TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The Governors of Aspire and Reach Charity present their annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021 and confirm they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 1993, as amended by the Charities Act 2006, the trust deed and the Charities SORP 2005.
OUR AIMS
The Charity operates under a Declaration of Trust dated and signed in March 2014 and a scheme which was sealed by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales on 30 June 2014 which included the regulations for appointment of trustees.
Aspire And Reach is a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation that is committed to raising people’s aspirations and hopes in areas of under privileged communities in the West Midlands, offering a unique package that links the benefits of Sports, Education and Mentoring.
The objects of the Charity are:
-
(1) The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation in particular by the provision of facilities for participating in the sports in specific of karate, Jiujitsu and other Martial Arts Sports.
-
(2) Mentoring support to young people and vulnerable adults, the services can be combined with sports
-
(3) To advance the education of the public in the West Midlands in particular but not exclusively in foreign languages and IT skills
We aim, through our work, to provide a sound service to children and young people. We seek to provide a structured personal development environment that improves our member’s capabilities, competences, skills and foremost their undiscovered potential. We promote social and interpersonal skills, moral compass and physical development of our members through exercise, communication skills and mentoring. We provide an educational environment where each member can develop and fulfil his or her potential, building their self-confidence, motivation, drive, and inculcating a desire to contribute to the wider community. In so doing, we prepare our members for the opportunities, responsibilities and experience of current and later life.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Our objectives are set to reflect our primary aims and the ethos of the Charity. It is important to us that we maintain and enhance the success of the Charity in bringing change through personal
development and community cohesion. This objective is, however, set in the context of the broader goals we set for the Charity and its beneficiaries. In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular to its supplementary public benefit guidance on advancing physical and mental health and education of the public.
Our key objectives for the year included further development of last year’s aims:
To increase beneficiaries’ level and length of fitness and reduce idle time;
To improve Children’s and Young People’s self-esteem and confidence;
To broaden our services and extend the range of options to spread out to a vast community, particularly those who are hard to reach;
To provide continuing assistance to our beneficiaries already in receipt of support through courses/workshops;
To increase the provision of exit routes through signposting or referring to other agencies or services;
To develop our ‘Programme Links’ programme of co-operation and joint working with local Voluntary Sector Organisations
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Our Trustees are responsible for setting a strategy for achieving the objectives they have set. The focus of our strategy is on the development of our beneficiaries, their continued improvement of motivation and self-esteem to further contribute towards our community welfare.
In taking forward our strategy we:
-
Review and benchmark the Charity syllabus, support practices and results;
-
Ensure the range of activities available to our members is stimulating and challenging;
-
Invest in service choice and the subsequent infrastructure of our Charity;
-
Trailblazer - hubs of weekly FREE sessions to non-sportive young people (often in schools)
-
Co-operate and share resources with local charities;
The last five years we have not been very successful in securing funding for projects supported by the National Lottery where we expected to reach a considerable number of members of our community. COVID-19 has presented itself with interesting opportunities to reach out to more member of our local community. We have secured a considerable amount of funding sponsored by the national government through the National Lottery.
Nevertheless, we have continuously seeking funding although unsuccessful, we have managed to brainstorm and rethink on different ways to overcome our difficulties. The remaining cash we’ve
used for administrative expenses which has allowed us to keep the minimum operational level. Young people have been up to the challenge and have found the volunteer activities to be both beneficial and fulfilling. This opportunity provided to local young people renewed hope, motivation and has engaged the community which has helped to build on community cohesion.
In addition, a great deal of time, thought and effort was spent in promoting projects in collaboration with local schools, initially at a Primary level but we have a vision of reaching secondary schools as well.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Total receipts on restricted funds for the year was £ 18,350 as per financial Statements. The remaining funds from a previous loan (received from an interest free), of which most was invested on running costs of the charity.
Towards the end of the 2020-2021 financial year, we have received from Wolverhampton Council (through Ethnic Minority Council) a small amount for running costs amounting £150.
Furthermore, there is no other income to declare during this financial year, which was a better then the previous year in terms of financial resources as we did received substantial funding.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Being a fairly new organisation, we do not have any changes to report regarding the structure, governance and management team.
We have kept the same structure as at our inception a seven years ago.
Aspire and Reach
Income and Expenditure Account for Year Ended 31 March 2021
| Unrestricted £ | Restricted £ | 2021 £ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | |||
| Loan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transfers/Interest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grants | 18350 | 0 | 18350 |
| Total Incoming Resources | 18350 | 0 | 18350 |
| Expenditure | |||
| Equipment | 399 | 953.98 | 1352.98 |
| Tuition | 4000 | 7640 | 11640 |
| Marketing | 0 | 328.09 | 328.09 |
| Admin | 1123.15 | 1250.08 | 2373.23 |
| Total Resources Expended | 5522.15 | 10172.15 | 15694.3 |
| Net Income for the Year | 12827.85 | -10172.15 | 2655.7 |
| Total at 1 April 2020 | 400.44 | 400.44 | |
| Total Funds at 31 March 2021 | 13228.29 | -10172.15 | 3056.14 |
| Balance Sheet at 31 March 2021 | |||
| Fixed Assets | 0 | ||
| Current Assets | |||
| Bank and Cash | 3056.14 | ||
| Current Liabilities | |||
| Creditors: (Amounts due within one Year) | 0 | ||
| Net Asset | 3056.14 | ||
| Funds | |||
| Unrestricted Funds | 13228.29 | ||
| Restricted Funds | -10172.15 | ||
| Total Funds | |||
| 3056.14 | |||
| Signed: | (Chair) | ||
| Date: 30 April 2021 |