Liverpool Schools FA (est. 1887)
Report and Financial Statements Year ending 30 June 2024
Charity number 1174748
Liverpool Schools FA (LSFA)
Report of the trustees for the year ending 30 June 2024. The trustees are pleased to present their annual trustees report together with the consolidated financial statements of the charity and its subsidiary for the year ending 30 June 2024. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 & the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (“Charities SORP”) (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland; FRS 102) issued in October 2019.
Our Trustees
Mr C. Giles (Chair) Mr A. Reidel Mr S Price
Our Committee
Mr A. Reidel (Chairman) Mr S. Price (Treasurer) Mr S. Gow (Secretary)
Our purposes and activities
The purposes of the charity are:-
-
To increase participation is schools football across the city of Liverpool
-
To run schools football competitions for all primary and secondary schools in Liverpool
-
To run representative squad to represent their city at a national level
-
To prove valuable life experiences to the boys and girls representing their schools/city through football
The vision that shapes our annual activities remains the promotion and fostering of an appreciation of the benefits of football for the education and recreation of the school children participating. The charity also has the general aim of contributing to the quality of life of the school children of Liverpool by expanding their horizons through the provision of exciting, challenging and accessible sport.
In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, including the guidance ‘public benefit: running a charity (PB2)’.
LSFA relies on sponsorship & income from fees and parental charges to cover its operating costs. Affordability and access to our competitions is important to us and is reflected in our pricing policy set out in detail later in this report. We endeavour to encourage all primary & secondary schools in Liverpool to take part in our competitions
The strategies employed to achieve the charity’s aims and objectives are to:
-
To provide regular schools competition events at the Liverpool Sports Hubs
-
To fully organise officials / facilities for the schools competitions
-
To manage the competitions / leagues on behalf of the schools
-
To run 11 representative squads for boys and girls from u10 to u15s
-
To enter English Schools FA competitions at all ages
Putting these strategies into action we have two major areas of activity which are: Schools Football & Representative Football. Our programme of activities in each area is described below.
The Government Coronavirus control measures put in place from March 2020 and which were still in place at year end meant that for a significant proportion of the year the schools football season was curtailed.
Schools Football
We sought to increase participation in schools football for a second successive year at both primary and secondary age groups. Focus was given to contacting all schools in Liverpool and providing them with information regarding the over 100yr history of LSFA, the importance of schools football within the city, the relatively small cost involved and the programme of events available to them.
Representative Football
We aimed to run as many representative teams across the age groups as possible. With all squads to be supported by volunteer qualified coaches, all of whom would have a valid DBS and be qualified in first aid and child safeguarding. Each squad would train together on a weekly basis & represent the city both in local district leagues and national ESFA competitions. We would also endeavour to take squads on tours either with the UK or abroad to provide invaluable life experiences for the girls and boys involved.
Our volunteers
The charity is very involved in the community and relies on voluntary help. We currently have 23 volunteers assist with facilitating the schools competitions and working with the representative squad. All volunteers are CRC/DBS checked & Child Safeguarding qualified and many are level 1 / Level 2 – UEFA level coaches. LSFA also has ‘Life Members’ – volunteers who worked with the Association over the last 50 years.
Achievements & Performance
Schools Compettons
Primary school competition increased again this season with 97 school teams participating in y5 & y6 football tournaments organised by LSFA. The schools are split by size to participate in Leagues (Small / Intermediate / Large) with six leagues organised at yr6 age groups and four cup competitions:-
Y6 Boys Small School League Y6 Boys Intermediate School League Y6 Boys Large School League Y6 Girls Small School League Y6 Girls Intermediate School League Y6 Girls Large School League
With Cup competitions being run for as follows :-
Y5 Boys Cup Y6 Boys Cup Y5 Girls Cup Y6 Girls Cup
The feedback from the schools, parents & children participating in these competitions was extremely positive.
Secondary school competition increased again this season with 66 school teams participating in y7 – y11 football tournaments organised by LSFA. The schools are split by size to participate in five boys & four girls cup competitions :-
Y7 Boys Cup Y8 Boys Cup Y9 Boys Cup Y10 Boys Cup Y11 Boys Cup Y7 Girls Cup Y8 Girls Cup Y9 Girls Cup
Again the feedback from the schools, parents & children participating in these competitions was extremely positive.
Representatve Squads
LSFA ran 11 squads to facilitate the most gifted & talented boys and girls from Liverpool schools representing their city and a local/national & international stage. 161 boys & girls were selected for the following squads :
U10 Boys U11 Boys U11 Girls U12 Boys U12 Girls U13 Boys U13 Girls U14 Boys U14 Girls U15 Boys U15 Girls
All Squads participated in the NW League, with the U11 Boys, U11 Girls, U13 Boys, U13 Girls, U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U15 Girls & U15 Boys all participating in the English Schools FA National Cup.
Financial Review
LSFA made a small loss of £-4783 in 2024. Our cash reserves decreased in 2024 to £20256 (2023 - £25039) – mainly due to an increase in costs of pitch hire at Sports Hubs
Reserves policy
The Trustees have reviewed the reserves of the charity. The agreed policy is to retain enough in reserve to run all schools competitions for the coming season and to retain sufficient funds to pay all competition & affiliations fees for our representative squads.
Principal funding sources
The principal funding sources of LSFA were again sponsorship from local business, affiliation fees from participating schools and monthly subscriptions from parents/guardians.
Investment Policy & Objectves
LSFA has no short or long term investments. Our reserves are held in a Barclays Community bank account.
Plans for Future Period
We expect to incur significant fees in the coming year with the requirement to pay for pitch hire where previously this was provided by the local authority free of charge. Increased schools competition affiliations and a drive to gain additional sponsorship for LSFA should hopefully offset this increase. Also following the success of representative squad tours in yr end 2024 both domestically & abroad we intend to continue such tours in 2025. These tours were covered by sponsorship of individual squads and parental subscriptions.
Liverpool Schools FA
Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities
(including consolidated income and expenditure account) for year ending 30 June 2024
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Liverpool Schools FA Balance Sheet for year ending 30 June 2024
The Trustees have prepared group accounts in accordance with section 398 of the Companies Act 2006 and section 138 of the Charities Act 2011.
Signed : CARL GILES - Chair of trustees on behalf of the trustees
Approved by the trustees on 22[nd] April 2024
Declaration by Independent Examiner: I had no access to the charity’s books in conducting my examination but can confirm the integrity and credibility of the Trustees and their financial methods.
Audited retrospectively by Independent Examiner, Stuart St V Fitzgerald on 23[rd] April 2024