Merseyside Jewish Representative Council

Umbrella body for the Jewish community of Liverpool and Merseyside (charity 1140569; company 07431778)

Merseyside Jewish Representative Council
Type	Registered charity and private company limited by guarantee
Founded	Company incorporated 8 November 2010; activities began 1 January 2011
Registration ID	Charity 1140569; company 07431778
Headquarters	Shifrin House, Smithdown Road, Liverpool

The Merseyside Jewish Representative Council (MJRC) is a registered charity (1140569) and a company limited by guarantee (07431778) that acts as an umbrella body for the Jewish community of Liverpool and surrounding areas. Its accounts say the company was incorporated on 8 November 2010 and began activities on 1 January 2011, "taking on the activities of the former MJRC Charitable Ltd".

What the Council says about itself

Its website says the MJRC "acts as an umbrella organisation for communal cohesion" and has formal links to the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council. It lists activities that include representing the communities of Liverpool, Southport, the Wirral and Chester; acting as a facilitator between the community and statutory authorities; liaison with the Community Security Trust, local politicians and authorities on antisemitism and community security; a weekly community newsletter; an online community hub; sponsoring communal events and the Annual Civic Service; and funding Jewish prizes at the two King David schools. It adds that full Council meetings open to the whole community are held three times a year. The homepage promotes the first British Jewish Culture Month, 16 May to 14 June 2026.

Companies House record

The company is active, has SIC code 94990 (activities of other membership organisations) and a registered office at Shifrin House, 433 Smithdown Road, Liverpool L15 3JL. The latest confirmation statement is dated 23 November 2025. The register records no person with significant control (the company's statement is that there is no registrable person) and no charges.

Current officers of Merseyside Jewish Representative Council (07431778) as listed by Companies House on 11 November 2026 (name, role, status and dates only; former officers are not listed here)

Name	Role	Status	Appointed	Resigned
Michelle Hayward	Director	Active	5 April 2011	–
Avril Kay Lewis	Director	Active	3 April 2012	–
Max Marcus	Secretary	Active	1 April 2014	–
Gordon Sherr Globe	Director	Active	14 April 2015	–
Alan Keith Rae	Director	Active	24 December 2018	–
Howard Philip Simon	Director	Active	29 April 2019	–
Jeremy George Wolfson	Director	Active	1 April 2020	–
Max Marcus	Director	Active	28 March 2023	–

Accounts and governance

The accounts for the year to 31 December 2025 are unaudited (the cover names Matthews Sutton & Co Ltd, chartered certified accountants), were approved on 29 June 2026 and were filed on 24 August 2026. They show income of £14,000 (2024: £13,817), expenditure of £33,404 (2024: £22,434) and a deficit of £19,404, taking total funds from £69,543 to £50,139. The trustees' report gives three legal objects: promoting the welfare of the Merseyside Jewish community through the relief of poverty, the advancement of education and of the Jewish religion in Liverpool, the Wirral and Chester and neighbouring areas; promoting religious and ethnic harmony through education; and promoting co-operation between local charities, voluntary agencies and statutory authorities. It says the Executive Committee, whose members are the trustees and directors, is made up of representatives nominated by communal organisations (it names King David and Harold House Foundation, Liverpool Jewish Housing Association Ltd, several synagogues, Merseyside Jewish Community Care, Liverpool UJIA and the Liverpool Israel Committee, or their successor bodies), together with appointed, co-opted and elected members, and that two trustees resigned on 19 November 2025. No trustee remuneration or expenses were paid in 2025 or 2024.

Merseyside Jewish Representative Council: statement of financial activities for the year to 31 December 2025 (£)

Item	2025	2024
Donations and legacies	5,822	6,596
Other trading activities (fundraising events and Year Book income)	6,614	5,495
Investment income	1,564	1,726
Total income	14,000	13,817
Expenditure on charitable activities	33,404	22,434
Net expenditure	(19,404)	(8,617)
Unrestricted funds carried forward	19,605	20,598
Restricted funds carried forward	30,534	48,945
Total funds carried forward	50,139	69,543

Merseyside Jewish Representative Council: movement in restricted funds in 2025 (note 11, £)

Fund	At 1 January 2025	Net movement	At 31 December 2025
Bookshop Charitable Funds Committee	13,569	(1,750)	11,819
Mortuary	15,391	223	15,614
Kehilla Choir	1,610	–	1,610
Lottery Grant	6,609	(5,141)	1,468
Rothschild Archive Grant	11,760	(11,743)	17
Total	48,945	(18,411)	30,534

Of the 2025 income, £1,400 came from a synagogue levy, £800 from delegates' fees, £1,700 for mortuary maintenance and £5,705 from Year Book income. The trustees' report states a reserves policy of keeping unrestricted reserves sufficient to cover management, administration and support costs and unforeseen circumstances.

Identification and limits

• This page records Companies House information, the unaudited accounts for 2025 and the Council's own web pages (read on 11 November 2026).
• The accounts are scanned images and were read page by page; the statement of financial activities and the trustees' report were checked by eye against the page images and the totals add up.
• Earlier years and the Council's year books and publications were not analysed.
• The Charity Commission register could not be opened from the research box; the charity number comes from the accounts.
• Officer details are limited to names, roles, status and dates from the public register.

See also

• Board of Deputies of British Jews
• Jewish Leadership Council
• Community Security Trust