2024-05-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] June 2023 Period start date To 31[st] May 2024 Period end date Charity name: POLYTECHNIC FOOTBALL CLUB

Charity registration number: 1127155

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To organise or provide or assist in the organisation or provision of facilities for the community participation in the healthy recreation of playing football. To further such other charitable purposes as are charitable under the laws of England and Wales as the executive committee may from time to time decide. All trustees and club officials give their time voluntarily and receive no remuneration or other benefits.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Arranging weekly training and weekend match facilities for 10 teams for about 200 members to participate. Maintaining membership of various governing league bodies, attending league AGMs and general compliance. Fund raising through annual member donation, fund raisers and other charitable donations, plus weekly match day fee levies in order to meet the costs of hiring training and playing facilities. The club operate an open policy on all 18+ male adults wishing to participate in football and a growing membership from all walks of life and a wide catchment. The club remain very active in promoting veterans football operating two such sides and have been instrumental in the formation and operation of the West London Veterans Football League which now has over 40 teams competing. Our Veterans section has expanded to cater for those Veterans who are unable to play competitive football and we now hold

		regular casual games for them to participate in so they can continue to have an active involvement in our football club and to provide physical and mental support. Having previously investigated the viability of adding both women’s football and youth football into the Polytechnic Football Club it was concluded that other clubs which specialise in youth football already cater for such a need and we should concentrate in the 18+ segment which is generally poorly provided for. However we have recruited a number of 16 and 17 year olds and have set up a system which complies with Child Safeguarding provisions including training a Welfare Officer and having relevant team managers and coaches DBS approved. hes DBS approved. With the new development of an under-utilised part of the ground referred to later in this report the club aresetting up a Women’s Team and have already put the Governance and management team in place. A recruitment drive has started with view to having a squad in place for the 2025-2026 season which is also the Club’s 150thAnniversary. To support this initiative the Club has embarked on obtaining sponsorship and expect to have this in place during the 2024-2025 season.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	All trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	The charity aim to generate a small surplus each financial year while still giving discounts to students, unwaged and under 25’s which is an important part of the charitable work we undertake. The number of members in these categories varies each year which makes it difficult to budget for and consequently sometimes leads to a small loss being incurred. The charity aims to establish and maintain a reserve fund to cover this as well as at least one year’s pitch hire costs which we have to pay in

advance. At the end of our 2023/24 financial year reserves were £50,401 which met this objective. Pitch hire costs rise each season and it remains a constant challenge for the club to balance its books without having to dip into the reserve fund originally supported by a generous donation from a former member and subsequently other voluntary member donations. The retention of the club’s FA Accredited Adult Club (formerly Charter Standard) status generates a discount on league membership fees and subsidised First Aid training and coaching courses. The club further subsidises this training to all members prepared to use the skills gained for the benefit of club and wider community. A number of members actively provide unpaid coaching services within youth football locally . Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers Other

Achievements and Performance

SORP reference

Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	The club runs 8 open age league teams who participate in the Southern Amateur League and 2 vets teams and continues to create additional voluntary roles such as welfare officer, registration officer, results officer media and communications officer to spread workload generated by the club. In recent seasons we have appointed a dedicated match day officer to meet and greet referees and officials which is carried out by a former playing member. The ongoing voluntary work of former players who have ceased playing is an important part of our community inclusive policy. Apart from running two Veterans teams to encourage older members who have come to the end of their open age playing career to continue to remain active through participation in weekly fixtures, over the last six seasons we have introduced a past players section termed‘1875 Club’so that they can maintain links with the club through participation to support the 1st team at home matches and at social events. Having worked closely with the University Trust on their development of the riverside part of the ground which was under-utilised we now have access on Tuesday evenings and Saturdays to use for Training and Matches respectively on the new 3G astroturf pitches. It is primarily for the use of the trust’s beneficiaries, the students of the university but it also provides the club with a state of the art training facility for its teams and additional pitches for Saturday football to enable the club to expand its open age teams and into women’s footballin the community as well as expanding its veterans football. The club’s primary focus remains being financially viable to promote playing and training opportunities across a wide cross section of players. Subsidised membership subscriptions for young players under 25 and those assessed to require financial support. We have successfully retained FA Accredited Adult Clubstatus for which the club received £100 voucher for training equipment and a £250 discount on our league registration fees which is currently set at £475. It has also enabled us to train a number of people in emergency first aid and help us identify those with coaching qualifications within the club and should

provide them with access to various training courses. The club continues to seek volunteers to train as first aiders as each team should have one and in addition we have an arrangement with a local sports clinic who provide us with physio treatment and first aid on match days.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Annual member donations of £30,076 including gift aid and weekly match day levies collected from participating players of £35,774. Additional revenues came from fundraising raffles and competitions. Income generated to pay for pitch hire/training facility costs, after match meals which are a requirement of our league, referees’ fees, FA and league affiliation fees and other costs in organising and providing facilities to enable amateur sport in the form of football to be played by a growing number of adults particularly in the veteran’s (40+) age group and encourage younger players from their former local youth clubs to continue to be involved with active sport beyond the age of 18 which is not provided by local youth clubs. The club have sustained a reserve fund through donations made following the death of former members. The reserve fund totalled £50,401 last year. The Club made an operating surplus of £9,105 in 2023/24.This was in part due to a pitch hire refund for season 2022/23 which was received after the 2023 Year End and reduced pitch hire costs in season 2023/24 due to the loss of our usual pitches in February due to a renovation of the ground.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The policy is for the reserve fund to assist day to day cashflow requirements as the club do not have any bank overdraft facility and to meet unforeseen costs but mainly to cover the pitch and facility hire costs, half of which are due in advance at the start of each season. It is necessary to block book the pitches we require for our eleven teams, half playing at home each week and the training facilities, to secure them for the season. The facility owners require us to pay for these in advance. This does achieve a discount on the weekly pitch hire costs.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£50,401
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24
Explanation of any uncertainties about the	Para 1.23

charity continuing as a going concern

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution adopted 25th September 2008 (as amended 10th December 2008)
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Association 200+ members
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. Election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Elected by members at AGM.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	All new trustees from 2015 AGM onwards are referred to any current Charity Commission publications on the role of trustees.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	Full member of the Football Association (club formation 1875), the Amateur Football Alliance, and leagues including Southern Amateur League and West London Veterans Football League. Attendance and officer participation at various league meetings and AGMs. Club was instrumental in formation of West London Veterans Football League in 2010 as a founder member also represented by trustee as league treasurer. Club successfully retained FA Accredited Adult Club (formerly Charter Standard) status which enables regular first aid training for members through the AFA and attendance of subsidised FA approved coaching courses.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	Club set up link with local youth football club Fulham United (age group 5-18) to enable players aged 18+ to continue to play football for a local community club.
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	POLYTECHNIC FOOTBALL CLUB
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1127155
Charity’s principal address	QUINTIN HOGG MEMORIAL SPORTSGROUND CAVENDISH ROAD LONDON W4 3UH

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	B MADIGAN	CHAIRMAN
	C MONGUL	SECRETARY
	K JOHNSTON	TREASURER
	T BARBOUR
	A HUTCHINGS
	P BAMFORTH
	G BROWN

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) ~~Remy Made fo~~ Full name(s) BARRY MADIGAN ~~ee~~ Position (eg Secretary, CHAIRMAN Chair, etc) ~~ee~~ Date 17th March 2025 ~~|~~

YFL POLYfECHNIC FOOTBALL CLUB IEstat4ishfAI 18751 FA Charter Standard hlult Cl IST. IKS Account• for year •ndod 31•t May 2024 Inc¢m• 187SCh Equipn￿ Sal•• t2.542.70 thintr £1n.75 AJIW £￿.4X1 afS•••on Eb• £5.290.9I Equ¢xn•N & K £832.61 Fk•• £35,774.14 t454.40 £2.389. £2.845.75 £2.859.83 £959.Q) £316.93 £9,798.89 £2￿.fj £21.50 £2,633. £1.1CQ.CQ £38.538.28 £1.525.￿ R•if• £7CQ.IXI tn,0032Q R•knN & D•>T oifur U.720.1)J Trwhi £852.00 Glft Akt lTht•r••t RKknd Plt¢h Hlr• R•thJr#Jl R•ffl• TK•t S .929.n M4Kl•Mou• Sodal Ewnt Tka•t S*• Totsl Int¢M• am•• Profft 1.2X te.1￿.0¢ Mr K•lth JohrAton (Trn•￿r￿) July 2024 MrJlm Canroy IHonornry Audltor 2W24

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO ANO WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report R•port to tho trustees roLY 3 I 202 On accounts for tho y•ar end•d Charlty no (if any 1121 IS¥ Sot out on pages I report to the trustees ￿ my exafflination of the accounts of the above thaiity {Ihe Trusf) f(x the y8ar ended R••pon•lbllltl•• •nd ba•ls of r•port A8 tho charltV8 truitoos, you arn m8pon￿ble for th• prnparatlon of tha accounts In accwdance th the requlrements ol the Chadtle$ Act 2011 llho Act.). I report In respect of my examlnation of the Trust's 8ccounts carded out under section 145 ofthe 2011 and in carying out my èxamination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5Xb) of the A(. Independent tThe tharity's gross incm exce8d8d £250,000 and l 8m qualrfied to examlnerfs statemeni undertake the examination by being a qualffied member of [insert name ol appliGat4e lisled body]]. Delete l ] rf not appllG8ble. I have c(Ynplet8d my 8xaminallon. I confinn that no mat8rlal matters have come lo my attenb'on in connection wth the examination 16G19￿ ') vlhich gives me cause to bebeve thal in. any material respecl.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance section 130 of the Charities Act" or the accounts did not 8c¢ud ¥Mth th8 accounting record8,' or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements onceming the fonn and conlent of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Rep(xts) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'tTue and fairf view which is nol a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in conneclion with the examination to ￿lch attention should b8 drawn in this report in o enable a wop8r understanding of the accrjunts to b8 reached. elele t brackets rfthey ¢YD not appty. Signed: Date: Nam•: Relevant professlonal qualMlcatlon{s) or body IER Oct 2018