Bedford Ladies and Girls Football Club
Charity Number 1188351
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts for the period 1[st] July 2023 to 30th June 2024
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
Bedford Ladies and Girls Football Club was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Foundation Model) on 4th March 2020. The Constitution was formally adopted on 15th January 2020.
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
The trustees of the organisation are normally connected to the club as either a current or ex-player, a coach, or as parent of a player (or ex-player), providing the organisation with various knowledge and skills relating to running the organisation.
Reference and Administrative details
Charity name
Bedford Ladies and Girls Football Club
Registered charity number 1188351
Charity’s principal address
43 Bromham Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 2AA
Trustees
Zara Carroll Elizabeth Clarke Rebecca Fhalora Kathryn Martin-Harris Martin Trinder Jill Upton (Chair) Timothy West Jennifer Yildiz
Independent Examiner
Angela Futter St Johns 107 Highfields Road Highfields Caldecote Cambridge CB23 7NX
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Objectives and Activities
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document
The objects of the charity are; (a) to advance the amateur sport of association football, in particular but not exclusively for women and girls, in the Bedfordshire area and its surrounding areas; (b) to promote community participation in healthy recreation by the provision of facilities for the playing of association football (facilities means land, buildings, equipment and organising football activities); (c) to provide and assist in providing facilities for sport, recreation and other leisure time occupation of people who have need of such facilities because of youth, age, infirmity or disability, poverty or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving their conditions of life.
Summary of main activities
Bedford Ladies and Girls Football Club offers opportunities for girls and ladies to play association football at an amateur level. The club offers Walking Football, and runs after-school sessions to allow more girls to try football and encourage them to consider playing. Youth teams play in the FA Bedfordshire Girls League. Ladies teams play in the Eastern Region Womens Football League, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Womens Football League and The Alan Boswell Group Cambridgeshire Womens and Girls Football League.
Public Benefit
In carrying out the activities, which are explained in more detail on the following pages of this annual report, the organisation provided public benefit by providing opportunities for a wide section of the public to participate in an amateur sport.
The public benefit from having more individuals that are participating in community-based activities, and are physically and mentally healthier.
Women and girls (often underrepresented in team sports) are more likely to participate in amateur sport and receive the health and social benefits of participating in a team activity.
The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance in setting the charity's objectives and planning its aims, objectives and future activities and when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
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Achievements and Performance
This fourth year of operation for the charity has seen continued increase in girls and women’s interest in football following the success of the national team, as well as general interest in the club. We have seen an increase in the numbers of teams we have within the club, both with girls training and playing competitively, during the 2023-2024 season.
Whilst the charity was established in 2020, the club has effectively been running for over 25 years. The club was originally founded in 1996 as part of the boys club West End FC, but it soon became apparent that the objectives of boys’ and girls’ football was very different and so a separate club was born.
The club is an FA Charter Standard Development Club and is fully affiliated with the Bedfordshire FA.
The 2023-24 season saw the club grow to include 18 youth teams, 3 adult teams, and a walking football team, all providing opportunities for over 250 girls and women to play amateur football.
The success of the WSL and the England Woman’s Football Team has generated significant interest from girls of all ages to participate in the sport, with many of the club’s teams at full capacity.
The club continues to train twice a week. During the lighter, summer months all teams train at Allen Park, providing a friendly atmosphere for all the players, and developing that sense of being part of a bigger club. During the winter months, training moves to various outdoor venues across Bedford, at a significant cost to the club.
The club has been developing a long-term relationship with Bedford Academy, supporting the school in their bid to the FA to install a 3G pitch which is hoped will provide a permanent winter training venue from September 2024 onwards.
The club has also further developed its relationship with Real Bedford FC during the year. The Charity has adopted the name Real Bedford Ladies and Girls FC as an operating name, and the club colours and logo have been aligned with Real Bedford FC. New home kit and training kit was provided by Real Bedford FC, and it is hoped that similar support will continue in future years.
The Ladies first team was jointly managed this year with Real Bedford FC, which also provided the necessary home venue to allow the team to push to play at a higher level in the football pyramid. The team won promotion to tier 4 in May 2024, and as the team transitions from an ‘amateur’ to a ‘semiprofessional’ team, from the 2024-25 season onwards, the team will be managed by Real Bedford FC.
Contribution made by volunteers
The club could not operate without volunteers. From the 30 coaches turning up three times a week to organise training and matches, to the numerous parents helping to put the nets up, run the line, and serve refreshments, the club is indebted to volunteers to make everything happen.
A number of volunteers also undertake a range of administrative duties behind the scenes, acting as trustees, welfare officers and other roles that are all vital in running the club.
Many of the coaches are previous or current players, who recognise the importance of football in their own lives, and choose to volunteer to coach youth teams. 50% of the coaches are women, providing role models for the youth players.
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Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period
The club is in a relatively good financial position.
A combination of fees and grants make up the majority of the charity's income. A small amount of income is generated by entry fees at Ladies games, and through the refreshments on matchdays, which goes towards the cost of match officials and pitch hire. A small amount of local business support has also helped to pay for new kit for some teams.
The club seeks to keep the fees as low as possible to keep football as accessible to as many people as possible. However, the club was not immune to cost of living increases during 2023 and 2024. Reserves had to be used in the last financial year, so the trustees felt that it was prudent to increase fees and tuck shop prices.
Reserves
The Charity currently holds £10,362 of unrestricted reserves.
The Charity wishes to develop sufficient reserves amounting to at least 6 months of expenditure, to provide a contingency in the event of any sudden loss of income, to cover any sudden or unexpected costs, and to allow for the creation of additional teams if sufficient players and volunteers are identified. The cost of replacing a kit for an entire team, for example, is often required every two-three years, but cannot always be met by donations or grants.
The Charity is also seeking to secure improved winter training facilities, which will create an additional financial burden in future years.
Declarations
Approved by the trustees on 15[th] January 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
........................................................................
Jill Upton - Trustee
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Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ members of Bedford Ladies and Girls Football Club on the accounts for the year ended 30th June 2024
Charity no 1188351
Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 30/06/2024.
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 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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
Name: Angela Futter
Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address: St Johns 107 Highfields Road Highfields Caldecote Cambridge CB23 7NX
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Bedford Ladies and Girls Football Club Charity Number 1188351
Receipts and payments accounts
For the period from 1[st] July 2023 to 30th June 2024
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Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Last Year
Funds Funds
to the nearest to the nearest to the nearest to the nearest
£ £ £ £
Receipts
-
Subscriptions 41,971 41,971 25,129
Kit - - - 556
Events/Tours 3,770 - 3,770 4,274
-
Sponsorship/Grants 17,395 17,395 16,890
Schools 2,147 - 2,147 2,948
Tuck/Gate 11,174 - 11,174 7,839
Miscellaneous 341 - 341 216
Sub total 76,798 - 76,798 57,852
Asset and - - - -
investment sales
Total receipts 76,798 76,798 57,852
Payments
Kit/Equipment 19,016 19,016 26,976
Pitch Hire 28,908 28,908 16,164
Fines 379 379 0
Tuck/Awards 7,640 7,640 3,041
Leagues/FA/Fines 1,546 1,546 3,218
Coaching 7,414 7,414 7,202
Tournaments 505 505 635
Referees 5,638 5,638 3,900
Advertising 94 94 -
Ladies Food 108 108 139
Miscellaneous 974 974 504
Courses 1,015 1,015 2,005
Sub total 73,237 73,237 63,784
Asset and - - - -
investment
purchases
-
Total payments 73,237 73,237 63,784
Net of 3,561 - 3,561 -5,932
receipts/(payments)
Transfers between - -
funds
Cash funds last 6,801 - 6,801 12,733
year end
Cash funds this 10,362 - 10,362 6,801
year end
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Bedford Ladies and Girls Football Club Charity Number 1188351
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
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Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
Cash Funds Nat West 1 10,362
Total Cash Funds 10,362
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds
Other monetary - - -
assets
Fund to which Cost Current value
asset belongs (optional) (optional)
Investment assets - - - -
Fund to which Cost Current value
asset belongs (optional) (optional)
Assets retained for - - - -
the charity’s own use
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Approved by the trustees on 15[th] January 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
........................................................................ Jill Upton - Trustee
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