY REASON OF YOUTH , AGE, ILL-HEALTH,DISABILITY, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP OR OTHER DISADVANTAGE IN THEUNITED KINGDOM AND/OR WORLD AS THE CHARITY TRUSTEES THINK FIT.

Area of benefit: THE UNITED KINGDOM AND/OR OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Religious Activities · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted funds totalled £4,860,764 at year-end, while the charity's reserves policy targets maintaining three to six months of expenditure. The trustees note that this target level was not maintained continuously due to cash-flow pressures from a building project, but reserves are beginning to recover. The charity has significant long-term liabilities of £1,534,134, primarily consisting of loans from the Baptist Union and the congregation.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts audited by Bruton Charles. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

In its annual return the charity told the Commission it is also regulated by: Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education). This is the charity’s own declaration; it is not a rating and has not been verified by the Commission or by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investing charity funds policy and procedures
• Paying staff
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
• Trustee expenses policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/07/2025)

Reported reserves equal ~2.9 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (99% 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: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• YINKA OYEKANchair · trustee of 1 other charity
• Alastair Mitchell Baker · trustee of 1 other charity
• GARY JAMES BOWDEN · trustee of 1 other charity
• Gareth Owen · trustee of 1 other charity
• Marjorie Lewis
• Rebecca Claire Baker
• Wai Shun Lee

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Reading

Income and spending

Common questions