2025-06-30-accounts - Harpenden Rovers Youth Football Club

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1[st] July 2024 (Period start date) To 30[th] June 2025 (Period end date) Charity name: Harpenden Rovers Youth Football Cub

Charity registration number: 1187501

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To advance amateur sport for the public benefit by organising, providing or assisting in the organisation or provision of facilities which will enable boys and girls up to 18 years of age resident in Harpenden and the surrounding area (‘the area of benefit’) to play association football, ensuring that due attention is given to the physical, personal and educational development of such boys and girls, and to the development and occupation of their minds;
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 club provides young people with football coaching by qualified coaches, along with providing access to the facilities to enable this to happen. This service enables young people to develop physically and as people through team based sport. The club has no employees, with all coaching and administrative activities undertaken by volunteers. The club also offers signposting and financial support itself to ensure financial situation is not a barrier to taking part. The club enables its members to take part in either competitive or friendly fixtures depending on the year group or squad.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	Yes. Given the size/revenue of Harpenden Rovers Youth FC, a summary such as above is felt to be sufficient.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: SORP reference The charity does not make grants. Policy on grant making

	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	The charity does not carry out social investment activities.
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	All activities undertaken by the charity are completed by volunteers. The largest percentage of volunteer time is spent on coaching or training sessions and supporting players at competitive fixtures or festivals, but other volunteers support in back office functions such as membership administration, facility booking etc etc. Furthermore, all coaches must be undertake training in coaching, first aid, and safeguarding children. For each coach this adds another 7-8 hours. As a rough estimate, the club benefitted from somewhere between7,000 and 8,000 volunteer hours across the year.
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	Harpenden Rovers Youth FC has delivered literally thousands of hours of football to over 250 young people in the charity’s FY 2024-25. Originally formed with just a handful of young people as it’s players, and only for training and friendly fixtures, the club is now a mature organisation, with nearly 100 adults involved in its operation. These adults enable the club to deliver on its charitable aims as laid out in the constitution (and shown at the top of this document). The clubs membership has expanded by around 10% compared to the previous year, building steadily, and with manageable organic growth. The continued expansion has provided a steady evolution of the club, and meant we were able to enter 18 teams across competitive leagues for the season 2024-25. This enables our players to experience playing at different locations, and caters for players who are at different stages of their development.

Perhaps the most significant development for the club was the discussions with Harpenden Town council regarding the old Rovers site at Cravells Rd, Harpenden, which we had been using on a semi-casual basis from January 2025. From an initial discussion with the council in April 2025, there was provisional agreement that Rovers Youth could, with the right approach and commitment to pitch improvements, have a new exclusive licence to use the space on the common. These conversations continued with the council and a provisional agreement reached. This provisional agreement was confirmed in a pro-forma for the pitches, enabling Harpenden Rovers Youth FC to apply for a grant from the Football Foundation, and from The Harpenden Trust. The benefits of any form of sport are well known, and add to that the further benefit of being a member of a team sport, there is no doubt that these young people have been able to develop their skills at football, but also as individuals in a team environment. The costs to players/parents have been kept at a level the club believes is affordable, and feels it represents great value when compared to other similar offerings in the area. The club places significant emphasis on the ethos of trying hard, and that winning or losing is less important than the attitude that has been demonstrated in the game. The club believes the ability to lose gracefully is as important as winning graciously.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
		The club announced in February that it wished to fund raise for an AED, and the associated wind and solar powered cabinet at one of it’s main locations–Katherine

Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Warington School. This objective – of raising almost £4000 - was achieved through sponsored activities by the players and donations from individuals, many of which were able to benefit from Gift Aid. For the taking over of Acres Corner, the Club needed to raise funds to provide cash to improve the pitches, and repair the clubhouse. Some of this funding appears in the next FY, with the activities for significant grants from the Football Foundation and Harpenden Trust initiated in this year. In addition to these large grants being sought, the club benefited from donations from local businesses and some generous individuals. The combination of these donations and grants have provided the club with the financial means to being the improvement of the pitches in the current FY, and plan for bringing the clubhouse back to life early in the next FY. Furthermore, the structure of the Football Foundation grant means a further £7,040 will be made available for the end of next season to allow for works to take place then.
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	The club ended the year with a positive bank balance, and an increase in the cash at hand. Whilst the surplus cash balance at the end of the financial year is £62,280 this includes a significant amount of revenues collected in for the following year, plus grants received and allocated but not yet spent. The actual surplus from the years activities including fundraising is calculated at just over £20,000, which will be used for a number of areas: - toward building the reserves of the club to allow for unforeseen events (e.g. unexpected changes in pitch hire, lower than expected membership numbers etc etc). - Continuation of improvement of the Acres Corner pitches - Investment in the clubhouse to make it usable and act as a base for the club.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The Harpenden Rovers Youth FC reserves policy consider the club's short-term and long-term ambitions, as well as risks to income and expenditure. Accordingly, the intent is to hold a buffer of at least 20% of annual costs to allow for unforeseen expenses, or lower than forecast receipts. This has been achieved as a result of the activities from this financial year
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£62,280.
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	n.a.
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	n.a.
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	The club is fully funded for this financial year.

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	Principal sources of funds are membership fees, grants and donations, gift aid on donations, sponsorships, and any surplus on operations and activities through the year.
Investment policy and objectives including any	Para 1.46

social investment policy adopted
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 (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	The club is governed by its constitution, as on file with the Charities Commission.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	unincorporated charitable association
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 elected at an AGM or SGM. The club default is that chair, vice-chair, treasurer and secretary are trustees.

Additional information (optional) You may choose 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

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Harpenden Rovers Youth Football Club
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1187501
Charity’s principal address	8 Churchfield, Harpenden AL5 1LL

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	JeremyFinch	Chair
	Stuart Turner	Secretary
	Naomi Rigby	Treasurer
	Mark McCormack	Vice-Chairman

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address




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

g Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date	y u	y u

	Jeremy Finch	Stuart Turner
	Chair	Club Secretary
	7/2/26
	7/2/26

----- Start of picture text -----
Harpenden Rovers Youth Football Club 1187501
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 01-Jul-24 30-Jun-25
To
from
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
2024 / 2025 season donations 37,576 - - 37,576 -
2025 / 2026 season donations 22,147 - - 22,147 -
Other cash donations from parents 19,222 - - 19,222 -
Gift aid received from HMRC 7,740 - - 7,740 -
Interest income 43 - - 43 -
Company donations 11,250 - - 11,250 -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) [ 97,978 ] - - 97,978 -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 97,978 - - 97,978 -
A3 Payments
KWS grass pitch hire 7,374 - - 7,374 -
Kws Astro hire 6,547 - - 6,547 -
Other school grass hire 1,227 - - 1,227 -
Acres groundwork 972 972
FA accreditation 4,245 - - 4,245 -
FA training courses for coaches 1,985 - - 1,985 -
DBS checks 300 - - 300 -
Coaches kit 2,421 - - 2,421 -
Referee fees 2,855 2,855
Insurance 282 282
Kit 15,895 15,895
End of season event 1,359 1,359
Gifts - Christmas, Easter, Medals,
certificates 1,505 1,505
Finance fees 60 - - 60 -
Pitchero fees 1,188 - - 1,188 -
Sub total
48,215 - - 48,215 -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 48,215 - - 48,215 -
Net of receipts/(payments) 49,763 - - 49,763 -
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 12,518 - - 12,518 -
Cash funds this year end 62,281 - - 62,281 -
----- End of picture text -----

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

07/02/2026

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

Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 62,280 - - 62,280 Agreement Error Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates	Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Amount due (optional)	Endowment funds to nearest £ - - -
		-
		OK
		Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional)
	- - - - -
Print Name Jeremy Finch - Club Chair Stuart Turner - Sec		Date of approval 7/2/26 9/2/26

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

07/02/2026

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Harpenden Rovers Youth Football Club

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Harpenden Rovers Youth Football Club (the Trust) for the year ended 30 June 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 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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.

Signed:

Name: Simon Helps FCA

Address: 61 Highfield Avenue, Harpenden, AL5 5TZ

Date: 9 February 2026