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2025-08-31-accounts

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

Charity Number 1106766

Company Number 04197666

Unaudited Financial Statements and Annual Report

For the Year Ended

31 August 2025

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders

Unit 2J St. Marks Industrial Estate 439 North Woolwich Road London E16 2BS

ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

Table of contents

Legal and Administrative Information 2
Compliance with statutory requirements 3
Our objectives and activities 3
Our mission, vision and values 3
Background and history 3
Structure, governance and management 4
Safeguarding 4
Trustee matters 5
Board changes in 2024-25 5
Our approach to Trustee appointments 5
Our Trustee recruitment process 5
Review of The Group’s policies and practices 6
The Director’s Report 6
Ascension Eagles competition results in 2024-25 7
Our Junior Leadership Team (JLT) 8
Talent Central 9
Our schools’ outreach programme 9
Our impact 11
Athlete feedback 11
Chair’s review 15
Looking back at 2024-25 15
Strategic priorities for 2025-26 15
Funding and support 16
Arrangements for setting pay and remuneration of Key Management Personnel 17
Public benefit 17
Financial review 17
Reserves policy 17
Preparation of this report 17
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities 18

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

Legal and Administrative Information

Trustees Sue Winston (Chair)
Tara Stimpson (Treasurer and Secretary)
Servane Chou (appointed 10 June 2025)
Erica De Rosa
Frances Easter Brennan (appointed 22 April
2025)
Edward Elliott (appointed 22 April 2025)
Farrah Mughal (resigned 13 November 2025)
Elisabeth Okrainec (appointed 22 April 2025)
Lewis Ridett
Peter Sharp
Susan Spiller
Company Secretary Tara Stimpson
Chief Executive Officer Angela Green
Registered Office Unit 2J
St. Marks Industrial Estate
439 North Woolwich Road
London
E16 2BS
Independent examiners Moore Kingston Smith LLP
6th Floor
9 Appold street
London
EC2A 2AP
Bankers National Westminster Bank Plc
Bankers’ Registered Office 250 Bishopsgate
London
EC2M 4AA
Company number 04197666
Charity number 1106766

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FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Compliance with statutory requirements

The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity known as Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders for the year 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025.

The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial statements of the company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the company's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

Since the charity qualifies as small under section 383, the strategic report required of medium and large companies under The Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Director's Report) Regulations 2013 is not required.

Note: The Board of Trustees and the Management Team have adopted the term “The Group” (or “We” or “Us”) to describe the combined activities of Ascension Eagles Cheerleading and Talent Central, to recognise and to emphasise that our mission is delivered through a range of competition, recreational and schools’ programmes.

People working on behalf of The Group include senior managers (known as “the senior team” or “the Management Team”), the Board of Trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff and students.

Our objectives and activities

Our purpose, as stated in our Memorandum and Articles of Association, is to provide facilities for the recreation and leisure time occupation of young people under the age of 25 in the interest of social welfare.

We provide training in cheerleading activities and performance opportunities, to develop young p eoples’ fundamental capacities, so that:

They may grow to full maturity as individuals, so that they become effective and considerate members of their communities, and their conditions of life may be improved.

Our mission, vision and values

Background and history

Our charity began in 1996, as a grassroots outreach programme and part of the Ascension Church Centre, with the aim of keeping young people off the streets and out of trouble.

When AEC ranked bottom at their first National Championship in 1997, they were fed-up with negative stereotypes. They decided that coming bottom at Nationals was something they would not

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FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

accept; instead, they combined efforts with the aspiration of achieving a different result in future competitions.

The following year, in 1998, they won their first National trophy, and, in doing so, proved to themselves that hard work can bring success.

With sheer determination and teamwork, this group of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds committed themselves to being the best that they could be.

Over a quarter of a century later, our programme is firmly established as the best of British Cheerleading, consistently coming top in competitions but also making a vital contribution to young peoples’ social and physical development through our recreational classes and school programmes.

Structure, governance and management

The company was incorporated on 10 April 2001 and became a registered charity on 15 November 2004. It took over the assets and liabilities of the unincorporated association of the same name on 1 September 2004.

The company is limited by guarantee and its management is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Articles of Association at each Annual General Meeting, with the day-to-day responsibility delegated to the Management Team.

The Group’s Board has elected to follow the principles and practices set out in the Charity Governance Code[1] as published by the Charity Commission.

Safeguarding

The Group recognises the importance of its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and young people entrusted to its care (“the beneficiaries”).

We are committed to regular child protection training for all staff, coaches, volunteers and Trustees, to develop their understanding of the signs of abuse and how to respond to disclosures of abuse. Anyone in leadership who has contact with children/young people must complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and Trustee appointments are subject to a DBS check; we believe this approach is sensible to mitigate risks to our beneficiaries and to the charity’s reputation.

Our safeguarding policy, referred to as the Child And Adults At Risk Protection Policy (“CAARP Policy”), follows NSPCC guidance. Our policy was reviewed and updated in May 2025. The latest version of our CAARP Policy is available for public view via a link[2] on the Ascension Eagles website (Note: this link leads to a downloadable pdf of the policy)

In keeping with the requirement that all organisations working with children must have a designated individual who takes the lead on safeguarding, The Group’s Board of Trustees annually appoint a Nominated Safeguarding Lead and a Deputy Safeguarding Lead to ensure the implementation of The Group’s CAARP Policy.

In June 2025, Laura Arnold was appointed the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Robert Horton became Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

In addition, the Board also appoints a Trustee Safeguarding Lead (currently Peter Sharp) who reports to the Board at each Board meeting on The Group’s safeguarding practice, including raising any concerns of which the Board needs to be aware and any incidents which have taken place (in accordance with any confidentiality/reporting restrictions which may apply).

1 https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en

2 https://6d54ed17-c353-4301-8dd7c47f11890b45.filesusr.com/ugd/bf1a1d_0ba2db54d5fd4f2c8a09cbdc720db60d.pdf

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Trustee matters

Board changes in 2024-25

In May 2025 we appointed four new Trustees to the Board; Servane Chou; Frances Easter Brennan; Edward Elliott and Elisabeth Okrainec . Before beginning our recruitment, we conducted a Board audit to identify potential skills gaps among existing Trustees; these were then compiled into an interview scorecard to allow us to assess potential candidates’ strengths and experience s against our skills gaps.

In appointing these new Trustees, we were fortunate to secure candidates with, for example, a strong focus on project delivery, professional experience of working with young people, experience of youth sport as a participant/organiser and an evident passion for our mission.

The Board also accepted support from Ikram Oyebanjo , who is a chartered surveyor and a former member of the AEC programme. Ikram offered to help AEC with lease negotiations and attends Board meetings as a guest. We are immensely grateful to her for giving her time and professional expertise to support AEC.

On 13 November 2025 Farrah Mughal stepped down as a member of the Board of Trustees, citing personal reasons which meant she was no longer able to give AEC the time she wished to. During her five years as an AEC Trustee, Farrah was a great advocate for the young people at AEC, and sat on The Group’s fundraising and Human Resources committees. We are thankful for the time and passion that Farrah gave to AEC during her tenure.

Our approach to Trustee appointments

We have a thorough and thoughtful approach to the selection and appointment of Trustees. We participate in the BoardMatch events run by the East London Business Alliance (ELBA); with its focus on East London, ELBA is able to provide Trustee candidates who have a connection to the areas in which we deliver our mission.

In the past we have also advertised Trustee vacancies on sites such as Reach Volunteering; and we share vacancies on social media, such as LinkedIn. For roles requiring technical skills we also approach membership organisations for specialist roles (e.g. ICAEW for financial skills and IPD for people skills).

Mindful of the benefits of increased Board diversity, the Board aims to place value on candidates’ passion for our mission - not simply on their skills or the extent of their professional experience. The Board also conducts a Trustee skills review every couple of years and seeks to address any skills gaps during Trustee recruitment programmes. A Board skills review was conducted in August 2024, in preparation for the recruitment of new Trustees.

Our Trustee recruitment process

All Trustee applicants are invited to complete an Expression of Interest form and submissions are shared with the Board. Suitable candidates are informally interviewed by the Chair and, if possible, at least one other existing Trustee; during the interview, candidates are asked to give their pre-prepared thoughts on a challenge that The Group may be facing.

Short-listed candidates are then invited to attend one of The Group’s events or to visit our gym to see what we do ‘at first hand’.

Where possible, we aim for a candidate to have met at least 75% of the Trustees by this stage of the process.

If the candidate is considered a potential appointee, they are invited to attend a Board meeting as an observer. If the candidate subsequently confirms that they still wish to proceed, the Board agrees in principle whether they wish to appoint the candidate. If they do, the potential new Trustee receives an

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

induction pack (in line with the Charity Commission’s recommendations), is subject to an enhanced DBS check and is asked to sign a declaration to confirm that they have not been disqualified from acting as a Trustee and to declare any conflicts of interest.

All Trustee appointments are formally voted on by the Board. Any issues arising from the DBS checks or the declaration of eligibility may result in any offer of an appointment being withdrawn.

Review of The Group’s policies and practices

All of the Group’s policies were reviewed in May 202 5 and the policies were approved by the Board. Each policy has a nominated Trustee who is responsible for ensuring each of their policies is up to date and reflects current regulatory requirements and best practice.

The Director’s Report

This marks the end of our first full season in our new space at St Mark’s Industrial Estate. While it hasn’t been without its challenges - including lease negotiations with the local council, and the general state of repair of the unit – it has been a positive year overall.

As we approach our second full season at St Marks and our 30th anniversary year, we know that the road ahead is uncertain. It has never been more challenging to be a youth provider in Newham, with many factors not in our favour.

Despite this, we remain committed to keeping our beneficiaries at the heart of our programme and to meeting young peoples’ needs through our accessible programmes.

Highlights for the year include:

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

Ascension Eagles competition results in 2024-25

Our squads train year-round and compete against regional and national teams in their respective age groups.

Prodigy Mini Prep
Level 1
(aged 6-8)		 Synergy Senior Prep
Level 1
(aged 12-21)		 Majesty Senior Gravity Novice Cheer
(aged 6-10)
Level 2
(aged 12-17)

4th- Just Believe - Legacy
Regionals
1st- Spotlight Showdown - FC
Regionals
8th- FC Essentials Nationals
2nd- ICC British Open Pt 2 -
ICC Nationals		 2nd- Just Believe -
Legacy Regionals
2nd- Spotlight
Showdown - FC Regionals
2nd- FC Essentials
Nationals
3rd- ICC British Open Pt
2 - ICC Nationals
4th- Just Believe -
Legacy Regionals
6th- Spotlight
Showdown - FC
Regionals
3rd- Live Your Legacy -
Legacy Nationals
5th- FC Internationals
4th- ICE Blast - ICE
Regionals
Excellent- FC Essentials
Nationals
Symphony Youth Prep
Level 1
(aged 8-11)		 Prophecy Under-14
Level 1
(aged 10-14)		 Serenity
(Special Educational Needs
Team)		 Destiny - International
Under-12 Level 1
(aged 8-12)

1st- Just Believe - Legacy
Regionals
2nd- Spotlight Showdown - FC
Regionals
1st- FC Essentials Nationals
1st & Judges’ Choice- ICC
British Open Pt 2 - ICC
Nationals		 8th- Just Believe -
Legacy Regionals
4th- Spotlight
Showdown - FC
Regionals
6th- Live Your Legacy
- Legacy Nationals
3rd- FC
Internationals
1st- Just Believe - Legacy
Regionals
1st- Spotlight Showdown -
FC Regionals
1st- Nfinity The Finals

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

Our Junior Leadership Team (JLT)

Our junior leadership programme is a cornerstone of our efforts to empower young people. The programme is designed to cultivate future leaders by providing athletes with tangible leadership development opportunities.

Through this structured initiative, participants volunteer their time, in the process acquiring valuable coaching experience and skills. This development is further supported by mentorship, provided by existing AEC leaders. By taking on additional responsibilities, these highly motivated young people significantly enhance their confidence, their leadership skills and their employability.

During the 2024-25 season each of our ten JLT members volunteered for over 125 hours and took part in a number of workshops including first aid and safeguarding training.

“The children pay a lot of attention to you and they want to learn a lot of new skills. It just fills me with happiness knowing that I will help them to achieve their goals.”

Sophia, junior coach who supports one of our tumble classes

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Talent Central

Talent Central is London’s first “cheer gym”, based on the well -respected principles, values and training ethos of Ascension Eagles. The centre continues to be used by many athletes all the way through to other competitive cheer programmes. We deliver our community outreach work through the Talent Central brand.

Cheerleading is an exceptional sport. It not only allows athletes to develop physical skills but also cultivates invaluable team dynamics. Young people make enduring friendships, build strong relationships and find unwavering support within their team and coaching staff.

We are committed to the development of young people at all levels and offer a comprehensive programme from beginner classes to an elite pathway. We understand the importance of inclusivity and accessibility, so we offer the opportunity for young people to get involved without them having to fully commit to the costs and time-commitment required to take part in competitive cheerleading.

Our recreational classes

Our recreational classes give young people aged five and upwards a pathway to join us in the gym, regardless of their level. These classes are focused on sharing the positive physical and mental wellbeing benefits of our sport through building basic skills, making friends and having fun. This past year we have worked hard to build membership of our classes with the goal of introducing additional classes once at capacity.

I just wanted to say how much
The coaches are really supportive, and
of an impact gymnastics has you can see how much confidence the
had on my daughter. She kids are building. They’re learning new
absolutely loves being part of
skills, staying active, and most
Parents’
feedback		 the group and learning new
skills.She’s learned so much
since she started as she had		 importantly, they’re having so much
fun. It’s been a really positive
experience for them.
no experience beforehand.
I feel really happy here. I like coming here to see my friends and
learn new skills.
Athletes’
feedback		 It is for me! As my sisters do
football- it is nice to do		 It makes me feel like I belong.
something on my own.

Our schools’ outreach programme

As part of our outreach programme, we deliver after-school cheerleading in a school-based setting. This increases our reach, allowing us to make cheerleading accessible to so many more young people within the local community.

Throughout the 2024- 25 season we delivered 15 schools’ classes per week at: Britannia Village (two classes), Calverton, Gallions, Hallsville, Keir Hardie, Lathom Rd, Lister, Manor Rd, New City, New Vic, Royal Wharf (two classes), School 21, St Angela’s.

In addition, one other school signed up to participate in all of our end-of-term showcase events.

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

Each school term culminated in one of our Showcase events, held at the former Olympic venue, ExCeL London. These valuable events provide the young people with a common goal to work towards as a team throughout the term.

The Showcase events, while competitive in nature, provide an opportunity for young people across the schools to come together, expand their social circles and connect with other young people who share similar passions and aspirations.

They also get the opportunity to perform in front of their family and friends, earning well-deserved recognition for their hard work. All school participants receive a certificate and a medal acknowledgement of their commitment throughout the term. Schools are awarded a trophy at bronze, silver or gold level.

In total 922 children attended our three showcase events in our 2024-25 season.

We are so grateful to our school partners for the continued opportunity to bring the benefits of cheerleading to so many young people. We look forward to building on our outreach programme over the coming seasons.

“I am shy and cheerleading helps me “I can see firsthand the positive to make more friends and get impact that cheer is having on all of flexible.” our pupils.” School athlete Bisi Imafidon, Extended Schools Manager Gallions Primary School

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(A company limited by guarantee)

Our impact

Our impact assessment work helps us to demonstrate our effectiveness and the extent to which we are delivering our mission. It allows us to benchmark how our athletes are feeling so that we can offer them the support and pastoral care they need, and it helps us to show our funders the difference that their investment is making - but it also highlights areas in which we could improve our services and how we deliver them.

Athlete feedback

To help us understand the impact cheerleading has for our young people, we invite our athletes and coaches to complete surveys during the year. We gather data in different ways - using structured questionnaires via Survey Monkey and through informal qualitative feedback (eg asking athletes to write on a sticky note and put it on the wall).

The 193 responses gathered from our surveys among our AEC and schools’ participants in March and July 2025 shows clearly that cheerleading has wide-ranging positive impacts for our young people. For example:

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Altogether, this evidence demonstrates that cheerleading delivers strong physical, emotional, social, and psychological benefits , reinforcing its value to our young people.

As part of our informal feedback gathering during the 2024-25 season, we asked our athletes “ How does being part of AEC make you feel? ” Here are some of the responses we received across our different age groups, reproduced here exactly as they were written by the young people.

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Chair’s review

Looking back at 2024-25

In 2024- 25 we were delighted to have the opportunity to settle into our new ‘home’ in North Woolwich. However, the financial planning we had done prior to relocating was significantly impacted by the landlord’s failure to provide us with a lease. Despite s ignificant efforts by our legal team at Eversheds Sutherland, our local MPs and our own management team, we were unable to secure the lease we had been promised; which in turn, meant we were not able to benefit from the six-month rent-free period we had planned for.

We continued to focus on finding ways to make AEC more efficient operationally. This led to us identifying an administration system called Coacha, to automate the bulk of the administration and banking tasks our team had been doing manually. While the automation brings an efficiency, the decision to implement Coacha resulted in us having to make a redundancy, which was highly regrettable.

The funding environment in 2024-25 became even more difficult, with many grant-making trusts and funds choosing to restrict their criteria to help them manage overwhelming levels of applications.

Nonetheless, while funding and grants contracted, the challenges and financial hardships faced by many of the families living in our catchment area (ie Newham and the surrounding boroughs) continued to increase. According to data published by Trust for London[3] , 45% of Newham’s children are living in poverty.

We therefore continued to do our utmost to try and ensure our services remain as accessible, inclusive and affordable as possible, so that Newham’s children continue to have access to a sport they love, regardless of their economic situation, demographic status or their ability.

Our new space offers even better cheerleading facilities and an area we can use for presentations and training sessions, such as for our Junior Leadership Team.

We have also been successful in making the space available to other groups in the local community to optimise use of the space during the daytime. For example, in 2024-25 we secured a regular weekly booking from a stunt team who use our gym as a rehearsal space.

In 2024-25 we continued to develop our recreational classes, which offer a more affordable option and provide young people with an alternative to the long-term commitment required for our competition programme.

We also took a team of athletes to Florida, USA to compete; the trip was a great success, both in terms of athlete/parent feedback (eg increase in the participants’ self -confidence) and the competition performance, so we hope to make this a more regular event. We were fortunate to receive sponsorship from London City Airport which helped to make the trip such a success.

Strategic priorities for 2025-26

The relocation of AEC in January 2023 has had a significant impact on our financial position, resulting in the additional costs of refurbishing and renting a new space. Given our challenging financial outlook and the difficulty of securing sustained funding in the current environment, the Board of Trustees has agreed to conduct a review of AEC’s operating model, with a view to identifying and evaluating potential alternative approaches to how the charity operates and is funded.

The Board will consider, for example, options for a different operating model such as renting a space in another sports-focused organisation, merging with another charity/organisation, the potential for securing social investment etc. However, the Board is not minded to change the charity’s mission or purpose.

3 https://trustforlondon.org.uk/news/borough-level-poverty-2025/#:~:text=as%20a%20whole.-,Child,poverty%20by%20London

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

This operating model review and its recommendations will be the Board’s key strategic focus for 2025-26. Work streams have been established and have identified their first steps.

Operationally, the management team will continue to focus on the strategic priorities set out in our 2023-28 business plan, which are as follow:

1. Growth : Our ambition is to increase the total number of members in our competition and recreational programmes to 200 by the end of the 2027/28 season.

2. Grant income and funding : secure additional grant funding to help us cover the increased costs of operating from our new location and to diversify our non-operational income streams.

3. Sponsorship : secure corporate sponsorships to help us maintain our fees at an affordable level and to reduce the cost of competitions/events for members.

The appointment of a professional fundraiser, ideally working for The Group two or three days a week, will be a key priority to ensure we improve the charity’s financial position.

We will continue to look at ways in which we can diversify our income streams, such as renting out our gym space to local community groups, offering private tuition and earning fee income by performing at sporting events.

We also understand the need to identify, recruit and train suitable coaches to support our growth plans. The development and growth of our Junior Leadership Team programme will be crucial in this regard and will be an additional priority for 2025-26.

Despite the challenging outlook, our services continue to be needed. Data from Public Health England[4] ( Source: Trust for London, December 2024 ) shows that 28.8% of children in Newham are considered obese – and Newham is one of two London boroughs with the biggest increase in childhood obesity in the past ten years. Childhood obesity is an issue that continues to cause significant concern - and also one to which we can make a positive contribution by providing access to a fun, affordable, long-term activity which helps to keep Newham’s young people active and healthy.

Funding and support

Without the continued support of all of our funders and donors we would not be able to make such a difference to so many young lives. In 2024-25 we were fortunate and thankful to receive support from:

Go! London; The Tuixen Foundation; The Royal Docks Trust (London); The Jack Petchey Foundation; London City Airport; Eversheds Sutherland and ExCeL.

Our donors' support helps us to ensure the young people of Newham have access to a wider range of fun, affordable and inclusive activities which help to keep them healthy physically and mentally.

In addition to funding and gift-in-kind support we receive from the above organisations, we are also grateful for the support and commitment of our Trustees; our members and their families, all of whom have volunteered so many hours to help ensure that The Group delivers its mission so effectively.

We are also indebted to James Asser, MP for West Ham and Beckton and his team, and to Sir – Stephen Timms MP for East Ham for the time and invaluable support they have given to AEC they have been our cheerleaders!

4 - https://trustforlondon.org.uk/data/child

obesity/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17619451439&gbraid=0AAAAADPdc5mjEMmTJ6q88CPLVGcBbkG6 z&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqqDFBhDhARIsAIHTlkug23tajlyYmdJLlO5b1JjXNmrq8kfytnSyFiy_1Ckn1167iFhwrroaAimCEA Lw_wcB#:~:text=each%20London%20borough.-,What,-does%20it%20tell

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ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Arrangements for setting pay and remuneration of Key Management Personnel

Key Management Personnel comprise the Trustees and the management team. Trustees are not remunerated in their capacity as a Trustee. The remuneration of the management team is determined by the Trustees’ annually in a Performance Management discussion.

Public benefit

The Trustees have complied with their duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 and have paid due regard to public benefit when preparing this report. There are no unreasonable restrictions, which would prevent young people in London benefiting from The Group’s services and support offered. The benefit provided to the public is consistent with the aims of the charity. All activities have been undertaken for the furtherance of public benefit and for the furtherance of The Group’s aims and objectives as per our Memorandum and Articles of Association. Further detail and public impact of our actions in 2024-25 are included elsewhere in this report.

Financial review

The reserves as at the beginning of the year were £484,760. We recorded a decrease in the year in unrestricted funds from £459,612 to £310,320 as we used the reserves previously set aside to support The Group following our relocation.

We recorded a decrease in Restricted Funds from £25,418 to £0, also in relation to the move to our new premises and refurbishment of the new space.

Reserves policy

The Board believes that the minimum level of the unrestricted general fund should be the equivalent of six months' usual salaries and other operating costs. This currently equates to approximately £181,000 based on current levels of expenditure.

Unrestricted general funds at year end were £245,065.

Total unrestricted reserves including designated funds and investment revaluation reserve at year end was £310,320.

Preparation of this report

This report has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies’ exemption of section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.This report was approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 26 January 2026.

SIGN

Sue Winston

Chair of Board of Trustees, Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders

Date: 27 March 2026

Page 17

ASCENSION EAGLES CHEERLEADERS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

(A company limited by guarantee)

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In preparing this report the trustees have taken advantage of the small company exemptions provided by section 415a of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved on behalf of the Board of Trustees and signed on its behalf by:

SIGN

..................................................

Sue Winston

Chair of Board of Trustees, Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders

Date: 27 March 2026

Page 18

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders for the year ended 31 August 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act (“the 2011 Act”). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent Examiner's Statement

Since the Charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

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.

Adam Fullerton, FCA, DChA For and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP Chartered Accountants

Date:

9 Appold street London EC2A 2AP

Page: 19

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

Notes
Income from:
Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
4
Investments
5
Total Income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
6
Total Expenditure
12
Net Income/(Expenditure)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of Funds:
Fund balances at 1 September 2024
Fund balances at 31 August 2025
Net gains/(losses) on
investments		 Year ended
31 August 2025
Unrestricted
Funds
£
37,198
182,941
10,079
230,218
368,217
368,217
(11,293)
(149,292)
-
(149,292)
459,612
310,320		 Year ended
31 August 2025
Restricted
Funds
£
39,816
-
-
39,816
64,964
64,964
-
(25,148)
-
(25,148)
25,148
-		 Year ended
31 August 2025
Total
Funds
£
77,014
182,941
10,079
270,034
433,181
433,181
(11,293)
(174,440)
-
(174,440)
484,760
310,320		 Year ended
31 August 2024
Total
Funds
£
62,790
175,674
13,351
251,815
351,102
351,102
33,060
(66,227)
-
(66,227)
550,988
484,760

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the period.

All of the above amounts relate to continuing activities.

The notes on pages 22 to 32 form part of these financial statements.

Page: 20

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

Note
Fixed Assets
Tangible assets
10
Current Assets
Debtors
11
Current asset investments
12
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors:
Amounts falling due within one year
13
Net Current Assets
Net Assets
Funds
Unrestricted funds:
14
Restricted funds:
14		 2025
£
7,942
220,152
118,343
346,437
(36,117)		 2025
£
-
310,320
310,320
310,320
-
310,320		 2024
£
11,547
351,445
85,689
448,681
(23,541)		 2024
£
59,621
425,139
484,760
459,612
25,148
484,760

For the financial year ended 31 August 2025 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act in respect to accounting records and the preparation of the financial statements.

The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

The accounts were approved and authorised for issue by board on and signed on its 26 January 2026 behalf by:

SIGN …………………………........... …………………………........... Sue Winston, Chair Tara Stimpson, Treasurer Trustee Trustee

Company No: 04197666

Page: 21

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

1 Accounting Policies

Charity Information

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders is a company limited by guarantee and is registered with the Charity Commission (Charity Registered Number 1106766) and Registrar of Companies (Company Registration Number 04197666) in England and Wales.

The address of the registered office is given in the Charity information on page 1 of these financial statements. The nature of the Charity's operations and principal activities are detailed in the Trustees' Report.

Basis of Preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice.

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the Charity and rounded to the nearest pound.

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.

Going concern

The Trustees have assessed the use of going concern and have considered possible events or conditions that might cast significant doubt on the ability of the Charity to continue as a going concern. The Trustees have made this assessment for a period of at least one year from the date of the approval of these financial statements. The Trustees have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing these financial statements.

Income

All income is recognised once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

For donations to be recognised the Charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfillment of those conditions is within the control of the Charity and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.

Page: 22

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

1 Accounting Policies

Income (continued)

Gifts in kind donated for distribution are included at valuation and recognised as income when they are distributed to the projects. Gifts donated for resale are included as income when they are sold. Donated facilities are included at the value to the Charity where this can be quantified and a third party is bearing the cost. No amounts are included in the financial statements for services donated by volunteers.

Income from trading activities includes income earned from fundraising events and trading activities to raise funds for the Charity. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred.

The Charity receives grants in respect of furthering its charitable objective. Income from government and other grants are recognised at fair value when the Charity has entitlement after any performance conditions have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. If entitlement is not met then these amounts are deferred.

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.

Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the Charity and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Charity's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.

All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

Taxation

The Charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the Charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

Page: 23

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

1 Accounting Policies

Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets costing £500 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.

Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, using the straight-line method. Depreciation is provided on the following basis:

lowing basis:
Leasehold improvement 17%
Office equipment 33%
Gym equipment 25%
Uniforms 20%

Investments

Current asset investments are initially recognised at their transaction cost and subsequently measured at fair value at the Balance sheet date, unless the value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and presented as ‘Gains/(Losses) on investments’ in the Statement of

Debtors

Debtors are recognised when the Charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

Liabilities and provisions

Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.

Financial instruments

The Charity only holds basic Financial Instruments. The financial assets and financial liabilities of the Charity are as follows:

Debtors - trade and other debtors (including accrued income) are basic financial instruments and are debt instruments measured at amortised cost as detailed in Note 11. Prepayments are not financial instruments.

Cash at bank - is classified as a basic financial instrument and is measured at face value.

Liabilities - trade creditors, accruals and other creditors will be classified as financial instruments, and are measured at amortised cost as detailed in Note 13. Taxation and social security are not included in the financial instruments disclosure. Deferred income is not deemed to be a financial liability, as in the cash settlement has already taken place and there is simply an obligation to deliver charitable services rather than cash or another financial instrument.

Page: 24

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

1 Accounting Policies (continued)

Pensions

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the Charity to the fund in respect of the year.

Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.

Page: 25

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

2 Income from donations and legacies

Year to 31 August 2025

Donations
Grants (see note 3)
Year to 31 August 2024
Donations
Grants (see note 3)
3
Analysis of grants
The Royal Docks Trust (London)
Jack Petchey
Tuxien Foundation Trust
Go London
Tesco		 2025
Unrestricted
£
14,398
22,800
37,198		 2025
Restricted
£
-
39,816
39,816		 2025
Total
£
14,398
62,616
77,014
2024 2024 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Total
£ £ £
10,552 - 10,552
52,238
21,800 30,438
32,352 30,438 62,790
2025
£
20,000
1,800
20,000
19,816
1,000
62,616		 2024
£
20,000
1,800
20,000
10,438
-
52,238

Page: 26

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

4 Income from charitable activities

4 Income from charitable activities
Unrestricted Total Unrestricted Total
2025 2025 2024 2024
£ £ £ £
Cheerleading activities 77,616 77,616 82,227 82,227
Talent Central Recreational Classes 22,188 22,188 22,469 22,469
Talent Central Schools 30,120 30,120 26,235 26,235
Talent Central Hire 31,445 31,445 23,788 23,788
Performance and Others 11,951 11,951 7,825 7,825
Sales of uniforms and clothes 9,621 9,621 13,131 13,131
182,941 182,941 175,675 175,675
5 Investment income
Income from Investments Unrestricted
2025
10,079		 Total
2025
10,079		 Unrestricted
2024
13,351		 Total
2024
13,351
6 Expenditure
Cheerleading activities Direct costs
2025
£
245,003		 Support costs
2025
£
188,178		 Total
2025
£
433,181
Cheerleading activities Direct costs
2024
£
223,306		 Support costs
2024
£
127,796		 Total
2024
£
351,102
In 2024, £289,593 of expenditure was allocated to unrestricted funds and £30,438 was allocated to
restricted funds.
Analysis of direct costs 2025 2024
Staff costs (see note 8) £
179,665		 £
167,217
Programme costs 65,338 56,089
245,003 223,306
Analysis of support costs
Depreciation 2025
£		 2024
£
- Annual charge 11,179 7,453
- Impairment 48,442 -
Overhead costs 124,157 115,357
Governance costs (see note 7) 4,400 4,986
188,178 127,796

Page: 27

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

7
Governance costs
Independent Examiners' remuneration - current year
Accountancy and other services
8
Staff Costs
Staff salaries
Termination payments
Social security costs
Pension costs
The average monthly number of employees was:
Average number of employees		 2025
£
4,400
-
4,400
2025
£
155,589
12,873
6,281
4,922
179,665
2025
11		 2024
£
3,800
1,186
4,986
2024
£
155,637
-
6,727
4,854
167,217
2024
11

The Key Management Personnel of the Charity comprise the Trustees and management personnel. The total amount of employee benefits (including employer national insurance contributions and pension contributions) received by Key Management Personnel for their services to the Charity was £62,200 (2024 - £60,460).

No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.

9 Trustees

No Trustee received any remuneration during the year (2024 - £nil).

Trustees were reimbursed for expenses during the year 2025:£197 (2024 - £nil).

Page: 28

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

10
Tangible Fixed Assets
Cost or Valuation
At 1st September 2024
Additions
Cost as at 31st August 2025
Depreciation
At 1st September 2024
Charge for the year
Impairment
At 31st August 2025
Net Book Value
At 31st August 2025
At 31st August 2024
11
Debtors
Trade debtors
Other debtor
Prepayments and accrued income
12
Current asset investment
Opening balance
Disposals
Gain/(loss) on investment
Closing balance
Office
Equipment
£		 Computer
Leasehold
Equipment
improvement
£		 Total
£
3,572
-
3,572
3,572
-
-
3,572
-
-		 27,121
-
27,121
27,121
-
-
27,121
-
-
2025
£
3,531
-
4,411
7,942
2025
£
351,445
(120,000)
(11,293)
220,152		 67,074
-
67,074
7,453
11,179
48,442
67,074
-
59,621		 97,767
-
97,767
38,146
11,179
48,442
97,767
-
59,621
2024
£
3,770
1,025
6,752
11,547
2024
£
446,385
(128,000)
33,060
351,445

In 2019, the Charity purchased a £300,000 short-term investment with the CCLA Investment Fund. The investment can be liquidated at short notice and has been classified as a Current Asset Investment in these accounts.

13
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income
Deferred income at 1 September
Grant income released during the year		 2025
£
15,016
21,101
36,117
-
-
-		 2024
£
15,034
8,508
23,541
1,667
(1,667)
-

Page: 29

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

13
Funds
Year to 31 August 2025
Brought
forward
31 August 2024
£
Unrestricted funds:
Designated funds
Gym development project
176,203
Designated - AEC Travel
Team
-
176,203
General funds
General Fund
133,964
Revaluation fund
149,445
Total unrestricted funds
459,612
Restricted funds:
Gym development project
25,148
She Leads programme
-
Go London
-
Total restricted funds
25,148
Total funds
484,760
Year to 31 August 2024
Brought
forward
1 September 2023
£
Unrestricted funds:
Designated funds
Gym development project
240,998
Fixed assets and premises
fund
-
240,998
General funds
General Fund
137,386
Revaluation fund
116,385
Total unrestricted funds
494,769
Restricted funds:
Gym development project
56,219
She Leads programme
-
Go London
-
Total restricted funds
56,219
Total funds
550,988		 Incoming
resources
£
-
9,652
9,652
220,566
-
230,218
-
20,000
19,816
39,816
270,034
Incoming
resources
£
-
-
-
221,377
-
221,377
-
20,000
10,438
30,438
251,815		 Outgoing
resources
£
(112,831)
(7,768)
(120,599)
(247,618)
-
(368,217)
(25,148)
(20,000)
(19,816)
(64,964)
(433,181)
Outgoing
resources
£
(64,795)
-
(64,795)
(224,798)
-
(289,593)
(31,071)
(20,000)
(10,438)
(61,509)
(351,102)		 Gains/
(losses)
£
-
-
-
-
(11,293)
(11,293)
-
-
-
-
(11,293)
Gains/
(losses)
£
-
-
-
-
33,060
33,060
-
-
-
-
33,060		 Carried
forward
31 August 2025
£
63,372
1,884
65,256
106,913
138,152
310,320
-
-
-
-
310,320
Carried
forward
31 August 2024
£
176,203
-
176,203
133,964
149,445
459,612
25,148
-
-
25,148
484,760

Page: 30

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

13 Funds (continued)

Gym development project (designated)

Eagles Cheerleaders, upon the end of the current lease. Please see the Trustees Report for further details.

Fixed assets and Premises fund

These funds relate to the fixed assets of the Charity and are reduced in line with the depreciation of the assets.

General funds

These funds represent the equivalent of six months salaries and operating costs and are for the general use of the Charity.

Gym development project (restricted)

These funds were set aside towards the costs of a permanent Cheer Gym facility for the Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders at St Marks Industrial Estate, upon the end of the lease at Gallions Reach. Please see the Trustees Report for further details.

She Leads programme

This fund relates to grants received which have been restricted for use within the 'She Leads' programme. These funds have been fully utilised in each reporting year.

Go! London

This fund relates to grants received which have been restricted for use to support the payment of rent for our new Cheer Gym at St Marks Industrial Estate.

14 Analysis of funds

Year ended 31 August 2025
Fixed assets
Net current assets
Net assets
Year ended 31 August 2024
Fixed assets
Net current assets
Net assets		 2025
Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
2024
Restricted
Funds
£
-
25,148
25,148		 2025
Unrestricted
Funds
£
-
310,320
310,320
2024
Unrestricted
Funds
£
59,621
399,991
459,612		 2025
Total
Funds
£
-
310,320
310,320
2024
Total
Funds
£
59,621
425,139
484,760

Page: 31

Ascension Eagles Cheerleaders Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31st August 2025

15 Related Party Transactions

During the year, trustees donated a total of £3,233 (2024: £4,117) to the charity.

Other than the Trustee donations described above, and Trustee and Key Management Personnel transactions detailed in Note 8 and Note 9, there were no related party transactions during either year.

Page: 32