## **PALS PRO-ACTIVE LIFESTYLE WATER ACTIVITIES CLUB** 

**Registered Charity Number: 1142283 palswac.org.uk** 


Trustees’ Annual Report 2024/25 

PALS had a good year of activity with income from the pool sessions and use of the bus higher than in the previous year and helping to increase turnover by nearly £3,000.  However, expenses were significantly higher than in 2024 and the result is that although PALS made a surplus, it was much reduced compared with the previous year at £617.30. 

The main “trading” activity for PALS is the pool sessions and there were 191 sessions in the year with an average of 15 people paying to attend each session.  Just about half of those people paid to use the bus to get to the sessions which demonstrates that the bus is still a vital part of the facilities offered by PALS. 

In the year there were 109 paid up members.  The PALS committee did an analysis of membership against attendance during the year and concluded that over half of members don’t regularly attend pool sessions.  The committee was unable to determine the reasons for this, but they are probably many and varied!  It was interesting to observe that as the year went on average attendance steadily increased, though there was quite a varied attendance week by week! 

The main Fundraising Event was the concert by Minehead Male Voice Choir in May 2024 which raised nearly £640.00.  But there were many other small but important amounts raised via tabletop sales – with thanks to Kathy and other members who set up stall at these events! 

Expenses were fairly consistent with the previous year, with the exception of maintaining the minibus which started to need increasing funds spent on it.  The committee, thanks to the efforts of Ian and Joe, agreed to look into bringing forward the purchase of a new minibus and this was achieved in June 2025! 

The other two major increases in expenditure in the year were on training and on equipment purchases and maintenance.  Six drivers underwent driver training with Anstey James and all came through with flying colours. This training isn’t a requirement, but it is good practice to ensure that drivers are trained – for their sake and for their passengers!  There were some small items of new equipment purchased including the Sumup card machine and some new woggles.  The main equipment cost was in the servicing contract for the hoist – a vital piece of kit for PALS members! 

The Sumup card reader was adopted with a certain amount of trepidation both by members and volunteers but by the end of the financial year some £8,500 of income had been taken by card.  This is about 30% of all income received from membership subscriptions, pool sessions and bus travel so the committee can safely say this was a good investment! 

A Spring Lunch planned for April had to be cancelled at the last minute due to flooding at the venue but the AGM in September was followed by a fascinating and fun talk from Richard Newton, Chair of Minehead RNLI, and a successful Afternoon Tea.  The Committee is keen to arrange more events and is exploring ways to do this. 

During the year the Committee undertook to review all current policies and procedures and to implement new policies where appropriate.  This work is ongoing.  The Committee also involved members in a Quality Assurance review which highlighted topics for further discussion.  The Committee is grateful for the continued support from many long-standing volunteers and continues to try to overcome the challenges in recruiting new volunteers to the many roles that need fulfilling. 

The quarterly newsletter has gone from strength to strength thanks to the work of Cherry and has proved very successful in communicating with members at all sessions. 

PALS committee 



## **PRO-ACTIVE LIFESTYLE WATER ACTIVITIES CLUB** 

## Charity Number 1142283 

||Accounts|||
|---|---|---|---|
|for year ended 31stMarch 2025||||
||Notes|2024/25|2023/24|
|**Income**||**£**|**£**|
|Membership subscriptions||2,620.00|1,140.00|
|Fundraising Events/Activities||1,317.00|2,074.60|
|Donations||1,899.10|772.20|
|Swimming sessions||20,065.00|19,262.00|
|Bus income (members)||4,260.00|3,660.00|
|Hire of bus (to third parties)||1,366.90|1,210.50|
|Raffle income||1,027.50|1,078.20|
|Day Memberships||306.00|273.00|
|Somerset Lottery||187.00|196.50|
|Donations in Kind (not cash)|1.|56.15|0.00|
|Grants received||0.00|500.00|
|**TOTAL INCOME**||33,104.65|30,167.00|
|**Expenditure**||**£**|**£**|
|Instructors’ expenses||5,966.80|5,297.00|
|Poolside Assistants’ expenses||2,941.50|2,460.50|
|Drivers’ expenses||2,085.00|1,995.00|
|Bus (running costs and repairs)||8,217.53|5,973.19|
|Pool hire||8,595.00|7,785.00|
|Fundraising Event costs|1.|186.15|194.78|
|Training||1,266.50|180.00|
|Hire of Premises||991.68|765.80|
|Equipment||920.09|568.05|
|Public Liability Insurance||370.00|354.00|
|SumUp Fees|2.|143.26|0.00|
|Printing, stationery and postage||128.29|201.03|
|Subscriptions||98.46|105.07|
|AGM costs||111.00|386.04|
|Sundry expenses|3.|466.09|66.90|
|**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**||32,487.35|26,332.36|
|Excess income over expenditure||617.30|3,834.64|



1. Cash value of catering costs donated for the Minehead Male Voice Choir concert in May 2024.  Equivalent expense included in Fundraising Event costs 

2. Fees are charged for each transaction on the card machine 

3. Includes non-session volunteer travel expenses and driver medicals 



|**Movement in Funds**|**£**|**£**|
|---|---|---|
|Bank balance at 31st March 2024||32,790.01|
|Add income received during the year|33,104.65||
|Add income received for Members’ Events|465.00||
|Less expenditure made during the year|32,487.35||
|Less Members’ Events payments|1,320.00||
|Bank balance at 31st March 2025||32,552.31|



## Notes 

## 1. Accounting Policies 

The financial statement has been prepared on a Cash Accounting basis (receipts and payments). This change was approved by PALS Management Committee at its meeting on 22 August 2024 for the financial year ended 31 March 2024 and subsequent years. 

## 2. Basis of Accounting 

All income and expenditure is accounted for on cash basis and has been accounted for at the time of receipt or expense. 

## 3. Fixed Assets 

All assets purchased are charged directly to the Accounts.  There is therefore no need to provide for depreciation.  The assets owned by PALS as at 31st March 2025 consist of a minibus and pool equipment.  The minibus was purchased outright in January 2020 for £16,995.00. 

## 4. Grants Received 

Somerset Community Foundation provided a grant of £1,500 in June 2019.  Somerset Community Foundation provided a grant of £1,560 in November 2020.  Harbour Community Bookshop in Watchet provided a grant of £500 in November 2023.  The balance of these grants is carried forward. 

## 5. Grants spent in the year 

From Somerset Community Foundation: 

£247.50 was spent on First Aid and Reach and Rescue training for volunteers and members £594.00 was spent on Driver Training £425.00 was spent on Instructor Training 

Balance carried forward - £1,613.50 

From the Harbour Community Bookshop: £100.79 was spent on the SumUp Card reader £102.00 was spent on new woggles Balance carried forward - £297.21 

6. A Statement of Assets and Liabilities has been prepared which shows the position as at 31[st] March 2025. 



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