CAREY BAPTIST CHURCH, READING

Registered charity 1183896 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The Charity was registered in June 2019 but had not commenced operation by 31 December 2019. The intention is that the charity will pursue its objects in advancing the Christian faith in accordance with its Doctrinal Basis of Faith and other consistent charitable purposes in Reading, elsewhere in the UK and overseas. It will engage in worship, teaching and providing practical social facilities.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Religious Activities · Recreation · Other Charitable Purposes · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£613k

Latest spending

£597k

Registered

2019

Accounts read

FY2023

Financial health, per its FY2023 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a small surplus of £1,964 for the year ended 31 December 2023. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves were maintained at £306,877, which the trustees consider consistent with their policy of holding between three and six months' expenditure. The financial position is described as satisfactory with no material uncertainties identified.

Automated summary of the FY2023 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: between three and six months’ expenditure (held: £307k)

“It is the current policy of the Church that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six months’ expenditure.” — page 12

Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Payments to trustees: Three Managing Trustees (Pastors) received remuneration of £109,886 for their services as ministers.

“In the year £109,886 (2022: £103,895) was paid in respect of remuneration and pension contributions to three Pastors and assistant Pastors (2022: three) who were also Managing Trustees.”

Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Payment to Cranford Support Trust

“During the year the Church paid £6,050 (2022: £6,000) to Cranford Support Trust of which Pastor David Magowan is a trustee.” — page 30

“During the year the Church paid £2,000 (2022: £2,000) to the South Central Gospel Partnership of which Pastor James Muldoon is a trustee.” — page 30

Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Payment to South Central Gospel Partnership

“During the year the Church paid £6,050 (2022: £6,000) to Cranford Support Trust of which Pastor David Magowan is a trustee.” — page 30

“During the year the Church paid £2,000 (2022: £2,000) to the South Central Gospel Partnership of which Pastor James Muldoon is a trustee.” — page 30

Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Earmarked gifts to trustees/related parties

“During the year the Church paid £6,050 (2022: £6,000) to Cranford Support Trust of which Pastor David Magowan is a trustee.” — page 30

“During the year the Church paid £2,000 (2022: £2,000) to the South Central Gospel Partnership of which Pastor James Muldoon is a trustee.” — page 30

Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Donations from trustees/related parties

“During the year the Church paid £6,050 (2022: £6,000) to Cranford Support Trust of which Pastor David Magowan is a trustee.” — page 30

“During the year the Church paid £2,000 (2022: £2,000) to the South Central Gospel Partnership of which Pastor James Muldoon is a trustee.” — page 30

Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Reimbursement of trustee expenses

“During the year the Church paid £6,050 (2022: £6,000) to Cranford Support Trust of which Pastor David Magowan is a trustee.” — page 30

“During the year the Church paid £2,000 (2022: £2,000) to the South Central Gospel Partnership of which Pastor James Muldoon is a trustee.” — page 30

Per its FY2023 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Property (HM Land Registry)

7 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (7 freehold); recorded price paid £340k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)

Total income

£613k

Total spending

£597k

Reserves (reported)

£60k

Employees

12

Reported reserves equal ~1.2 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

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

Register events

Received assets from another charity (22/05/2025) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Dr ALISTAIR MURDOCH
Dr Amit Sharma
Dr Andrew James Barnett
Dr GRAHAM MACHIN
Dr JAMES ERNEST CORDLE
John William Alexander Heron
Pastor Andrew Philip Kight
Richard John Webb
Richard Peter Baxter · trustee of 1 other charity
Simon Peter Butler

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

Operates in: Reading

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£613k	£597k
31/12/2023	£667k	£665k
31/12/2022	£0	£0
31/12/2021	£0	£0
31/12/2020	£0	£0

Common questions

Is CAREY BAPTIST CHURCH, READING financially healthy?

Per its FY2023 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a small surplus of £1,964 for the year ended 31 December 2023. Per the trustees' report, unrestricted reserves were maintained at £306,877, which the trustees consider consistent with their policy of holding between three and six months' expenditure. The financial position is described as satisfactory with no material uncertainties identified. Its FY2023 accounts were independently examined.

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.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
INCORPORATED BOURNEMOUTH FREE CHURCH COUNCIL	1	£59k
THE EDWARD CADBURY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£3k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CALVARY CHARISMATIC BAPTIST CHURCH.

CALVARY CHARISMATIC BAPTIST CHURCH income £830k
RUGBY BAPTIST CHURCH income £240k
UPTON BAPTIST CHURCH, CHESTER income £250k
PINHOE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH, EXETER income £211k
CHRISTCHURCH BAPTIST CHURCH income £410k
ROSS-ON-WYE BAPTIST CHURCH income £219k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
CAREY BAPTIST CHURCH, READING	£613k	—	0	within	—	no doubt
CALVARY CHARISMATIC BAPTIST CHURCH FY2025	£830k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
RUGBY BAPTIST CHURCH FY2025	£240k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
UPTON BAPTIST CHURCH, CHESTER FY2025	£250k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
PINHOE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH, EXETER FY2025	£211k	—	0	above	—	no doubt
CHRISTCHURCH BAPTIST CHURCH FY2025	£410k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.