Overall GiG Score: 14 ?
Finance Score: -4
Governance Score: 6
Support Score: 12
  • Low unrestricted reserves: -2
  • Income diversified: +3
  • Strong growth: +2
  • Multiple Deficits: -2
  • Fundraising costs high: -5
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Grant maker support: +12

THE READER ORGANISATION 

We aim to bring about a Reading Revolution making it possible for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to enjoy and engage with books on a deep and personal level. We aim to improve well-being and build communities through shared reading. Our work is driven by the heartfelt belief that literacy is not just the ability to read, but the state of being a reader.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • Income generation is well diversified
  • There has been strong growth in spending over the last 5 years
  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and dynamic in terms of composition

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end
  • On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending
  • Fundraising costs are extremely high relative to funds raised
Established: 15 years

www.thereader.org.uk

info@thereader.org.uk

07807106770

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseFacebookInstagramXYouTube
UN SDGs
?

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/23£4,241£4,912£-671£1,439£5,859£1,0342.5175700
31/03/22£4,064£4,197£-133£995£6,530£1,4994.3151772
31/03/21£3,647£3,467£180£583£6,663£1,4284.9134761
31/03/20£4,048£3,473£575£767£6,483£1,2364.31411,200
31/03/19£7,105£2,808£4,297£577£5,909£1,1294.81191,289
31/03/18£3,170£2,360£810£543£1,612£79541160
31/03/17£3,044£3,062£-18£563£802£7923.11280
31/03/16£3,679£3,411£268£256£820£4471.61310
31/03/15£2,814£2,729£85£151£552£5522.41040
31/03/14£2,067£1,999£69£6£467£4672.8800
31/03/13£1,625£1,548£77£5£399£3993.1680
31/03/12£1,297£1,267£30£5£322£2952.8410
31/03/11£1,058£1,033£25£5£292£2382.8340
31/03/10£675£597£78£4£267£1392.8250

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 52.1%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 29.3%
Highest pay band: Less than £60,000
Liabilities/Assets: 12%
Liabilities/Income: 18%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 18%
Reserves/Spending: 2.5 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 2 months
Quick Ratio: 1.5
Asset Split ?
What it does
  • Arts/Culture/Heritage/Science
  • Education/Training
  • Other Charitable Purposes
  • The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who works here?
  • 175 employees
  • 700 volunteers
Who it helps
  • Children/Young People
  • Elderly/Old People
  • People With Disabilities
  • The General Public/Mankind
How it operates
  • Other charitable activities
  • Provides services
Where it operates
  • Northern Ireland, Scotland, Throughout England And Wales,

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
National Lottery Heritage Fund£243,040
DCMS£214,553
Garfield Weston Foundation£143,776
Masonic Trust£59,312
The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington£55,516
City Bridge Trust£47,785
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Masonic Trust - MCF Large Grant
£59,312 20/07/2023
Support for kinship children in Liverpool through the Reading Heroes programme.
The Rayne Foundation - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£35,000 29/09/2022
Towards its Reading Heroes project - reading aloud with care experienced children to improve confidence, wellbeing and develop a love of reading for pleasure.
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£243,040 09/11/2021
Making Meaning at Calderstones
City Bridge Trust - Grant to The Reader
£47,785 17/03/2021
£47,785 for a further and final two years (£23,540; £24,245) to develop and continue Shared Reading groups in Croydon targeting isolated older people 65 plus.
Tudor Trust - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£2,000 03/03/2021
as an additional grant to support staff, volunteer and trustee wellbeing, to assist the organisation deliver its charitable purpose more effectively
Garfield Weston Foundation - WCF award - COVID19 response
£143,776 05/02/2021
Weston Culture Fund
Cheshire Community Foundation - Feel Better With a Book
£4,999 03/09/2020
Cheshire is at the heart of The Reader’s Northwest Shared Reading movement and a flagship area for our work in mental health and recovery. Since 2017, working with health, voluntary and community ....more
DCMS - VSCE CMC Fund
£4,999 03/09/2020
NET, Comic Relief and Children in Need will use this funding to provide: increased support to vulnerable people and hidden groups, thus reducing the burden on public services; reach local grassroots ....more
DCMS - Coronavirus Community Support Fund
£34,554 08/07/2020
"The fund aims to:1) To reduce closures of essential charities that provide essential services to vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis by ensuring they have the financial resources to ....more
Suffolk Community Foundation - Shared Reading
£7,527 29/06/2020
11
Towards the Shared Reading Project.
BBC Children in Need - Grant to The Reader
£3,000 17/06/2020
6
COVID19 - This grant will provide books and postcards to looked after children isolated at home due to Covid-19, and will help to improve their emotional wellbeing and enable them to escape by ....more
Suffolk Community Foundation - Norfolk and Suffolk Shared Reading
£7,032 08/06/2020
12
Towards the "Through the Gate" project, supporting ex-offenders.
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£25,932 05/05/2020
6
towards unrestricted core costs as a COVID-19 Fast Response grant
Tudor Trust - Grant to The Reader Organisation (COVID19 Grant)
£40,000 17/04/2020
12
as a one-off unrestricted grant to provide support to The Reader as it adapts to respond to the Coronavirus crisis
Suffolk Community Foundation - Shared Reading leader volunteer support
£3,000 06/02/2020
11
Towards the Shared Reading Project Leader volunteer training in Suffolk.
The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£55,516 18/09/2019
36
Bringing people together and books to life through eight new volunteer-led Shared Reading groups for the over-50s in Tower Hamlets, improving social connection and wellbeing.
DCMS - National Portfolio Organisation 2018-2022
£175,000 01/04/2019
£1.6bn invested in the key arts and culture infrastrucure organisations in England for a 4 year period
National Lottery Community Fund - Connect at Calderstones
£81,651 18/02/2019
36
Connect at Calderstones
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£155,589 23/01/2019
36
Towards volunteer manager, programme co-ordinator and partnership manager roles which together will increase participation in literature based cultural activities for individuals experiencing mental ....more
Suffolk Community Foundation - Shared Reading
£15,447 12/12/2018
12
To support a Shared Reading Project.
Tudor Trust - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£75,000 13/11/2018
12
towards work to convert the Calderstones mansion house in Liverpool for use as a wellbeing centre utilising Reader's shared reading model
BBC Children in Need - Grant to Reader Organisation
£107,747 23/10/2018
36
This project will offer reading for pleasure sessions for children and young people across Merseyside. It will lead to active imaginations, increased confidence, self-esteem and improved wellbeing.
AB Charitable Trust - A grant to The Reader
£20,000 03/07/2018
£20,000 towards the core costs of criminal justice work. The Reader runs weekly shared reading groups in over 30 prisons. This provides informal weekly sessions which provides the opportunity to ....more
DCMS - National Portfolio Organisation 2018-2022
£175,000 01/04/2018
National Portfolio Organisation 2018-2022
DCMS - National Portfolio Organisation 2018-2022
£43,750 01/04/2018
To support National Portfolio Organisation 2018-2022
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£50,000 03/11/2017
The Reader - Building Communities through Shared Reading
National Lottery Community Fund - Building communities through Shared Reading
£858,517 31/10/2017
36
The Reader will aim to improve personal well-being, reduce social isolation and build stronger communities. Weekly reading groups will provide a friendly and welcoming space where stories and poems ....more
Nesta - AC00616
£270,000 31/03/2017
25
Second Half Fund programme grant to The Reader Organisation Grant Ref AC00616
DCMS - Second Half Fund
£135,000 31/03/2017
Nesta is undertaking a programme called the ?Second Half Fund? (?the Programme?) which is supported and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through the Office for Civil Society. The ....more
City Bridge Trust - Grant to The Reader
£87,900 20/03/2017
36
£87,900 over three years (£35,900; £27,800; £24,200) towards the cost of establishing Shared Reading groups in Croydon targeting isolated older people 75 plus.
National Lottery Community Fund - Feel Better with a Book
£440,766 25/01/2017
36
Feel Better with a Book
United Saviours Charity - Reading Together, Reading for Life
£23,815 25/07/2016
11
Shared reading workshops for parents and very young children in community and library venues in north Southwark. The project aims to increase parents’ confidence in reading and time spent reading ....more
Tudor Trust - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£170,000 17/07/2015
24
towards the environmental aspects of work to convert Calderstones Mansion in Liverpool for use as a wellbeing centre utilising the shared reading model
Comic Relief - Care Home Challenge Fund: Shared Reading groups in Barnet Care Settings
£19,995 27/05/2015
12
Based on the success of the current shared reading groups in Care Settings in Barnet, we would like to handover the existing groups to care home staff and local volunteers to run as their own local ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£210,000 24/06/2014
Towards the core costs related to the 'whole person, whole population' approach to shared reading.
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£1,994,400 18/03/2014
The Reader at Calderstones
Tudor Trust - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£60,000 27/08/2013
24
over two years towards the salary of a Reader Places development manager at an organisation which brings isolated people together to form reading groups
Tudor Trust - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£88,000 07/06/2013
24
over two years as continuation funding towards the continued roll out of the Get into Reading programme in the South West of England
AB Charitable Trust - Group discussion of literature for wellbeing
£8,000 23/04/2013
£8,000 towards facilitated shared read-aloud groups at HMP Reading
National Lottery Community Fund - Make Friends with a Book
£236,309 26/09/2012
36
The project will benefit people across North Wales who have poor reading skills and/or are at risk of social isolation, by helping them to improve their literacy and sociability through shared ....more
Henry Smith Charity - Grant to Reader Organisation
£88,800 14/03/2012
36
towards three years' salary of the Business Manager of a National charity which promotes reading and literacy
Lloyds Bank Foundation - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£35,000 27/01/2012
the salary and on-costs of the Family Project Worker
National Lottery Community Fund - There is no project name available for this record
£10,000 10/06/2011
12
The organisation want to explore the idea of using reading as a group activity to break down barriers faced by elderly people and their carers. The group will carry out a feasibility study to scope ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - Reader Volunteer Scheme
£415,416 13/04/2011
60
This new project will engage people experiencing / at risk of experiencing mental health problems in a range of volunteering opportunities across the Merseyside area resulting in a free volunteer-run ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to The Reader Organisation
£90,000 25/09/2008
36
Towards Core costs Towards the salary of a training manager for the national roll out of the Get Into Reading Project.
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (9)
Current Trustees appointed

Age Range of Trustees: 33-71
  • ANITA MARSLAND (Chair) Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Non Executive Director & Local Government Adviser
  • HUGH JOHN BIDDELL Appointed: 2015, Occupation: Head Of Charities & Not For Profit, Rbs Plc
  • PRANAV SOOD Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Director Of Business Operations And Strategy
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 19/11/2008, number: 1126806
  • Registered at Companies House on 02/06/2008, number: 06607389
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Internal risk management policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Investment
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
14 returns made; all on time
Main office

THE READER ORGANISATION
THE MANSION HOUSE
CALDERSTONES PARK
LIVERPOOL
L18 3JB

Objectives

TO PROMOTE ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSES FOR THE BENEFIT OF CITIZENS AND INHABITANTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND OTHER COUNTRIES, IN PARTICULAR THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, THE FURTHERANCE OF HEALTH, THE RELIEF OF POVERTY, DISTRESS AND SICKNESS, THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL INCLUSION AND FURTHERANCE OF COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY THROUGH READING AND LITERATURE-BASED ACTIVITIES

Defined Area of Benefit:

UNDEFINED. IN PRACTICE, LOCAL

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving
CharityBase
Authorised officials of this charity can add information to this page (including a Donate Now button) for no cost

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