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← Religion Media Centre

2025-03-31-accounts

Religion Media Centre Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

Registered Charity Number

1169562

Address

Collaboration House 77-79 Charlotte Street London W1T 4PW

Trustees

Date appointed Mr Benedict Samuel Rich 10[th] October 2016 Rev Christopher Landau 10[th] October 2016 (resigned 13[th] March 2025) Mr Michael Wakelin (chair) 10[th] October 2016 Mr Kevin Jaquiss 29[th] March 2017 Roger Bolton 27[th] June 2019 Dr Lois Lee 26[th] November 2020 Dr Hassan Abdein 27[th] March 2023 Prof Opinderjit Kaur Takhur 1[st] July 2024

Accountant

Andrew Jennings MA FCA

Independent Examiner

Mr Keith Halstead MA (Oxon) FCA

Bank

Cooperative Bank, PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

Contents

Page 3: Trustees Report Page 7: Statement of Public benefits Page 8: Receipts & Payments Account Page 9: Notes to the Accounts Page 10: Independent Examiners Report

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

Trustees Report

The trustees are pleased to present the annual report of the Religion Media Centre from 1[st] April 2024 – 31[st] March 2025.

1. Governance

The Religion Media Centre is a Charitable Incorporated Organization, charity number 1169562, registered on 10[th] October 2016.

Its constitution states its objects are: ‘To advance education of the public in world religion, including the Baha’i faith; Buddhism; Christianity; Hinduism; Islam; Jainism; Judaism; Sikhism and Zoroastrianism by: the dissemination of accurate, authoritative, independent and impartial information and research about religious faiths to the media; and the provision of media training to religious organisations.’

It is an impartial and independent organisation aiming to help the media report and understand religion and beliefs. It has no editorial line, nor does it promote any one religion, or religious belief in general. Instead, it exists to provide accurate, timely and relevant information to the media, enabling the public to be better informed.

The trustees have met six times during the year. The Rev Dr Christopher Landau, a founding trustee, resigned on 13 March 2025 in order to take on other commitments in the Church of England, and left with thanks for his work in getting the Religion Media centre off the ground.

Our Trustees are responsible for compliance with charity law and with the RMC’s charitable objectives. They set the RMC’s strategic direction, oversee its work, monitor progress and prioritise the RMC’s activities. They support the team of consultants and freelancers who work on projects and content; monitor and supervise fund raising initiatives and advise on marketing.

Our advisory board provide advice on content and governance issues. Their names are listed in full on our website here https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/governance/

We review our safeguarding and data management policies annually. We are registered with the Independent Commissioners Office for data protection.

We evaluate our impact against KPIs measuring engagement on all social media platforms, with statistics given to trustees at each meeting. We keep our strategic objectives under review, responding to budgetary controls, changing media landscape and skills to respond.

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

2. Activities, achievements and performance:

Editorial

We continued to provide daily news bulletins of news about religion, a weekly roundup of news, factsheets, explainers, timelines, weekly zoom media briefings and original journalism from our team of freelance journalists - Rosie Dawson, Tim Wyatt, Andrew Brown, Catherine Pepinster, Amardeep Bassey, Lianne Kolirin and new recruit Maira Butt, who is funded by the Aziz Foundation to report on Muslims in Britain.

Among the headline stories covered this year:

3. Events

We continued holding regular media zoom briefings covering all the main stories listed above, where a panel explained the story in the news providing context and background. Our briefings reached three times the number of people compared to the previous year. Our speakers include university academics, authors, faith leaders and teachers. We collaborated with other organisations such as the National Churches Trust and the think tank Theos, to provide these events. We record the

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

briefings for our YouTube channel and they are made into podcasts, with our audience increasing by 70 per cent. All the sessions are produced by Oliver Bowring from Musicarta Ltd.

Our annual lecture entitled "Faith’s Place in Labour’s Mission of National Renewal," was delivered by Sir Stephen Timms MP on 19 September 2024 at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, London. He repeated the new government’s intention to work with faith organisations to deliver outcomes for people, highlighting their role in the Covid-19 pandemic and the importance of "faith covenants," agreements between local councils and faith organizations, which facilitate collaboration in community support and service delivery.

We did not put on a festival this year but are planning our sixth festival for 9[th] June 2025 at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster.

4. The Creating Connections Project

With generous funding from the Saltley Trust, we put on another Creating Connections event, bringing together local faith groups and the media, in Wolverhampton. For the first time, our venue was a football club – Wolverhampton Wanderers – and a keynote speaker was Dal Darroch, the Football Association’s Head of Diversity and Inclusion. This was our twelfth Creating Connections event, around 60 people attended including local journalists, faith leaders, local councillors, RE teachers, academics and those interested in religion in the public square. Once more, local faith groups put forward great stories for the media to follow up. 80 per cent said the event made them more willing to engage with the media than before. Our next project aim is to put on events in Cardiff and Bangor, and following that Scotland and Northern Ireland.

6. Impact and communications

There has been a significant increase in reach across all our social media channels this year, as the RMC reaches its targeted audience.

Our total reach has risen 12 per cent on the previous year, from 1 million to 1.13 million.

This year we have been mentioned by the Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4, The Times, the Church Times, the Press Association, Premier Christian News, The Independent, the Washington Times, the Church of England Newspaper, The Standard, Express and Star in the past year. All the national religious affairs correspondents regularly take and build on our content from daily news

Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

bulletins and regular zoom briefings. Stories about the world’s first Sikh Court, reaction to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation and retirement of the Bishop of Liverpool created most impact. We have also found a niche audience among interfaith campaigners, RE teachers and academics. We continued to engage Musicarta Ltd to increase our presence on all social media channels, versioning our material on each platform, enabling a steady increase in support.

Journalists have engaged with us through all our activities. We include them as panellists on our briefings, they regularly read and use stories from the daily bulletin. Media inquiries seeking ideas for commentators have increased as we become more well known.

7. Training

One of our successes this year was a series of training events for journalism students on “Reporting race and religion”, presented by Amardeep Bassey and produced by Liz Harris. Courses were put on at the university of East Anglia; Goldsmiths, University of London; News Associates in London and Manchester; and Liverpool College. In total, 150 students and their teachers engaged in this conversation, and we are aiming to roll out more of this training next year.

We have also delivered media training to leaders in the Methodist church, the URC, the Church of England and to leaders of Jewish, Christian and Muslim organisations on the Faith in Leadership programme. Our training team is our executive chairman Michael Wakelin, editorial and project consultant Ruth Peacock, and social media and marketing consultant Oliver Bowring, from Musicarta Ltd. We have offered this training for the past six years and in that time, the media landscape has changed and so has our training. We continue to offer media interview training, but also how those skills can be transferred to communicating stories on social media. Skills for identifying, writing, filming and posting stories online are further developed in separate training courses, which we also offer.

Our weekly briefings are also regarded as training, providing information and context on stories about religion in the news aimed at journalists telling the story. Our events also offer an introduction to how the media works, and greater understanding of religion to journalists.

8. Funding

In this financial year, we received generous donations from Rank, Porticus, Culham St Gabriel Trust, the Aziz Foundation and the Saltley Trust. We also received individual donations from generous supporters and others.

The RMC accepts funds from those who support our vision, values and aims and who have a clear governance structure and transparent accountability. The RMC has an appropriate anti-bribery policy.

9. Business Development

Our executive chair, Michael Wakelin, has built on our network of supporters, including the media, faith organisations and trusts and foundations. We are the only place where news about all major religious traditions and none are found in one site. We appeal to everyone working within religion in the public square, including religious education teachers, academics, interfaith groups and people from within the traditions curious about other faiths and keen to forge links. We are grateful to academics and faith leaders who support us by offering their knowledge and expertise to the media.

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre

Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

TRS-UK

We have a Memorandum of Understanding with Theology and Religious Studies UK, which represents academics in higher education throughout the UK. Their representative who continues to be involved in our work is Dr Tim Hutchings, from the University of Nottingham.

10. Statement of public benefit

The Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.

Benefit has been demonstrated to journalists and media professionals who have used material for programmes and articles and built their knowledge through training. Academics and RE teachers have been able to spread their knowledge and expertise through providing insight in articles and contributions to discussions with the media. Faith leaders and media organizations have engaged with the media and each other through events, training and discussions.

Results

The Charity saw a loss of £15,813 in the year on its general fund which was covered by the reserves brought forward from prior years. The total cash reserves at the end of the year were £40,476 in liquid funds, of which £16,399 was in respect of restricted funds.

Reserves Policy

The Charity is keeping future obligations low and currently has no future commitments or overheads as contributors are freelance. The current policy is to retain enough cash reserves, taking into account donations promised, to cover costs and to build up resources to fulfil the Charity’s activities at the same level in the ensuing year.

Responsibilities of Trustees regarding the accounts

Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities for each financial year. In addition, they are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which are sufficient to show and explain the Charity transactions and to disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Michael Wakelin Signed on behalf of the Trustees 20 August 2025

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre

Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT 2024-25

2025 2025 2025 2024 2024 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total **Unrestricted ** Restricted Total
£ £ £ £ £ £
Receipts
Grants - Charities 90,000 90,000 72,587 - 72,587
Grants - individuals 1,717
Training - Creating Connections 15,500 15,500 - 12,000 12,000
Festival 2025 10,000 10,000 - - -
Reporting British Muslims 8,000 8,000
Annual Lecture (2024) 1,000 1,000 -
TOTAL 91,717 34,500 126,217 72,587 12,000 84,587
Expenditure
Project consultancy 28,500 28,500 17,800 - 17,800
Editiorial Conent & Articles 23,579 23,579 17,914 - 17,914
Social media and marketing 20,519 20,519 20,624 20,624
Reporting British Muslims 5,500 5,500
Computers / equipment 5,815 5,815 7,053 - 7,053
Business development 12,831 12,831 9,000 - 9,000
Zoom briefings, interviews etc 12,234 12,234 10,314 2,000 12,314
Insurance 498 498 501 - 501
Professional fees 1,360 1,360 370 - 370
Podcasts 510 510 - 1,350 1,350
Training 563 2,528 3,091 1,861 - 1,861
Festivals (in 2025 and 2023) 1,101 1,101 6,999 - 6,999
Creating Connections - Wolverhampton 9,230 9,230 55,803 55,803
Lecture 2024 1,121 1,000 2,121
Evaluation of effectiveness 6,000 6,000
TOTAL 107,530 19,359 126,889 98,436 59,153 157,589
Surplus/(Deficit) for the Year - 15,813
-		 15,141 - 672
-		 - 25,849
-		 - 47,153
-		 - 73,002
-
Transfer between funds - 1,258
-		 1,258 - 6,093
-		 6,093
Cash funds at the beginning of year 41,148 41,148 73,090 41,060 114,150
Cash Funds at the end of year 24,077 16,399 40,476 41,148 - 41,148
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES as at 31st MARCH 2025 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES as at 31st MARCH 2025 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES as at 31st MARCH 2025
2025 2024
£ Note Note £
ASSETS
Bank and cash balances 40,476 41,148
Represented by :
ACCUMULATED FUNDS
Unrestricted funds 24,077 41,148
Restricted funds 4 Restricted funds 4 16,399 -
Total funds at 31 March 2025 40,476 41,148
RESTRICTED FUNDS as at 31 March 2025 :
Creating Connections 5,000 8
Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709
Reporting British Muslims		 Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709
2,500		 Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709 Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709 Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709 Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709
Festival 2025 8,899
16,399

Religion Media Centre Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of accounting

The accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis. The receipts and payments account is a record of monies received and paid during the financial year. The accounts comply with the appropriate legal requirements.

2. FUNDS

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the Trustees are free to use for any purpose in furtherance of the charitable objects.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by the donor.

3. TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING RELATED PARTIES

Included in the accounts is £12,000 (2024 - £9,000) paid to the chairman relating to business development. The Chairman also received repayment of £1,858 (2023/24 - £2,369) expenses incurred in supporting the Creating Connections and other training projects.

4. RESTRICTED FUNDS

The restricted income received in 2024-25 was £34,500 made up of:

A £8,500 was from the Saltley Trust for the Creating Connections event in Wolverhampton which was fully spent during the year.

B A private donation of £10,000 was given towards funding the 2025 RMC Festival of which £1,101 was spent in 2024-25.

C The Aziz Foundation gave £8,000 towards a journalist specialising in reporting Muslims in Britain of which £5,500 was spent during the year.

D £2000 was for training which was fully spent.

E £1000 was a private donation towards the cost of the annual lecture which took place in September 2024 and was fully spent.

F £5,000 from Culham St Gabriel for a Creating Connections event to take place in Wales in 2025/6.

These accounts were approved by the board of Trustees on 1 July 2025 and signed on its behalf by

Michael Wakelin, chair 20 August 2025

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709

Religion Media Centre

Accounts for the year ended - 31 March 2025

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Religion Media Centre

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Religion Media Centre (the Charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

The Charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent Examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:- ....................................................

Date 02/09/2025

Keith Halstead MA(Oxon) FCA, 60 Woodcote Hurst Epsom Surrey KT18 7DT

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Religion Media Centre, Collaboration House, 77-79 Charlotte Street, London W1T 4PW 020 3970 0709