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2024-10-31-accounts

TOGETHER WE CAN DO Registered Charity No. 1192282 2024 ANNUAL REPORT

The work of the charity, along with the achievements of its members and supporters during the past year, is summarized in this report.

Since commencing our activities in May 2021, the charity has supported 273 individuals with a disability to take part in sport and physical exercise. We currently have 156 individuals taking part in our sessions, many of whom were physically inactive prior to being beneficial members of the charity.

The range and frequency of the sports and social activities we operate has increased during the past year. Seven weekly sports sessions at three locations within the Fylde area are now being run and regular social evenings are also being held. There has been a total of 7622 attendances of beneficial members at the sports sessions during the past year.

The charity organized and ran the inaugural Fylde Coast Pan-Disability Games on 12[th] September 2024. The event took place at Blackpool Sports Centre and involved nearly 120 disabled adults from six local organizations taking part in team competitions playing boccia, bowls, football and netball. The event was opened by the Major of Blackpool and was watched by around 200 friends, families and support workers as well as staff from Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre councils.

Our activities are coordinated and supervised by a small staff team and a group of committed volunteers. During the past year many undertook training and obtained qualifications to support the charity’s activities.

During the past year charity has received significant grants and donations from several organizations. This will enable the current activities to be sustained in the medium term without the need for major fundraising activities.

The impact of the work of the charity has been recognized by our local community. The charity was a finalist in the “2024 Contribution to Active Communities (Group)” awards run by Wyre Council and also the “2024 Sports Club of Year” at the Active Blackpool awards. In addition, one of our trustees Jenny Morris was a finalist in the BBC Radio Lancashire “Making a Difference” awards for 2024.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Objective .......................................................................................................................... 3 Membership ..................................................................................................................... 3 Financial Statement .......................................................................................................... 4 Governance and Management ......................................................................................... 4 Vision ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Management System ............................................................................................................... 5 Personnel ................................................................................................................................ 5 Funding ................................................................................................................................... 6 Venues for Sports & Social Activities ........................................................................................ 7 Promotion of Opportunities ..................................................................................................... 8 Recognition of the Charity’s Work ............................................................................................ 9 Delivery of the Sports & Social Sessions............................................................................. 9 Blackpool Sports Centre Activities .......................................................................................... 10 YMCA St Annes Activities ....................................................................................................... 11 YMCA Thornton Activities ...................................................................................................... 11 Social Events .......................................................................................................................... 12 FYLDE COAST PAN-DISABILITY GAMES .................................................................................... 12 Making an Impact: Member experiences ........................................................................ 12 Contact Details ............................................................................................................... 15 Trustees ................................................................................................................................. 15 Staff ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Welfare Officer ...................................................................................................................... 15

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OBJECTIVE

Together We Can Do obtained registration with the Charity Commission on 11[th] November 2020. The charity objectives stated in the Governing document are:

  1. The relief of those in need by reasons of their disability in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre by:

(a) the promotion of community participation in the healthy recreation by the provision of assistance and suitable facilities for the participation in sport, and

(b) the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.

  1. To advance such charitable purposes as the trustees see fit in supporting charity members for the public benefit, by making grants and awards to enable them to take part in amateur sports events.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership is open to anyone who is interested in furthering the charity’s purposes and accepts that they must conduct their activities in a way to further its purposes. Membership consists of beneficial and non-beneficial members. Beneficial members are individuals with a recognized disability who take part in the sporting and social activities. Whilst anyone with a disability can benefit from the charity, individuals living in the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre areas are given priority.

The charity’s membership from 1[st] November 2021 to 2024 is shown below.

Beneficial
Members
2024 2023 2022 2021 Non-
Beneficial
Members*1
2024 2023 2022 2021
Enrolled 157 143 133 68 Trustees 6 6 8 7
Volunteers 12 22 28 23
Staff 5 5 3 3
Total 157 143 133 68 Total 23 33 39 33

*1 These include trustees as well as others who carry out administrative roles in addition to individuals who volunteer at the sports sessions and social events.

37% of the beneficial members live in the Blackpool area, 22% in Fylde, 36% in Wyre and 5% are from other areas. Since its inception, the charity has provided support to 273 beneficial members.

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FINANCIAL STATEMENT

The 2024 accounts are provided in a separate document and have been subject to independent examination by a competent person. The total income and expenditure in the year from 1[st] November 2023 to 31[st] October 2024 is shown in the table below.

Income
£128,100
Expenditure Current A/C Deposit A/C
£81,164
£97,793 £17,821*1

*1.YMCA venue hire fees for August to October 2024 yet to be paid.

Blackpool Council provided free use of the Blackpool Sports Centre - a “gift in kind” valued at £17,500.

GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

VISION

Our vision is that every individual with a disability

The following individuals have undertaken the role of trustee during the past year.

Carina Gribbon, Mark Hughes, Rachel Lambert, Jenny Morris, Howard Robinson and Rosemary Sycamore

Collectively the trustees have a wide range of knowledge, skills and professional expertise which enabled the charity to expand its operations. Trustees meet on a regular basis; nine meetings have been held since the last AGM.

The trustees decided in 2023 that the charity should employ more staff rather than the activities being undertaken by volunteers. This resulted in part-time roles for a Project Manager and Registration & Membership Administrator being established once funding was secured. The appointments have enabled significant additional funding to be obtained, which has assured the charity’s future for the next five years. In addition, the quality of the charity’s management systems and records has been improved, as well as enabling more sports sessions to be delivered.

The additional funding has also enabled staff and volunteers to obtain coaching and other qualifications.

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MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The trustees have a range of policies and procedures to enable the charity to both meet its legal obligations and ensure effective management of its activities. These documents have been reviewed and revised to address issues arising as well as addressing the increased scope of the charity’s activities. Our safeguarding arrangements have been revised to reflect the good practices recommended by various sports organizations as well as the local authority social services. This has resulted in more individuals being qualified to undertake the Welfare Officer role at the sports and social sessions.

An Employees Handbook has recently been approved for issue by the trustees. All employees will receive a copy of the handbook at the staff training event scheduled to take place before the end of the year. A Volunteers Handbook has also been prepared which will be issued to existing volunteers and used in the “recruitment drive” scheduled for early 2025

Risk assessments and instructions have been reviewed to ensure that our activities are delivered to a consistently high standard and always put the safety and welfare of those we support first.

PERSONNEL

All the trustees have knowledge and experience of providing support for, or working with, individuals with a disability. Some have been trustees of other charities, whilst others have held senior positions in education, care and central government organizations. In addition to their general duties trustees have lead responsibilities on specific topics, such as training of staff, recruitment of volunteers and legal compliance, so that a consistent approach is adopted.

The charity employs staff to undertake the following roles.

The charity has a Designated Safeguarding Lead as well as several Designated Safeguarding Officers, one of which attends each sport and social session.

An agency is used to manage the payment of wages, tax and National Insurance contributions. The same agency has also provided the bookkeeping service for the charity for this financial year.

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There are currently 12 registered volunteers who support the sports sessions and have been subject to checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Most of the current volunteers have joined after learning about the charity’s activities from friends and family or through attending the sports and social sessions. During the past year the number of registered volunteers has reduced; the recruitment and training of volunteers will be a priority task during the next year.

Staff and volunteers undertook training and obtained qualifications during the past 12 months. This included.

2 x UK Coaching - Level 1: Netball

2 x FA Coaching - Level 1: Football

2 x Designated Safeguarding Lead – Level 3

10 x Safeguarding Adults – Level 2

FUNDING

During the past year significant funding has been received which has enabled the charity to increase the sports and social activities offered as well as enabling the Project Manager to undertake additional fundraising activities.

A grant of £25,000 was received from Scope in January 2022 and was used to pay a large proportion of staff costs from April 2023 until March 2024.

Two donations totaling £50,000 were received from Blackpool Fylde & Wyre Cerebral Palsy Association during the year. This has been used to pay staff costs from March 2024 until the end of this financial year. The remaining funds have been transferred to a deposit account and are held as

reserves.

A grant of £12,500 was received from the Post Code Lottery in October 2023. This is an unrestricted grant, and funds have been used for operational costs between October 2023 and October 2024.

An award of a £324,000 grant from the National Lottery was announced in August 2024. These funds are to be paid over a 5-year period subject to the charity delivering the activities detailed in the bid. The first payment of £17,613 was received in September and is being used to cover staff costs.

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Donations totaling £1217 were received from Chippendale Timbers, the Lancashire FA and South Shore Tennis Club to support the football activities. This has been used to purchase football kit and equipment. The remaining funds will be used to support the football activities over the next year.

Donations totaling £3050 were received from various organizations to support the 2024 PanDisability Games. The funds were used to pay for the hire of the sports venues, additional equipment and kit as well as food and drink for the event volunteers.

A grant of £1750 was received from Active Lancashire to fund staff and volunteer training.

A grant of £500 was received from Vinci Building Ltd. This was used to support individuals living in the Talbot & Brunswick and Claremont wards to attend our activities.

Various non-restricted donations totaling £1194 were received from several organizations which have been used to support the various social events and activities.

As identified above the grant from the National Lottery will substantially cover current staff costs for the next 5 years based on our existing programme of activities. However, the grant was made on the basis that the number of beneficial members would increase and that a wider range of activities would be undertaken. Consequently, additional fundraising will still be required and requirements over the next 1 to 3 years have been reviewed. The trustees are looking into obtaining funding to deliver services from organizations such as the local NHS and Social Services.

VENUES FOR SPORTS & SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

The trustees have had regular communications with staff from Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Councils about our activities.

The charity has a hire contract for weekly use of two sports halls at the Blackpool Sports Centre (BSC) each Thursday. Blackpool Council has agreed that these facilities will be provided free of charge, for which we are very grateful.

The charity has four contracts with YMCA (Fylde Coast) for the hire of facilities at St Annes and Thornton-Cleveleys. These cover the weekly use of a sports hall at Thornton (Mondays) and St Annes (Saturday) and the hire of external 5-a-side pitch and the 10-pin bowling alley (Monday).

The charity uses the function room at the Norbreck Bowling and Tennis club to hold regular social evenings. The trustees are thankful that the club has allowed the charity free use of their facilities.

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PROMOTION OF OPPORTUNITIES

The charity’s trustees and staff have held several meetings with staff from the three local authorities to promote the work of the charity and to challenge the existing arrangements for individuals with a disability to undertake regular physical exercise within their area.

We are represented on the Wyre Moving More health and wellbeing subcommittee and meet every quarter to promote and shape the sport offered to residents of Wyre.

We have partnered with Connectiverse, a local solution focused platform and publication, who focus on mental health, well-being, neurodiversity and accessibility. We are regular contributors to their publications and encourage our members and carers to share their own experiences with the wider community.

We have participated in several events across the area, showcasing the opportunities we provide:

To highlight the demand for more sports-based activities suitable for the disabled community, the trustees organized the inaugural Fylde Coast Pan-Disability Games (see below). The trustees have also recently agreed to establish the Together We Can Do Football Club and for it to be affiliated to the FA.

The charity is working with other organizations representing disability groups to highlight to Blackpool Council the lack of opportunities and barriers faced by our members living in the area. Similar conversations have been held with Fylde and Wyre Councils as well as YMCA Fylde Coast . It is hoped that these organizations will work with the charity to support the delivery and expansion of our activities in the future.

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RECOGNITION OF THE CHARITY’S WORK

The impact of the work of the charity has been recognized by our local community. The charity was a finalist in the “2024 Contribution to Active Communities (Group)” awards run by Wyre Council and the “2024 Sports Club of Year” at the Active Blackpool awards.

We were also proud that the work of one of our trustees Jenny Morris was recognized as she was a finalist in the 2024 BBC Radio Lancashire “Making a Difference” awards which were held in the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

DELIVERY OF THE SPORTS & SOCIAL SESSIONS

Participation in the sports sessions has grown steadily again the past year. Seven sports sessions each week are now being run at three locations within the area.

The trustees have attempted to respond to the feedback from the members with additional sessions being run on a trial basis to confirm demand before being made permanent. The demand for regular football sessions was confirmed in late 2023 and two weekly sessions were added in 2024. These are held at YMCA Thornton (Monday) and Blackpool Sports Centre (Thursday).

Following the establishment of the football sessions the players and coaches wanted to play competitive matches with others. A few “friendlies” have been played against Blackpool and Fleetwood Town Community Trust teams in the past year. The trustees recently agreed to establish the Together We Can Do Football Club and to affiliate the club with the FA. This will enable two teams to take part in the Lancashire Disability League football tournaments during the 2024/5 season.

To make the sports sessions fun, themes such as “Halloween”, World Book Day” and “Summer Holidays” have been adopted. This involved members, support workers and the charity’s staff / volunteers dressing in accordance with the theme and prizes being awarded for the best outfits. We also held a Summer Fun Day at Anchorsholme Park, taking advantage of the new multi-use outdoor courts whilst the floor at Blackpool Sports Centre was being relaid.

The graph overleaf shows the participation levels at the various sessions over the past year; 7622 attendances of beneficial members have been recorded. This represents a 27% increase in total attendances (5984) from the previous year.

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----- Start of picture text -----
Session Attendance 2nd November 2023 to 31st October 2024
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----- Start of picture text -----
250
200
150
100
50
0
Mon Football Netball 10 Pin Bowling Social Night BSC Multi-sport Thu Football St Annes Multi-sport
Number of Attendances
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BLACKPOOL SPORTS CENTRE ACTIVITIES

Weekly “multi sports” sessions take place each Thursday between 10 am and 2pm. These have been held on 48 occasions in the past year; the average attendance is 48 members with a total of 2227 attendances. The multi-sport sessions are led by qualified coaches with volunteers helping to run the activities. Various group exercises, dance and team games are played in one of the sports halls whilst the other sports hall is set up to allow a range of less energetic games to take place. eg Archery, Boccia, Curling, Darts, Pool, Skittles etc.

Volunteers from the Blackpool & Wyre Bowling Academy now provide bowling tuition between 12:30 and 2pm during these sessions. This has proved to be popular with the members and a competition between our members and individuals who attend Warren Manor was held.

Football sessions are held each Thursday between 2pm and 3 pm and is split into two groups. The first group is for individuals who want to improve their skills and play football for fun, whilst the second group is for those members who want to play competitive matches within a league structure.

Over the past year, several guest coaches have joined our sessions, offering specialized training in their respective sports. This included coaching in tennis, rugby, dance, and football.

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We also had several cricket sessions one of which was led by Adnan, featured in the Freddie Flintoff’s “Field of Dreams” TV programme.

In February we held "Feel Good February," which featured a circuit challenge competition, a relaxation evening, and a healthy lunchbox challenge. Additionally, we hosted several themed fancy dress sessions, such as World Book Day and Halloween.

YMCA ST ANNES ACTIVITIES

Weekly “multi sports” sessions, like those run at Blackpool Sports Centre, take place each Saturday morning between 10:30 and 12:30hrs. These have been held on 34 occasions in the past year; the average attendance is 15 members with a total of 495 attendances. Whilst the average attendances are still insufficient to fully cover the session costs they will continue until mid-2025 as they provide opportunities for members in the St Annes / Lytham area to participate. The trustees are having discussions with Fylde Council and the YMCA Fylde Coast about the costs of these sessions and are also investigating alternative ways of funding them.

Tracey Mitchell from the Fairhaven Bowling Academy provides bowling tuition at some of these sessions.

YMCA THORNTON ACTIVITIES

Since 29[th] April, weekly football sessions have been held between 10:30 and 11:30hrs each Monday. These sessions are generally for members who want to play competitive football.

Netball sessions take place between 12:00 and 13:00hrs each Monday. In the past year these have been held on 46 occasions; the average attendance is 17 members with a total of 771 attendances. The coach, volunteers and the Lancashire Netball Development Officer have been impressed with the progress made by members and we are working with Netball England for opportunities to hold matches with other disabled netball teams.

Weekly 10 pin bowling takes place each Monday in two sessions, 12:15 to 13:30hrs and 13:45 to 15:00hrs. These have been held on 47 occasions in the past year; the average attendance is 48 members with a total of 2235 attendances.

Between February and May, 6 teams comprising of six members took part in a competition. Over a 16-week period each team played with each other; the total number of pinpoints scored was used to determine the team’s position. As the competition proved to be popular similar events will take place in 2025.

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SOCIAL EVENTS

The Christmas Party and AGM were held at The Carousel Hotel, Blackpool on 7[th] December 2023. This was attended by a total of 65 beneficial members plus their support staff as well as trustees, volunteers and staff. In the autumn we enjoyed a walk through the Illuminations.

Bi-weekly social evenings at the Norbreck Tennis and Bowling club, are held alternative Wednesdays between 6:30 and 9 pm. These have involved karaoke, sing-a-longs to popular musicals as well as bingo, card games and quizzes. There has been a total of 644 attendances by beneficial members plus their support staff at these social sessions.

FYLDE COAST PAN-DISABILITY GAMES

The charity organized and ran the inaugural Fylde Coast Pan-Disability Games on 12[th] September 2024. The event took place at Blackpool Sports Centre and involved nearly 120 disabled adults taking part from six local organizations. Boccia, Indoor Bowls, Football and Netball competitions were held with each participant receiving a medal. In addition, trophies for the team competition winners and “star players” were awarded.

The event was opened by the Major of Blackpool and was watched by around 200 friends, families and support workers as well as staff from Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre councils. Overall, the feedback from the participants, support staff and spectators were very positive and plans are being made to run the event again in 2025.

MAKING AN IMPACT: MEMBER EXPERIENCES

Feedback from our members has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the supportive and welcoming environment we strive to create. Occasionally, challenges arise, such as a member feeling hesitant to join in or carers being overly competitive, but we address these promptly to ensure a positive experience for everyone. One new member at our Thornton session has been steadily growing in confidence, as noted by their carer. Another member, who previously rarely left the house, has begun attending our sessions and has even reconnected with old school friends, fostering a renewed sense of social connection.

Members consistently praise Together We Can Do as a friendly and inclusive community. Logan Lawler highlighted the engaging activities and supportive staff, highly recommending the club for its interactive and enjoyable environment. Cassie Blackburn commended the empathetic, person-centered approach of the staff, emphasising the friendships members build and the variety of accessible sessions offered. Carl Whitfield shared how the club fosters a safe and friendly atmosphere, making everyone feel welcome and supported while providing opportunities to meet new people and make lasting connections.

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World Book Day

Boxing at the Brian Rose Gym - Blackpool Sports Centre

Cricket with Adnan from Freddy Flintoft’s Field of Dreams

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Netball Competition at The Pan-Disability Games

Winners of Boccia Competition at The Pan-Disability Games

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CONTACT DETAILS

Registered Office: 40 Normoss Road, Blackpool, FY3 0AL Telephone: 07859 916181 Email: info@togetherwecando.org Website: togetherwecando.org

TRUSTEES

Carina Gribbon (Chair) Howard Robinson (Secretary) Jenny Morris Mark Hughes Rachel Lambert Rosemary Sycamore

STAFF

Joanne Martin (Project Manager)

Karen Kirkbride (Session Coordinator) Lyndsey Rigby (Registration & Membership Administrator)

Michael Thwaites (Sports Coach) Joanne Thwaites (Sports Coach)

WELFARE OFFICER

Rosemary Sycamore

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The Trustees would like to thank the following organizations for their support.

Further information is available from our web site www.togetherwecando.org and Facebook page. You can also speak to us by visiting one of our sessions or send a message via email (info@togetherwecando.org) or text (07859 916181).

Summary of Accounts for Together We Can Do

1[st] November 2023 to 31[st] October 2024

Registered Charity No. 1192282

Income Expenditure
Income from Sports Activities
£32,742.90
Sports Venue Hire £17,542.58
Income from Social Events
£4,146.05
Social Events Venue Hire and Food £3,663.95
Grants & Donations - Unrestricted Funds
£81,314.00
Staff wages including NI and pension costs £62,087.39
Grants/ Donations - Football
£1,217.60
Football Kits & Affiliation Fees £874.70
Grants/ Donations - Pan-Disability Games
£3,050.00
Pan Disability Games costs*3 £4,350.70
Grants/ Donations - Active Lancashire
£1,750.00
Training Projects £1,694.00
Grants/ Donations – Vinci Building*1
£500.00
Membership & Miscellaneous Income
£3,379.99
Administrative Costs £7,580.37
Total Income
£128,100.54
Total Expenditure £97,793.69
Surplus
£30,306.85
Current Assets
Deposit Account*2
£81,163.99
Current Bank Account
£17,821.28
Cash In Hand
£629.00
Total Current Assets
£99,614.27
Capital & Reserves
OpeningBalance(1stNovember 2023) £66,054.52
Current Liabilities - Creditors
£3,252.90
Surplus £30,306.85
Current Assets less Current Liabilities
£96,361.37
ClosingBalance(31stOctober 2024) £96,361.37

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AIID WALFS Independent examiner's report on the accounts Report to the trusteesl members of Together We Can Du On accounts for the year ended Charity no lif any) 1192282 Set out on pages I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust"} for th& year ended 21110.1102 4- As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 1.the Act"). Rèsponsibilties and basls of report I r8POrt in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying oul my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5}(b) of the ACL Independent examinerfs statement I have completed rny examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my atlention in Gonnection with the examination dise￿￿.) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. th8 accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or Ihe accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or tho accounts did not comply wilh the applicable requirements Gon￿rning ihe form and Content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports} Regulations 2008 other Ihan any requiremint 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 corne 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. Please delete the words the brackets if they do not apply. Signed- Date.. Name: Relevant professlonal qualification(s) or body {if any): IER Oct 2018

Address: 11 LÉLAR Av-IKJthi Fou - FWLf)È LANCAPHIRÉ & &)J Only comolele il the exaininer needs to highlight material matters of corTrcem ee CC?2. Independent @xamination Df charity accounts." directions and guidance for examiners). C7ilfe. e brief details of ns iterris t.l¢a.t the p,,xaw.'ry.@r wishgs t disclose. IF.R Oct 2018