Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1 May 2024 Period start date To 30 Apr 2025 Period end date
Charity name: Soldiers League
Charity registration number: 1178408
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | The object of the CIO is to relieve the needs of people who have served or who are serving members of the armed forces who are in need by virtue of sickness, disability or financial hardship by: (1) the provision of event tickets or hospitality facilities at events, with a view to facilitating their rehabilitation and well-being. (2) providing and assisting in the provision of recreational facilities in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving their conditions of life. Nothing in this constitution shall authorise an application of the property of the CIO for the purposes which are not charitable in accordance with [section 7 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005] and [section 2 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008] |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
The charity has enabled the beneficiaries of its efforts (injured soldiers, sailors, airmen, and veterans) to compete in a wheelchair rugby league side,to attend the World Club Challenge, the Challenge Cup final and our annual Wembley dinner. These have helped these physically and/ or mentally injured service person to integrate with society and have positive experiences. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | When planning our activities for the year, we have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
Policy on grant making |
Para 1.38 |
|
Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 |
|
Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 |
Yet again, the volunteers who support our charity have been the backbone and driving force to our achievements. As always we are thoroughly indebted to them. |
Other |
Achievements and Performance
SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 |
The charity has enabled the beneficiaries of its efforts (injured soldiers, sailors, aviators, and veterans) to attend the Rugby League fixtures and participate in a wheelchair rugby league side. In addition in 2024/5 we established a Masters Rugby League side which allows likeminded veterans and service personnel to find common ground and discuss issues in a safe environment. All of which are helping these physically and/ or mentally injured service person to integrate with society and have positive experiences. |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
|
|---|---|---|
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
|
Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 |
|
Other |
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | At the end of the period the Charity had £28,547.31 cash in bank. The charity received an income of £27,689.67 which is back to the pre- covid levels this consisted of profits from our annual dinner and donations from members. The charities expenditure totalled £14,146.92 the major outlay being the purchase sports equipment, dinner costs andmerchandise stock. |
|---|---|---|
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | As the charities sole income is from donations, a contingency is maintained to ensure continued operation should donations not be forthcoming. |
| Amountof reservesheld | Para 1.22 | £10,000 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | Not applicable |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | Not applicable |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a goingconcern |
Para 1.23 | Not applicable |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 |
The charity receives regular donations, one off donations, profit from the annual dinner, merchandise sales and auctions. |
|---|---|---|
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 |
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A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 |
|
Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trustdeed,royalcharter) |
Para 1.25 |
Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted?(e.g unincorporated association,CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Trustees are nominated and then voted in at the Annual General Meeting. The AGM is advertised for public attendance on the website and social media. |
Additional information (optional)
| Charityname | Soldiers League |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses |
Nil |
| Registered charitynumber | 1178408 | 1178408 |
|---|---|---|
| You maychoose to include further statements where relevant about: Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees Para 1.51 The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works Para 1.51 Relationship with any related parties Para 1.51 Other |
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Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 |
|
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 |
|
Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 |
|
Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity’s principal address | THE OLD BARN MORETON ROAD CROSSWAYS DORCHESTER DT28DX |
|---|---|
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled **to appoint trustee(if any) ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Bethell | President | AGM | ||
| David Charles Groce MBE |
Chairman | AGM | ||
| Steve Sampher | AGM | |||
| Ryan Swindale | AGM | |||
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved
| Director name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nil | ||
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| Nil | ||
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
Nil |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
Nil |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
NA |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) D C Groce Full name(s) DAVID CHARLES GROCE OBE Position (eg Secretary, CHAIRMAN Chair, etc) Date 22 FEB 2026
Date
Soldiers League Accounts Part FY 2024/25 (01 May 24- 30 Apr 25)
| Description | Money Out | Money Out | Money In | Money In | Incomes | Incomes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Membership (Bank SO) | £ | 2,244.00 |
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| Membership (Paypal) | £ | 466.36 |
Donations | £ | 970.00 |
Membership | £ | 2,710.36 |
|||||
| Donations | £ | 970.00 |
Breedon Trading | £ | 300.00 |
||||||||
| Money Tree | £ | - |
Rochdale Masters | £ | 670.00 |
Raffles | £ | 603.50 |
|||||
| Card Donations and Auctions | £ | 5,226.76 |
Online Raffle (Raffall) | £ | 603.50 |
||||||||
| Book Sales | £ | - |
|||||||||||
| Raffle Sales | £ | 603.50 |
Donations and Auctions | £ | 5,226.76 |
||||||||
| Dinner Sales | £ | 18,059.31 |
Dinner Auction (Card) | £ | 3,950.00 |
||||||||
| Reserve Account Interest | £ | 119.74 |
Dinner Donations (Card) | £ | 1,276.76 |
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| (A) VSC 2024 Road to Wembley Dinner Payment | -£ | 10,075.00 |
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| (B) Public Liability Insurance | -£ | 292.65 |
|||||||||||
| Adrian Morley Payment (+£300, -£300) | £ | - |
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| (C) Website Event Calendar (liquid) | -£ | 144.78 |
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| Lion Art Work Auction Refund (2nd Picture) | -£ | 393.00 |
2024 Dinner Sales | £ | 9,736.31 |
2025 Dinner Pre-Sales | £ | 8,323.00 |
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| (D) Merchandise (pins, bands, bears etc) Fluid | -£ | 1,020.00 |
Eventbrite Sales | £ | 5,316.59 |
Stripe (Charity Hive) Bookings | £ | 8,323.00 |
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| (E) 2025 Dinner Deposit (VSC Trading) | -£ | 1,000.00 |
Cash Money Tree | & Auct(CR00067) | £ | 2,174.72 |
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| (F) Army Rugby League HAC Dinner Donation | -£ | 300.00 |
Cootes SL | £ | 85.00 |
||||||||
| (G) Andy Gregory Room (VSC Trading) 2024 Dinner | -£ | 354.00 |
Fanning Co Ltd | £ | 2,160.00 | ||||||||
| (H) UKAFRL Masters Ravensport Strip | -£ | 417.60 |
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| Bluehost Domain Charge | -£ | 22.42 |
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| Sundry | -£ | 127.47 |
|||||||||||
| -£ | 14,146.92 |
£ | 27,689.67 |
||||||||||
| Current Account | Reserve Account | ||||||||||||
| Cash in Bank | £ | 1,631.37 |
Start | £ | 11,457.40 |
||||||||
| Start Balance | £ | 13,088.77 |
£ | 16,828.27 |
Close | £ | 10,061.23 |
||||||
| Close Balance | £ | 26,889.50 |
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| Paypal | |||||||||||||
| Start Balance | £ | 1,915.79 |
£ | 15,004.56 |
-£ | 13,542.75 |
|||||||
| Close Balance | £ | 1,657.81 |
|||||||||||
| Total | £ | 28,547.31 |
£ | 13,542.75 |
To follow