## **Crescent Lawn Tennis Club** ## **Trustees Annual Report** For the period ## 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023 For approval at the Annual General Meeting - 23 February 2023 1 ## **Introduction** This is the second annual report by the Trustees of Crescent Lawn Tennis Club and covers the period from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023. This version of the Trustees Report is provided to the Annual General Meeting subject to the Annual Accounts and Statement of Account being both approved and subject to independent examination. ## **Charity Name and Number** The Charity is Crescent Lawn Tennis Club and is registered with charity number 1192912. ## **Trustees** The current Trustees making and approving this Report are: - Gary Payne - Nick Baker - Bernie Adams - Tony Garrett - Rob Williams - Sharon Hayes ## **Charitable Objects and Performance** The Objects of the Charity are for the local community and the surrounding area - The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation in particular by the provision of facilities for the playing of tennis in a club environment. ## **Promoting the Charitable Objects - Achievements** In furtherance of the Charities objects (promoting the amateur sport of Lawn Tennis, and encouraging the well being and health of the community) and other achievements - the Charity undertook the following activities: - Summer camps with 75+ juniors attending over a 5 week period. This is a paid for activity which enables parents to leave their children in the care of experienced and qualified coaches and the children to be entertained and taught tennis. - Established a link with Riverston School providing coaching sessions for students and opportunities to improve physical and mental health. - Continued to offer opportunities for ‘free’ hitting sessions for non members of any age or ability in a Club atmosphere. - An increase in membership numbers. - Increase in girls, women and juniors playing tennis. 2 ## **Structure and Governance** The Charity is constituted and governed in accordance with its Constitution, created when the Charity was formed on 22 December 2020. It is managed by a Committee comprising the 7 committee members 6 of whom are also Trustees and supported by a number of other volunteers (non Trustees/committee members). The Committee and Trustees are elected annually at an Annual General Meeting with nominations open to, and invited from, all members of the Club. Trustees must be 16+ The Committee meets once every 6 weeks, and the Head Coach attends meetings as the Committee ensures that tennis development plays a major part of its considerations. Only members of the Club (aged 18 plus) are entitled to vote in an AGM. The Committee considers all aspects of the running of the Club and routinely reviews aspects of coaching (taking reports from the Head Coach), financial matters (taking a report from the Treasurer), governance matters (through reports from the Club Secretary) Membership issues (from the Membership Secretary), club play, fixtures and inter club matches (through reports from the Club Captains), and health and safety and grounds and maintenance issues. Through the Welfare/Safeguarding Officer, we ensure that we are both compliant and provide a safe environment at our Club. It also considers associated matters such as social events (used as fund-raising), participation in external events for the purposes of promoting the Charity and its objectives. Committee roles are currently as follows: |Hon. President (non Trustee)|Suzie Lundie| |---|---| |Chairman|Gary Payne| |Treasurer/Membership Secretary|Bernie Adams| |Club Secretary|Nick Baker| |Welfare/Safeguarding|Rob Willams| |Mens Captain|Tony Garrett| |Ladies Captain|Sharon Hayes| (A number of volunteers also support the Club - but do not sit on the Committee) As well as Club Constitution - Crescent Tennis Club has a number of written policies and procedures in force all of which can be found either on our club website or on notice boards in the clubhouse: - Welfare/Safeguarding Policy. - Terms and Conditions. - Data Protection Protection Policy. - Privacy Policy. 3 - Club Rules, Conduct and Etiquette. - Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. - Complaints, Suggestion and Feedback Policy. - Health and Safety Policy. - Social Media - Photography and Filming of Children and Young People guidance. - Sun Awareness Guidance. ## **Financial Review** It is important when discussing any aspects of our Club, including finance, to remember that Crescent Lawn Tennis Club, is based within Sidcup Sports Club (SSC) and does not own its courts (or more specifically the land that the courts are on) The Club is subject to an annual levy that includes rent and utilities etc. Details of our levy can be found in our accounts. The Club derives its income from membership fees, sponsorship, floodlight fees, social events, ‘100 Club’ and potentially from grants. To date the Club does not have any loans in place. Expenditure is focused on the SSC levy, tennis association and competition fees, maintaining facilities that the Club owns (court surfaces, fencing, equipment e.g. match balls, website etc) and necessary outgoings to support social events. Since achieving charitable status, the Club reviewed the accounts that it holds and is in the process of closing the main club account as it is not compatible with our charitable status. A new compatible account has been opened and we have also established a sinking or reserve fund (further details are given elsewhere). During mid 2022 our club was made aware of the financial challenges that SSC are facing following the extreme rise in overall costs and especially electricity costs. Discussions between SSC and its three constituent clubs, which include our Club are on-going. However, the uncertainty around future levies has meant that the club's Committee has been working hard to ensure that the Club can be in a financial position to meet future challenges. This has resulted in some difficult decisions having to be made, including either making forced financial increases and pausing some of our future planning. Crescent Tennis Club maintains reserves (Sinking Fund) to enable capital replacement of its facilities – and with the aim of renewal of the tennis court surfaces and surrounding fences, repairs, etc., without which it would be unable to deliver its objects. The reserves, through improved facilities, will also be used to support initiatives to increase tennis playing in the community. The Club has been striving for the past few years to initiate and subsequently increase its reserves, with the particular aim of upgrading two of its floodlight courts. The aim is that having a reserve will enable the Club to make these substantial changes either by self funding them or through grants or loans. It is very much the focus of the Trustees and Committee that this is a priority as it will enhance the charitable objectives to develop more and wider opportunities for our community to take part in our sport. As well as the priority of court facilities, Trustees are also focused on meeting other financial demands including; working with Sidcup Sport Club on the levy we pay; other financial expenditure, such as association fees, match balls and other facilities maintenance, whilst ensuring that the Club remains financially viable and able to operate. In the past year the Trustees have sanctioned new on-court flood light tokenboxes, a small redecoration of the ‘clubhouse’, flood light repairs and service, a refresh of the club’s website, purchased new seats for all courts and some promotional materials. Both the reserves and expenditure have been enhanced by additional income from sponsorship, 4 match fees, coaching court fees, social events, ‘easyfunding’, the 100 Club, as well as our competitive membership fees. A copy of the Club Accounts/Statement of Accounts, together with confirmation that they have been independently examined is attached at **Appendix 1** to this report and submitted to the Charity Commission. ## **Forward Look** The emphasis remains on developing the Club, through increased membership and improving our facilities, with a view to ensuring our charitable objective can be fully fulfilled and enhanced. Despite current challenges, our principal aim remains the upgrading of courts 1 and 2. To achieve this Trustees have developed a sinking fund with the aim of either self-funding the project or using it to act as a guarantee, if a loan is sought to undertake the work. Before that latter can be initiated, Trustees have undertaken a review of the club’s governance, membership and financial structures to enhance this aim. In addition, courts 1 and 2 pose some underlying engineering and structural challenges that need to be addressed, whistle Trustees are confident that these can be achieved, they are at present unable to commit to date for works to start on the courts. As well as our aims for improving facilities, we are working to develop a vibrant and varied coaching programme for existing and new members. Following the appointment of a new coach to the Club, we have already seen some significant development in membership numbers and engagements with our community and local schools, including a coaching programme with Riverston School (based in Lee and which supports and develops students with special and specific needs. Trustees will be working to support these developments going forward. Our focus is not just limited to our facilities. Trustees have developed a 5-year Business Plan that covers most aspects of the Club including its governance, finance, tennis programme and partnership development. The Business Plan will be our focus in the coming years and Trustees are working across it to help to develop the Club. One area that Trustees are pleased to report is the increase in club membership and people participating in tennis. In particular, we are seeing more women appear to be taking up the sport. We believe that this upwards trend will continue, due in part to an enthusiastic coaching team. As well as involving more women into tennis there is also a focus on gaining enthusiasm from some local schools for the coaches’ services and at our facilities to get more young people into tennis. It is an aim of Trustees to develop a programme to encourage people with disabilities and other hard to reach groups to play tennis. Social Tennis play is an important aspect of the Club and Trustees are committed to ensuring that this remains. Equally, for those that wish to play more competitively, the Club will maintain teams in leagues as they acknowledge that competitive competition and any successes can be beneficial to the Club in attracting higher standard players and promoting the Club. It should also be noted that there has been a considerable uptake in taking part in the Club Championships, especially from new members and juniors. The past year has not been without its challenges, but equally some big steps have been taken to drive the Club forward. 5 It would be poignant to remind everyone that your Club is run by a small group of volunteers and the Trustee’s would like to extend their thanks to the continuing, often unsighted, contribution that they make. If you feel you have any skills, some time and ability we would welcome you to join us, so please do let us know. Finally, to all our members, parents and supporters, thank you for your continued membership. ## **Nick Baker Club Secretary (on behalf of all Trustees)** 6 Crescent Lawn Tennis Club Registered Charity Number: 1192912 Independent Examinerfs Report on the Accounts For the year ending 31 March 2023 I report to the trustees on my examinath)n ofthe accounts of the above charity 'lhe Trusv for the year ended 31 March 2023. As the charity tNstees of the TrusL you are reSFK)nsIb￿ for the prearation of the acLounts In xcordance with the requirements of the Charitses Act 2011 Ihe Acr. I report in respect of my examinth.on 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. I have c￿p￿ted my examination. I confim fhat no material mailers hae come to my attention in connection wrth the eXaMinat￿n which gives me cause lo beI￿ve that in. any material respect. accounting records were not kept in accordance wrth secaion 130 ofthe Aci or the accounts do not accA)rd with the accounting records I have no concems and have come across no other mattets in connectK)n wtth the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo reached. Julia Burford FCCA forand on behaKof. 4 October 2023 Burfords Chartered Certified Accountants 19 Welling High Street Welling Kent DA16 1TR Crescent Lawn Tennis Club Registered Charity Number. 1192912 Receipts and payments accounts For the year ending 31 March 2023 fvnds nds funds Total funda Receipts Membership income Sponsorship Fundraisin events Sale of balls 100 Club income Match Fees Court hire Visitor fees and floodli hl income Other inctsme- commission earned Bank interèst Gross incomo 34.817 7Q7 120 778 914 707 120 778 914 333 240 333 116 43,825 Total re¢elpts 43,825 43￿25 Pa ments Sidcu Swal Club le Kent Lawn Tennis r istratKJn faes North Kent Lawn Tennis fees Lea uere istration fèes Presentats'on, médals and Ir Tennis balls onsorshi Advertisin Printin osta e and statione Sufnd ense$- flowers 100 Cltjb rize8 TotaIpayn￿nts 16,128 340 960 607 1.207 1,512 192 6S3 40S 16.128 607 1.207 1.512 192 653 405 $ts- banners 367 22.411 367 22,411 Net of recelpts/(p8yments) Transfers belAveen funds Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 21N14 21.414 23,930 23.930 45.344 Statement of assets and liabilities as at 31 March 2023 Unrestrictad fvnds Restricted Endowment Cash funds Natwest business current account Natwest sink fund Total cash funds 45.344 Signature Print Name Date of roval Bernadette Ada Nick Baker 0411212023 0411212023