The Friends of the University of Reading TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT for the period 25 March 2024 to 24 March 2025
Section A: Reference and administration details
The Charity’s name is The Friends of the University ofReading and it does not use any other names.
Its registered charity number is 1173347 and its principal address is: c/o Alumni and Supporter Engagement Office, University of Reading, Whiteknights House, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6UR.
The names of the Charity trustees for the period, were:
Professor M G Fulford Mr D G Wood (Vice-Chairman) Mr P J Must (Secretary) Mr R C Austin (Treasurer) Mrs B L Morris (Membership Secretary) Mrs A E Haworth (Grants Officer) MrIJP Burn Professor G Campbell-Platt Dr J M Grainger Mr B Morley Mr A P A Morris Mr C P Rayner
There are no trustees for the Charity, no advisers and no chief executive or senior staff members.
Section B: Structure, governance and management
The Charity’s governing document is its Constitution, approved on 9 June 2017. The Charity is constituted as an Association Model Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
The trustees are elected by the Annual General Meeting.
The trustees consult within the University of Reading, and particularly with the Alumni and Supporter Engagement Office (ASEO), to understand the University’s aims and priorities in
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order that these can be considered in the context of volunteer support, grant-giving and outreach.
Risk-assessments are undertaken whenever events are planned and any issues arising from a particular activity are reviewed by the trustees subsequently.
Section C: Objectives and activities
The objects of the Charity, as set out in its Constitution, are: the advancement of education for the public benefit in supporting the work of the University of Reading by assisting it with its aims of teaching, learning and research through the provision of: human resources, in particular but not exclusively by providing volunteers; grants for specific projects to the University and organisations associated with it that share these aims;
outreach, in particular but not exclusively by arranging or participating in events informing the public of the University and its work.
Through their Grants Officer the trustees invite applications from across the University of Reading and associated organisations for grants intended to assist in achieving the development of teaching, learning and research.
The trustees and members of the association volunteer to take part in events organised by the University or within the local community that can help inform the public about the University and its work.
In the course of planning for and undertaking the above actions the trustees have regard, at relevant trustees’ meetings, to the Commission’s guidance on public benefit contained in documents PB1, PB2 and PB3. The trustees have reviewed their compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and have notified all members about the association’s data protection policy and practice which indicates the trustees’ responsibilities and members’ rights.
The trustees also have in place the following additional policies: Code of Conduct
Complaints Procedure Conflict of Interest Policy Financial Policies and Procedures Grant Making Policy Health & Safety Policy Volunteer Management Policy.
In inviting applications for grants the trustees indicate that they welcome applications from across the University that support projects which promote the welfare of the University and develop public interest in its work. Grants are not normally made for expenditure which would generally be funded from University academic resources.
The Trustee Board considers and makes decisions on all applications and presents its choices to the membership, normally at the Annual General Meeting. In exceptional circumstances, the Trustee Board may award a grant outside this timetable.
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Each year (other than in 2020 when Covid severely affected activities within the University) the trustees give out around ten grants ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds, responding to applications for projects which would not normally be funded from University academic resources. In this way the Charity seeks to enrich students’ experiences, provide additional social and cultural amenities, and enhance the University’s landscape.
Section D: Achievements and performance
At the Association’s Annual General Meeting on 9 October 2024 members of the Association endorsed the following decisions by the trustees for the award of grants:
| Handling box for schools | UreMuseum | £400 |
|---|---|---|
| Bees event | Institute ofEducation | £340 |
| Buoyancy control devices | SubAquaClub | £475 |
| Canoeing safety equipment | Canoe Club | £475 |
| Caving equipment | Caving Club | £630 |
| Dance instructors for | ||
| student/community event | Salsa Society | £500 |
| Display case forJapanese | ||
| Kamishibai theatre | Special Collections | £475 |
| Exercise bike | Boat Club | £500 |
| Fencing equipment | Fencing Club | £500 |
| Lavender plantsand grit | MuseumofEnglish Rural Life | £400 |
| Mirrors for dance societies and | ||
| community | ReadingKnightsDance Society | £475 |
| Music standsandtrolleys | University ofReading Music | £670 |
| Reprint ofExtraordinaryWomen | ||
| booklet | Museums and Collections | £198 |
| Reprint ofHarris Garden book | Two Rivers Press | £285 |
| Studentandcommunity event | International StudentAdvisory team | £300 |
| TOTAL | £6368 |
Trustees and members of the association have contributed in the following ways to support the University’s academic and outreach strategies:
Two trustees tended a stand at the Lower Earley Community Fair on Friday 5 April 2024 to explain local residents what The Friends’ association does to support the University.
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On Saturday 20 April 2024 The Friends' tour guide team led a group of 14 members from the Christ Church local community group on a walk round the University’s central Whiteknights campus.
In association with Reading’s Economy and Destination Agency (REDA) trustees and volunteers led guided walks round the University’s Whiteknghts and London Road campuses during the Walks Festival in May.
Trustees and volunteers mounted a stand at the University’s Community Festival on Saturday 18 May 2024 to explain to visitors how The Friends assisted the University in its academic and outreach activities.
Several trustees and members of the Association mounted a stand at the East Reading Festival in June 2024 to tell visitors about the work of The Friends of the University and to illustrate its activities..
For the national Heritage Open Days between Friday 6 to Sunday 15 September 2024 The Friends’ tour guide team hosted tours of the University’s Great Hall and Foxhill House.
Section E: Financial Review
Reserves Policy
The trustees have decided that £2,000 is an appropriate level of reserves to cover contingencies. The amount in reserve at the year-end is £6,464, which includes membership fees — the association’s main source of income — already received for the next year.
Section F: Other optional information
There is no further information to be added.
Section G: Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s trustees
v4 Pu qo Professor M G Fulford Mr P J Must Chairman Secretary
Date: Ye Oz[Ave][WLS]
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The Friends of the University of Reading Charity number 1173347
Receipts and Payments Accounts For the period from 25 March 2024 to 24 March 2025
Statement of Receipts and Payments
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|Total|
|Note|Funds|Funds|2025|2024|
|Receipts|
|Membership|Fees|2|7,617|7,617|2,212|
|Donations|3|814|814|711|
|Gift|Aid|1,141|1,141|1,296|
|Trips|4|725|725|1,725|
|Teas|for|visitors|57|57|20|
|Other|0|0|
|Total|Receipts|10,354|0|10,354|5,964|
|Payments|
|Grants|2|6,368|6,368|6,526|
|Public|Liability|Insurance|76|76|96|
|Car|parking|permits|5|62|62|58|
|Postage,|stationery and|sundries|6|41|4]|89|
|Trips|4|1,129|1,129|1,126|
|Catering|27|24|2d|
|Other|7|345|345|151|
|Total|Payments|8,048|0|8,048|8,073|
|Net|of Receipts/(Payments)|2,306|0|2,306|(2,109)|
|Transfers|between|funds|0|0|0|
|Cash|funds|last|year|end|4,158|4,158|6,267|
|Cash|funds|this year end|6,464|0|6,464|4,158|
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Statement of Assets and Liabilities
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | Funds | Funds | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Cash Funds | |||||
| Current account | 4,464 | 0 | 4,464 | 4,158 | |
| Instant Access | 2,000 | 0 | 2,000 | 0 | |
| TOTAL | 6,464 | 0 | 6,464 | 4,158 | |
| Other monetary assets | |||||
| Gift Aid claim | 1,117 | 0 | 1,117 | 1,141 | |
| Liabilities | |||||
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The trustees confirm that at the year end there were no outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on assets.
Approved by the trustees on 19 August 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
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M4, pA
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Professor M G Fulford Chairman
aa ee Mr R C Austin Treasurer
Notes to the Accounts for the period 25 March 2024 to 24 March 2025
1 Accounting period
Membership Fee income due on 24 March 2024 was received on Monday 25 March, the first day of the 2024-25 Financial Year. The total received during 2024-25 is therefore not directly comparable with 2023-24. The accounts must show amounts on the date of payment, but adjusted figures are shown below for information.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|2024-25|2023-24|
|Subscription|totals|from accounts|7,617|2,212|
|Due|24/3/24,|but|received|25/3/24|(2,630)|2,630|
|Adjusted|totals|4,987|4,842|
|The|increase|in|subscriptions|in 2024-25|is|the|net|of|payments|received|from new members|
|and|the|loss|of income|from|leavers|and|late|payments.|
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2 - Membership Fees and Grants
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Gift|Aid|claimed|on|fees|received|up|to|24|March|2025,|together|with|income|received|
|by the|time|that|grants were|paid|has|been|used|to|fund|grants|awarded|in|2025.|
|Details|of the|funds|available|are:|
|Balance|of funds|at|24|March|2025|6,464|
|Membership|fees/donations|25|March|to|30|April|2025|1,161|
|Gift|Aid|claim|March|2025|1,117|
|Total|funds|8,742|
|LESS|
|Agreed|reserve|(2,000)|
|Administration|costs|estimate|(20)|
|Balance|of printing|budget|(217)|
|NET AVAILABLE|6,505|
|3|-|Donations|
|Women's|Club|26/03/2024|50|
|J &|T|Courtney|(new members)|13/09/2024|100|
|RG|Spaces|-|for|printing|07/11/2024|200|
|4|-|Trips/Outings|
|Tilbury|Arcadian|Thames|(1)|Total|
|Payment|from|those|attending|570|665|1,235|
|Cost|of coach|and|admin|(533)|(596)|(1,129)|
|Surplus|added|to|unrestricted|funds|37|68|105|
|NOTES:|
|Tilbury|trip|-|£510|of income|received|in|2023-24|
|Arcadian|Thames|(1)|-|£35|of income|received|2025-26|
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5 - Car parking permits
Annual University volunteer car parking permits are purchased for those Trustees who need to visit the campus regularly to carry out their duties, since the University does not provide free parking for volunteers or visitors. In the absence of a permit, payment of charges would otherwise have to be claimed as part of expenses.
6 - Payments to trustees
Payments have been made to two trustees to reimburse expenditure on postage, stationery and sundries required to enable them to carry out their duties. All claims for reimbursement are supported by receipts for purchases.
7 - Other
Re-printing of Heritage Leaflerts 1 - 5 235 Printing of Heritage Leaflet 8 77 Government image licence for Whiteknights print 33 345