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2025-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date From 01 01 2025 To 31 12 2025

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Reading Hebrew Congregation Other names charity is known by Reading Synagogue Registered charity number (if any) 220098 Charity's principal address 7 Goldsmid Road Reading Postcode RG1 7YB

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Susan Clarke Board Member HO
2 David Clarke Board Member
3 Mark Drukker Board Member HO
4 Alan Benn Board Member HO
5 Michael Fuhr Board Member
6 Sarah Firsht Board Member HO
7 Maurice Lawson Board Member
8 Anthony Woolf Board Member HO
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

Trust Deed

How the charity is constituted

Trust

Trustee selection methods Elected at AGM

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To conduct the affairs of the Society, to provide religious services conducted in the manner authorised by the Very Reverend the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. To maintain a Minister insofar as reasonably prudent financial management permits and to advance the interest of the Jewish community of Reading and the surrounding areas.

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The Trustees have given consideration to the matter of Public Benefit at meetings of the Board of Management.

In order to fulfil these requirements, we continue our objectives of outreach into the wider community and we contribute to many local interfaith activities and have representation on many groups, as this assists in the advancement of the interests of the Jewish Community.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

Additionally, to advance the interest of the Jewish community in Reading we expect to be able to continue to offer the annual open day for the public at the Synagogue. Our members of the community also go out to schools to give talks on a variety of subjects, which links with national curriculum requirements.

To provide a place for religious services we maintain a purpose-built Grade 2 listed building, which is mentioned in the Jewish Heritage document entitled “Synagogues at Risk”.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

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Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

We continued to provide religious services conducted in the manner authorised by the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. Following the successful roof repair project on the Synagogue completed in a previous year, we continue to monitor the condition of the roof, and we continue to monitor the building generally, to take care that its condition is maintained appropriately. We ensure that the building continues to serve its purpose as a centre for the Jewish community of the area, and in connection with our charitable purposes. We continued to promote education for adults.

We continue to have visits from schools, youth groups and other organisations. Members also visit schools and other groups to speak about Judaism.

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Section E Financial review

The trustees are mindful of the need to protect and maintain the primary Brief statement of the objects of the charity, namely, to provide religious services and to charity’s policy on reserves advance the interest of the Jewish community of Reading and surrounding areas, as well as to generally conduct the affairs of RHC in accordance with reasonably prudent financial management for the benefit of its wide community of members. However, in response to its significantly reduced, and still declining, size of community the charity takes care to mitigate its ongoing annual operating costs, in order to ensure that it can responsibly continue to promote those objects into the foreseeable future and ultimately for as long as the need exists for its charitable services. Having regard to the longer term need to maintain its central synagogue premises, which is a listed building in excess of one hundred years old, the Trustees are mindful of potentially substantial maintenance and renewal expenditures which may be required at short notice and of unknown amounts. This circumstance creates a substantial additional risk which the Trustees are vigilant to ensure that they can cover from reserves when and if the need should arise. As well as the need to hold substantial protection for unknown and unquantifiable synagogue building issues, RHC ultimately may have the need to contribute a sum to finalise burial arrangements. Again, the actual amount required and the timing of that cannot be known with accuracy at this time. Reserves may also be used to support religious services and modestly improve the infrastructure of the synagogue, subject to continual review of the reasonable needs of the declining community. The reserves will be held partly as cash deposits generating interest income and partly invested in suitable professionally managed funds generating investment income. The relative mix of these reserves will be reviewed and adjusted by the Managing Trustees as they judge most suitable from time to time, but always subject to the need to maintain adequate cash resources to deal with unpredictable short-term needs, as well as maintaining adequate total reserves to deal generally with longer term plans and requirements. The overall level of reserves will be kept under review each year, having regard to the factors mentioned, and also having regard to the continually rising level of maintenance and renewal costs as impacted further by levels of inflation generally. Details of any funds materially in deficit

Section F Other optional information

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Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Anthony Larry Woolf Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)[Hon Treasurer ] Date 29th June 2026

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Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/
members of
On accounts for the year
ended
Set out on pages
Responsibilities and
basis of report
Independent
examiner's statement		 READING HEBREW CONGREGATION
31 DECEMBER 2025
Charity no
(if any) 220098
1 to 3
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 December 2025.
As the charity's trustees, you 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 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 145(5)(b) of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in, any material respect:

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:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
(if any):
Address:		 Date: 10th March 2026
Mr M Cooper-Smith
C/o Reading Synagogue
Goldsmid Road
Reading RG1 7YB

1

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

2

Reading Hebrew Congregation - Statement of Financial Activities

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Income & Expenditure 2025 Comparison 2024
RHC RHC RHC RHC RHC RHC
Community Burial Consolidated Community Burial Consolidated
Income Funds Society Total Funds Society Total
Income from Membership & Assets
Membership Contributions 15,429 7,096 22,525 16,467 6,700 23,167
Donations Received to RHC 1,819 1,819 2,434 2,434
Koll Nidre Donations Received 2,380 2,380 4,085 4,085
BOD, CRT & Other Donations Received 1,552 1,552 1,556 1,556
Gift Aid Membership & Dons to RHC 3,575 3,575 3,841 3,841
Gift Aid On all Other Donations 0 0 938 938
Investment Income 9,525 6,945 16,470 9,457 8,418 17,875
Interest Income 8,521 4,313 12,834 9,805 2,484 12,289
Total from Membership & Assets 42,801 18,354 61,155 48,583 17,602 66,185
Income from Activities Gross Costs
Food/Judaica Shop 2,942 (2,864) 78 78 345 345
Golden Mazel 1,741 (1,650) 91 91 375 375
Fund Raising & Events (581) (581) (581) 15 15
Luach Fax® 819 (271) 548 548 517 517
Gollancz Hall Receipts 0 0 1,115 1,115
Sabbath & Festivals 3,740 (5,321) (1,581) (1,581) 1,616 1,616
Miscellaneous 278 278 278 244 244
Total Income from Activities 9,520 (10,687) (1,167) (1,167) 4,227 4,227
Total Income 41,634 18,354 59,988 52,810 17,602 70,412
Expenditure
Judaica 0 0 (817) (817)
Donations to Other Charities Note 4 (1,552) (1,552) (6,575) (6,575)
Kol Nidre 2025 yet to be paid Note 4 (2,330) (2,330)
Legal Fees 0 0 0 0
Cleaning (5,821) (5,821) (4,038) (4,038)
Maintenance - General (3,540) (3,540) (2,555) (2,555)
Light, Heat, Water (8,715) (8,715) (7,591) (7,591)
Buildings Insurance (8,520) (8,520) (7,944) (7,944)
Admin Expenses (1,148) (1,148) (965) (965)
Telephone (159) (159) (157) (157)
Newsletter (21) (21) (8) (8)
Publicity (224) (224) (92) (92)
Board of Deputies Affiliation (150) (150) (150) (150)
Security (2,933) (2,933) (2,397) (2,397)
Miscellaneous Expenses (3,116) (3,116) (517) (517)
Service Assistance & Expenses (6,449) (6,449) (10,601) (10,601)
Welfare (330) (330) (368) (368)
Burial Society Expenses
Funerals (4,150) (4,150) (11,760) (11,760)
US Affiliation Fees (883) (883) (931) (931)
Closure Costs (Misc Exps) (400) (400)
Total Expenditure (45,008) (5,433) (50,441) (44,775) (12,691) (57,466)
Surplus/(deficit) (3,374) 12,921 9,547 8,035 4,911 12,946
Gain or (Decline) on Investment Assets 24,598 13,497 38,095 2,979 (948) 2,031
Net Surplus or (Deficit) for the Year 21,224 26,418 47,642 11,014 3,963 14,977
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Reading Hebrew Congregation - Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2025

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Balance Sheet - 2025 Comparison - 2024
RHC Burial RHC Investment Asset RHC Burial RHC
ASSETS Community Society Total Movements 24-25 Community Society Total
Tangible Fixed Assets
Land and Buildings Note 2 525,000 525,000 525,000 525,000
Investments Note 3
Charibond 0 0 0 20,000 90,389 110,389
Unrealised Gain (Decline) on Asset (2,820) (10,091) (12,911)
Charibond Net Value 0 0 0 17,180 80,298 97,478
Charifund 60,000 70,000 130,000 60,000 70,000 130,000
Unrealised Gain on Asset 106,555 21,590 128,145 38,125 81,957 8,063 90,020
Charifund Net Value 166,555 91,590 258,145 141,957 78,063 220,020
Total Investment Assets 166,555 91,590 258,145 38,125 159,137 158,361 317,498
Cash
HSBC Current account 11,435 11,435 20,228 20,228
HSBC Golden Mazel Club 928 928 211 211
HSBC Deposit Account 575 575
Bath Building Society 60,870 60,870 44,515 44,515
Cambridge & Counties 82,000 82,000 82,000 82,000
United Trust Bank 11,543 73,599 85,142 28,127 60,279 88,406
Hampshire Trust Bank 4,731 80,269 85,000
Nationwide Building Society 98,687 98,687 86,061 86,061
Total Cash 270,769 153,868 424,637 261,142 60,279 321,421
Debtors
Debtors 11,166 11,166 9,803 9,803
Total Debtors 11,166 0 11,166 9,803 0 9,803
TOTAL ASSETS 973,490 245,458 1,218,948 955,082 218,640 1,173,722
Less: Current LIABILITIES (3,851) (3,851) (1,812) (1,812)
Provision for Extraordinary Cost 0 0 (4,855) (4,855)
Provision for Closure Costs Misc Exps (400) (400)
NET ASSETS 969,639 245,058 1,214,697 948,415 218,640 1,167,055
MEMBERS EQUITY
Land and Buildings Valuation Reserve 525,000 525,000 525,000 525,000
Accumulated Reserves b/f 423,415 218,640 642,055 412,401 214,677 627,078
Current Year Surplus (deficit) (3,374) 12,921 9,547 8,035 4,911 12,946
Gain or (Decline) on Inv Assets 24,598 13,497 38,095 2,979 (948) 2,031
Accumulated Reserves c/f 969,639 245,058 1,214,697 948,415 218,640 1,167,055
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Reading Hebrew Congregation Notes to 2025 Accounts

NOTE 1

The Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

NOTE 2

The Synagogue was valued in 2022, and is held at the 2022 valuation Land and Buildings is now shown on the Balance Sheet from 2022 No depreciation is provided in respect of freehold land and buildings

NOTE 3

Financial investments are valued based on their quoted market prices as at the 31st December 2025.

The Charibond investment closed during 2025, and the holding was therefore sold. The closing amounts received back were as follows: To RHC: £17,173 To the RHC Burial Society £80,269 Total Received: £97,442

NOTE 4

Donations for Other Charities £ Magan David Adom (exc Gift Aid) 2,330 to be paid early 2026 Magan David Adom (exc Gift Aid) 50 paid in 2025 Board of Deputies (inc Gift Aid) 1,048 paid in 2025 Chief Rabbinate Trust (inc Gift Aid) 257 paid in 2025 Jewish Childs Day 197 Collect 2024 and paid in 2025 Total 1,552

NOTE 5 The Burial Society is a restricted fund of RHC.

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