TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION (A company limited by guarantee)
Report and Financial Statements For the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
Charity number 1150114 Company Number 8041993
1
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Report of the Board of Trustees for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
The Board of Trustees presents its directors’ report and financial statements for the period ended 31 March 2024.
Reference and Administrative Information
Charity Name: Tower Hamlets Youth Sport Foundation Charity registration number: 1150114 Company registration number: 8041993 Registered Address: 85 Lullingstone Lane, Hither Green, London, SE13 6UH.
Board of Trustees
Dr Lee Phillips Chair of Trustees Mr Chris Dunne Mr Keith Deane Ms Josie Jones Mr Mike Maddick Ms Kirti Patel Mr David Tilstone Resigned 25 November 2024
Chief Executive Officer:
Mr Chris Willetts
Bankers :
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Bank LTD, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
Reporting Independent Examiner –
James Hands
2
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Background, Formation and Current Status of the Foundation
Our organisation started life as a publicly funded body aiming to move over 90 schools towards achieving a Government Public Service Agreement of all children achieving 2 hours or more of physical activity per week. At only 27%, Tower Hamlets had the lowest proportion of children hitting that threshold in the whole of the UK in 2005 but by the time the measure was reviewed and adapted to a 5 hour target in 2009, we had increased it to 93%.
Over the same period we increased inter-school competitions from 3 per year to over 70 and we drove up the diversity of sports experienced by children in Tower Hamlets schools to over 24 - the highest average range of any UK borough.
The School Sport Partnership (SSP) programme changed the Physical Education landscape so much by the early 2010s, that we were appointed to a more significant role in community sport and physical activity. In Tower Hamlets, the UK’s 2nd most densely populated borough with by far the highest levels of child poverty (52%), fewest sports clubs and a number of cultural issues which were creating barriers to participation, approaching this required a great deal of innovation and investment. Our comprehensive approach to plugging the gaps in the borough's sporting infrastructure through creating Community Sports Coach roles and new initiatives was the foundation for an annual transition of over 12,000 children into community sports participation - a remarkable achievement that was in turn the basis for Tower Hamlets becoming one of the top 10 sporting boroughs in London for the first time.
In 2012, the coalition Government withdrew funding for the School Sport Partnership programme nationally but the popularity of our programmes and magnitude of our impact convinced local stakeholders to support the transition of Tower Hamlets SSP into the Tower Hamlets Youth Sport Foundation - a charity with a very similar set of objectives.
We supported the successful delivery of east London’s hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games but due to significant changes in personnel and circumstances at both Tower Hamlets Council and the school that had hosted our organisation since 2004, our position in Tower Hamlets changed and in 2018 the Foundation embarked on a trial project in two Inner London boroughs (Greenwich and Lewisham). Called PLATFORM CRICKET it had the aim of offering all children attending a state primary school in a footprint area around south and east London with the opportunity to access support to progress through and in cricket. It was hoped that, should this prove successful, it would provide a model that could be replicated more widely.
Platform Cricket has grown exponentially in the intervening period and is now a significant contributor to personal, social, and sporting development for children in Greater London and especially in inner London.
3
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Our programme’s model and approach has proved successful in reaching demographics and communities that cricket has traditionally found hard to engage. In turn this allows cricket to have a far greater impact on community development and social issues than it has done previously.
However, with over 500 London wards featuring over 25% of children from disadvantaged backgrounds and over 50% from ethnic minority backgrounds, the Platform Cricket programme is only realizing a fraction of its potential. It is the charity’s intention to grow the geographical reach of the programme while further establishing it in areas where we already have a firm base.
In 2023 we realised the following outcomes:
-
360 schools engaged in 16 different London Boroughs
-
18,812 children involved (14,892 of whom had not played cricket before)
-
39% of participants from disadvantaged backgrounds
-
78% of participants from ethnic minority backgrounds
-
1,335 children participating in weekly, community cricket through hub sessions
-
495 of hub participants were female (37%)
Additionally, the programme had the following health and social impacts:
-
87% of participants increased the amount of physical activity they were doing per week and 41% are now meeting the target of 7 hours per week set out by the Chief Medical Officer
-
100% of our participants said they felt healthy/very healthy with 90% noting improvements in how healthy they felt during the course of the programme
-
Multi-Stage Fitness Tests were carried out with a large sample (388 participants) and 79% demonstrated an improvement in their score
-
85% of participants recorded an improvement in the WarwickEdinburgh Mental Health Test over the course of their first year of involvement with the programme
-
84% of participants significantly increased the amount of time they spent with children from different backgrounds through the scheme
-
76% of children reported an increased sense of pride in their area/neighbourhood
We were thrilled to be able to work with almost 19,000 children in 2023, welcoming over 1,300 of them into community cricket activity for the first time. Working across a wide area and featuring 78% ethnic minority participation, Platform Cricket is truly reflective of London’s position as one of the world’s most diverse cities.
Through forging strong relationships with local councils, we were able to grow our HAF (Holiday Activity & Food) programmes, extending opportunities across the majority of the summer holidays for many.
4
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Our Aims and Objectives
Purposes and aims
Currently our company’s memorandum of association lists our purposes as follows:
-
Provide assistance, support, services, coaching and facilities for recreation, sport or other leisure occupations primarily but not exclusively for the benefit of the community of inner London and any surrounding areas, in the interests of social welfare and to provide special facilities and services to persons who have a need of such by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, poverty or social and economic circumstances with the object of improving the conditions of life;
-
Advance education, health, social cohesion and community safety through the promotion of physical development primarily (but not exclusively) of children, young people and students.
Platform Cricket Mission
Developing London’s children in and through cricket
The programme aims to:
-
Increase the number of children in London participating in cricket
-
Increase the number of children from disadvantaged and ethnic minority backgrounds participating in cricket
-
Support personal and social development through cricket
How our activities deliver public benefit
Our work directly and indirectly supports:
-
Improvements in Physical and Mental Health
-
Educational Attainment
-
Social Cohesion, Equality & Justice
-
Civic Pride
-
Improvements in Youth Unemployment
-
Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction
5
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Who used and benefited from our services?
Platform Cricket’s services are predominantly aimed at 7-11 year olds living in or attending school in Greater London.
However, we also work on projects that extend this age range in the areas of greatest need, as well as supporting older students, participants’ family members and the wider community with activity, volunteering and qualifications.
Financial Review
Trustees monitor all expenditure in the Foundation’s name against the income received directly into the CAF Bank Account.
It remains our intention to build a healthy level of unrestricted surplus in order to safeguard the Foundation’s ability to continue the provision of its services.
We were pleased to receive charitable donations totalling £402,800 during the period (2022-23: £352,480) . This represented a significant increase but remains lower than historic levels of fundraising as the charity continues to rebuild.
Structure, Governance and Management
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 23 April 2012 and registered as a charity on 10 December 2012. The company was established under a Memorandum and Articles of Association that set out the objects and powers of the charitable company and its governance. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10.
All members of the company must also be a director and, as such, are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law. Under the requirements of the Articles of Association, one-third of those directors who have been in office for at least three years must retire from office but may be re-elected
All directors give their time voluntarily and received no benefits from the charity.
The Articles require the number of directors to be not less than 4.
6
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Responsibilities of the Board
Company law requires the Board to prepare financial statements for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure. In preparing those financial statements, the directors should follow best practice and:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
-
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is not appropriate to assume that the company will continue on that basis.
The Board is responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985. The Board is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The directors who served during the period and up to the date of this report are set out on page 2.
In accordance with company law, as the company’s directors, we certify that:
-
so far as we are aware, there is no relevant information of which the company’s independent examiner is unaware; and
-
as the directors of the company we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken in order to make ourselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the charity’s independent examiner is aware of that information.
Approved by the directors on 18[th] December 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Lee Phillips
Chair of Trustees
7
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Statement of Financial Activities (including Income & Expenditure Account) for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
| Notes | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | ||
| 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Incoming resources | |||||
| Charitable donations | 2 | 251,119 | 253,843 | 504,962 | 411,700 |
| Bank interest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Increase/(Decrease) in Surplus | 0 | 0 |
0 | 0 | |
| Total incoming resources | 251,119 | 253,843 | 504,962 | 411,700 | |
| Resources expended | 3 | ||||
| Charitable activities | 273,809 | 197,753 | 471,562 | 383,803 | |
| Governance costs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total resources expended | 273,809 | 197,753 | 471,562 | 383,803 | |
| Net income for the year and | |||||
| net movement in funds | (22,690) | 56,090 | 33,400 | 27,897 | |
| Reconciliation of funds | |||||
| Total funds brought forward | 33,722 | 13,071 | 46,793 | 18,896 | |
| Total funds carried forward | 11,032 | 69,161 | 80,193 | 46,793 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.
8
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024
(2023: 31 March 2023)
| Note | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Current Assets | |||||
| Debtors: amounts due within one | 83,915 | 42,720 | |||
| year: | |||||
| Debtors | 0 | 0 | |||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 5,365 | 4,073 | |||
| __ | ____ | ||||
| 89,280 | 46,793 | ||||
| Creditors: amounts falling due | (51,808) | (39,608) | |||
| within one year: | |||||
| Balance due to associated | |||||
| undertaking | 0 | 0 | |||
| (51,808) | (39,608) | ||||
| Net Current Assets and Net | 37,472 | 7,185 | |||
| Assets | |||||
| Unrestricted funds | 14,610 | (5,886) | |||
| Restricted funds | 22,862 | 13,071 | |||
| Total Funds | 5 | 37,472 | 7,185 |
These accounts are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Approved by the directors on 18[th] December 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Lee Phillips
Chair of Trustees
9
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Notes forming part of the Financial Statements for the period ended 31 March 2024
1. Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the period.
(a) Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Companies Act 1985 and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities issued in March 2005.
(b) Fund accounting
-
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
-
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor.
(c) Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to, and virtually certain to receive, the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
(d) Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT that cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.
10
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
2. Donations
Donations in the period amounted to £411,700. This was a significant increase from 2022-23 (£210,862) but lower than historic levels of fundraising as the charity continues to rebuild. Donations amounting to £251,119 were restricted. Donations amounting to £23,742 were made by individuals.
| Major Grants/Donations for Charitable Purposes | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|
| London Borough of Lewisham | £50,000.00 | £36,450.00 |
| Munton Family Trust | £39,000.00 | £30,000.00 |
| Young Westminster | £28,190.00 | £16,050.00 |
| Peabody Housing | £20,000.00 | £10,000.00 |
| London Marathon Trust | £18,000.00 | £0.00 |
| London Borough of Southwark | £17,829.00 | £9,689.00 |
| Peter & Teresa Harris Trust | £10,000.00 | £0.00 |
| Marlow Trust | £12,500.00 | £7,500.00 |
| Entain PLC | £0.00 | £24,701.00 |
3. Resources expended
In 2023-24, £471,562 was expended on charitable activities. This was a significant increase from 2022-23 (£383,803 ) but it reflects the growing reach, impact and infrastructure of the charity.
4. Taxation
As a charity, Tower Hamlets Youth Sport Foundation is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or s256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.
5. Movement in funds and restatement
The balance on Total Funds at the end of the reporting period of £37,472 (202223: £7,185) has arisen from income generated less expenditure as reported in the statement of financial activities.
The charity has creditors amounting to £51,808. This is in relation to salary payments forgone by an employee, which remain payable. These have been formally agreed and documented with a maturity of greater than one year with extension rights.
11
TOWER HAMLETS YOUTH SPORT FOUNDATION
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Tower Hamlets Youth Sport Foundation
I report on the accounts of the charity for the period ended 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 9 to 12.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity trustees consider that an audit is not required for the period under review under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
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 statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. 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 seeks explanations from the 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
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities;
-
have not been met, or
-
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name: James Hands
Relevant professional qualification or body: CIMA
Address: Academy Music Group, 211 Stockwell Road, Brixton, London, SW9 9SL Date: 6[th] January 2025
12