FOUNDATION CHURCH
WOKINGHAM
REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
FOUNDATION CHURCH, WOKINGHAM
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
CHARITY INFORMATION
| Trustees: | Anne Hill |
|---|---|
| Chris Justice | |
| David Main | |
| James Shiers | |
| Owen Hayward | |
| Toni Garlinge | |
| Pastor: | Owen Hayward |
| Treasurer: | Anne Hill |
| Charitable position: | Registered Charity No. 1181334 |
| Governing document: | CIO Constitution registered 21 December 2018 |
| Name change registered 6 June 2019 | |
| Address for correspondence: | The Barn House |
| Waterloo Road | |
| Wokingham | |
| RG40 3BY | |
| Independent Examiner: | Nick Pomroy FCA |
| Durrants Calleva | |
| 4 Comet House | |
| Calleva Park | |
| Aldermaston | |
| RG7 8JA | |
| Bankers: | Barclays Bank UK plc |
| Oxford City 2 | |
| Leicester |
Leicestershire LE87 2BB
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
The trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025.
We are thankful to God for his faithfulness to us through the year in which we have sought to continue the development of a healthy, biblically based church community in which members care and support one another and are encouraged to share the love of Jesus with others in the wider community.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Spiritual Leadership
The spiritual leadership and direction of Foundation Church is provided by an eldership team of four, led by Owen Hayward. They provide input to the trustees of the Charity. The elders are supported by team leaders each of whom has responsibility for a specific area of the Church’s ministry.
Trustees
The elders of the Church appoint new trustees having regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. On or before the appointment of a new trustee, he/she is made aware of the Charity’s constitution, and any amendments made to it, and the most recent Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts. New trustees are also provided with access to all policies and procedures in place at the time of their appointment.
External accountability
Foundation Church is independent of any other church within the area, although we look to partner where we can on shared charitable and faith initiatives. We also believe in the importance of leadership accountability, and we are therefore in relationship with the Advance Movement (www.advancemovement.com) – a network of churches within the UK and overseas. The Advance Movement is dedicated to planting and strengthening churches globally, around shared values, doctrine, mission and developing meaningful relationships.
Responsibility for decision-making within Foundation Church remains with the spiritual leadership of the Church. Throughout the period, we have also continued to support financially the Advance Movement in its aim to plant and strengthen churches around the world.
AIMS AND PURPOSES
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To advance the Christian religion in accordance with the Statement of Faith;
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To relieve poverty and those in need by reason of ill-health, disability, unemployment or such other disadvantage; and
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To advance education both general and vocational for children or adults but always within the principles of the Christian faith.
Our core pursuits are
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Knowing Jesus – helping people get to know Jesus through reading the Bible: who he is, what he’s done for us, what he’s like
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Growing like Jesus – encouraging people to become more like Jesus in the way they live their lives
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Going with Jesus – being people who are committed to sharing the good news of Jesus with others, that they too might know Him for themselves
…………And, we seek to do the above, All for the glory of God
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The Church seeks to serve the people of Wokingham and surrounding area by providing services for worship, prayer and the preaching of good news from the Bible, by providing pastoral care, and by seeking to meet practical needs in the wider community.
For the period through to end March 2025, the Church met at 4.30pm on a Sunday. However, from April 2025, the Church started to meet at a venue more central to Wokingham that was available on Sunday mornings. Since that time, the Church has met each Sunday at 10.00am.
Children’s work
The children participate in worship along with the rest of the Church before leaving to meet under the banner of Foundation Kids in two separate groups, one for pre-school and the other for those of primary school age.
Youth
This year saw the growth of our youth group serving those of secondary school age within the Church. The youth participate in Sunday worship each Sunday morning. In response to the growing numbers, a separate time has been set aside each Sunday evening when the youth can meet to receive bible teaching tailored specifically for them and to enjoy some social activities. The youth also have the opportunity to gather with thousands of other young people in the summer for New Day, a five-day convention for bible teaching, worship, and sporting activities.
The trustees are aware of the Commission’s guidance on Public Benefit and have regard for this in the planning and implementing of Church activities.
Serving our local community
We have a small fund to provide direct financial support and assistance to families within and outside the Church. People from across the Church have also volunteered in local befriending schemes and in other community projects.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
During the academic year 2024–2025, we continued to invest in training and discipleship through our internship programme and more informally through life groups and youth work. Following our first intern programme in 2023-2024, we hosted a second intern for the year. Having previously completed a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme at Yeldall Manor, our intern joined us for a year of ministry training while participating in the Intentional Discipleship Programme delivered through the Newfrontiers family of churches.
Over the year we strengthened our partnership with Yeldall Manor, a Christian residential rehabilitation centre. Several men participating in the programme attended our Sunday meetings and joined courses designed to help people explore the Christian faith, providing opportunities for ongoing support, friendship and discipleship.
In the run up to Christmas, we again led carol singing at the Wheelwrights Arms, raising funds for Wokingham Foodbank. We also hosted a wreath-making evening for local women, combining community building with fundraising towards our Christmas social action projects, and held a guest-focused community carol service.
Members donated food and finances to enable us to provide Christmas hampers for around 50 local families through our new “Hope Is Here” initiative. The hampers were distributed to families with no existing connection to the church and form part of a wider vision for future community support projects.
A significant milestone during the year was the relocation of our Sunday meetings from Oakwood Climbing Centre to Wokingham Youth Centre, alongside a change from a late afternoon gathering to a 10am morning service. The move contributed to significant growth in attendance, with many new people joining the church community, including several who had not attended church regularly for many years.
At Easter we participated in a joint Good Friday service in Wokingham town centre alongside other local churches through Wokingham Churches Together, followed by a church family meal attended by more than 50 people. We also hosted a guest-focused Easter Sunday celebration including an Easter egg hunt and family activities for local children and families.
In May, we took part in Wokingham May Fayre, providing a free children's game and conducting a simple survey to help us better understand local attitudes towards faith and church.
Throughout the year our volunteers continued to support Oakwood Youth Challenge by helping to resource its weekly youth club. Within the church, our youth work expanded from one Sunday gathering every three weeks to a weekly programme. Our young people also attended the Newday Christian summer festival alongside approximately 10,000 others from churches across the UK.
We ran three courses during the year for people interested in exploring the Christian faith, using the 321 course material developed by Speak Life. Life Groups continued to meet regularly in homes across the area, providing opportunities for Bible study, prayer, friendship and pastoral support while helping to integrate new people into the church community.
In September, we celebrated the baptism of one individual who had chosen to publicly express their commitment to follow Jesus Christ.
Overall, the year saw encouraging growth in both attendance and community engagement, with increasing numbers of people exploring the Christian faith and becoming connected into the life of the church.
Charity Name Foundation Church, Wokingham
1181334
Receipts and payments accounts
1-Oct-24 30-Sep-25 To
For the period from
CC16a
Section A Receipts and payments
| Section A Receipts and payments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts Voluntaryrecepits 109,642 - - - - - - - 109,642 - - Sub total - Total receipts 109,642 A3 Payments Cost of charitable activities 114,360 - - - - - - - - Sub total 114,360 - - Sub total - Total payments 114,360 Net of receipts/(payments) - 4,718 A5 Transfers between funds - A6 Cash funds last year end 20,299 Cash funds this year end 15,581 Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
to the nearest £ 4,087 - - - - - - - 4,087 - - - 4,087 7,148 - - - - - - - - 7,148 - - - 7,148 - 3,061 - 13,641 10,580 Restricted funds |
to the nearest £ Endowment funds |
Total funds to the nearest £ 113,729 - - - - - - - 113,729 - - - 113,729 121,508 - - - - - - - - 121,508 - - - 121,508 - 7,779 - 33,940 26,161 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
| - - - - - - - - - |
113,729 | 112,883 | ||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| 113,729 | 112,883 | |||
| - - - |
- | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | 113,729 | 112,883 | ||
| - - - - - - - - - - |
121,508 | 97,959 | ||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| 121,508 | 97,959 | |||
| - - - |
- | |||
| - | ||||
| - | - | |||
| - | 121,508 | 97,959 | ||
| - 3,061 | - - - - |
- 7,779 | 14,924 | |
| - | - | - | ||
| 13,641 | 33,940 | 19,016 | ||
| 10,580 | 26,161 | 33,940 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
Details Cash at bank Details Rent deposit Details Details Computers & other equipment PA / worshipequipment Seating Marquee Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ 15,581 - - 15,581 OK to nearest £ 4,500 - - - - - Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates |
to nearest £ 10,580 - - 10,580 OK to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Restricted funds Restricted funds Amount due (optional) |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| OK | ||||
| to nearest £ Endowment funds |
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| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | ||||
| - | ||||
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| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| When due (optional) |
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| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - |
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
| Signature | Print Name David Edward Main |
Date of approval |
|---|---|---|
| David Edward Main | ||
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to tho trustees Foundation Church. Wokingham On accounts for the year endad 30 September 2025 Charity no (if any) 1181334 Set out on pages otmbwE of ¥ddKN)nal SdeI I report to the trustees on my examinatK)n ofthe accounts of the above chanty (Ihe Trust") for the year ended 3010912025. Responslbllllles and basis of roport As the chariVs trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 lihe Acri. I rert in respect of my examination of the Trust'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 14515llb) of the Act. Independent trhe charity's gross income exceeded £250.1))) and l am qualified to examlnerfs statsment undertake the examinalion by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed ty]1. Delete l ] rf not 8pplK8ble. I have completed my exaAnatiOn. I confimi Ihal no material matters have come to ry attention in connection with the examination lolher than thal disclosed below ') which gives cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accwnling ordS were kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records" or the accounts did not compty with the applicable requirements conMIng the fomi and content of accounts sel out in the Charitiès (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 olher than any reqU1ment that the accounts give a Irue and fair. view which is not a matter nsidered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection Wtth the examinalion to which attention should be drawn in this rewrt in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Slgnad: Date: l¢tL61 Narne: JK Relevant professlonal qualificationls) or body IER Oct 2018
(if any): Address: Section B Disclosure Onty Complete if the examiner needs lo highlight material matters of concern Isee CC32. Independent exarrHnation of chanty accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brief detslls of any items that the oxaminor wishos to dlsclose. IER Oct 2018