## **Sporting Challenge: Chairman’s Report April 2023 / March 2024** Sporting Challenge is a charity that provides the opportunity for adults of 18 and over with learning difficulties the chance to participate in social activities linked to sport. The provision of these activities gives the members’ carers and families much needed respite with the knowledge that they are safe, understood and supported. The trustees have decided to conduct this year’s AGM electronically. ## **Achievements and successes over the last year:** First of all, a thank you to the trustees and officers of Sporting Challenge for the time and support that they set aside which without the charity would not be able to support the members. Also, we must not forget the members and their families and carers that support the charity. Sporting Challenge during 2023 / 2024 was able to provide a near “normal service will resume” schedule / programme of activities despite the presenting of some challenges including the closure for the next two years of the Burscough Leisure Centre affecting the provision of some events, the suitability of swimming venues and the outsourcing of appropriate instructors to lead some of these activities. New events are being introduced / trialled so to gauge their popularity. In September 2023 we were able to take members away for a weekend break in Chester with this “City Break” reflecting the majority decision of members, feedback from everyone after returning was very positive. As 2023 came to a close the members were able to attend a combined Christmas party and activity evening at The Stanley in Burscough which the charity started using following the retirement of Tony & Sandy the previous December at The Wharfe in Burscough. Grant bids prepared and submitted by the charity’s Activities Officer have been successful enabling the continued running of the charity, without these funds it would not be possible to support our members. A review and updating of the charity’s policies is an ongoing process with the trustees having reviewed and signed off eleven during the year ending March 2024. ## **Activities Support:** The charity buys in sessional support through EMSS who facilitate getting the members to and from the activities and provide support along with the venue staff at the activities. The trustees wish to thank the sessional support and venue staff for the work that they have undertaken this year. ## **COVID-19** Although the perception is that the situation has improved during the last year the trustees, members and their carers have to continue to be very mindful of the impact of COVID and if it becomes necessary the trustees will take appropriate action should circumstances change for the worse. ## **Membership** Sporting Challenge is always looking for new members and one of our biggest challenges in achieving this is making that first contact with families and carers within the West Lancashire Borough area with its many isolated rural villages where community contact can be poor. To this end the charity needs to engage the support of appropriate agencies who are better placed to identify those individuals and their families that we may be able to help as well as our presence on the internet. ## **Trustees** A huge amount of time has been devoted to the points covered in this report and as chairman I would like to thank the Trustees, Officers and Support Staff for their support. Looking to the future the charity needs to seek out new trustees that are able to provide some time in supporting the running of the organisation and would take the opportunity here to encourage anyone who may be interested to contact the chairman in the first instance. ## **Financial Review** : 2023 / 2024 Accounts, the trustees of the charity took the decision to continue to employ a firm of accountants to undertake an independent examination of the Receipts and Payments and the Statement of Assets and Liabilities of the charity. We are pleased to advise that the charity received a favourable report. Alasdair Watson Chair Sporting Challenge October 2024 Q accountants247 The Trustees Sporting Challenge 17 Bramble Way Burscough Ormskirk L40 5BP Our Ref." CSISDSIS304 3 October 2024 Dear Sirs, Please find enclosed a signed copy of the Accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. If you have any queries regarding the above or enclosed, please get in touch. The charity's accounting records are available lor collection at your convenience. Kind regards. Yours sin￿rely, C. Sales Chartered Accounlant 01695 5853331 customersetvic accountants247.o).uk | ￿.aCcoUntants247.cO.uk Suite 205-209, Malthous8 Park: 48 Soulhw)rt Road. OrmskiTk. L39 1 QR Company RegistTatiJn Number.. 12983021 Q247 Registered Charity 1140201 Sporting Challenge Accounts forthe Year Ended 31 March 2024 Sporting Challenge Accounts Year Ended 31 March 2024 nt Page Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustee5 Receipts and Payments Accourbt Statement of Assets and LIabilit￿S Notes to the Accounts Restricted ReseNes Accountsnts247 Limited Sutte 205-209 Malthouse Bu51ness Parl 48 Southport Road. Ormskirk. L39 IQR jQ ..12024 Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Sportlng Challenge I report ofi the atcounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. which are set OLrt on pages 2 to 5. Respectlve respon5ibllTrtle5 of trustees and Independent examiner The charity's trustees are responsible lor the preparation of the accounts. The charitvs tn￿teeS tonsider that an audit is not required for this year under sertion 144(21 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Artl and that an independent exambnation 15 needed. It is my responsibility to.. examine the accounts vnder section 145 of the 2011 Act to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 A to state whether particular matters have come to my attentio Basls of èxamlnér's ststemént My examination was carried out in accordance with the general l￿￿CtionS given by the Charity Commission. An examinatlon includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a Comparison of the presented with those records. It also it)cludes consideration of any unusual items or disc105ure5 in thè 8ccounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidente that would be required in an audit afbd Consequent￿ no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a'true and fair view. and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next ststement. Independent examinefs ststement In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attent￿n 111 which give5 me reasonable cause to believe that Én any materi31 respect the requirements= tts keep accounting records bn a¢¢ordan¢e wtth Section 4411) lal of the 2(KJ5 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations to prepare accounts whÉth accord with the actountin8 rècords and comply with Regulation 9 of the 21))6 Accounts Regulations have not been rnet, or 121 to which. in my opinlon. attentlon should be drawn in orderto enable 3 proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached. Chris Sales Chartered Accountant Accountants247 Suite 205-209 Matthouse Business Parl 48 Sothhport Road, Ormskirk. L39 IQR ..12024 Sporting Challenge Receipts and Payments Account forthe Year Ended 31 March 2024 Notes 2024 2023 Restricted Unrestricted Funds Funds Total Funds Total Funds Recei Grants and Donations Recer4ed 60,820.CKI 9.1Tr).(Kl 69,920. 30,550.C(J Contributions from Clients and Attendees 2.750.IXI 12.386.46 15.136.46 12,111.87 Fundraisin8 Events Miscellaneous Income 63,$70.IKI 21,486.46 85,056.46 42.661.87 Pa ments Charitable Activities 11.278.07 11,278.07 11,819.46 Other Costs 1.799.60 1.799.60 1,414.84 Support Costs 17,141.42 20,979.19 38.120.61 43.135.50 30.219.09 20.979.19 5L198.28 56,369.80 Excess receipts over payments 33350.91 507.27 33.858.18 13.707.93 Cash funds as at l April 2023 21,495.15 11,072.16 32,567.31 46,275.24 Cash funds as at 31 March 2024 54.846.06 11.579A3 66,425.49 32.567.31 Sporting a￿llenge Statement ofAssets iiabiliks as at 31 March 2024 Cash at ￿nk in h*d 51A46Th 11S79A3 6W5A9 32.56731 ..S) 07, 2£4 Sl82 Sporting Challenge Notes to Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 Note Total Grants. Donatlons and Contrfbutiorfj Re{￿d 2024 2023 Irving Memorial Trust Calvert Trust Weekend The Peter Lathom Charity Lancashire C.C., Local Members Grants Stheme The National Lotterycommunity Fund Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund Sport5 England Burscough Community Fund Redrow The Gatliff Tnjst ANWYL Burscough Fund Red Rose Responding Fund Bennett Family Grantmaking Charity Douglas Arter Foundation The Michael and Anna Wix Charhtable Trust Groundworks / Te5CO Herefordshire Community Foundatlon Joanie's Fund The Edward Gosling Foundation Blckerstock Committee The Kaye Charil3ble Trust NHS Healthy Neighbourhoods Funding Scheme The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation The Zonchonis Charitable Trust The Happy Charitable Trust The Band Tiust The Forrester FamilyTrust The Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation 1,000.00 2,21JJ.00 I,(XK).00 1,250.00 io.o(MJ.cN) 51K).00 3,570.00 3.570. i0,c￿. 250.LM) io,cMxJ.c 250. 500.00 I,(y)o.00 l,L￿. 5,(MX).(X) 300.IKI 5.IX(J.IXI 5.000.IM) I,ooo.00 2,000.00 3,(X)O.00 100.00 l(KJ. Itx).(Ki 2,OCXJ.Th) 5,OLYJ.C 28,500. 2.DXI.( 5,1)Xl.¢XI 28,51J).IXI I,rm.IxJ i.uKJ. s.(￿).{￿) I,ow. 5,000.00 6,0￿. 2.0￿.{￿j 69.920.tKI 6.CN)).CKI 2.(KX).IX) 9,100.IXI Go￿20￿ 30,550.00 Contrlbutknns from cllents & attendees Restrfcted UnrestriC￿d 2024 2023 Chester Weekend Brèak Sporting Challenge Members Contributions 2.750.Q) 2,750.(￿] 12,386.46 12,386.46 12,111.87 2,750.(KI 11386.46 15,136.46 12.111.87 Sporting Challenge Notes to Accounts forthe Year Ended 31 March 2024 Note Charltable Actl¥lil 2024 2023 AerobicslGymnrampoltne 8occia and Kurling Bowlin8 Dance & Drama Pool Golf Sailin￿Boat Tripslswimming Holiday Venue 758.60 995.C(I 1,345.49 995.(M) 1.345.49 3,285.QKI 1,300.83 ioo.cM) 730.IXI 3.( 104.10 6.381.88 740.00 1,081.60 20.00 4.692.CK) SX)3.(Kl 104.10 6,381.88 11278.07 11.278.07 IIA19A3 Support costs 20Z4 Edward Mccarthy Support SeNces 17,141.42 20.979.19 38.120.61 43.tsSSO 17.14L42 20.979.19 38.120.61 43.13S.SO Otr*r Costs . 2024 Bank Charges Insurance ICO fees Sundry Stationery Accountancy Web hosting 71. 497.45 85.20 458.59 40.00 159.93 30.99 534.00 106.13 497.45 2S¥).25 2￿.25 66.98 720.(K¥ 113.32 720. 113.32 1.799.60 1.799.60 1,414A4 Q accountants247 The Trustees Sporting Challenge 17 Brarnble Way Burscough Ormskirk L40 5BP Our Ref". CSISDSIS304 10 Sepiember 2024 Dear Sirs. Please find enclosed a copy of the amended draft Accounls of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. These accounts have been prepared on a 'Re￿ip1S and Payments, basis and no Trustees, Annual Report is included as you have indicated that this will fomi part ol your Annual Relum submission lo the charity Commission. Reslricled funds shown in the aC￿￿ntS at the year-end tolal £54,846.06, made up of the balances listed on page 5. On page 2 of the Accounts £17,141 of the "other costs- a￿CIated wilh EMSS (total £38,120) have been assigned to "Restricted Funds.. This allocalion was detennined by reconciling the opening restricted fund to the closing restricled fund suppli&d and the restricted funds received (as shown bek)wl:_ Openir¢g restricted fun Add restricted funds re￿iVed Less closing reslricted fund Expenses movemenl 21.495 63,570 54.846 and then deducling ihe tharitable a￿1vty costs of £11,278.07 (see note 31, other costs of £17,141.42 (note 41 and Ihe supp)rt costs of £1,799.60 (note 5). The closing restricted funds balance of £54,846.06, was extracted from your workings supplied, wilh the "Restricted" payments being the difference between the -Restricted Funds" received and closing balan￿. As previously mentioned in our letter of 21 August 2024 some reporting conditions are imposed by ￿rtain Grantors- thank you for confimiing by email that all such conditions have been met and that the trustees are unaware of any reasons why any individual award may become repayable. As discussed in your telephone conversation with Simon Sheldon on 9 September 2024 we have included the donation of £28,500 from Albert Gubay Trusl Ltd as restricted due to the bcation restrictions imposed by the grant. 0 169> 58a':J, , '¥¥WW.accountants247.co.uk Suite 205-209, malth￿Se &Jsiness Patll, 48 SouthFx)rt Road. OTm5kirk, L39 1 QR Company RegistralDn Number: 12983021 "Serw'l￿GS ik441 iLOL*r . 2247 Once you have had the oprx)rtuntty to pewse the aeLounts. P￿ase let us know il you have any queries on them. We shoukj be grateful if you would confirm whelher the charity has been issued with a "Notice to Complete" a corporation tax retum for the year. If you have any queries regarding the above or enclosed, please get in touch. The charity's accounting records are available for (x)Ilection at your convenien￿. Kind regards. Yours sincerely, C. Sales Chartered Accountant