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2024-08-31-accounts

Free Movement Skateboarding CIO UK Charity No. 1184649

Trustee Annual Report and Financial Statements

01 September 2023 – 31 August 2024

Contents
Contents 1
Reference and Administrative Details 2
Report of the Trustees 3
Structure, governance & management 3
Objectives 3
Charitable Activities and Public Beneft in the past year 3
Impact Overview 3
Insights from Annual Survey 4
Operation Environment 5
Developments, Achievements and Performance 6
Beyond Skateboarding 8
Publicity, Recognition and International Advocacy 10
2024 - 2025 Plans 11
Statement of Financial Activities 12
Statement of Responsibility of the Trustees 20
Independent Examiners Report 21
Responsibilities and Basis of the Report 21
Independent Examiner’s Statement 21
Trustees Acknowledgement 22

Reference and Administrative Details

Registered ofce and operational address: 73 Marshal’s Drive, St Albans, Herts, England, AL1 4RD
Feidippidou 25A, 15351 Pallini, Greece
Trustees: Trustees appointed as of the submission of this report.
David Ascott
Daniel Schweppestedde
Keshini Mauree-Bain
Alex Segiet
Sigurd Goth
Full Time Staf: Full time staff as of the submission of this report.
William Ascott
Denia Nicolas
Denia Kopita
Sonia Patrinou
Sessional Staf: Sessional staff as of the submission of this report.
Antonis Polykandriotis
Dimitris Haztopoulos
Charitini Giannopoulos
Vagglis Boukas
Konstantinos Primikyris
Bank: Barclays Community Account
Barclays, 86 Town Centre, Hatfeld AL10 0JP
Independent Examiner: Michael Richmond
5 Traherne Close, Hitchin, Herts, SG4 9DS

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Report of the Trustees

The Trustees present their report and the independently examined financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024.

Reference and administrative information set out on page 3 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities (Charities SORP FRS 102).

Structure, governance & management

FMS is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), number 1184649.

All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity.

The Trustees review the aims, objectives and activities of the charity each year. This report looks at what the charity has achieved and the outcomes of its work for the 12 months in the year ending 31 August 2024. The Trustees report the success of each key activity and the benefits the charity has brought to those groups of people that it is set up to help. The review also helps the Trustees ensure the charity's aims, objectives and activities remain focused on its stated purposes.

Objectives

  1. The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation for the public benefit; by providing facilities capable of improving health, including but not limited to skateboarding.

  2. To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation. Primarily, for individuals who have need of such facilities due to their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances, with the objective of improving their conditions of life.

Charitable Activities and Public Benefit in the past

year

Impact Overview

This year, we delivered 229 sessions , including 23 community events , across 18 locations , engaging 588 unique participant s. These figures highlight growth in both our programming and geographic reach.

Expanding Reach:

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Inclusion:

For more detailed information and insights on our sessions refer to pages 9 - 24 in our Annual Report 2023-2024.

Insights from Annual Survey

Based on responses from 31 participants, this survey offered valuable insights into the impact of our skateboarding sessions and the communities we work with.

High levels of enjoyment and inclusion: 93.5% enjoy sessions, 90.3% look forward to them, and 87.1% feel included.

Confidence boost and skill development: Most participants gained patience, resilience, and confidence, with 71% reporting feeling more confident since joining.

Making Friends: 62.1% have made more than one new friend through FMS sessions.

Cultural Exchange: 91.7% have met or spoken to participants from different backgrounds to their own.

Perceived Safety: 76.7% feel safe when skateboarding with FMS, significantly higher than the 33.3% who feel safe outdoors in general. This highlights the secure and supportive environment FMS creates.

Widening Support System: Participants feel confident discussing challenges with FMS team members, with specific staff members praised for their support.

Self-Expression: While over half of our participants feel free to express themselves (51.6% feel fully free to express themselves), we see this as an opportunity to further foster emotional safety and inclusion.

Educational Gaps: While 93.5% of these participants attended school, we recognise the need to support the 6.5% underaged participants that are not at school. This is primarily due to barriers to education for marginalised communities. Educational activities like edu-skate help to support their learning and growth. Weekly skateboarding sessions help to give them some routine and a space to socialise.

Parental Unemployment: Half of our participants’ mothers face unemployment, underscoring the economic challenges in the communities we serve.

Inclusivity Gaps: We’re proud that we are consistently breaking gender stereotypes, evident in our diverse participant base and the fact that 96.8% of participants believe skateboarding is for everyone.

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However, we still recognise the need to enhance accessibility and inclusivity, particularly for children with disabilities. This is a priority for 2025.

Operation Environment

Greece has faced ongoing societal and economic struggles that have persisted for years. New developments every year have only strained the situation for the marginalised communities we work with and impacted the public spaces we rely on. Despite these challenges, our commitment to supporting the wellbeing, empowerment, and social cohesion of children and young people through skateboarding remains.

Socio-Economic Challenges: The years of economic struggles in Greece have been further exacerbated by the latest rise cost of living, which has had a disproportionately harsh impact on marginalised communities, especially migrant and refugee families. With limited and insecure employment opportunities and a lack of state support, many families are struggling to meet basic needs. This leaves little, if any, disposable income to accommodate their children's recreational, educational and social development. Parents are often forced to work multiple jobs or long hours, in many cases they are absent from these important aspects of their children’s lives. Our free skateboarding sessions provide accessible and inclusive activities for children, offering physical activity, social interaction, empowerment, support and skill development at no cost.

Urban Development and Public Space Closures: Ongoing urban development, such as the metro line expansion, continue to result in closures of public spaces, some of which we use for sessions. Public spaces are essential for cultivating community connection, promoting inclusion, and improving overall well-being, yet they are increasingly threatened by long-term development goals that often neglect the needs of local neighbourhoods and their residents. Without careful consideration of short-term disruptions and the concerns of local users, many spaces are being taken away from the very people who need them the most. Paradoxically, while some public spaces are redeveloped or repurposed, others, particularly in overlooked or disregarded neighbourhoods, remain neglected and unsafe for users. For example, in one square where we deliver sessions, a neglected playground used by the neighbourhood was demolished due to safety concerns. While there are plans to rebuild, the site has remained derelict and inaccessible for over a year. This highlights the disparities in municipal priorities and the lack of urgency in addressing the needs of more marginalised communities and neighbourhoods. Such neglect and inconsistency in managing public spaces deprives residents, especially children and youth, of safe and inclusive places to gather, play, and build connections.

Political Developments: The 2024 European elections saw an increase in conservative and nationalist parties, shifting policies toward stricter migration controls and reduced funding for integration programs. These changes are likely to reduce funding further for vital services and programs in Greece, leaving vulnerable populations with even fewer resources.

As public spaces shrink, socio-economic challenges grow, and services for marginalised communities decline, our sessions and activities remain a lifeline for children and youth in Athens. For us Skateboarding is more than a sport; our sessions are space for resilience, connection, and empowerment.

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By providing free, shared, inclusive spaces, we enable youth to thrive amidst adversity, break down barriers, and create stronger, more united neighbourhoods.

Developments, Achievements and Performance

Despite a challenging operating environment, we focused on meeting our aims of improving and supporting the wellbeing, empowerment and social cohesion of children and young people living in Athens, especially meeting the needs of the most marginalised communities in the city.

Building connections and fostering a sense of belonging remained central to our mission. This year, we celebrated the 7th anniversary of FMS with a vibrant community event in Platia Protomagias. The celebration brought together participants from various sessions, creating a joyful atmosphere filled with games, food, and surprises. The highlight of the event was a cake shaped like the number “7,” lovingly baked by one of the mothers in our community—a testament to the strong relationships we have cultivated.

This year we operated across 18 locations in Athens, and beyond, with a focus on disregarded and overlooked neighbourhoods where diverse communities reside, including Roma, refugees, migrants, and families experiencing economic hardship. Our free sessions, open to children and youth aged 6 and above, remained rooted in inclusivity, with a special emphasis on engaging girls and marginalised youth. Using skateboarding as a tool for empowerment, we aim to provide a welcoming and safe space where all participants can grow, connect and thrive, regardless of their background or abilities.

Diverse Approaches to Engagement

Our work is built on a dynamic model of engagement, offering three distinct types of sessions:

← Bar chart of the distribution of participants, attendance, and sessions across public sessions, school sessions, and community events, illustrating the reach and engagement of each session.

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Our public skateboarding sessions remained at the heart of our work to create safe, inclusive and empowering spaces for children and young people from diverse and marginalised communities. These sessions are more than just an opportunity to skate - they are a chance for participants to find belonging, confidence and joy regardless of their background.

This year, our regular, public weekly sessions constituted 81% of our delivery, reaching 48% of our unique participants across 5 locations. Free and open to all, these sessions ensure that no child is excluded due to financial or social barriers. By bringing skateboarding sessions into neighbourhoods that need it most, with the use of our mobile skatepark in a van, we make it accessible to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity.

Our public sessions are built on the values of diversity and inclusion. In the past year our sessions welcomed participants from more than 32 different cultural and ethnic backgrounds , all residing in Athens. While Athens can sometimes feel unwelcoming due to issues like racism, bureaucratic barriers, and exclusion based on differences, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a safe, inclusive, and accessible environment for everyone. Our community speaks over 25 languages and embraces a wide array of cultural traditions and perspectives, fostering opportunities for mutual learning and sharing as we come together through skateboarding.

With 35% of attendees being girls , we continue to prioritise gender equity and representation in skateboarding—an area where girls are often underrepresented.

These sessions are not just about skateboarding. They are vital spaces for social cohesion, self-expression, emotional wellbeing, and social connection. They offer a weekly chance for young people, a weekly escape from their daily stresses, a chance to learn new skills, and experience the joy of being part of a vibrant community. As one 12-year-old participant shared:

“Skateboarding makes me forget the world, and I can do anything if I try.”

FMS acknowledges and values diversity and the importance of a sense of belonging and safety. The connections built through these sessions lay the foundation for stronger, more united communities. These connections contribute to a more peaceful society, where neighborhoods are enriched by mutual respect and understanding.

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Extra Sessions and Events

Our community events, extra sessions and collaborations play a pivotal role in extending the reach of our work, creating opportunities for inclusivity and building stronger connections within and beyond our core FMS and skateboarding communities. Through various and dynamic events held across various locations, we not only offered new experiences for participants but also created opportunities for cultural exchange, empowerment, and the promotion of values such as gender equity, as well as raising awareness and introducing our work and the benefits of skateboarding beyond central Athens.

Key insights and developments:

Beyond Skateboarding

Edu-Skate Curriculum

As part of the Concrete Jungle Foundation Edu-Skate Network, we have now been delivering Edu-Skate sessions for over two years, continuing to use skateboarding as a tool to teach life skills and build confidence in our participants. These sessions allow us to go beyond skateboarding, introducing themes such as perseverance, respect, courage and encouragement. Over time, we have observed noticeable changes in both the mindset and behaviours of our regular participants, alongside the progress in their skateboarding skills.

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We continue to be excited about the future of our sessions as we continue to adapt, refine and expand the delivery of the Edu-Skate curriculum in Athens. Together with the network, we remain committed to empowering young people through skateboarding and education.

Creative Workshops

This year, we continued our creative activities alongside our skateboarding sessions. These activities engage mainly children who may not yet feel ready to try skateboarding and offer an outlet for artistic expression within our safe and welcoming community. The activities also provide a practical solution for participants who bring younger siblings, allowing them to explore their creativity while the older siblings skate.

This year’s highlights included painting skateboard decks, building finger skate ramps, and creating joint art on various themes like respect and celebrating diversity. These activities sparked excitement among participants, encouraging them to connect with skateboarding and our community in new and creative ways.

Filika Meet ups - Girl Empowerment

Over the past year, we hosted a variety of events that championed girl empowerment, both within our sessions and across the broader local skateboarding scene. The presence of girls in skateboarding in Athens continues to grow, and we are committed to ensuring they feel safe, supported, and excited to skate.

This year, we hosted 6 Filika Meet-Ups, where girls of all ages and skill levels came together to skate, connect, and celebrate the community. These gatherings help create a welcoming and inclusive space for girls to try skateboarding for the first time or advance their skills while building a sense of camaraderie. Our ongoing collaboration with Latraac Skate Cafe, hosted us for a few of these sessions, offering a supportive environment for girl skaters to share their passion and build connections

One of the highlights of the year was our connection to the global skateboarding scene through Denia Kopita’s visit to the Skate Like a Girl – Wheels of Fire event in the U.S. Denia had the chance to network and get inspired by meeting and skating with influential figures from the global women’s skateboarding community. As well as share her experiences and FMS’s work in Greece, including premiering a short film about our work. Her experience energised her and our local community, creating new aspirations and connections for Greek skaters.

These initiatives contribute to promoting and normalising girl skateboarding in Greece. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to providing opportunities for girls to feel empowered through skateboarding, further nurturing this positive and growing community.

In the year ahead, we will continue to support women skateboarding in Athens and actively work to get more girls on boards.

Team Training and Capacity Building

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We continued the training and development of our team, ensuring that they are well-equipped to deliver safe, inclusive, and impactful sessions. By investing in training and capacity building, we not only enhanced our instructors’ skills but also strengthened our ability to address the diverse needs of the communities we serve. We value creating a culture of continuous learning and growth.

Publicity, Recognition and International Advocacy

This year, our work continued to gain visibility through multiple platforms, raising awareness about the transformative impact of skateboarding on young girls and marginalised communities. Through media, collaborations, international events, and advocacy opportunities, we can amplify our presence, strengthen our connections, and continue to champion inclusion and empowerment through skateboarding on a national and global scale.

Media Features

Documentary Collaborations

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Like A Girl, where the documentary was screened, strengthening our connections within the international skateboarding community.

International Advocacy

2024 - 2025 Plans

Fundraising Diversification

Diversifying our funding sources to achieve greater financial security and stability for our activities by 2026, aimed at reducing our reliance on a small number of grants.

Empowering More Girls

Increase our outreach efforts and host more events focused on girl empowerment and advocating for girls in the local skate scene.

Team Capacity Building

Continue to develop our team’s skills and knowledge by providing training, support, and opportunities for growth. We are committed to nurturing the potential of all Athenian youth, including those on our team.

Session Quality and Non-Formal Education

Refine our session quality, starting with further developing and adapting the Edu-Skate curriculum, continuing to stay active in social skateboarding networks and creating a ‘Rolling Together’ activity book for our community, to help them understand the themes and values we discuss.

Expanding Engagement and Impact

Engaging new participants by delivering additional sessions, creating new collaborations and hosting and participating in community events that expand our reach and strengthen our impact.

.

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Statement of Financial Activities

The financial results are set out in the attached receipts and payments account.

All charity funds are maintained at Barclays.

----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name No (if any)
FREE MOVEMENT SKATEBOARDING 1184649
CC16a
Receipts and payments accounts
Period start date Period end date
For the period
To
from
01.09.2023 31.08.2024
----- End of picture text -----

Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds Last year funds funds funds to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ £

A1 Receipts

The Skateroom 9,411 - - 9,411 31,635
CHOOSE LOVE Grant - 18,348 18,348 8,728
Cooperate Collaborations 15,353 - 15,353 707
Donations 1,432 - - 1,432 2,474
Merchandise - - - - 35
Fundraisers/ Rafes 597 - - 597 804
Other 3,743 - - 3,743 1,336
Other grants and partnerships 3,227 - - 3,227
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 33,762 18,348 - 52,111 45,719

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - -

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Sub total
-
Total receipts
33,762
A3 Payments
Staf stipends
14,177
Van Expenses
24
Sessions/Equipment/Activities
221
GR NGO Admin Costs
0
Staf Welfare
1818
Promotion
1537
Other
530
Grant to FMS GR
35,450
- - - - -
33,762 18,348 - 52,111 45,719
3,740
-
-
-
-
-
14,608
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17,970
24
221
0
1,818
1,537
530
50,058
Staf stipends 14,177 3,740 - 17,970 40,217
Van Expenses 24 - - 24 1,463
Sessions/Equipment/Activities 221 - 221 1,290
GR NGO Admin Costs 0 - - 0 274
Staf Welfare 1818 - - 1,818 1,489
Promotion 1537 - - 1,537 698
Other 530 - - 530 288
Grant to FMS GR 35,450 14,608 - 50,058 18,429

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Sub total
53,810
A4
Asset
and
investment
purchases, (see table)
-
Sub total
-
Total payments
53,810
Net of receipts/(payments)
-20,047
A5 Transfers between funds
8000
A6 Cash funds last year end
52,465
Cash funds this year end
32,417
53,810 18,348 - 72,158 64,148
-
-
-
-
-
-
A4
Asset
and
investment
purchases, (see table)
- -
Sub total - -
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
53,810 18,348 - 72,158 64,148
-20,047
8000
52,465
32,417
0
8000
-
-
-
-
-
-20,047
8000
52,465
32,417
-20,047 0 - -20,047 -18,429
8000 8000 - 8000 596
52,465 - - 52,465 70,895
32,417 - 32,417 52,465

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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories

B1 Cash funds

Unrestricted Restricted funds funds Endowment funds Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ BARCLAYS Community (Main) 2,510 - BARCLAYS Savings 29,908 - - BARCLAYS Merchandise - - - Total cash funds 32,417 - (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) OK OK OK Unrestricted Restricted funds funds Endowment funds

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B2 Other monetary assets

Details

Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ FMS GR Grant (Greek NGOs 3,998 - - Account) - - -

B3 Investment assets

Details

Fund to which Cost (optional) Current value (optional) asset belongs - - - -

Details

B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use

Fund to which Cost (optional) Current value (optional) asset belongs - - - -

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Fund to which Amount due When due (optional) Details liability relates (optional)

B5 Liabilities

Signed by one or two trustees on Signature behalf of all the trustees

Print Name Date of approval David Ascott 24/1/2025

Print Name

Notes of Financial Statement

Notes on Transfers to FMS GR (Greek NGO Entity) from FMS UK Charity

During the fiscal year ending 31st August 2024, FMS UK Charity has engaged in financial transactions with FMS GR, our Greek NGO legal entity, as per the terms outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the entities. These transactions are part of our essential operations to effectively manage and support our core activities in Greece.

a. Nature of Transactions

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A total of £ 50,058 has been transferred from FMS UK to FMS GR to support various operational and administrative expenses of the Greek NGO. These expenses include, but are not limited to, salaries for three employees, headquarters rent, accounting services, taxes and expenses related to the maintenance and operation of the van (including parking, fuel and insurance).

The transferred funds are classified as restricted, with their usage confined to the specified operational expenses in Greece. All instalments from these funds are subject to confirmation and oversight by the Trustees of FMS UK.

FMS UK maintains an oversight of these funds. The Greek NGO (FMS GR) reports back on the utilisation of these funds on a monthly basis, ensuring transparency and compliance with the stipulated use of funds as per the MOU.

As of 31st August 2024, the remaining balance of this grant stand at £ 3,998 This balance is reported under ‘B2 Other Monetary Assets’ in the FInancial Statements of FMS UK. The remaining funds are earmarked for continuing to cover the ongoing operational costs of FMS GR in Greek.

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Statement of Responsibility of the Trustees

FMS’ Trustees are responsible for preparing the report of the Trustees’ and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements 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 period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The opinion of the trustees is that the charitable organisation is entitled to the exemptions conferred by Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charities.

The trustees acknowledge the following responsibilities:

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charities subject to the small companies’ regime.

Signed on behalf of the trustees

Name: . Date:

David Ascott, 24/1/2025

Independent Examiners Report

I report to the Free Movement Skateboarding trustees on my examination of the accounts of Free Movement Skateboarding for the year ending 31[st] August 2024.

Responsibilities and Basis of the Report

As the charity trustees of Free Movement Skateboarding, 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 Free Movement Skateboarding’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charities Commission under section 145 (5) (b) of the Act.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

I have completed my examination and 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 Free Movement Skateboarding as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. The accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which the attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Name: Michael Richmond

Relevant Professional qualification or membership of professional bodies (if any): FCCA (retired) Address: 5 Traherne Close, Hitchin, Herts, SG4 9DS

Date:

16/01/2025

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Trustees Acknowledgement

The trustees acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with provision applicable to charities subject to the small companies’ regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees and authorised for issue on …………………. and 24/1/2025 signed on their behalf by:

Sign:

Name: David Ascott Date: 24/1/2025

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