## **Registered Charity Number 1087775** Langland Bay Lifeguard Club C/O Club Secretary & Treasurer 18 John Street Mumbles Swansea SA3 4LH **Affiliated to the Surf Lifesaving Association of Wales (SLSA Wales), the National Governing Body for lifesaving in Wales.** ## For the attention of: The Charities Commission ## **Re: Langland Bay Lifeguard Club – report of activities 2024** Please accept this letter as a summary of the Trustee’s Report for 2024 activity for Langland Bay Lifeguard Club. Run entirely by its members, who are all volunteers and receive no payment for the work they do, the Club’s primary purpose is to provide aquatic based lifesaving and first aid training to its members across a range of ages from 7yrs to 60+. In addition, the Club provides opportunities for members to compete against other Surf Lifesaving Clubs to hone their skills, build on their fitness levels, and have fun! The Club is split into 4 sections – Nippers, Juniors, Seniors and Masters. Club activities take place at Langland Bay in the summer months (from the start of May to end of September) and at a local swimming pool in the winter months (September to end of April). An overview of each section for 2024 is as follows. ## **Nippers** Aimed at 7–12-year-olds, the Nipper section of the Club exists to provide children with the fundamental skills and knowledge of how to stay safe in or around the water and teaches them basic rescue skills so they can help others. Children are age/ability banded to provide progressive training through the groups. 2024 saw the handover of responsibly for this age group to two recently qualified Trainers, with other experienced Trainers and the Head Club Coach providing mentoring and support as required. This provided an opportunity for the outgoing lead trainers from this age group to support the Head Club Coach with the delivery of training sessions for the older age groups within the Club. This year also saw a growing interest from Nipper parents to support the delivery of sessions, and as such a Nipper Safety Assistant course and Level 1 Trainer course was held for 8 volunteers prior to the start of the Summer season. This approach is crucial to ensuring the sustainability of our Club, as there is inevitably a level of turnover as members either move through the age groups or leave the Club to pursue other activities. ## Membership levels As a result of strenuous efforts by our club Nipper coaches and helpers our Nipper membership has grown by around 30% compared to last year. ## Lifesaving awards - Nipper water safety awards were delivered once again this year, with more than 75% of Nippers completing the award relevant to their age. ## **Juniors (12 to 16yrs)** The Junior section builds on the fundamental skills learnt during Nippers. Members at this level will train for intermediate First Aid and Lifesaving qualifications, which lead onto the opportunity to work towards obtaining their National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ) at 16yrs. This is an industry standard award which is the pre-requisite for employment as a beach lifeguard across the UK. ## Membership levels Around 20 Nippers transitioned from the Nipper to Junior age group this year, however our Junior section continues to be the most challenging group to maintain membership levels, mainly due to the sheer breadth of extra-curricular and sporting activities that many young people are involved in. ## Lifesaving awards - Junior awards were delivered during the early part of the season, with many obtaining their Level 1 lifesaving awards, thus allowing them to enter surf lifesaving competitions in the Summer. ## **Seniors & Masters** There are various vocational awards and training opportunities available to Seniors, for example Rescue Boat Training and other specialist first aid and lifesaving qualifications, which serve either as a pre-requisite for employment or as evidence of extra-curricular activities for CVs. ## Membership levels This year has seen a big increase in membership within this section primarily due to Nipper parents becoming interested in playing an active role within the club. There were also several Senior members returning from University and rejoining the club. As such, specific sessions for this age group were initiated at the start of the beach season, in order to provide everyone with the opportunity to use the limited amount of training equipment, but also to ensure sessions were tailored to the age and experience levels accordingly. ## Lifesaving awards - Senior & Master awards were completed for those wishing to gain employment, compete at surf lifesaving competitions, provide support for voluntary beach patrols and water safety events, or become Nipper Safety Assistants to support on the beach with Nipper sessions. ## **Club competitive achievements** In 2024 the club competed at both Welsh and British pool and open water surf lifesaving competitions with a few very impressive results. - Our Nippers came 4[th] out of 14 Clubs in the Surf Lifesaving Wales Stillwater (pool) championships, with our Masters age group achieving 2[nd] place. This resulted the Club coming 7[th] overall. - Due to the low level of interest and numbers at junior and senior level, the Club did not score as highly, therefore affecting our overall position in the rankings. ## **Other Club activities and areas of focus** As a volunteer-based organisation we rely on the support of our members to assist with the day to day running of the club, from training delivery to fundraising activities to maintenance of our building and equipment. This year our fundraising team generated a total income of just over £13k, through a combination of sponsorship from local businesses, supporting local water safety events, plus an impressive grant of just under £10k was provided to purchase new lifesaving training & surf lifesaving sport racing equipment. ## **What’s planned for 2025?** With 2025 being the club’s 50[th] year, there will be a range of formal and informal celebrations held throughout the year. It is hoped that these events will not only engage existing members, but also past members and members of our local community who have supported the Club over the years. We are also planning to run specific lifesaving sport and fitness sessions which will be less intensive and more progressive in their nature, the aim being to softly introduce and encourage members to take part in competitive events. Based on the significant increase in members throughout the year, plus the level of interest from parents and members to get more involved in the Club, we are planning to review our Committee structure and roles within the Committee itself. We are planning on developing clearer guidance on both the formal (i.e. committee roles) and informal roles that the Club needs in order to build on the last 50 years, and futureproof the Club for years to come. For and on behalf of Langland Bay Lifeguard Club Darren Williams Club Secretary & Treasurer Langland Bay Lifeguard Club Langiand Bay Llfeguard Club Registered Charity: 1087775 Year Ended: 31st December 2024 Summary of Income and Expenditure 2024 2023 Income Membership subs Competition fees Fundraising activities Club clothing Lifesaving award fees Nipper camp Bank interest received 19754 3058 13136 787 17425 2897 5286 1212 99 1432 38168 26919 Expenditure Competition fees Fundraising activities Pool hire 2576 2740 loo 918 10588 11514 Clu b clothing Clubtraining equipment Equipment maintenance Building maintenance Building consumables Heat & light Rates & water 1386 10379 24 240 2959 603 3407 731 1900 140 380 1502 542 554 Fire. Security and broadband Insurance & governing body affiliation Lifesaving award fees Bank charges Volunteer training & development 1439 2561 1250 1568 190 13 165 298 28883 31783 Su rplusllDef icit) for the year 6386 -1964 Langiand Bay Lifeguard Club Registered Charlty: 1087775 Year Ended: 31st December 2024 Statement of BankAccounts 2023 2024 Balance at Bankas at 31.12.2023 GeneralAccount Treasurers Account Fund Account 5393 184 4103 9680 4941 72 29 5042 6386 11428 -1964 (Deficitllsurplus for the year 7716 Balance at Bank as at 31.12.2024 GeneralAccount TreasurersAccount FundraisingAccount Fund Account 4941 9919 72 179 2674 3894 29 iio 7716 14102 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF Langland Bay Lifeguard Club I report on the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 31 De￿mber 2024, which are set out on the attached pages. Respective Responsibilities of Committee Members and Examiner The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for the year under sethon 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to'.- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act- and to state whether partj'cular matters have corrE to my attention. Basis of Independent Examiner's Report My examination was carried out in accordan￿ with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair vievl and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent Examiner's Statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention.. {1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requifements'.- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act 2011., and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounts.ng records, comply with the applicable requirement cOn￿mIng the fonn and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts Reports) Regulab"ons 2008 Have not been met: or 121 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Kathryn Stallard FCCA Willis Jones Chartered Certified Accountants 64 Walter Road Swansea SA14PY Date 11th August 2025