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← UK Deaf Sport

2024-03-31-accounts

Company Number: 08611744 (England and Wales) Charity Number: 1158878

UK DEAF SPORT

Report and Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

UK DEAF SPORT

Report and Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

INDEX

Page Number

1 to 11 Trustees’ Annual Report
12 Independent Examiner’s Report
13 Statement of Financial Activities
14 Balance Sheet
15 to 19 Notes forming part of the Accounts

UK DEAF SPORT

Company Information

Company Number: 08611744

Charity Number: 1158878

Registered Office 4 Grovelands Boundary Way Hemel Hempstead England HP2 7TE Honorary President Ms J Ounsley Trustees Mrs L Lill Mr P Fitton Mr A P Mawdsley Mr N Brookes Mr P Kamps Ms A Macdonald Ms R Foster Mr T Burton Mr V Pericard Accountants Kings Chartered Accountants Unit 4 Grovelands Boundary Way Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire England HP2 7TE Bankers Unity Trust Bank Plc Four Brindleyplace Birmingham B1 2JB

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

UK Deaf Sport Trustees’ Annual Report

The Trustees present their report and the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and 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).

UK Deaf Sport (UKDS) is recognised by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) as the International Federation for Deaf Sport in the UK, and by Sport England as the National Governing Body for Deaf Sport in the UK. Established in 2003, the charity is a company limited by guarantee.

This annual report for 2023-2024 looks back at the work UKDS has undertaken to inspire the deaf community to get active, increase the number of inclusive opportunities for them to do so and support elite deaf athletes to perform on the world stage.

We have continued to work in partnership with key organisations to ensure that deaf children, young people and adults have equal opportunities to participate and excel in sport and physical activity as their hearing counterparts from grassroots to elite level through different funding programmes both online and in person. Our staff team, the UKDS Board, Committee and Advisory Group Members have been committed to delivering our Vision and Mission in 2023-24 ensuring we implement sustainable solutions that will support the deaf community to be active at all levels for years to come.

UK Deaf Sport Strategic Objectives

There are[1] 12 million deaf adults in the UK and 50,000 deaf children with some of the highest inactivity levels in our society. The Sport England Active Lives Survey 2023 shows:

UKDS’s Vision is Every Deaf Person Active and Inspired by Sport and Physical Activity . Our Mission centres on leading opportunities for more deaf people to participate in sport throughout their lives and more deaf athletes to perform on the world stage. We continue to make the deaf community aware of opportunities to be active and encourage them to take part in sport and physical activity on a regular basis for social, physical and mental health benefits.

UKDS use the term ‘deaf’ to represent all people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a hearing loss, whether this is acquired or from birth . This covers a range of definitions of deafness, including those who are profoundly deaf, have severe, moderate or mild hearing loss or are hard of hearing whether acquired or from birth. This includes the use of the terms Deaf and deaf whereby the use of a capital D in Deaf may denote those who identify as having a cultural and shared experience of being Deaf.

UKDS use the term ‘deaf community’ to represent all people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a hearing loss or anyone who has a lived experience of deafness such as family members, friends, allies, colleagues and other professionals.

UKDS’s strategy to achieve our vision of Every Deaf Person Active and Inspired by Sport and Physical Activity, is delivered through three key Strategic Objectives as follows:

Page 1

1 https://rnid.org.uk/get-involved/research-and-policy/facts-and-figures/prevalence-of-deafness-and-hearing-loss

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

UKDS’s Operational Plan 2023-2027 shows how we will deliver our Vision, Mission and Strategic Objectives from April 2023 – March 2027 including Key Results. Many of the Key Results have been delivered in 2023-24. This includes:

More detail on these is included throughout this report.

UKDS is grateful for the support of its partners and funders, particularly Sport England where UKDS is a system partner until March 2027. We retain our commitment, as outlined in our Growth Plan, to reduce the reliability on the public purse to ensure the financial sustainability of the organisation including securing commercial partnerships and sponsorship opportunities. This year we have secured two new official commercial partners Ocean Outdoor and XRAI.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1: LEADERSHIP

UKDS’s strategic leadership objective is to provide strategic, well governed leadership for deaf sport.

In line with the UKDS Articles of Association, the UKDS Board of Trustees ensure UKDS’s long-term prosperity by collectively providing oversight and directing the organisation’s affairs to achieve UKDS’s Vision and Mission. The Board sets and implements the overall direction and strategy of the organisation and has ultimate responsibility and liability for the decisions it makes and the actions it takes. This includes oversight of finance, risk management, equality, diversity and inclusion, governance, Board and other appointments and renumeration. UKDS’s Articles of Association and Board Terms of Reference have been reviewed and updated this year.

The UKDS Board continued to meet on a bi-monthly basis both online and face to face in 2023-2024 ensuring the organisation continued to work to deliver its Vision.

Page 2

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year were:

Mr N Brookes (Chair) (Appointed 1 November 2023) Mr A P Mawdsley Mr T C W Seabrook (Resigned January 2023) Mr G Knight (Resigned 25 November 2023) Mrs L Lill Mr P Kamps (Appointed 8 April 2024) Ms A Macdonald Mr V Pericard Mr P Fitton Mr T Burton Miss R Foster (Appointed 13 March 2024) Ms J Traynor (Resigned 13 March 2024) Mr P A Martin (Resigned 25 November 2023) Mr A Breeze (Resigned 31 July 2023)

Trustees are all volunteers, appointed from individuals with a common interest in increasing the participation of the deaf community in sport and physical activity. Consideration is also given to the skill set each has to offer to ensure an appropriately skilled, knowledgeable Board with a diverse membership that reflects the community it serves.

None of the trustees have any beneficial interest in the company. All trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £10 in the event of a winding up.

Following an external recruitment process led by the Nominations Committee, a new Chair of the UKDS Board was appointed on 1 November 2023 as the previous Chair had reached his maximum term of office. Two new trustees were appointed in March and April 2024 respectively following an external recruitment process to identify new trustees with skills and experience in managing or overseeing performance/elite sport talent selection and pathway development to strengthen the Board in this area.

Following an external recruitment process, two new independent members were also appointed to the Finance, Audit, Risk and Governance Committee in February 2024.

The Board delegates day to day responsibility for the running and management of UKDS to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who recruits staff to fulfil specific roles and responsibilities within the charity. UKDS is a Sport England System Partner with funding for 5 years from 2022-2027 to increase our capacity and to drive progress in achieving our vision and mission and be the lead voice for deaf people in sport and physical activity. In 2023-24 as well as the CEO, the staff team has included a:

The Board also delegates different functions to specific Committees and Advisory Groups to assist them on relevant aspects of governance. Each Committee and Advisory Group has their own purpose and responsibilities as set out in their respective Terms of Reference all of which have been reviewed and updated this year. The Committees and Advisory Groups who have advised, supported and check/challenged the UKDS Board in key areas this year include the:

Page 3

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Each Advisory Group includes a Board approved Chair, a lead Board Director and independent advisors with expertise in the relevant area.

As a result of the System Partner grant from Sport England, UKDS has to meet the requirements of Tier 3 of the Code of Sports Governance. This year, 89 governance actions as detailed in our Sport England Governance Action Plan, have been delivered. These actions involved the development/updating of policies, procedures, strategies and plans, all Board, Advisory Group and Committee Terms of Reference, Succession and People Plans, EDI Policy and Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, appointment of Lead Directors, safeguarding policies and procedures and more. Subsequently, Sport England have confirmed that UKDS is now Tier 3 complaint which is a significant achievement which UKDS are rightly proud of achieving in a short timescale.

In 2023-24 an external evaluation of the UKDS Board was undertaken. The report concluded:

“This review found a board who share a passion for the aims of UK Deaf Sport. The Board and CEO have worked effectively together during 2023 to achieve Code for Sports Governance Tier 3 status, a remarkable achievement given the size of the organisation. There has been a focus on creating strong and appropriate governance along with a structure to support it and this was evident in the results of the review. Where there are gaps in the governance structure the Board is aware and has a schedule to implement solutions, which will be near complete by November 2023.

The board is well organised by the CEO and Chair, with well-run meetings and clearly documented activity and decisions.

The board consists of high calibre individuals with a good professional skill set to support UKDS.”

The recommendations from the report are currently being delivered including annual appraisals for all Board Directors and the organisation of a Board Director Development Session.

UKDS is a very small organisation with a large remit covering all sport and physical activity across the UK at both grassroots and elite level as well as being the International Federation for Deaf Sport. Collaboration with key stakeholders and decision makers across the sport and physical activity arena is crucial to our success. Working collaboratively with partners enables UKDS to have a wider reach into localities across the UK and across the breadth of sport and physical activity providing advocacy, support, and resources for partners to work with the deaf community. Collaborative work with partners will also lead to systemic change within their organisation leaving a lasting legacy of deaf inclusion within their work themes rather than single interventions parachuted in with no lasting impact.

Our new Stakeholder Strategy, developed in 2023, identifies those key partners we will collaborate with to deliver our commitment tackling inactivity across the deaf community. This year we also have developed a new Marketing and Communications Strategy, flyer and video about UKDS to raise our profile and awareness of UKDS with those key partners as well to help us secure new commercial partnerships.

As the recognised International Federation for Deaf Sport, another of UKDS’s leadership responsibilities is responsibility for the effective and timely administration of entering deaf athletes across the UK into World and European deaf sporting competitions. UKDS are also responsible for selecting and managing the DeaflympicsGB Team.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2: PARTICIPATION

UKDS’s strategic participation objective is to increase the number of deaf people starting, staying, and supporting sport.

Page 4

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

UKDS has continued to drive and increase the participation of deaf people in sport and physical activity during this reporting period. The following details the key highlights of the participation work delivered by UKDS with support from our funders including Sport England and Comic Relief.

Comic Relief

The remainder of our funding grant from Comic Relief supported the development of our new Deaf People’s Inclusion in Sport online training modules and a new Marketing and Communications Strategy and Action Plan this year. The strategy focuses on raising awareness of:

Together Fund Final Phase

UKDS has successfully delivered our activities for the Sport England Together Fund Final Phase funding in 2023. The aim of the funding was to increase the resilience, capacity and capability of delivery bodies delivering sport and physical activities to the deaf community.

In 2023, the thirteen projects awarded funding from the Together Fund to deliver sport and physical activity sessions for the deaf community and upskill deaf coaches were delivered. These projects included a South Asian Deaf Women’s Walking Group being delivered by Bolton Deaf Society, upskilling a deaf rowing coach to deliver sessions to the deaf community through the ELREM Foundation and funding to support Surbiton Deaf Badminton Club. To demonstrate the impact of the funding, each project completed a case study to show the impact their funding had on tackling inactivity so that the learnings from their project could be disseminated to other sport and physical activity providers delivering activities for the deaf community. These were collated to produce an Impact Report. Case study videos were also made to showcase three of the projects. The video case studies and Impact Report can be viewed at https://ukdeafsport.org.uk/case-studies/

As well as the onward funding awarded to thirteen partners, UKDS received resilience funding from the Together Fund to support sustainability and capacity building within deaf sport organisations. This funding was used by UKDS to deliver the following in 2023-24:

Page 5

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

All Together Fund Final Phase delivery was completed in 2023-24.

Swim England – The Ripple Effect

Swim England launched The Ripple Effect to get disabled volunteers into technical and official roles around the pool including swimming, diving and artistic swimming. The programme funded training and Swim England Membership for the volunteers.

UKDS identified several deaf participants for this programme to take part in focus groups to identify and address the barriers to participation and to go on to complete their volunteer training later in 2023. One of the profoundly deaf participants, Ryan Carstairs, won the Sport and Recreation Alliance 2024 Inspiration of the Year Award for his work training to become a timekeeper and judge with Swim England’s Ripple Effect Project.

Other Partnership Work

Throughout 2023-24, UKDS has continued to create new partnerships and sustain those that are helping to achieve our vision of Every Deaf Person Active and Inspired by Sport and Physical Activity . With our partners, we address inequalities in sport and physical activity and inactivity within the deaf community. To do this, we have engaged with a wide range of partners from both the sport and non-traditional sectors. This has been aided this year by the creation of a new Stakeholder Strategy highlighting key partners as well as target areas to also allow us to work within a placed based approach.

Through our CEO and Partnerships Manager - Participation, UKDS has continued to create and develop partnerships with National Governing Bodies (NGBs), Active Partnerships, national deaf charities such as SignHealth, RNID and NDCS, National Disability Sporting Organisations (NDSOs) and other deaf specific sport organisations such as England Deaf Golf, England Deaf Basketball, UK Deaf Athletics and GB Deaf Football. UKDS also became a member of the BSL Alliance.

UKDS has continued to work with our partners to develop their working practices to be more inclusive for deaf participants. This included the launch of the new Deaf People’s Inclusion in Sport eLearning course in collaboration with Accelerate Sport and eCoach. It is designed to help hearing coaches and volunteers understand the barriers faced by deaf people to be active and how they can break down these barriers in their sessions. This training is supporting increased engagement and participation by highlighting adaptions, considerations and top tips for working with deaf participants. Through the Together Fund Final Phase, UKDS funded 200 places on this course for our partners. It is available for coaches and volunteers of any sport or physical activity to access here.

Further examples of our partnership work undertaken to increase participation in 2023-24 includes:

• Active Partnerships- Active Sussex and GM Moving

Using the NHS Hearing Loss Data Tool, UKDS identified Greater Manchester and Sussex as priority areas to work having a large number of deaf people residing in those areas. Relationships were formed with the Active Partnerships in those areas, Greater Manchester Moving and Active Sussex, to help UKDS effectively engage their local deaf communities.

Within these localities, UKDS are using a test and learn approach to working with GM Moving and Active Sussex to engage their local NHS Trusts and Audiology Centres to promote the importance of being physically active to their deaf service users.

To do this, mapping is being undertaken of the current deaf friendly and inclusive provision taking place in these counties to add these to the UK Deaf Sport Activity Finder. From this a link to the Activity Finder will be displayed on the new UKDS ‘Get Active’ Poster in the Audiology Centres in their areas to signpost users to their local deaf friendly activities. To help embed the importance of being physically active, both Active Partnerships have also committed to delivering Clinical Champion Training to staff within the Audiology Centres so that they feel confident to have conversations with users about the importance of being physically active and be able to effectively signpost them to local provision. Finally, to ensure there is support in place for deaf people who want to be physically active, local social prescribers are also being consulted as part of this work so that they are also able to support deaf people into sport and physical activity.

In 2024-25 this approach and the learning will be used to replicate this work with other Active Partnerships.

Page 6

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

• Youth Sport Trust

All National Disability Sport Organisations are currently working with the Youth Sport Trust to create bespoke impairment specific webpages on their School Games website. These pages are aimed at School Games Organisers who deliver school sport competitions across the school year. The intention of the webpages is to ensure that all competitions being delivered are inclusive to disabled children and that impairment specific information on how to adapt competitions is readily available.

We have worked with the Youth Sport Trust to ensure they include information on points to consider when delivering activities for deaf young people, key facts about deafness e.g. how many deaf children attend mainstream schools, as well as useful resources such as the BSL Compilations page on the UKDS website- https://ukdeafsport.org.uk/compilation-of-bsl/. The Youth Sport Trust webpages are designed to signpost School Games Organisers to the UKDS website for further information and support, such as our Deaf People’s Inclusion in Sport eLearning programme.

• National Governing Bodies

As part of our work to make sport and physical activity more inclusive for deaf participants, we have continued to work with National Governing Bodies. Below are a few examples from 2023-24:

• Working with RNID and SignHealth

UKDS has continued to create partnerships and work with other national deaf charities who have additional contact points with the deaf community and can help to promote the work of UKDS and engage deaf participants. RNID share UKDS’s Volunteer Platform and Activity Finder services through their Knowledge Hub, newsletters and local community groups. SignHealth share opportunities to get active through their therapy and domestic abuse services. Working with these organisations help UKDS reach wider audiences to ensure the wider deaf community are aware of opportunities to be active to improve both their physical and mental health.

UK Deaf Sport Membership Offer

In January 2024, UK Deaf Sport launched our new membership offer that is reflective of the needs of the deaf sport and physical activity community. The new UK Deaf Sport membership offer ensures that the needs of the deaf sport and physical activity community are met through education, guidance, support and promotion. Four new membership categories are now in place with specialised benefits for each category:

Page 7

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

A sample of current members were consulted on the new membership framework before release to ensure that the membership framework provided benefits they would find valuable and that would support them to sustain their organisation and increase participation.

As part of this membership offer, Activity Provider and Governing Body Members will be able to attend monthly Sport England Buddle sessions delivered by D&H Trailblazers in British Sign Language. Members were surveyed to identify which sessions would be most beneficial to their organisations.

UKDS Participation Survey

In early 2024, UKDS developed a survey to measure participation of the deaf community in sport and physical activity. This survey will enable UKDS to understand further the barriers to participation in sport and physical activity for deaf participants with different levels of hearing loss and understand how intersectionality, age and geographical factors impact on participation. This survey went live in May 2024 and the findings will be reported later in 2024 and used to target participation work in 2024-25.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3: PERFORMANCE

UKDS’s strategic performance objective is getting more deaf athletes winning medals on the World stage. The Performance Advisory Group directs UKDS’s overall strategy for elite performance with the aim of delivering podium success at European and World level and the Deaflympics.

UKDS is recognised by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) as the International Federation for Deaf Sport in the UK, and by Sport England as the National Governing Body for Deaf Sport. UKDS are responsible for ensuring good governance including the administration of deaf sport teams competing abroad at both a British and Home Nation level. UKDS is also responsible for the selection and management of the DeaflympicsGB Team, the official team that represents Great Britain at the Summer and Winter Deaflympics.

UKDS has been a member of the ICSD since March 2006 and a member of the European Deaf Sport Organisation (EDSO) since 2006. The ICSD is the International Federation for Deaf Sport responsible for organising World deaf sporting events including the International Olympic Committee sanctioned, Deaflympics. EDSO organises European deaf sport championships under the auspices of ICSD. UKDS attended the ICSD Congress in person in March 2024 representing GB.

UKDS is responsible for the effective and timely administration of deaf athletes across the UK wanting to take part in World and European deaf sporting competitions in the sports that fall under the remit of ICSD. This includes responsibility for entering all deaf athletes and ensuring they meet the ICSD criteria for eligibility (a hearing loss of at least 55dB in the better ear - 3 tone frequency average of 500, 1,000 and 2,000 Hertz, ANSI 1969 standard).

Page 8

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

In 2023-24 UKDS entered teams into the following international deaf sport championships:

Event Entries Success
Deaf Champions League Football, June 2023,
Poland		 Two England Teams competed: Farsley
Celtic DFC and St John’s DFC.		 Farsley Celtic DFC came tenth place
St John’s DFC came fifth place
EDSO Golf Championships, July 2023, Finland England Deaf Golf sent three athletes. One player came first place in the Stableford
Cup.
ICSD World Swimming Championships,
August2023,Argentina		 Two GBR athletes competed. Some PB records.
EDSO Athletics Championships, August 2023,
Poland		 Three athletes competed. One Silver in the W1500m and one Broze
medal intheM5000km.
EDSO Athletics Youth Championships 2023
Poland		 One athlete competed. Bronze in the U20 W 800m.
World Deaf Football Championships,
September 2023,Malaysia		 Two teams attended. England Deaf Men came tenth and England
Womencamefourth.
World Tennis Championships, September
2023, Greece		 Five athletes competed with the LTA Silver medal for the mixed doubles.
World Youth Tennis Championships,
September 2023,Greece		 Two athletes competed with the LTA.
World Futsal Championships, November 2023,
Brazil		 Two teams attended. England Women won the bronze medal,
England men came ninthplace.
Deaf Champions League U21 Futsal, December
2023		 One team entered. Derby Deaf FC came eighth place.
Deaf Champions League Futsal,February2024 One team attended. St Albans DFC came seventhplace.
Winter Deaflympics,March 2024,Turkey One team attended – Women’s Futsal. GB Deaf Women came fourthplace.

There is a full calendar of international deaf sport championships taking place in 2024-25. The UK will have athletes competing in events across a range of deaf sports including the following:

Event Entries
Deaf Champions League Football, Greece, April 2024 Three English football teams entered:
-
Farsley Celtic FDC
-
Barnet DFC
-
St Johns FC
EDSO Football Championships Turkey, May 2024 Three Home Nations Teams attending:
-
England Deaf Men
-
Wales Deaf Men
-
Scotland Deaf Men
EDSO Tennis Championships Austria, June 2024 Four athletes attending with LTA.
ICSD World Deaf Athletics Championships and Youth
Championships, Taipei July 2024		 Two athletes attending.
ICSD World Deaf SailingChampionships 2024,Lithuania. Team attending.
World Deaf Golf Championships,August 2024,Australia Team attendingwith England Deaf Golf.
EDSO U21 Deaf Futsal Championships 2024 Cancelled.
EDSO Table Tennis Championships 2024,Greece Oct 2024 Three athletes attending.
DCL Futsal 2025 TBC

UKDS selects and manages the DeaflympicsGB Team. The next Deaflympics is in Tokyo in November 2025. This year a Deaflympics Organising Committee has been established and a Chef de Mission recruited for leading the preparations for the GB Team.

Unlike other disabilities, elite deaf athletes continue to be neither recognised nor supported by the UK Government. In November 2023, following unsuccessful meetings with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) throughout 2023 to ask them to end the discrimination against elite deaf athletes, UKDS launched the Fair Play for Deaf Athletes Campaign with an accompanying petition. As part of this campaign, UKDS are requesting a policy change that would see parity for elite deaf athletes in line with their Olympic and Paralympic counterparts. To date despite much work and lobbying with MPs and a meeting with the Sports Minister, a policy change has still not been made. The Fair Play for Deaf Athletes Campaign will continue into 2024-25.

Page 9

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Partnership Agreements to Recognise National Deaf Governing Bodies

UKDS works in partnership with key organisations to ensure that deaf children, young people and adults have equal opportunities to participate and excel in sport and physical activity as their hearing counterparts from grassroots to elite level.

UKDS want to recognise a lead organisation for each deaf sport and physical activity to work in partnership with to increase and support the participation of deaf children, young people and adults at all levels from grassroots to elite. This organisation will be the recognised governing body for that deaf sport at a Home Nation or GB level or both and will be called a National Deaf Governing Body (NDGB).

A new Partnership Agreement has been established that provides a mutually beneficial framework for UKDS and the NDGB to work together and sets out the responsibilities of both parties. This Partnership Agreement will be signed with key deaf sport organisations in 2024-25.

Financial Review

The charity has been successful in delivering activities to support the participation of the deaf community in sport and physical activity primarily through funding from Sport England. The result for the year shows a deficit of £73,192 (2023: £143,751 surplus). Restricted funds stand at £70,373, with a surplus in general reserves of £39,918.

It is the Reserves Policy of the charity to have unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use at a level equivalent to three month’s immediate closure expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised or if necessary, support a managed closedown. This level of reserves has not yet been achieved and efforts are continuing to secure funding to be able to meet this level of reserves.

Principal Sources of Income

The principal source of income for the year has been the System Partner funding awarded by Sport England. Additionally, Sport England was the funder for the Together Fund Final Phase. Funding from Comic Relief has supported the development of our Deaf People’s Inclusion in Sport online training and Marketing and Communications Strategy and Action Plan.

Risk Assessment

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed. A Risk Management Strategy and comprehensive Risk Register is in place which clearly identifies the major risks facing the charity. Both were reviewed and updated in 2023-24. It describes and evaluates the steps to be taken to manage and mitigate those risks and provides an action plan to address any improvements required. The Finance, Audit, Risk and Governance Committee lead and advise the UKDS Board on this area of work.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees, who are also the directors of UKDS for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees, to prepare accounts for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these accounts the trustees are required to:

Page 10

UK DEAF SPORT

Trustees’ (Directors’) Annual Report

For the year ended 31 March 2024

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the company and to enable them to ensure the accounts have been properly prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The Directors have taken advantage of section 477(2) of the Companies Act 2006 which exempts the company from the requirement to have the accounts audited.

The Company is required to have an Independent Examination in accordance with the provisions in the Charities Act 2011. Accordingly, Ian Stacey FCA, of Kings CAP Ltd, Chartered Accountants, was appointed Independent Examiner.

By Order of the Board:

……………………………………….

Mr N Brookes Trustee and Director Date: 11 December 2024

Page 11

UK DEAF SPORT

Independent Examiner’s Report

To The Trustees of UK DEAF SPORT

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of UK Deaf Sport

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2024, charity number 1158878, company number 08611744 which are set out on pages 13 to 19.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

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 that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. 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

  4. 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 applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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.

Signed Ian Stacey FCA Kings Chartered Accountants Unit 4 Grovelands Boundary Way Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP2 7TE

Date 11 December 2024

Page: 12

UK DEAF SPORT

Statement of Financial Activities

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Incoming resources from:
Notes
Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Total Incoming Resources
Resources expended from:
Costs of charitable activities
4
Total resources expended
Net movements in funds
11 & 12
Total Surplus at 1 April 2023
Transfer between funds
Total Surplus at 31 March 2024		 2024
Unrestricted
Funds
£
16,048
2,000
18,048
(8,030)
(8,030)
10,018
28,089
1,811
39,918		 2024
Restricted
Funds
£
-
244,974
244,974
(328,184)
(328,184)
(83,210)
155,394
(1,811)
70,373		 2024
Total
Funds
£
16,048
246,974
263,022
(336,214)
(336,214)
(73,192)
183,483
-
110,291		 2023
Unrestricted
Funds
£
3,819
2,000
5,819
(6,961)
(6,961)
(1,142)
23,208
6,023
28,089		 2023
Restricted
Funds
£
-
440,492
440,492
(295,599)
(295,599)
144,893
16,524
(6,023)
155,394		 2023
Total
Funds
£
3,819
442,492
446,311
(302,560)
(302,560)
143,751
39,732
-
183,483

The Statement of Financial Activities has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

The notes on pages 15 to 19 form part of these accounts. Page: 13

UK DEAF SPORT

Balance Sheet

As at 31 March 2024

Notes 2024 2024 2023 2023
£ £ £ £
Tangible Fixed Assets
Tangible Assets 8 86 604
86 604
Current Assets
Debtors 9 4,379 2,141
Cash at bank and in hand 121,634 188,832
126,013 190,973
Creditors:
Amounts falling due within one year 10 (15,808) (8,094)
Net Current Assets 110,205 182,879
Total Assets Less Current Liabilities 110,291 183,483
Net Assets 110,291 183,483
======= =======
Funds of the Charity
Restricted Funds 12 70,373 155,394
Unrestricted Funds 11 39,918 28,089
Total Charity Funds 110,291 183,483
======= =======

The company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2023.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for:

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 11 December 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:

....................................................................... Mr N Brookes– Trustee and Director

The notes on pages 15 to 19 form part of these accounts.

Page: 14

UK DEAF SPORT

Notes forming part of the Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1 Principal Accounting Policies Company Information

UK Deaf Sport is a private charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales. The registered office is at Unit 4 Grovelands, Boundary Way, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, HP2 7TE.

Accounting Convention

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with; the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Charities Act 2011. The accounts include the results of the company’s operations, which are described in the Trustees’ Annual Report, all of which are continuing. The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

Going Concern

The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis which assumes that the charitable company will continue to operate for the foreseeable future. The Trustees and Directors consider that the available reserves and the availability of continued financial support, including securing funding for a five-year term from Sport England from 1 April 2022, will ensure the required working capital be in place for the company to continue operations for the foreseeable future. This is based on the Trustees and Directors opinion that the activity will continue to grow with increased publicity and support of their charitable activities.

Incoming Resources

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the company is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Income from charitable trading activities is recognised when the related goods and services have been completed and dispatched.

Income from grants and other donations which are of a voluntary nature are recognised when the charitable company has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date and receipt is probable. Grants received for future accounting periods are deferred.

Income from grants, and similar income where conditions for payment are linked to performance, are recognised to the extent that the charity has met the conditions.

Income from donated facilities is recognised when the charitable company utilises the facilities with the fair value being recognised as incoming resources and expended resources simultaneously, as appropriate.

Resources Expended

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis, recognised when a liability is incurred, and classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support. Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand and deposits held with banks.

Basic Financial Assets

Basic financial assets, which include bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction cost and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

.

Page: 15

UK DEAF SPORT

Notes forming part of the Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Basic Financial Liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Depreciation

Tangible assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost, less estimated residual value, of all tangible fixed assets over their expected useful lives as follows:

Office Equipment

25% on written down value

Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds are those which are unrestricted and are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in the furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted finds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.

Employee benefits

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

2 Income Resources from Donations and Legacies

Income from Donations
=
Income from charitable activities
Charitable trading
Grants received for charitable trading purposes:
Sport England
Comic Relief
Dan Maskell Trust
See My Voice
Together Fund – Phase 4
Together Fund – Final Phase
 2024
£
16,048
======

2024
£
2,000
244,974
-
-
-
-
-
246,974
=======
 2023
£
3,819
=======
2023
£
2,000
305,368
7,220
(1,100)
8,708
46,000
74,296
442,492
=======

Page: 16

UK DEAF SPORT

Notes forming part of the Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

4 Resources Expended: Charitable Activities

S ort
Together
England
Funds
£
£
Staff costs
190,979
10,586
Research and partnership
2,280
Website and IT costs
5,910
Interpreters
13,103
2,702
Support services
27,918
Affiliations and subscriptions
Other charitable expenditure
63,272
Independent examiner’s fees
1,800
241,990
76,560
======
=====
5
Net movement in funds:
Net movement in funds is stated after charging:
Independent Examiner’s remuneration		 Other
2024
£
£
164
201,729
2,280
5,910
15,805
145
28,063
1,877
1,877
8,253
71,525
1,800
10,439
328,989
=====
======
2024
£
1,800
=======
=		 2023
£
138,236
7,977
6,066
-
17,949
48,914
2,166
-
79,452
1,800
300,098
======
2023
£
1,800
======

6 Trustees

None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year in their capacity as Trustees.

Page: 17

UK DEAF SPORT

Notes forming part of the Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

7 Employees

The average monthly number of persons employed by the company during the year was:

Administrative staff

The aggregate remuneration comprised:
Salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs
Contractors
No individual employee’s total benefits exceeded £60,000 during the year (2023: None).
8
Tangible Fixed Assets
Cost
As at 1 April 2023
Additions in the year
At 31 March 2024
Depreciation
As at 1 April 2023
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2024
Net book value
At 31 March 2024
At 31 March 2023
9
Debtors
Other debtors and prepayments		 2024
Number
5
5
=======

2024
£
165,498
11,157
6,339
18,735
201,729
=======
2024
£
4,379
4,379
=======		 2023
Number
4
4
=======
2023
£
91,816
3,494
2,743
40,183
138,236
=======
Office
Equipment
£
1,553
-
1,553
=======
949
518
1,467
=======
86
=======
604
=======
2023
£
2,141
2,141
=======
=

Page: 18

UK DEAF SPORT

Notes forming part of the Accounts

For the year ended 31 March 2024

10
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Trade Creditors
Other Creditors
Accruals		 2024
£
6,417
5,508
3,883
15,808
=======		 2023
£
3,689
2,204
2,201
8,094
=======

11 Unrestricted Funds

At 1
April
2023
£		 Transfer
between
funds		 Net
Movement
in Funds
£		 As at 31
March 2024
£
Unrestricted Funds – General Fund 28,089 1,811 10,018 39,918

12 Restricted Funds

At 1 April
2023		 Transfer
between
funds		 Income Expenditure At 31
March
2024
£ £ £ £
Sport England 64,882 244,974 246,062 63,794
Together Fund – Final Phase 72,076 72,076 -
Comic Relief 6,503 5,471 1,035
Together Fund – Phase 4 4,552 4,552 -
Ringfenced Reserves 5,570 57 80 5,544
London Sport 1,811 (1,811) -
155,394 (1,754) 244,974 (328,241) 70,373

13

Called up share capital

The company is limited by guarantee and has no share capital. Under the provisions of the company’s memorandum of association, each member would be required to contribute a sum not exceeding £10 for the payment of debts of the company in the event of a deficiency of assets on a winding up of the company.

14 Control

The charity has been controlled throughout the year by the trustees, whom are identified in the company information.

15 Transactions with Trustees and Related Parties

None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from employment with the Charity or any related entity, unless otherwise disclosed.

Page: 19