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← Rackets Cubed

2025-03-31-accounts

Report of the trustees and unaudited financial statements for : Annual repor the year ended 31 March 2025

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Our mission

Rackets Cubed’s mission is to enhance the achievement of children, improving their mental wellbeing and physical literacy, making them happier, healthier and more confident children.

We use our Schools programmes to help underserved children achieve their full potential, drawing on a unique combination of racket sports, STEM education and nutrition. We complement this with local support targeting young families through our Community Box programmes and Community Partnership Hub activities.

Contents

2 Our 2024/25 highlights

4 An introduction from our Chair

6 Trustees’ report

8 About us

8 Rackets Cubed Schools Programme 14 Community Partnership Hubs & Boxes 17 Thank you!

18 Financial review

20 Our structure, governance and management 22 Independent examiner’s report 23 Statement of financial activities

24 Statement of financial position

25 Statement of cash flows

25 Notes to the statement of cash flows

26 Notes to the financial statements

33 Detailed statement of financial activities

35 Reference and administrative details

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 1

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Our 2024/25 hi hli hts
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745 children took part in
dynamic Rackets Cubed programmes in
25
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10 cities
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Increased income to over £620,000 from our strategic partners Moved to a Cluster focus approach, deepen and strengthen Launched our Ambassador Programme

Expanded our partnership with the Elliot Foundation to over 20 Schools and Box Programmes

Developed our Community Partnership Hub and Spoke model in Roehampton, and launched in Battersea

38,361 Community Boxes provided from 20 sites supporting

1,114 families per week

“ Our programme is designed to include exercises which develop the children’s social and team building skills. They encourage turn taking and consideration of others all with a smile on their face. ”

2 Hubs supporting

Metro, Founding Tennis Coach

310

families every week

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 3

From our Founder and Chair

Approaching our 10[th] year anniversary, we will continue to evolve and help more underserved Children and Young Families

As Rackets Cubed approaches its tenth anniversary in 2026, this Annual Review provides an important opportunity to reflect on the charity’s development, impact, and strategic direction. The past decade has seen significant evolution in both the scale and scope of our work, while our founding purpose has remained constant: to support young children in underserved communities to build confidence, improve wellbeing, and achieve more at school.

Rackets Cubed was established on the principle that educational attainment cannot be separated from wider issues of health and wellbeing. From the outset, we recognised that children experiencing food insecurity or limited access to physical activity are less able to engage in learning and reach their potential. In response, we developed a distinctive model built on three interdependent pillars — good nutrition, regular physical exercise, and targeted educational support — delivered in partnership with organisations with deep expertise in each area.

Michael Hill, founder and Chair of Trustees of Rackets Cubed

Founded in Roehampton in 2016, Rackets Cubed pioneered an innovative programme that uniquely combines racket sports, practical STEM education, and nutritious meals within weekly after-school sessions. Over time, this model has proven both effective and scalable. Today, Rackets Cubed operates as a national charity, delivering programmes across multiple locations in the UK and reaching approximately 750 vulnerable children aged 7–11 every week. Our sessions are hosted in high-quality, aspirational environments, including universities, sports clubs, and national sporting centres, providing children in areas of high deprivation with opportunities they might not otherwise access. Through this holistic approach, we support young people to overcome educational barriers, build academic confidence, and develop the resilience and self-belief needed to succeed in school and beyond.

We have refined our delivery model to deepen impact within a smaller number of geographic clusters. This approach centres on a dedicated Community Hub , with multiple school-based programmes clustered around the hub, enabling more integrated, efficient, and sustainable support for children and families.

~~eee~~

4 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

“ Partnership working allows us to ” increase our impact

approximately 200 children and 200 families every week.

The challenges of recent years — most notably the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis — have had a profound impact on the families we serve. These pressures significantly increased levels of food insecurity, financial stress, and social isolation among our communities. In response, Rackets Cubed adapted quickly, launching the Community Box Programme in partnership with the Elliot Foundation. What began as an emergency response to the pandemic has since evolved into a sustained programme of community support, with more than 20 initiatives currently in operation. This partnership has grown considerably over time, transitioning from crisis food provision to the development of holistic community partnership hubs that act as focal points for a wide range of local services.

Our Community Partnership Hubs in Roehampton and Battersea now serve as essential lifelines for families facing significant hardship. Collectively, these 2 hubs support over 310 vulnerable households — including more than 500 children — each week. Central to the model is our dignified Social Supermarket, through which families contribute £4 to access approximately £40 worth of nutritious food and essential household and hygiene items. This is complemented by wider support services, wellbeing initiatives, and opportunities for community connection, ensuring families receive both practical assistance and longer-term support.

The success of our integrated Central Hub and School Programmes model in Roehampton has been particularly instructive. This approach combines six out-of-school and after-school sport, education, and nutrition programmes with a dedicated community hub, creating a cohesive ecosystem of support for children and their families. This model is central to our future strategy, as it embeds Rackets Cubed more deeply within local communities, strengthens partnerships, and enhances long-term impact and sustainability. The Roehampton model operates at an estimated annual cost of £125,000, while generating nearly £500,000 per year in contributions in kind, supporting

Looking ahead, we anticipate that demand for our services within underserved communities will remain elevated for a prolonged period. At the same time, we face rising operational costs and a challenging funding environment. In response, during the past year we have taken a number of strategic actions:

As we look towards our second decade, it is clear that the need for Rackets Cubed’s intervention is increasing rather than diminishing. The Board and leadership team are actively reflecting on how best to deepen and extend our impact, while remaining true to our mission and values.

I would like to conclude by expressing my sincere thanks to our partners, funders, ambassadors, trustees, schools, volunteers, and staff. Their commitment, expertise, and belief in our work are fundamental to everything Rackets Cubed has achieved. Together, we are creating meaningful, lasting change for children and families across the UK, and I am confident that the years ahead will see our impact continue to grow.

Michael Hill Founder and Chair of Trustees

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 5

Trustees re ort p

About us

Our objective is simple: to help primary school children from underserved communities perform at their highest potential.

The way we do it is even simpler: each week our Rackets Cubed Schools programme provides them with unique access to racket sports, alongside additional science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) tuition and a nutritious meal. The outcome is children with better physical and mental health, who begin to aspire to bigger things and who ultimately perform better at school.

Find out more in our Rackets Cubed section on pages 10-14.

We run a community-based programme, called The Community Box , in partnership with the Elliot Foundation to provide essential food and hygiene products to local families in need.

Find out more in The Community Box section on pages 16-18.

In Roehampton and Battersea we have built on the community box model and run our Community Hubs, which include a social supermarket, the Community Cuppa where we serve free tea and coffee and invite local partnership organisations to attend to provide support and advice to our young families.

Find out more on page 16-18.

6 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

“ It’s rewarding seeing the progress the ” children make over time !

Tennis Coach York St John University . '

7 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Trustees’ report

Rackets Cubed: Our Schools Programme

Rackets Cubed was launched in 2016 with the aim of reducing educational and social inequalities by offering primary school children in underserved communities access to engaging sport and education programmes in inspiring sporting environments.

We deliver our programmes by connecting host venues — including universities, sports clubs, and leisure centres — with local primary schools serving communities with high levels of income deprivation. These host venues are typically located within a one-mile radius of participating schools and provide access to high-quality facilities and equipment, qualified coaches, court time, and appropriate teaching infrastructure.

All Rackets Cubed programmes are designed in close partnership with participating schools. We work collaboratively with headteachers, PE leads, and governing bodies to ensure each programme meets three core criteria: it addresses the specific needs of underserved pupils; offers provision that is distinct from existing extracurricular activities; and complements the school curriculum.

Through our ongoing engagement with school staff, we know that many of the pupils we support face multiple barriers to participation and achievement. These include low confidence, challenges with social inclusion, limited support at home, and speaking English as an additional language. A significant proportion of participants are girls, children from ethnic minority backgrounds, and pupils eligible for Pupil Premium funding.

For many children, Rackets Cubed provides their first opportunity to participate in structured extracurricular activity outside of school hours, and often their first experience of a racket sports club or university campus. By working in partnership with schools and host venues, we help to break down both real and perceived barriers to access, challenging assumptions about who belongs in these spaces.

Consistently, we observe children growing in confidence, developing new aspirations, and beginning to recognise wider opportunities for themselves as a direct result of their participation in Rackets Cubed programmes.

How Rackets Cubed works

Once a week, primary school children from underserved areas head to a host site to take part in a sports and education session and receive a free nutritious meal. Each child attends around 30 sessions a year.

We work primarily with young people aged 7-11 who are living in some of the country’s most underserved areas – places rated between 0.2 and 0.5 on the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index..

Our vision – why we do this

Increasing evidence shows that active children do better academically, and that nutritious food improves classroom behaviour. Indeed, research has identified a number of factors that adversely affect a child’s learning and development:

Being overweight affects a child’s health and fitness, which has a knock-on effect on their learning and development

Obesity can adversely affect self-esteem, participation and confidence – all key to a child’s development

Underserved children are less likely to participate in physical activity outside of school.

Schools that introduce nutrition and physical activity tend to have the biggest impact in disadvantaged populations

Less hungry children perform better and have a better chance of being happy, resilient learners

We believe that our three-pronged approach – sports, education, nutrition – is uniquely designed to address the issues raised in this growing body of evidence.

8 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

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Each Rackets Cubed session features:

An hour of racket sports

The sessions are led by qualified coaches who work closely with schools, teachers, and volunteers to understand and respond to the individual needs of participating children. Each session is carefully designed to encourage sustained engagement in physical activity, supporting the development of confidence, coordination, and healthier lifestyles.

For many participants, Rackets Cubed represents their first introduction to racket sports. While children are supported to develop new skills and techniques, the primary emphasis is on enjoyment and positive engagement. By creating a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment, we aim to ensure that every child has a positive first experience of sport, laying the foundations for long-term participation and wellbeing.

An hour of education

After their hour on the court, we run a one-hour session focused on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. These are delivered by professional teachers, outside the classroom and in a less formal, fun, learning environment. These sessions are incredibly important in helping our young participants boost their academic potential and confidence.

A nutritious meal

Every child receives a free meal during their session, as well as nutritional advice and education to help them make healthier choices outside of the program

~~ee~~

What do children get from Rackets Cubed?

We currently run 25

Create a positive impact on school and educational engagement

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 9

Trustees’ report Rackets Cubed: Our Schools Programme

Our partnerships

We aim to build long-term relationships with all our partners, so that we can keep growing at a sustainable rate.

We work with four main types of partner:

Our host sites

These sports clubs, sports centres, universities and national governing body sites provide much of the support, infrastructure, time and role models that we need to run the programme successfully. Many of them work closely with us on the design, day-to-day running and improvement of the programme. Their support is also invaluable in helping us attract further local funding.

Our schools

We work with 23 primary schools in underserved communities, often with high numbers of children relying on free school meals (50+%). Like our host sites, school staff are integral in helping us develop and run our programmes. For example, the schools select the children they feel will benefit most from the programme since they have the best knowledge of their needs and the processes in place to protect their data. We do not charge the full cost of the programme but instead ask for a contribution of £350 per term to ensure their commitment. It is a significant undertaking from the school to provide staff on a regular basis for after-school activities, so we pay for participating teachers’ time.

Our in-kind contributions from partners

Many of our partners contribute a significant of resources for free to our programmes. To date, the three most important contributions are:

Court time

Almost all our host sites provide the tennis, squash or sports halls free of charge so that we can run our programmes. Market rates vary significantly but can be as high as £75 for an hour on a tennis court in some parts of London. We conservatively estimate that, on average, the courts would cost us £25 an hour, and we are usually given two to four courts per session. In some instances, we believe it is appropriate to pay for the courts – typically in municipal-owned facilities that are now dealing with significant energy costs.

Teaching rooms

The STEM class is delivered in a separate room with the appropriate infrastructure. Market rates can be as high as £200 an hour, for example for children’s parties. We conservatively estimate that each room would cost around £100 an hour.

Meal provision

Some of the sites we work with currently provide meals – both hot and cold – free of charge. We estimate that this would cost about £6 per child per session if we paid market rates.

In aggregate this non-cash, in-kind contribution is significant.

Our coaches

We work with professional sports coaches who are instrumental in helping participants develop their sporting performance and confidence. Many of them are young coaches early on their career path. This makes them outstanding role models for our participants – many of whom have never visited a sports club or university or taken part in a racket sport before. Very often working with our coaches opens their eyes to the possibilities and opportunities of playing sport at a professional level.

Our future plans

To continue to have a positive impact on the children that we work with and the wider communities that we support. The model we have created in Roehampton is a blueprint for our future expansion. In Roehampton we have integrated the concept of the of Rackets Cubed core programmes and the Community Box to develop a Community Partnership.

10 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

“ I like all three things – they’re fun. In

tennis we get to run around , the maths helps me in school, and the food gives ” me energy

Year 4 Pupil The Alton

Case study Relaunch at National Tennis Centre

In March 2025 we relaunched our programme at the prestigious National Tennis Centre in Roehampton. Twenty-five Year 3 and Year 4 children from the Aton School walk to the site every Thursday where they take part in high energy tennis sessions with our well respected and esteemed local tennis coach, Metro. The children complete their Maths learning with their teacher and enjoy their time in the café area, admiring and enjoying the facilities. The programme demonstrates a strong relationship between all stakeholders.

“ I t’s an adventure for them – the other kids go home.They put their t-shirts on and walk to the NTC in the dark. It’s exciting! ”

Teacher

The Alton School

11 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 11

Trustees’ report

Rackets Cubed: Our Schools Programme

Our impact in 2024/25

25 programmes in 5 regions across the UK \

84% of children have learnt something new about rackets sports 88% of children feel happier after participating in Rackets Cubed

88% of children look forward to Rackets Cubed

95% Community Hub users are feeling more confident about their futures. 7,250 Volunteer Hours 38,361 boxes/food parcels handed out ~~ through our Community Boxes and — Community hub

“ The children come here every ! ” week and are absolutely buzzing Kevin a ,ha ' University of East London

12 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Case study Haxby Road Primary Academy at York St John University

This long standing programme continues from strength to strength. The programme delivers Tennis, Maths and Nutrition to children in one of our most low income areas. Every Tuesday twenty-nine Year 5 and Year 6 children walk to the university for their sessions which they enjoy and look forward to.

The coach delivers engaging and progressive sessions that all children take part and have fun in.

“ ” The food is the best part!

Pupil Haxby Road Primary Academy

“It’s the highlight of the week for all the kids.” Teacher

Haxby Road Primary Academy

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 13

Trustees’ report

The Community Hub and Box: Supporting Young Families

As well as our Schools Rackets Cubed programme, we have developed a community-based programme to provide essential food and hygiene products to young families that need them most.

The Community Box programme was introduced at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic as an emergency response to rising food insecurity and financial hardship among the families we support. Initially launched in partnership with a single school and intended to operate for just three weeks, the programme has since evolved significantly in both scale and purpose.

More than three years on, Community Box now supports over 1,100 families every week across 20 sites, primarily delivered through our network of partner primary schools. Many of the families accessing the programme live in communities experiencing high levels of social and economic deprivation and have been disproportionately affected by the ongoing cost-ofliving crisis.

In response, we are further developing the Community Box programme by strengthening our strategic partnership with the Elliot Foundation, with plans to establish additional Community Box hubs within the Foundation’s schools. This hub-based approach enables us to provide more consistent, accessible, and integrated support for families over the longer term.

How The Community Box works

Thanks to strategic partnerships with several surplus food suppliers, The Community Box gives families in low-income areas access to extra food.

We now run social supermarkets in Roehampton and Battersea. This gives families more dignity, by allowing them to choose their own groceries rather than a pre-packed box. We are working on plans to open more social supermarkets in the future.

“ I really look forward to my shopping slot and seeing you all. I always feel safe and welcomed I look forward to me shopping selections. My best room is the two fridges and for from the shelf items – always my hardest choice! Then after shopping a nice cuppa and cake. I also love to attend the lunches to enjoy the ” food and company. Thank you all so much.

A Roehampton Community Hub user

14 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Case study The Battersea Community Box: run by the community for the community

In October 2024, we opened a second social supermarket in Battersea. To date, we have handed out more than 2,458 boxes – the equivalent of about 24,580 meals!

The social supermarket operates a self-referral system, although the families we help must live in Battersea. To help us manage stock levels we ask people to sign up for a one-hour timeslot. We also ask for a £4 contribution; in return each customer gets approximately £40 of groceries.

The social supermarket is run by a team of 7 local volunteers and most of our groceries are donated by other charities. We get the bulk of our food from City Harvest and we also purchase a range of groceries from local supermarkets to maintain our stock levels.

The model has proved very popular and since the supermarket opened its doors, we’ve helped more than 348 families. Today, we continue to support 60 families every week within the Battersea area, a highly underserved part of Wandsworth.

60 families helped every week

“ It’s really great the amount of fruit and veg you can choose each week ” helps me and my family cook

A Battersea Community Hub volunteer

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 15

Trustees’ report

The Community Hub and Box: Supporting Young Families

Our community partnerships

The Community Box could not exist without the support of our surplus food suppliers and growing team of volunteers

Our surplus food suppliers

In London we work closely with the Felix Project, Dons Local Action Group, and City Harvest. Together, they supply much of the food that we distribute. But we also rely on food and financial donations from Waitrose, local private schools and religious organisations and receive regular donations of toiletries from the Hygiene Bank and pet food from the Blue Cross. Outside London, we work with FareShare.

The majority of The Community Box distribution sites are located at primary schools that are part of the Elliot Foundation. It would not be possible to run our extensive network of hubs without our close relationship with the Foundation.

Our impact in 2024/25

Since we started the Community Box programme back in March 2020, we have given out more than 216,159 boxes. That includes 38,361 boxes of food this year alone.

We’ve seen a particular increase in the number of people accessing the programme following the cost-of-living crisis. And the feedback we get from people who rely on The Community Box demonstrates why we continue to support the programme.

This year, The Community Box:

Our volunteers

Some of The Community Box sites are run by volunteers who give their time free of charge. For example, a team of 25 local volunteers support The Roehampton Community Box – a large proportion of whom also benefit from our service. To support them, we’ve published a Volunteer Handbook outlining the supermarket’s policies and procedures and code of conduct.

Other Community Charities

In Roehampton we have formed partnerships with Citizen’s Advice, Thinking Works and Little Village. We invite these charities to attend our Community Cuppa event where they can meet people in a warm, friendly space to provide advice, and help them understand who they can turn to for additional help.

Our future plans

We are planning to continue to increase our network of Community Boxes in partnership with the Elliot Foundation, and we are hoping to establish more social supermarkets.

The model we have created in Roehampton is a blueprint for our future expansion. In Roehampton we have successfully integrated the concept of the of Rackets Cubed core programmes and the Community Box to develop a Community Partnership Hub. We plan to roll out the same model in other parts of London and the Midlands in conjunction with key partners.

16 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Thank you!

Schools

London

The Alton Primary School East Sheen Primary School Gallions Primary School Highfield Primary School Heathmere Primary School Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Tolworth Junior School

Midlands

Billesley Primary School Blue Coat Primary School Clifton Primary School Dovecote Primary School Dunkirk Primary School Tiverton Academy Wheelers Lane Primary School

Yorkshire

Co-op Academy Oakwood Co-op Academy Parkland Haxby Road Primary Academy Shakespeare Primary Academy Southcoates Primary School Warley Road Primary School

North West

Cavendish Community Primary School Lawrence Community Primary School Rolls Crescent Primary School

With huge thanks to all of the teachers, teaching assistants and staff whose energy and commitment made it possible for their students to take part in our programme at these schools.

Host-sites

London

Hazelwood Tennis & Squash Club Ibstock Place School The National Tennis Centre Roehampton Club Roehampton University Surbiton Racket & Fitness Club University of East London

Midlands

Billesley Tennis Centre Nottingham Trent University Nottingham Tennis Centre Queen Mary’s Grammar School University of Birmingham

Yorkshire

Queens Sports Club Rawdon Tennis Club University of Bradford Woodford Leisure Centre York St John University

North West

Liverpool Tennis Centre Moss Side Leisure Centre The Northern Lawn Tennis

With huge thanks to all of the host-sites who work with us to provide facilities, coaches and catering for our programmes.

Funders

National Lottery LTA Tennis Foundation PA Foundation Investec Bernard Sunley Foundation Aksia Hargreaves Foundation Friends of Ibstock Place School The Roehampton Club John Ryder Memorial Trust Wandsworth Council Laureus Sport for Good 2024 Gosling Foundation Mercedes Benz UK Pest Houses Foundation

With huge thanks to all of our generous individual donors, supporters and volunteers

Delivery Partners

Elliot Foundation City Harvest FareShare Felix Project The Dons (DLAG) Wandsworth Hygiene Bank Blue Cross Waitrose Wandsworth Council Ibstock Place School Tower House School St Margaret’s Church Roehampton Ahmadiyya Group

With huge thanks to all of the partners who supply us with food and donations for our Community Boxes

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 17

Trustees’ report

Financial review

Key financial and operational highlights from the year

We continued to develop our Rackets Cubed core programmes over the last 12 months to support 745 children through 25 programmes. We provided 40,000 food parcels through our network of 20 Community Box hubs.

Our revenue and fundraising

We continue to be focused on longer-term scaling through multi-year grants, and the development of payment for our provision. These require the development of longer-term relationships and represented approximately 70% of this year’s revenues. Our revenues fall into four broad categories:

We have significant multiyear grants from the following strategic partners:

Our principal funding sources

We raise funds from several key sources, such as grants, sales activities, donations and fundraising events.

The majority of grants have some form of restriction in their criteria, even though many allow significant flexibility to cover a wide range of costs in a wide range of regions. With that in mind, it’s our policy – for accounting purposes – to categorise all grants as ‘restricted’, unless there is a policy by the grantor that states otherwise. The majority of other sources have no restrictions against them, and we are able to use those income streams in the way that best suits our needs.

Investment policy and objectives

We hold our assets in liquid form to ensure the continuity of our operations.

Reserves policy

The trustees are confident that we can continue to operate successfully by relying on grants, sales activities, fundraising, donations and contributions generated from squash and tennis events.

There has been no change in our financial risk policy. We seek to retain general unrestricted funds of between three and six months of expected operating expenditure for the following year. This ensures we can meet our ongoing programme commitments to the participants, their schools (with whom the standard term contract is three years), community clubs and other partners. We seek to retain 12 months of operating expenditure with unrestricted funds and committed funding.

We plan to consolidate to the number of programmes within London as well as in other cities and regions across the country. Raising funds for activities outside London will be challenging, but we are committed to delivering our programmes.

Budgeting and financial planning

During the year we also secured important single year programme support from:

We wish to thank all those funders who have supported us, without this support we couldn’t run our programmes and support the children.

We prepare an annual budget, which is reviewed quarterly by the trustees and our Finance and Risk Committee. We ae normally able to project our direct programme costs in a given year very accurately as we know the hours and rates for the year.

We believe we have developed strong capabilities to operate in periods of uncertainty and dynamic change, supported by our flexible cost base. We are not looking to add structural fixed costs, such as office space, for the foreseeable future. This allows us to adjust our costs quickly and we will continue to assess our situation with our trustees on a quarterly basis.

18 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Selected Organisational goals for 2025/26

The current economic climate has required Rackets Cubed to carefully manage rising operational costs at a time when the charitable funding environment remains under significant pressure. This has necessitated a number of difficult but considered decisions.

As a result, we have moderated the expansion of our core programmes and instead prioritised the development of our proven community-led model. This approach builds on our strong local partnerships to establish Community Partnership Hubs , where our core Rackets Cubed programmes are fully integrated with the Community Box initiative. By concentrating resources in this way, we are able to maximise impact, strengthen sustainability, and deliver more holistic support to children and families within the communities we serve.

Programmes Consolidate the geographical footprint of our existing programmes and focus on
strong long-term programmes
Develop the concept of our Community Partnership Hubs, where we integrate our
community and ore programme offerings
Fundraising Increase the value of corporate grants
Target additional larger multi-year grants
Expand local fund raising
Training and development Expand the training programme for all staff, trustees and volunteers
Continue with all staff training and development, in particular safeguarding and EDI
(Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), which are compulsory and must be completed
annually
Governance and policies Carrie Cantle to lead on safeguarding, Becky Downes and Natalie Price as Deputies
Complete a trustee skills audit to identify the skills we need to add in our next
round of recruitment
Recruit new trustees to support the development of our Community Partnership
Hub Strategy
Partnerships Expand the number of funding partnerships to six
Evaluate deepening our relationship with the Elliot Foundation Academies Trust
Look to further develop our education and nutrition networks

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 19

Trustees’ report

Our structure, governance and management

Governing document

Rackets Cubed is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust and constitutes an unincorporated charity.

Appointment of Executive Officers

As of November 2025, we have a team of eight part-time employees, who work various days a week – most of them two to three days a week. Current defined roles are:

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Our members appoint our trustees by ordinary resolution. No person may be appointed as a Trustee unless they have been recommended by the trustees and the appropriate notice has been given in accordance with the company’s Memorandum & Articles of Association. There must be at least three trustees. This Board has a membership with no defined maximum number.

During the last year it consisted of 11 members. The necessary business skills and knowledge of educational, physical and nutritional matters are well represented on the Board of Trustees.

The trustees’ meet regularly to agree our broad strategy, as well as approving all donations made, and considering our investment, reserves and risk management policies. During the financial period, day-to-day decisions were delegated to senior employees, led by the Chief Executive Officer.

When considering the appointment of new trustees, the Board considers a range of needs, including any specialist skills or characteristics, Board diversity, and general enthusiasm for the work of Rackets Cubed.

Subject to certain exceptions, the term of office for a Trustee is three years. A Trustee may not serve more than three terms. At the end of the three terms that person must step down and may not be re-appointed. The exceptions are:

Safeguarding

We have a Safeguarding Policy, which we review once a year. Any staff member involved in a Rackets Cubed programme is subject to their respective organisations’ Safeguarding Policy and Training requirements. These are overseen by Ofsted and shared with Rackets Cubed before the programme begins.

Rackets Cubed has a named Designated Safeguarding Lead (currently Carrie Cantle) who oversees every aspect of our Safeguarding Policy, training and support. Natalie Price and Becky Downes are Deputy Safeguarding Leads.

All trustees are required to attend a safeguarding for trustees course or similar training. We log all course details and attendance. This year we ensured all trustees attended a Trustee Safeguarding Course.

When a Trustee has completed their maximum term, at least four continuous years must elapse before they can be eligible to stand as a Trustee for that organisation again. Any period off the Board of less than four continuous years will count as service on the Board, when calculating the maximum term served.

20 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Risk management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

The trustees have reviewed our inherent risks and consider them resolved or mitigated as far as possible to assure the charity’s future. The trustees have adopted a risk management strategy that comprises:

a risk register to review the risks we may face

a review of key risk indicators (KRIs) to aid risk mitigation; and

systems, policies and procedures designed to minimise the impact on the charity should those risks materialise

The risk register and KRIs are updated every year and regularly reviewed by the FRC and the Board of Trustees. The following table outlines our principal risks and our plans to mitigate them.

Risk **How we manage the risk **
Funding Regular monitoring of progress against targets, and of pipeline income
Increased fundraising capacity to explore new avenues of fundraising income
Failure to deliver strategic aims,
especially growth		 Regular monitoring and review of strategic objectives by Senior Leadership Team and
trustees
Review and due diligence on new prospective programmes to ensure they meet our
charitable objectives
Recruitment and training of high-quality staff to deliver our objectives
Health and safety/safeguarding
issues		 Produce health and safety risk assessments for each core programme before it starts. We
have a risk assessment in place for the Roehampton hub
Separate Safeguarding & Child Protection policies and procedures in place for core
programmes and the community projects.
Processes in place for risk assessment and management
Insurance held and reviewed annually
Failure to deliver programmes
to a high degree of quality		 Regular internal monitoring and reporting of the quality of programmes
Training and development provided to all members of staff who are involved in
programme delivery and management
Data protection and critical
IT incidents		 Trained Data Protection Officer coordinates the GDPR monitoring and review process
Training for all staff members on key policies and practices
Rapid response plans in place to deal with IT issues to minimise any downtime
Investment in new IT infrastructure and cloud-based software packages to ensure that
there is minimal disruption for critical services

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 21

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Rackets Cubed

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Rackets Cubed (the Trust) for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under Section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since your charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a

registered member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material 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 Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act; or

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

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.

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.

Mr Christopher Kay Thorne Lancaster Parker 5th Floor Palladium House 1-4 Argyll Street London W1F 7TA

21 January 2026

22 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Financial statements

Statement of financial activities

for the year ended 31 March 2025

Unrestricted Restricted 2025 2024
funds funds Total funds Total funds
Notes £ £ £ £
Income and endowments from
Donations and legacies 2 92,866 356,585 449,451 429,383
Other trading activities 3 170,737 – 170,737 121,013
Total 263,603 356,585 620,188 550,396
Expenditure on
Marketing and fundraising costs 4 29,724 – 29,724 2,500
Charitable activities 5
Sports coaching – 41,546 41,546 48,045
Teachers – 37,519 37,519 65,420
Sundries 3,980 – 3,980 2,305
Food and nutrition 128,328 41,568 169,896 111,528
Sportswear and medals – 7,480 7,480 2,101
Marketing and advertising 30,080 – 30,080 11,277
Impact and evaluation 4,318 – 4,318 2,708
Accountancy and legal fees 18,197 – 18,197 6,744
Programme delivery and organisation 23,476 133,026 156,502 184,313
Central administration and organisation 8,497 8,497 16,994 38,922
Insurance 1,450 – 1,450 1,350
Repairs and renewals 192 – 192 136
Bank fees 473 – 473 477
Community week costs 169 – 169 9,043
Depreciation 375 – 375 375
Venue hire – 4,950 4,950 12,802
Other 21,768 12,187 33,955 40,137
Total 241,647 286,953 528,600 537,683
Net income/(expenditure) 21,956 69,632 91,588 12,713
Transfers between funds 13 – –
Net movement in funds 21,956 – 91,588 12,713
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 141,583 – 141,583 128,870
Total funds carried forward 163,539 – 233,171 141,583

The notes form part of the financial statements

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 23

Financial statements

Statement of financial position for the year ended 31 March 2025

Unrestricted Restricted 2025 2024
funds funds Total funds Total funds
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 10 608 – 608 984
Current assets
Debtors 11 59,202 – 59,202 42,493
Cash at bank 185,226 69,632 254,858 155,230
Creditors 244,603 _ 314,235 197,723
Amounts falling due within one year 12 (81,497) – (81,497) (57,124)
Net current assets 232,563 69,632 232,563 140,599
Total assets less current Liabilities 233,171 69,632 233,171 141,583
Net assets 233,171 69,632 233,171 141,583
Funds 13
Unrestricted funds 163,539 141,583
Restricted funds 69,632
Total funds 233,171 141,583

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 21st January 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:

Michael Hill , Chair of Trustees

The notes form part of the financial statements

24 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Statement of cash flows for the year ended 31 March 2025

2025 2024
Notes £ £
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations 1 99,627 14,234
Net cash provided by operating activities 99,627 14,234
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets - (934)
Net cash used in investing activities - (934)
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period 99,627 13,300
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period 155,230 141,931
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period 254,858 155,230

Notes to the statement of cash flows for the year ended 31 March 2025

1. Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from operating activities

1.
Reconciliation of net income to net cash flow from operating activities
2025 2024
£ £
Net income for the reporting period (as per the Statement of Financial Activities) 91,588 12,713
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges 375 375
(Increase)/decrease in debtors (16,709) (36,722)
Increase in creditors 24,373 37,868
Net cash provided by operations 99,627 14,234

2. Analysis of changes in net funds

At 1.4.24 Cash flow At 31.3.25
£ £ £
Net cash
Cash at bank 155,230 99,627 254,858
155,230 99,627 254,858
Total 155,230 99,627 254,858

The notes form part of the financial statements

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 25

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

1. Accounting policies

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) ‘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 January 2019)’, Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost 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.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objectives 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 financial statements.

Hire purchase and leasing commitments

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charity’s pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2. Donations and legacies

2.
Donations and legacies
2025 2024
£ £
Direct donations 58,664 38,024
Corporate donations 34,200 36,600
Grants 356,585 354,758
449,451 429,382
Grants received, included in the above, are as follows:
2025 2024
£ £
Funding grants and awards 356,585 354,758

26 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

3. Other trading activities

2025 2024
£ £
Community week funding 980 -
Roehampton Community Partnership Hub contributions
Community Box contributions
School Programme contributions		 25,815
121,687
22,255		 27,824
68,200
24,989
Total funds 170,737 121,013

4. Event hosting costs

Other trading activities

2025 2024
£ £
Marketing and fundraising costs 29,724 2,500
29,724 2,500

5. Charitable activities costs

Direct costs
Support costs
(see note 6)
Totals
£
£
£
Sports coaching 28,192
–
28,192
Squash coaching 13,354
–
13,354
Teachers 37,519
–
37,519
Sundries –
3,980
3,980
Food and nutrition 170,076
–
170,076
Sportswear and medals 7,480
–
7,480
Marketing and advertising –
700
700
Impact and evaluation –
4,318
4,318
Accountancy costs –
4,906
4,906
Programme delivery and organisation 156,502
–
156,502
Central Administration and organisation –
16,994
16,994
Insurance –
1,450
1,450
Repairs and renewals –
192
192
Bank fees –
473
473
Community week costs 169
–
169
Legal fees –
13,291
13,291
Depreciation –
375
375
Venue hire 4,950
–
4,950
Other 33,955
–
33,955
452,197
46,679
498,876

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 27

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements

6. Support costs

6.
Support costs
Information Governance
Management Finance technology costs Totals
£ £ £ £ £
Sundries – – 3,980 – 3,980
Marketing and advertising 700 – – – 700
Impact and evaluation 4,318 – – – 4,318
Accountancy costs – – – 4,906 4,906
Central administration and organisation 16,994 – – – 16,994
Insurance – – 1,450 – 1,450
Repairs and renewals – – 192 – 192
Bank fees – 473 – – 473
Legal Fees – – – 13,291 13,291
Depreciation – – 375 – 375
22,012 473 5,997 18,197 46,679

7. Trustees’ remuneration and benefits

There were no trustees’ remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Trustees’ expenses

There were no trustees’ expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

8. Staff costs

8.
Staff costs
2025 2024
£ £
Social security costs 9,272 13,278
Other pension costs 4,274 3,822
13,546 17,100
The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:
2025 2024
£ £
8 9

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

28 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

9. Comparatives for the statement of financial activities

9.
Comparatives for the statement of financial activities
Unrestricted funds
£
Restricted funds
£		 Total funds
£
Income and endowments from
Donations and legacies
74,623
354,760
Other trading activities
121,013
–
429,383
121,013
Total
195,636
354,760		 550,396
Expenditure on
Event hosting costs
1,700
–
Charitable activities
Sports Coaching
–
48,045
Teachers
–
65,420
Sundries
2,305
-
Food and Nutrition
60,706
50,822
Sportswear and Medals
–
2,101
Marketing and Advertising
Impact and Evaluation
11,277
2,708
–
–
Accountancy and legal fees
6,744
–
Programme delivery and Organisation
73,725
110,588
Central Administration & Organisation
19,461
19,461
Insurance
1,350
–
Repairs and renewals
136
–
Bank fees
477
–
Community week costs
9,043
–
Depreciation
375
–
Venue hire
–
12,802
Other
23,098
15,339
1,700
48,045
65,420
2,305
11,528
2,101
11,277
2,708
6,744
184,313
38,922
1,350
136
477
9,043
375
12,802
15,339
Total
213,105
324,578		 537,683
Net income/(expenditure)
(17,469)
30,182
Transfers between funds
30,182
(30,182)		 12,713
–
Net movement in funds
12,713
-
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
128,870
-		 12,713
128,870
Total funds carried forward
141,583
–		 141,583

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 29

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements

10. Tangible fixed assets

10. Tangible fixed assets
Computer
Fixtures and fittings equipment Totals
£ £ £
Cost
At 1 April 2024 934 566 1,500
At 31 March 2025 934 566 1,500
Depreciation
At 1 April 2024 233 283 516
Charge foryear 233 142 375
At 31 March 2025 466 425 892
Net book value
At 31 March 2025 467 141 608
At 31 March 2024 701 283 984

11. Debtors: amounts falling due within one year

2025 2024
£ £
Trade debtors 4,550 1,198
Prepayments and accrued income 54,652 41,295
59,202 42,493

12. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

2025 2024
£ £
Trade creditors 72,415 53,066
Taxation and social security 1,742 1,258
Other creditors 7,340 2,800
81,497 57,124

30 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

13.Movement in funds 13.Movement in funds
At Net movement Transfer At
1.4.24 in funds between funds 31.3.25
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 141,583 21,956 163,539
Restricted funds
Restricted fund – 69,632 69,632
Total funds 141,583 91,588 – 233,171
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Incoming Resources Movement
resources expended in funds
£ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 263,603 (241,647) 21,956
Restricted funds
Restricted fund 356,585 (286,953) 69,632
Total funds 620,188 (528,600) 91,588
Comparatives for movement in funds
At Net movement Transfer At
1.4.23 in funds between funds 31.3.24
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 128,870 (17,469) 30,182 141,583
Restricted funds
Restricted fund - 30,182 (30,182) –
Total funds 128,870 12,713 – 141,583
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
Incoming Resources Movement
resources expended in funds
£ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 195,636 (213,105) (17,469)
Restricted funds
Restricted fund 354,760 (324,578) 30,182
Total funds 550,396 (537,683) 12,713

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 31

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements

13. Movement in funds – continued

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

At Net movement Transfer At
1.4.23 in funds between funds 31.3.25
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 128,870 4,487 30,182 163,539
Restricted funds
Restricted fund - 99,814 (30,182) 69,632
Total funds 128,870 104,301 – 233,171

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming Resources Movement
resources expended in funds
£ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General fund 459,239 (454,752) 4,487
Restricted funds
Restricted fund 711,345 (611,531) 99,814
Total funds 1,170,584 (1,066,283) 104,301

14. Related party disclosures

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2025.

32 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Detailed statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2025

2025 2024 2024
£ £
Income and endowments
Donations and legacies
Direct donations 56,479 38,024
Corporate donations 34,200 36,600
Grants 356,585 354,758
Donations to boxes 2,185 -
449,451 429,382
Other trading activities
Community Week Funding 980 -
Roehampton Community Partnership Hub Contributions 25,815 27,824
Community Box Contributions 121,687 68,200
School programme Contributions 22,255 24,989
170,737 121,013
Total incoming resources 620,188 550,395
Expenditure
Other trading activities
Marketingand fundraisingcosts 29,724 2,500
29,724 2,500
Charitable activities
Venue Hire 4,950 12,802
Sports Coaching 41,546 48,045
Teachers 37,519 65,420
Community week programmes 169 9,043
Programme delivery and organisation 156,502 184,313
Food and nutrition 170,076 111,528
Sportswear and medals 7,480 2,101
418,242 433,252
Other
Social security 9,272 13,278
Pensions 4,274 3,822
Sundries 13,782 12,570
Travelling 5,414 6,789
Entertainment 418 281
Bad Debts 175 1,700
Subscriptions 620 1,697
33,955 40,137

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements.

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 33

Financial statements

Detailed statement of financial activities

2025 2024
£ £
Support costs
Management
Impact and evaluation 4,318 2,708
Central administration and organisation 16,994 38,922
Marketing and advertising 700 8,777
22,012 50,407
Finance
Bank charges 473 477
Information technology
Insurance 1,450 1,350
Repairs and renewals 192 136
Telephone 2,295 488
Postage and stationery 1,685 1,817
Depreciation 375 375
5,997 4,166
Governance costs
Accountancy and legal fees 18,197 6,744
Total resources expended 528,600 537,683
Net income 91,588 12,713

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements.

34 Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025

Reference and administrative details

Registered Charity number 1170744
Principal address 17 Castello Avenue
London , SW15 6EA
Trustees M Hill - Chair of Trustees
C O’Driscoll
R Ford
M Holland
B L Walker
K Bartram
E Lewis
A Keothavong (Retired November 2025)
S Forster
Independent Examiner Thorne Lancaster Parker Chartered Accountants
4th Floor
Venture House
27-29 Glasshouse Street
London W1B 5DF

Commencement of activities

The charity was incorporated on 14th December 2016, and commenced activities on 14th December 2016.

Approved by order of the Board of Trustees on 21st January 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

Michael Hill Chair of Trustees

Rackets Cubed Annual Report 2025 35

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