Trustees’ Annual Report
for
Maresfield Lawn Tennis Club (Charity No 1116960)
For the period
1 January 2025 —- 31 December 2025
.
Introduction
This Annual Report by the Trustees of Maresfield Lawn Tennis Club (“MLTC”) covers the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. It also provides a forward look between the end of the reporting period and date of publication for completeness.
Charity Name and Registration Number
The Charity is Maresfield Lawn Tennis Club and is registered with charity number 1116960. MLTC is unincorporated.
Registered Address
MLTC’s Registered Address is: Batts Bridge Road Maresfield UCKFIELD East Sussex TN22 2HN
Trustees
The Trustees making and approving this Report are:
Mr Keith Springer (Chair)
Mrs Camilla Gilbertson (Treasurer) Mrs Alexandra Rothery (appointed 1 March 2025) Mrs Anne Eden-Green Mr Paul Reilly Mrs Janet Primrose Mrs Carol Sturt Dr John Lutkin
Charitable Object
MLTC has its objective, the promotion of community participation in healthy recreation for the benefit of the inhabitants of Maresfield and surrounding districts by the provision of facilities for the playing of tennis and touch tennis.
Structure and Governance
MLTC is an unincorporated association, governed by its constitution and managed by a committee comprising of 8 Trustees. Officers are elected annually at an Annual General Meeting with nominations invited from members aged 18 and over. Only members of MLTC are entitled to vote in an AGM.
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
The Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for the overall governance, financial management, safeguarding oversight and strategic direction of MLTC. The Head Coach attends meetings to ensure that tennis development and participation remain central to MLTC’s activities.
:
The constitution provides MLTC members with the power to propose special resolutions and to requisition an Extraordinary General Meeting should they wish to challenge or review decisions made by the Committee. Again, only MLTC members are entitled to vote in an EGM.
During the year, the Trustees reviewed and monitored:
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Junior coaching and young people
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Financial performance and reserves
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Membership development
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Safeguarding compliance
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Club play and competitive teams
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Grounds maintenance and court infrastructure
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Fund-raising and external engagement
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MLTC’s business plan and mission statement
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The Risk Analysis and Management Plan
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MLTC maintains a comprehensive suite of policies and procedures including:
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Bullying and harassment
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Complaints handling
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Conflicts of interest
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Financial reserves
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Financial controls
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Risk management
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Safeguarding
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Serious incident reporting
These policies are reviewed regularly to ensure continued relevance and compliance with current regulatory guidance.
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
Activities supporting the Charitable Object
The club is committed to provide a welcoming, safe and accessible environment for all participants in accordance with Charity Commission guidance on public benefit.
Coaching services are delivered by Le Tennis Ltd under a long-standing contract with the Club. The coaching programme provides structured opportunities for players of all ages and abilities, from recreational beginners to national standard competitors. There is a strong female coaching workforce with a passion for encouraging and supporting females in sport.
The programme is inclusive and accessible to children, young people and adults, including individuals with disabilities.
The Trustees recognise that financial barriers can limit access to sport. Le Tennis provides support to several families each year through free or subsidised coaching places.
During the year, activities at MLTC included:
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e Junior coaching programmes for ages 8-18
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¢« Holiday camps and community tennis events
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e Ladies’ group coaching sessions
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e Cardio tennis sessions open to adult members
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e Competitive junior teams in LTA Team Tennis events
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e MLTC men’s & ladies’ senior teams competing in LTA and Horam leagues e Opportunities for juniors to play in MLTC men’s & ladies’ senior teams e Le Tennis charitable events to raise funds for Cancer UK, Stroke Foundation, Bright Ideas and MIND Charities
Le Tennis also supports young people undertaking GCSE and A-Level Physical Education and Duke of Edinburgh awards by providing practical placements, feedback reports and work experience opportunities at the Club. Young people are encouraged to undertake LTA coaching assistant qualifications and are offered paid holiday employment where possible.
Former junior members continue to progress into higher education, including sporting scholarships in the United States and participation in university tennis programmes in the UK. Many former players have gone on to have successful
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
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careers as adults within sport, be it coaching, sports psychology or as physiotherapists.
There were no serious incidents that occurred during the period of review.
Financial Review 2025
MLTC had a satisfactory financial year.
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Total income for the year was £28,969, derived primarily from:
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e Membership subscriptions
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e Tennis camps and coaching-related income
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« Visitor coaching fees
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e Floodlight cost recovery « Bank interest
Membership fees remained unchanged from 2024. Overall membership income was marginally lower than the previous year but remained stable.
Total expenditure during the year was £20,299. The most significant costs related to:
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e Routine court cleaning
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e Club house roof repairs
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e Floodlight maintenance
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« Adeposit of £3,275 for planned court resurfacing in 2026
There were no unusual or exceptional expenditures during the year.
MLTC maintains reserves to ensure the long-term sustainability of its facilities. The primary future commitments relate to court resurfacing and floodlight replacement, without which MLTC would be unable to deliver its charitable objects. Cash reserves increased by £8,670 during the year and stood at £111,368 as at 31 December 2025.
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis. The Trustees confirm that MLTC is exempt from statutory audit under Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011. The accounts have been subject to independent examination in accordance with the Act.
The Trustees are satisfied that there are no material uncertainties that would cast doubt on MLTC’s ability to continue as a going concern.
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
Forward Look
This Section covers the period from the end of the reporting year up to the point at which this report was submitted.
In April 2026, resurfacing of courts 1 and 2 will commence. Court 1 has experienced drainage deterioration and surface scarring, rendering it increasingly unplayable during winter months. The Trustees have determined that resurfacing both courts simultaneously is necessary to ensure consistent height and playing condition.
MLTC is applying for grant funding from Wealden District Council to contribute towards resurfacing costs and the replacement of halogen floodlights with LED lighting. The Trustees consider LED lighting to be both more environmentally sustainable and more cost-effective in the long term.
The lease with Wealden District Council expired on 4 March 2025. The terms of the new lease have been agreed and documentation is currently being prepared.
The Club remains committed to maintaining high-quality facilities, expanding inclusive participation, and ensuring financial resilience.
Public Benefit
The Trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when exercising their powers and duties during the year.
MLTC continues to provide accessible tennis facilities and structured programmes that promote health, wellbeing and community participation for residents of Maresfield and the surrounding districts.
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
----- Start of picture text -----
Signed on behalf of MLTC’s trustees
Full name(s) | Keith Springer Camilla Gilbertson
Position (eg Secretary, | Chair Treasurer
Chair, etc)
Date | -
----- End of picture text -----
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF MARESFIELD LAWN TENNIS CLUB
| report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Maresfield Lawn Tennis Club for the year ended 31st December 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination | have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent Examiner’s Statement.
| have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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The accounts do not accord with those records; or
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The accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirements that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
| confirm that there are no other matters to which your attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Mr Philip Nixon Russets Fairwarp Uckfield TN22 3BP
Date: Gy 23 [1026
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
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| SectionAReceipts and | payments | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total tele |
funds ee |
iat said ial |
|||||||||||
| to the | to | the | to the | tothe | to the | |||||||||||
| nearest £ |
nearest | £ | nearest | £ | nearest £ | nearest £ | ||||||||||
| Ai Receipts | ||||||||||||||||
| Members subscriptions Floodlight cost recovery |
19,015 | 5,513 |
-{{[ : |
- | 19,015 5,513 |
|||||||||||
| GuestFees | 1,043 | - | 1,043 | |||||||||||||
| Camp Fees |
560 | - | 560 | 1,085 | ||||||||||||
| Fundraising interest on deposit account |
387. 2,451 |
[ | - _# |
- | 2.451 | |||||||||||
| Sub total | 28,969 | - | 28,969 | 31,989 | ||||||||||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales | ||||||||||||||||
| Total receipts | 23.969][iT | iTSd | 28,969 | |||||||||||||
| A3 Payments Water. Electricity. Internet |
4,611 | « | 4,611 | |||||||||||||
| Maintenance Cleaning and Gardening |
8,072 1151;/{ |
ss | - -_ |
8,072 1,151 |
—_ | |||||||||||
| Wealden Rent and Council Tax | 2.177 | - | . | 2.177 | 1,957, | |||||||||||
| LTA Registration. League bails Insurance Bank Charges Other _ |
Fees. tennis Sub total |
3,258 765 36 229 20,299 |
- * Fe |
: |
e fe ee Pe |
|||||||||||
| P tHiTFEHREAE |
A4 Asset and investment purchases |
|||||||||||||||
| —__, | _—_____ | |||||||||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | : | - | ||||||||||||
| Totalpayments | 20299}[. | -iT | -iTCd | 20,299 | 17,436 | |||||||||||
| Net ofreceipts/(payments) | 8,670 | 8.670 | 14,553 | |||||||||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | . | : | “ | |||||||||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year | end | 102,698) | : | - | 102,698 | |||||||||||
| Cashfunds | thisyearend | —_—-111,368 | — | a: | - | __111,368 | 111,368 |
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | Endowment | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | funds | |||||||||
| B1 | Cash funds | Bank | _ | to nearest £ 111,368 |
to nearest £ |
||||||
| Total cash funds | |||||||||||
| B2 | Othermonetary assets | [ | a |
||||||||
| B3 | Investment assets | _ | Fund to . which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) ‘oP , P |
Current value {optional} . |
||||||
| B4 | Assets retained forthe charity's | _ | [ | Fund to . which asset belongs: |
Cost pentional P _ ‘ |
||||||
| [ | |||||||||||
| Fund to | Amount due | When due | |||||||||
| which | (optional) | (optional) | |||||||||
| liability | |||||||||||
| relates | |||||||||||
| B5 | Liabilities | ft |
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Trustees Annual Report MLTC 2025 Charity No 111696