2023-08-31-accounts - St. Matthew's Project

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ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

19 Years in the Community 2004-2023

Company Limited by Guarantee Charity Registration Number: 1140964 Company Registration Number: 7007350

Annual Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 August 2023

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Annual Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 August 2023 Contents

	Page
Legal & administrative information	2
Annual Report of the Trustees	3
Independent Examiner's report to the Trustees	41
Statement of financial activities	42
Balance sheet	43
Notes to the financial statements	44

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Charity Name St. Matthew’s Project.

Charity Registration no 1140964. The Charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 22 March 2011.

Company Registration no 7007350.

Registered Office 90 Gaskarth Road, London SW12 9NW

Governing Document The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 2 September 2009. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association.

Mission Statement To provide a safe and encouraging environment where young people can come together and enjoy structured sports and learning opportunities. To help the young people of Lambeth fulfil their potential and improve their well-being both physically and emotionally through targeted support to children and families

Objectives

To act as a resource for young people up to the age of 25 living in the south Brixton area by providing advice and assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities as a means of:
advancing in life and helping young people by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals.
advancing education
relieving unemployment
providing recreational and leisure time activity in the interests of social welfare for people living in the south Brixton area who have need by reason for their youth, age, infirmity or disability, poverty or social and economic circumstances, with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons.
The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation, in particular children and young people aged between 6 and 25 by the provision of facilities for playing football.

Mission Statement

To provide a safe and encouraging environment where young people can come together and enjoy structured sports and learning opportunities. To help the young people of Lambeth fulfil their potential and improve their well-being both physically and emotionally through targeted support to children and families.

Trustees

The Trustees who served during the year and who were serving at the date of this report were:

David Keen Treasurer Jenny Greenfield Chair Lekan Ojumu James Alexander Daisy Streatfield

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Management Team Lee Dema Project Manager Fiona McGee M&E Officer Dwight Barnett Project Coordinator Jonny Hough Office & Operations Manager Key Management The person in charge of directing, controlling, running and operating the Charity Personnel on a day to day basis is Lee Dema, the Project Manager. Bankers Santander UK 301 St Vincent Street Glasgow G2 5NT Independent Examiner Sheila Parry ACCA SPX Oxford Limited Peace House 19 Paradise Street Oxford OX1 ILD

Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

The Trustees submit their report and the financial statements of St. Matthew’s Project (“the Charity”) for the year ended 31 August 2023. The financial statements have been prepared in the format prescribed by the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2015 (FRS102). The financial statements have been prepared on a natural or alternative basis of analysis as per SORP 4.6. The legal and administrative information set out earlier in this document forms part of this report. This report also constitutes a directors’ report required by section 415 of the Companies Act 2006 as all Trustees of a charity company are directors.

Mission Statement

Public benefit

The Trustees have complied with their duty under Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

Who We Are

The St Matthew’s Project provides a safe and encouraging environment where 3-25-year-olds can come together and enjoy structured football sessions and other activities. We help children and young people living mainly in the Tulse Hill and Coldharbour wards of Lambeth fulfil their potential and have a real impact on their community. What began as a kick-about in Brockwell Park is now a thriving youth project, which offers a growing array of programmes and services to over 200 young people each week, bringing them together from 3 different housing estates, which historically would not have anything to do with each other. The project has a dedicated team of 25 staff (2 full-time) and 8 volunteers, with extensive experience of working with a challenging target group and a thorough understanding of the local community and its needs.

Our current activities include weekly turn-up-and-play sessions for both sexes; a Family Football and Literacy Programme; estate-based sports sessions; and a Fit 4 Life programme combining free football with mental health and wellbeing workshops. For those aged 16+, we offer an employment training programme, free F.A coaching courses and a volunteering programme. Through continued engagement we help young people develop their personal skills and strengths and tackle any weaknesses they feel they might have. In this way, we aim to meet the needs of local young people, raise their aspirations and help them steer clear of a life of crime and gangrelated activity. Since we work with young people right up until they are in their late-twenties, we are also wellplaced to offer those progressing through our programmes an established exit route into further structured and age-appropriate sporting and employment opportunities.

Where We Work

The majority of our participants live in the Tulse Hill and Coldharbour wards of Lambeth which are within the most deprived 10% Deprivation Deciles nationally for crime and living environment. 95% of our participants are from a BAME background. As well as complex deprivation issues, the young people we work with also face healthrelated difficulties, including obesity, and a high prevalence of risk factors for mental health problems. Crime levels, and in particular gang-related activity, are high in our target area – Lambeth has the highest volume of serious youth violence in the capital with over 7,000 crimes in 10 years. It also has the greatest number of ambulance callouts. Lambeth is among the top 10 most dangerous boroughs in London. The overall crime rate in Lambeth in 2022 was 103 crimes per 1,000 people. This compares poorly to London's overall crime rate, coming in 8% higher than the London rate of 95 per 1,000 residents.

Eight young men known to us have lost their lives due to gang-related incidents since 2011 and tensions continue to remain high in the local area, with gangs holding a strong influence over young people and their families. A combination of enforced membership and low aspirations has meant that gangs have traditionally offered a viable, albeit illicit, career path for many of the boys and young men in the local community . Some parents even turn a blind eye to young people’s involvement in gangs and criminal activity as the opportunity for them to make some money can be a welcome relief to families living in persistent poverty.

It is part of our ethos to offer those we work with more than just the chance to participate in a football project. We support young people to make the transition from sports participation to accessing further sporting, educational

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

or employment opportunities as they get older. Through continued engagement we help young people develop their personal skills and strengths and tackle any weaknesses they feel they might have. In this way, we aim to meet the needs of local young people, raise their aspirations and help them steer clear of a life of crime and gangrelated activity. Due to the fact that we work with young people right up until they are in their mid-twenties, we are also well-placed to offer the those progressing through our programmes an established exit route into further structured and age-appropriate sporting and employment opportunities.

The importance of being firmly rooted in the local community and taking the time to develop the project incrementally has been fundamental to our success over the past 16 years. It has also allowed us to respond appropriately to the evolving needs of our users. Due to the relationship we have built up with local young people over a long period of time, we have earned a legitimacy to advise and help them in a way other organisations cannot. Consequently, more and more young people are benefiting from the services we offer, enhancing their life opportunities.

Funders	Partners	SMFC Kit Sponsors
ANT-Fonden Berkeley Foundation Big Lottery Fund Garfield Weston Henry Smith Charity High Trees Community Trust Lambeth Council Leap Confronting Conflict London Community Foundation London Youth Mayor’s Office Peters & Peters Solicitors Peter Minet Trust Roupell Park RMO Safer London Sport England Sport Unites Streetgames Thrale Almhouses UK Youth Walcot Foundation	Better PLC Brixton Police Brockwell Park Community Partners Brockwell Park Management City Heights Academy Crystal Palace F.C Academy Effra Digital Football Foundation Fulham F.C Foundation High Trees Community Trust Jubilee Primary School Lambeth Early Action Partnership Lambeth Safeguarding Children P’ship Lambeth Sports & Recreation Services LEAP Leap Confronting Conflict London F.A London Youth Partisan CIC Roupell Park RMO South Central Youth Sported St. Matthew’s Estate TRA Substance Social Research Tooting & Mitcham United F.C Tulse Hill Estate TRA Tulse Hill Safer Neighbourhood Team	Cottman Foundation KMCO Group McEvoy Maintenance

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

EXISTING AIMS & OBJECTIVES

To act as a resource for young people up to the age of 25 living in the Tulse Hill and Brixton area by providing advice and assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities.

To promote community participation in healthy recreation, in particular children and young people aged between 3 and 25 by the provision of facilities for playing football and other sports.

To provide a safe and encouraging environment where young people can come together and enjoy structured sports and learning opportunities.

To help the young people of the Tulse Hill and Brixton area fulfil their potential and improve their well-being both physically and emotionally through targeted support to children and families.

WHY SMP?

More than 18 years of experience of being embedded in the local community
Established in and trusted by a local community often sceptical of ‘projects’ as they have been used and let down by so many; SMP make a difference to local young people’s lives over a long period of time
Founded by someone who knows and cares about the local area and respects and is respected by the people in it
Core staff have been developed from within the programmes; i.e. young people work with someone ‘just like them’
Pioneer of a true grassroots ‘trauma-informed’ approach
Focused on early intervention and well-being, understanding how that can have a profound impact on the lives of young people with complex backgrounds and needs
Knows the local young people better than any other organisation (so much so that it sometimes provides them as participants to other programmes)
Works in the community beyond the programmes; facilitating relations and conversations between young people and schools, police and other local service providers
Has maintained a £10 signing-on fee for St. Matthew’s FC since inaugural 2005-06 season, ensuring accessibility for local young people

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

ASPIRATION STATEMENT

The St. Matthew’s project is determined to ensure that the young people of the Tulse Hill and Brixton area can fulfil their potential. No child or young person should ever go hungry, be exposed to violence or live in poverty.

Football is a game that brings people together, engenders collaboration and trust and inspires passion and loyalty. Our mission is to use football as a gateway for young people to come together and provide for them structure and learning opportunities in a safe and encouraging environment. Our young people often get left behind, overlooked or banished to a headline about violence or underachievement. Our focus is on their wellness, based on an understanding that regularly active, collaborative young people are happier, healthier and more resilient.

Working with them day in, day out for more than 19 years, the St Matthew’s Project knows that local young people have hopes, fears and aspirations like everyone else, that can be channelled to deliver positive outcomes — for the young people themselves, as well as the local area and local community.

The St. Matthew’s project has worked in a deep and committed way, in a small part of London for more than 19 years. This has built a trust and an understanding that very few organisations working with young people have. We know our young people and they know us, our coaches have been through our programmes so can relate and are relatable.

Our ambition is to continue this early intervention and reach at least 40% of the young people in the Tulse Hill and Brixton area in the next three years. We will continue to be embedded in the local area, and to understand each individual young person we work with, their challenges and hopes, in order to help them build a future and fulfil their potential.

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Chair’s Foreword

This annual report gives an overview of the valuable work we carry out in our local community. It provides an insight into the impact it has not just on our participants, but also their families and the wider neighbourhood. It is testament to our wonderful team of staff and volunteers that a charity of our relatively small size is able to reach so many people. At St Matthew’s, we pride ourselves on being more than ‘just’ a football project. Football is merely the starting point from which we can go on to support children and young people with their personal development, and offer them access to further sporting, educational or employment opportunities as they get older. Through sustained engagement, we are able to develop strong and enduring relationships with young people. Some of the young people we work with would not feel comfortable turning to any other source of support.

At SMP, we know that many of our participants are having to deal with some challenging issues and we are always trying to ensure that the programmes we deliver are those most suited to their needs. During 2022/23, we have invested a lot of time and resources into embedding a trauma-informed therapeutic approach across our programmes. As well as our developing relationship with local mental health practitioners Partisan, we were lucky enough to receive funding for a part-time Mental Health Outreach worker, both factors which have enabled us to strengthen our mental health and wellbeing work. All our coaches have taken part in trauma training, which enables them to recognise when a child or young person is displaying signs of trauma and take the first steps towards helping them to deal with it. This ensures that we are best placed to help young people overcome any barriers they face at the earliest possible opportunity, thus helping to improve their long-term outcomes.

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*2019-20: Loss of 12 weeks of activities due to Covid lockdown.

**2020-21: Loss of 16 weeks of activities due to Covid lockdowns.

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Asian
Mixed
2%
9%
White Other
6%
White British
7%
Latin American
7% Black British 58%
Mixed White-Black
British
11%
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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

SMP PROGRAMME 2022-23

Girls-only Saturday Football Club
Girls-only Roupell Park Estate Football Club
Girls’ Secondary School Leagues & Tournaments
5-16s Saturday Football Club
Summer and Half-Term Holiday Football & Food Scheme
Tulse Hill Estate Christmas Pen Football Tournament
St. Matthew’s Estate After-School Sports Club
Jubilee Primary School After-School Football Club
St. Matthew’s F.C (U10s, U11s, U12s, U13s, U14s, U15s, 16s Girls U15s and Seniors A & B)
• Volunteer programme
F.A Introduction to Coaching Football Course
F.A UEFA-C Coaching Course
Moving On employability programme
Cage Football -Tulse Hill Estate
Parent & Toddler Club
Elders’ Football Programme
Fit 4 Life - mental health wellbeing programme
Trauma-Informed staff training
Young Tulse Hill Peer Researchers
City Heights Academy Schools’ Partnership
Monthly online £100 quiz prizes
Family Fitness Club

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

AUTUMN

A huge well done and congratulations to our Girls-Only Club lead coach and former participant, Megan, on completing the London Marathon in a time of 4.34.09 - and raising over £1,500 for SMP to date! A massive thank you, too, to everyone who sponsored her.

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In October, to try and best accommodate the steady increase in numbers attending the Saturday Club sessions in Brockwell Park, and to ensure we were able to provide the best possible experience for all participants, we trialled new staggered time slots. The new format proved to be a great success, popular with participants and parents alike. A special thank you to ANT-Fonden, Denmark for their generous support of the Saturday Club.

We were delighted to have Reading FC Academy coach and former SMP member and Tulse Hill Estate boy Brian Nzinga back to share his knowledge with SMP coaches at a CPD training event at City Heights Academy. Brian passed on some extremely valuable insights into elite-level coaching and development.

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Half term saw another great turnout in Brockwell Park at our free holiday football and coaching programme with an average 106 participants attending the 3 sessions. We also served up 360 meals and 30 Take & Make recipe boxes.

A massive thank you to all the staff and families at Woodbridge High School, Woodford Green, Essex who made another fantastic donation of second-hand football boots in excellent condition. It was great timing, too, coming just before the half-term holiday programme. Over half of them went straight out during the sessions.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Some of our new Roupell Park Estate Girls-Only Club regulars got to watch Arsenal vs Manchester United in the WSL at the Emirates Stadium. It was a brilliant game which the girls thoroughly enjoyed.

The Lambeth Peer Researchers, including 4 SMP members, attended a special presentation at Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton to show off all their hard work and discuss issues closest to young people’s hearts across the borough. Some great young people with some great ideas.

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WINTER

As well as second-hand football boots, we sometimes get some lovely brand new items donated. A large parcel of boots and goalkeeper gloves arrived in time for us to hand them out at our last Saturday Club session of 2022! A huge thank you, as always, to everyone who donates to all our supporters.

Great to have our lead 5-7s Saturday Club coach Sabrina and 14-16s coach Legion amongst the LPAC delegation attending the Youth Endowed Fund National Conference in Liverpool, representing the views of Lambeth young people on how to reduce youth violence.

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32 young people braved the elements at Selhurst Park to see the Palace v Real Valladolid friendly. A very cold night but a great match and experience. And some our Girls-Only Club members also got the chance to see a game, the Premier League London derby, Fulham v West Ham. Big thank you to the Fulham FC Foundation for the tickets.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

There was a very festive feel to our final Saturday Club session of the year. Difficult times for many people so we felt it was important to try and offer a bit of Christmas cheer and goodwill wherever we could. Well done to everybody who braved the icy conditions and congratulations to all our raffle winners.

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The New Year saw a first overseas coaching trip for SMP, as Project Coordinator Dwight Barnett travelled with SMP coaches and SMFC managers, Daniel (U11s), Evon (U13s) and Banjo (U12s), to Holland for a two-day learning experience at PSV Eindhoven FC. Dwight and the team got to pass on all the knowledge and insight gained from the workshops and observations to the rest of our coaches.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Some of our coaches got to model the new SMP winter hats at the last Saturday Club session of 2022! A big thank you to KCMO Group for their continued support.

There was still some activity over the festive period on Tulse Hill Estate with our special Christmas Cage Football session, followed by lunch and some more vouchers and goodies on offer.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Great to see to SMFC alumni, Tulse Hill Estate resident – and cage footballer – Alex signing professional terms for Glasgow Rangers FC in the New Year. We wish him all the best!

It was a great start to the New Year for the SMP’s Project Manager to get out of the ‘London bubble’ at the UK Youth Thriving Minds Residential at the University of Warwick. All the costs were met by UK Youth and it was a great opportunity to meet with and hear from other youth organisations from all over the UK, discussing young people and their mental wellbeing. UK Youth are funding the SMP’s Mental Wellbeing Outreach worker’s post for 3 years. A huge thank you to them.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

And a huge thank you to McEvoy Building & Maintenance for sponsoring the new SMFC U15s kit. The boys christened it with a 5-1 home win in January at the ‘Stadio Del Brockwell’.

It’s always a very special day in Brockwell Park whenever a former participant returns with their own child, but it was especially nice to see one of the very first participants from St. Matthew’s Estate to take part in the early SMP kick-abouts in 2004 turn up with his 6 year-old son at the Saturday Club!

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We had another great half-term holiday programme in Brockwell Park, with 122 young people turning up at the first session, unprecedented numbers for February, even with the nice weather. The three sessions saw an average attendance of 119. A huge well done to Dwight and all the coaching team who managed to cope with the unprecedented numbers. A big thank you, too, to all the parents and guardians who were able to turn up.

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Brockwell Park has provided a great ‘thinking space’ in the sun for our coaches as part of our latest Fit 4 Life programme in partnership with Partisan CIC and the Berkeley Foundation. The current programme offers staff wellbeing sessions, mental health support for local school students and an estate-based weekly drop-in session where young men can talk about whatever they want or say nothing at all. It's good to talk!

SMP’s girls’ football programme continued to flourish with great attendances and a steady flow of new participants throughout the year. However, the England Lionesses’ success has not really had any real noticeable effect on the wider uptake in female football. A tournament we entered was cancelled because we were the only team to have entered; a much-hyped local ‘league’ produced just three friendly matches in five months, while two other teams cancelled friendlies due to a lack of players. We continue to engage with the London FA, Lambeth Council, the Capital Girls’ League and the London County Saturday Youth League in our efforts to help promote girls’ football.

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SPRING

SMFC Seniors B (average age 21) take on Tooting & Mitchum United FC U23s under the lights at Imperial Fields as part of our partnership and exit route with the Combined Counties League club. Over 50 players signed with our two Seniors teams this season, five of them from last season’s SMFC U16s.

We created a safe space on Tulse Hill Estate for young men caught up in gang violence as part of our Fit 4 Life programme. The weekly drop in centre offers a chance to get some hot food, play PS5 and discuss any issues they might have with trained clinical psychologists from Partisan CIC. As one young man put it: ‘ Three hours away from the chaos…’ It’s good to talk! A big thank you, too, to Leap Confronting Conflict and the Tulse Hill Estate TRA for facilitating the space.

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There was a great introduction to Aiden from Safer London for SMFC U14s ahead of some workshops on keeping safe. Aiden stayed right till the end, went in goal and observed some argy-bargy mediation, gate dispersal duty and unauthorised Uber bike usage issues. Start as you mean to go on!

Congratulations and a huge well done to SMP Girls-Only Club regular Alexis who took part in the P4S challenge Cup at St. George's Park. A partnership that saw her playing with Ace Development, representing the Roche School and funded by SMP. She also bagged a hat-trick in her first match!

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A great evening was had at Lambeth Town Hall with High Trees Community Trust and the Lambeth Peer Researchers. A genuine youth voice getting the message across about local issues - including renovating the SMP pavilion in Brockwell Park. Well done to all the SMP staff members involved.

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It was great to have some of our Youth Board members helping out with lunch in Brockwell Park during the Easter Holiday. A big thank you to the Mayor's Office for the Take & Make recipe boxes and fresh fruit.

SMP’s young team of coaches received some top class education and insight in Brockwell Park with some CPD from F.A tutor Peter Augustine, while Project Coordinator, Dwight, and SMFC U10s coach, Chris had a great experience up in Glasgow at the International Coaches’ Convention at the Celtic FC Academy. They also brought home a lot of knowledge and invaluable insight to SMP to share with the rest of the coaching team.

‘ Today I had the absolute pleasure of delivering some CPD to the coaches at the St. Matthews’ project thanks to Dwight Barnet and the wonderful coaches. Their passion for the players they coach was truly inspiring .’ – Peter Augustine, F.A.

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Former Girls-Only Club member Toni was one of four young people to make the journey from participant to volunteer to paid part-time coach and gain their FA Introduction to Coaching Football certificate in the process. Eighteen young people in total gained the Introduction to Coaching Football certificate through SMP, including six from the SMFC U16s team. Well done to all.

While the SMP and SMFC Club ethos is very much against selling the ‘dream’ of young aspiring footballers ‘turning pro’, it is always nice to see some of them progress into academies. We were especially pleased when four of our Tulse Hill Estate cage footballers turned up to proudly show off their academy colours. We wish them all the best and will always be here for them should things not work out.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

This year as part of our Moving On programme, a total of twelve young men, all trying to leave difficult pasts behind them and forge a new path in life, gained their CSCS construction cards, Fire Marshal, Traffic Marshal and First Aid certificates at the London Construction Academy and Skills Centre in Surrey Docks. A massive thank you to the Walcot Foundation for the backing. Eight of them have gone on to find employment in the building trade. Well done to all.

It was a tough day in May at the London County Saturday Youth League finals at Long Lane JFC, Kidbrooke, with 3 SMFC defeats, especially for the U16s who hit the post in the last kick of normal time at 1-1 then conceded a last-minute decider in extra time. But as they say: ‘It's a cruel game sometimes!’ Many positives though – an U11s cup win the previous week, 4 teams in the finals a first for SMFC, and lovely to see so many blue & black shirts and parents. And a special shout out to Project Coordinator Dwight who took the U16s team all the way from U10s – another first for SMFC.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

There was another great turnout for our annual Lambeth Girls’ Schools tournament at Ferndale Sports Centre, Brixton. A total of 66 players took part, with La Retraite, Clapham Park being crowned champions and Streatham & Clapham High A team finishing runners up. Bishop Thomas Grant, Streatham received the Fair Play Trophy, and Star Player Awards went to girls from La Retraite and Dunraven, Streatham. Well done to all!

(Clockwise from top: La Retraite, S&C High, Elms Academy, Clapham, BTG.)

Some of our Girls’ Saturday Club regulars also got to enjoy a day out at Wembley for the Women’s FA Cup Final. Big thank you to James Gregory and Streetgames for the tickets.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Another very busy June half-term holiday period in Brockwell Park with an average attendance of 96 at our 4 sessions, and a high of 107. We also served 480 meals, and 8 pairs of boots were collected. A big thank you to the Mayor’s Fund for the 122 new-style Create & Make recipe kits too.

There was another great turnout at Tooting & Mitcham United F.C for our Jason K. Memorial in-house tournament in June. This was the 5th running of the event since 2017, with over 100 former participants, players and coaches involved plus many family members and old friends in attendance. Congratulations to winners Team Kayos . Other teams included Petr Cech Yourself and Gangsters’ Allardyce (apologies to Coolio).

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Our Family Fitness Club on the St. Matthew’s Estate Tenants’ Hall, Brixton has been going great guns over the past year. The free weekly programme of family fitness sessions for parents and their children aged 5-10 are run in conjunction with a personal trainer from the local area. As well as encouraging families to improve their fitness levels, these sessions help to foster better parent-child relationships.

June saw the SMFC end-of-season awards ceremony at Alleyn’s School, Dulwich. It was great to see so many parents and guardians in attendance and buying into the club ethos. Well done to Project Coordinator, Dwight, for organising, and a big thank you to Alleyn’s for the venue and Charlton Athletic footballer, Mandela Egbo, for taking questions.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

SMP are always looking to progress to ‘the next level’ and so we were delighted to be able to appoint Savannah Britto as our very own Mental Health Outreach Worker. Having our very own mental wellbeing outreach worker has been a huge boost and enabled us to respond to the needs of our participants more effectively, particularly as we continue to see more and more young people flagging up issues such as anxiety and trauma. The Mental Health Outreach Worker will take the lead on integrating psychologically informed approaches across all our programmes. Savannah’s role is funded for three years by UK Youth as part of their Thriving Minds strand.

We were honoured to be a part of the Jubilee School summer fair once again. We are very proud of our longstanding partnership with our brilliant local school that works tirelessly for all children in our community. Congratulations to our football tournament winners and runners-up.

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Really pleased to receive some special end-of-term feedback from a special group of girls at the City Heights Academy, Upper Tulse Hill as part of our Fit 4 Life wellbeing programme.

‘Our opinions matter and are respected.’ ‘Allowing me to express my feelings.’ ‘Safe space to talk about anything.’ ‘Powerful. Positive. Inspiring’

The girls also enjoyed a great team-bonding trip to the Vauxhall Climbing Centre followed by a meal at Brixton Nando’s.

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Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

The SMFC U11s also got to enjoy a post-season celebration of all their hard work and effort – and trophy – at Brixton Nando’s. Well done to all the players and Coach Daniel for another great season together.

During the summer holiday 55 parents and children enjoyed a day trip to Brighton with free lunch and unlimited wristbands for the Palace Pier for the second year running. Big thank you to Lambeth HAF for facilitating.

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And finally… Our Summer Holiday 2023 stats.

Big thank you to Lambeth Council HAF and the Mayor's Fund for the support!

Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

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What’s next for SMP?

We have been using the Pavilion in Brockwell Park for over 16 years, but Lambeth Council has now granted us a 10-year lease to take over the management of the building and we have planning permission to carry out refurbishment works. The Pavilion is of great importance not only for the future development of SMP’s programmes, but more critically for the on-going contribution it delivers to the wider community. We are currently applying for funding to carry out the necessary upgrades to the building.

SMP currently over-delivers in comparison to our size and we ideally need to increase the number of full-time staff we employ. We will therefore be making this one of our top funding priorities, in order to allow us to properly respond to the ever increasing demand for our services.

We will continue to look to significantly increase levels of sport and physical activity, particularly among disadvantaged groups. We want to see all our staff, volunteers and trustees working hard towards creating a thriving and sustainable Project at the heart of our community, where the participant is at the centre of all our decisions and actions for growing the organisation. Our work has to be focused on front-line, grass-roots delivery; delivery that is clearly aligned to creating the best environment and the best opportunities for all our young people.

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

‘Thank you very much for organising the focus group. The young men I spoke to are a credit to your organisation and are a testament of the great work that you and are your staff are doing. They were respectful, friendly and articulated their viewpoints very well and their behaviour was exemplary, I really enjoyed speaking to them.’

– Rianne Darko , Implementation Manager – Lambeth Integrated Youth Hub

----- Start of picture text -----
‘Best ethos, most generous, unique
club – all the reasons cannot be
contained in a tweet – always above
and beyond; such a special family
event today.’ – Parent U11s, SMFC
Awards Ceremony.
----- End of picture text -----

‘It’s a nice place to come when you’re stressed out and just play football with your friends. The coaches help me when I’m stressed and angry, they’re always here.’ – Cage Footballer, aged 14.

– Mum

‘Best ethos, most generous, unique club – all the reasons cannot be contained in a tweet – always above and beyond; such a special family event today…’ – Mum, Twitter.

Your solid contributions to young people of the Community are appreciated and noticed by us. St Mathews Project proven to be essential. Huge commitment from staff makes this possible. Massive Respect. – Brixton Neighbourhood Forum

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Our people and supporters

We’d like to thank everyone who has been involved in supporting the work of SMP; it could never happen without the support of our funders and partners. We would also like to extend our huge thanks for the continued support of our board of trustees, our staff and volunteers. This review is a celebration of the efforts and commitment of our staff, trustees, partners, volunteers and participants. We have built a team with a shared vision and together we are making a positive difference. Our staff, volunteers and trustees are the key to our growth and success; they are involved and engaged not just with us but with all the young people we support. We would like to thank them for the time and invaluable resources they are putting into our work, helping to make the SMP the special organisation it is – may their effort and dedication continue to help change the lives of young people in the Tulse Hill and Brixton area and beyond. Any success we’ve had is about the people, the volunteers and everybody involved in supporting SMP on a daily, weekly basis.

Financial Review

Funding for the Charity comes from a variety of sources including grants and donations from trusts and individuals.

2022/23 was another very strong year for donations and legacies with income of £324,554 (2022: £373,124). Overall, the financial position of SMP has remained strong with significant cash and reserves. The Trustees view is that SMP is now in a position to plan to broaden its activities and reach to further the Charity’s aims.

Financial Activity and Financial Position

The Statement of Financial Activities and Balance Sheet can be found on pages 42 and 43 respectively. The Charity’s total funds decreased by £32,612 during the year (2022: increased by £95,743). The balance sheet shows total net assets of £254,388 (2022: £287,000).

Included in total funds are amounts totalling £114,328 (2022: £182,029) which are restricted. These monies have either been raised for, and their use restricted to, specific purposes, and/or they comprise grants subject to grantor imposed conditions. Details of the movement on these restricted funds can be found in note 7 to the accounts together with an analysis of movements in the year.

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Reserves Policy

The Trustees have examined the requirements for free reserves, i.e. those unrestricted funds not invested in tangible fixed assets. The Trustees consider that, given the nature of the Charity’s funding, free reserves should be equivalent to approximately 3 months general fund expenditure, plus committed future expenditure on other projects, where funds permit. The Trustees are of the opinion that this provides sufficient flexibility to cover temporary shortfalls in incoming resources and will allow the Charity to cope and respond to unforeseen emergencies whilst specific action plans are implemented. At 31 August 2023 the Charity had net free reserves of £140,060 (2022: £104,971) as follows:

Total reserves Less: restricted funds Free reserves Free reserves requirement: 3 month’s budgeted routine expenditure Anticipated spend on expanding activities Free reserves requirement	2023	2022 £ 287,000 (182,029)
	£

	254,388
	(114,328)

		104,971
	140,060

		50,000 50,000

	50,000
	50,000

		100,000
	100,000

Going Concern

After making appropriate enquiries, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the Accounting Policies.

Responsibilities of Trustees for the Financial Statements

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. Charity law in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the Charity for that period.

In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the activities of the Charity will continue.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enables them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the governing document. The Trustees 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. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Charity and financial information included in the Charity’s website.

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Annual Report of the Trustees For the year ended 31 August 2023

Approval

The report of the Trustees was approved by the Trustees on 24 April 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Jenny Greenfield Chair of the Board

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees of St Matthews Project For the year ended 31 August 2023

I report on the accounts of the St Matthew’s Project (the Charity) for the year ended 31 August 2023, set out on pages 42-47.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”) and that an independent examination is needed. The charity is required by company law to prepare accrued accounts and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act);
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently 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 statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities.

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.

Sheila Parry ACCA 24 April 2024

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating the income and expenditure account) For the year ended 31 August 2023

Note Income from: 2 Donations and legacies Charitable activities Total Income Expenditure on: Marketing/advertising Staff costs 3a Staff expenses Service delivery 3b Office, administration & support 3c Independent examination Net income/(expenditure) before tax Tax payable 4 Net income after tax Transfers between funds Other recognised gains/(losses) Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted Funds 2023 £ 112,038 60 112,098 - 53,958 2,833 4,095 15,523 600 77,009 35,089 - 35,089 - - 35,089 104,971 140,060	Restricted Funds 2023 £ 212,457 - 212,457 - 93,912 570 185,676 - - 280,158 (67,701) - (67,701) - - (67,701) 182,029 114,328		Unrestricted Funds 2022 £ 99,011 1,555		Restricted Funds 2022 £ 272,558 - 272,558 - 46,376 3,953 164,083 - - 214,412 58,146 - 58,146 - - 58,146 123,883 182,029	Total 2022 £ 371,569 1,555 373,124 1,473 96,960 3,953 164,083 10,662 250 277,381 95,743 - 95,743 - - 95,743 191,257 287,000
			Total
			2023
			£


			324,495
			60

				100,566

			324,555

				1,473 50,584 - - 10,662 250


			-
			147,870
			3,403
			189,771
			15,523
			600

				62,969

			357,167

				37,597


			(32,612)

				-

			-

				37,597 - -

			(32,612)

			-
			-

				37,597 67,374

			(32,612)

			287,000

				104,971

			254,388

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Balance Sheet As at 31 August 2023

Note Current Assets Debtors 5 Cash At Bank And In Hand Creditors - Amounts Falling Due Within One Year 6 Net Current Assets Net Assets Represented By: Restricted Funds 7 Unrestricted Income Funds Total Funds	Unrestricted Funds 2023 £ - 143,822 143,822 3,762 140,060 140,060 - 140,060 140,060		Restricted Funds 2023 £ - 114,328 114,328 - 114,328 114,328 114,328 - 114,328			Total 2022 £ 30,000 258,941
				Total
				2023
				£

				-
				258,150

						288,941 1,941
				258,150

				3,762

						287,000
				254,388

						287,000
				254,388

						182,029 104,971


				114,328
				140,060

						287,000
				254,388

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime as set out in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006. The company is entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 August 2023 and no notice requiring an audit has been deposited under section 476.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for:

ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006
preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of each financial period and of its profit or loss for the financial period in accordance with the requirements of sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as is applicable to the company.

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 24 April 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

David Keen Treasurer

Company registration 7007350

Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 August 2023

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

1. Accounting Policies

St. Matthews Project is a charitable company limited by guarantee without share capital, with use of 'Limited' exemption, and registered in England with registration number 07007350. Its registered office address is 90 Gaskarth Road, Balham, London, SW12 9NW. The accounts are presented in GBP rounded to £1.

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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) (effective 1 September 2022) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared on a natural or alternative basis of analysis as per SORP 4.6.

The Charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

The Charity has availed itself of the Companies Act 2006 and adapted the Companies Act format to reflect the special nature of the Charity’s activities.

Going Concern

The Charity is a going concern. Taking into account reserves and anticipated recurring income, the Trustees are confident that the Charity remains a going concern for at least twelve months from the date of approval of these accounts.

Income recognition

Voluntary income and donations (including legacies) are accounted for once the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be reliably measured. Income from the recovery of tax on gift aided donations is accounted for in the period to which the relevant donation is received. Grant income is recognised on a receivable basis.

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.

No amounts have been included in the financial statements for services donated by volunteers.

Expenditure recognition

Expenditure is accrued as soon as a liability is considered probable, and the amount of obligation can be measured reliably. Longer term liabilities are discounted to present value. The Charity is not registered for VAT and accordingly expenditure includes VAT where appropriate.

Charitable expenditure includes those costs in fulfilling the Charity’s principal objects, as outlined in the Report of the Trustees. These include governance costs which are incurred in connection with the administration of the Charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, which tasks are undertaken mainly by the Trustees. Governance costs also costs include costs relating to statutory independent examination and legal fees.

Taxation

The Company is a Registered Charity and is therefore exempt from taxation under the Income and Corporation Taxes Acts.

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 August 2023

1. Accounting Policies (continued)

Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets, costing more than £2,000, are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:

Office equipment: 5 years

Funds Structure

Unrestricted income comprises those 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.

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 specific purposes. There are currently no restricted funds.

2. Income

		Total 2022 £ 24,646 - 346,923
	Total
	2023
	£

	15,057
	213
	309,225

		371,569 1,555
	324,495

	60

		1,555
	60

		373,124
324,555

3. Expenditure

Included within expenditure are the following costs:

3a Staff costs Gross salaries Employers National Insurance Employer pension contributions	Unrestricted Funds 2023 £ Restricted Funds 2023 £ 49,945 91,775 3,761 816 252 1,321 53,958 93,912			Total 2022 £ 90,928 4,247 1,785
		Total
		2023
		£

		141,720
		4,577
		1,573

				96,960
		147,870

The average number of employees during the year was 10 (2022: 3). No employee received emoluments in excess of £60,000 during the year.

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 August 2023

3. Expenditure (continued)

3b Service delivery Coaching, tutoring & training Food Travel Equipment/kit/facilities Membership/league fees Tours & events Other 3c Office & administration Accountancy & payroll Printing & stationery Software Website Other	Unrestricted Funds 2023 £ Restricted Funds 2023 £ - 99,822 - 45,689 - 6,169 - 30,501 - 1,969 - 460 4,095 1,066 4,095 185,676 Unrestricted Funds 2023 £ Restricted Funds 2023 £ 5,266 - 11 - 144 - 3,180 - 6,922 - 15,523 0
			Total
			2023
			£

			99,822
			45,689
			6,169
			30,501
			1,969
			460
			5,161

		189,771



			Total
			2023
			£

			5,266
			11
			144
			3,180
			6,922

			15,523

4. Taxation

As a charity, St. Matthews Project is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within the provisions of the Corporation Taxes Act 2010 or the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen on the Charity.

5. Debtors

5. Debtors
Grants receivable	2023	2022 £ 30,000
	£

	-

ST. MATTHEW’S PROJECT

Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31 August 2023

6. Creditors - Amounts Falling Due Within One Year

Other creditors Other creditors including taxation and social security Accruals		2023		2022 £ 268 373 1,300 1,941
		£

		690
		1,672
		1,400

		3,762

7. Restricted Funds

At 1 September 2022 £ 182,029	Income £ Expenditure £ Transfers £ 212,457 (280,158) 0	At 31
		August
		2023
		£

		114,328

	Income £ Expenditure £ Transfers £ 272,557 (214,411) 0
At 1 September 2021 £ 123,883		At 31
		August
		2022
		£

		182,029

Football related activities. Income received specifically for funding football related activities.

8. Related Party Transactions

No Trustees (2022: none) received reimbursement for expenses incurred on charity business during the year.

The Trustees did not make any restricted donations to the charity during the year (2022: £nil).

9. Members Funds

The company is a private company limited by guarantee with no share capital. The liability of the members is limited to £10 in the event of a winding up.