## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 1 January 2024 To 31 December 2024** ## **Charity name: LEIGHTON BUZZARD ATHLETIC CLUB** ## **Charity registration number: 1193091** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**To promote community participation in**
**healthy recreation within Leighton**
**Buzzard and the surrounding area by**
**providing facilities and events for**
**athletics.**| |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 holds a range of weekly training**
**sessions to improve athletic ability and**
**general fitness.**
**Opportunities are provided for members**
**to compete in competitions across a**
**range of athletics disciplines.**
**The club organises the Leighton 10 road**
**race, which is popular with the local**
**community, providing a challenging target**
**for local runners to train for.**
**The club welcomes all people, regardless**
**of ability, background, faith, gender,**
**sexuality or personal circumstances.**| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|**The trustees have read and accept the**
**guidance around public benefit, and**
**ensure this is central to the objectives of**
**the charity.**| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||
SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|| |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|**The trustees have delegated the running**
**of the charity to the general committee,**
**which meets regularly throughout the**
**year and helps deliver the charity's**
**objectives. The trustees are grateful for**
**the ongoing work of the general**
**committee and the club continues to**
**provide significant benefits to the local**
**community through its activities and**
**events.**
**The trustees have adopted the general**
**committee's annual report as a true and**
**accurate reflection of the charity's**
**activities during 2024. This report is**
**included as an appendix at the end of this**
**Annual Return.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** |**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**| |---|---|---| |You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:||| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|| |Other||| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**During the year ended 31 December 2024**
**the club generated a surplus of payments**
**over receipts of £2,578, an increase from**
**£1,843 the previous year.**
**The club experienced a drop in affiliation**
**fees due to the loss of the junior section.**
**Although associated costs such as venue**
**hire also dropped as a result.**
**The surplus from the club's Leighton 10**
**race increased from £1,362 in 2023 to**
**£2,700 in 2024, providing valuable funds**
**for the club.**
**At 31 December 2024 the club held cash**
**funds of £19,066, which provides strong**
**cover of 1.79x against the annual**
**payments.**| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**The club aims to hold unrestricted**
**reserves equivalent to at least one year's**
**worth of expenses, to cover cashflow and**
**any unanticipated expenditure.**
**Additionally, the club regularly considers**
**the need to build up restricted reserves to**
**cover equipment maintenance or**
**replacement, or to undertake any capital**
**expenditure projects that could enhance**
**the club's offering. At present, no**
**restricted reserves are deemed**
**necessary.**| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**£19,066**| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|**N/A – reserves held**| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|**N/A – no deficit**| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|**None. The Trustees consider the charity**
**to be a going concern.**| **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|| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|| |Other||| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||**None**| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|**Constitution of a CIO with voting**
**members other than its charity trustees**| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**CIO**| |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|**The club members or the charity trustees**
**may at any time decide to appoint a new**
**charity trustee, either in place of a trustee**
**who has retired, or as an additional**
**trustee, provided that the limit on the**
**number of trustees would not as a result**
**be exceeded.**
**At every annual general meeting, one-**
**third of the charity trustees shall retire**
**from office, and can seek reappointment.**| |**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|**Leighton Buzzard Athletic Club**| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|**N/A- none**| |Registered charitynumber|**1193091**| |Charity’s principal address|**N/A – The club does not have its own HQ; training is**
**provided in public areas and on a purpose built facility on**
**the land of Vandyke Upper School in Leighton Buzzard.**| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** ||**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| |1|Richard Inchley|Chair||| |2|James Cusack|||| |3|Nick Clay|||| |4|Roger Seldon|Treasurer||| |5|Peter Mackrell|||| |6||||| |7||||| |8||||| |9||||| |10||||| |11||||| |12||||| |13||||| |14||||| |15||||| |16||||| |17||||| |18||||| |19||||| |20||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** _None_ Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |---|---|---| |_None_||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |||| ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** |Description of the assets
held in this capacity|None| |---|---| |Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|N/A - None| |Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own assets|N/A - None| ## **Additional information (optional)** **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 **N/A – no exemptions** ## **Other optional information None** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** ## **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** |**Signed** **on behalf of the**
**charity’s trustees**||| |---|---|---| |**Signature(s)**||| |||| |**Full name(s)**|Richard Anthony Inchley|Roger Alan Seddon| |||| |**Position (eg Secretary, Chair,**
**etc)**|Chair|Treasurer| |||| |**Date**|12/09/25|| **APPENDIX – 2024 General Committee Report for the AGM on Wednesday 26th February 2025** ## **Membership** |**Membership**|||| |---|---|---|---| |Year|Total|Junior|Senior| |2021/22|211|98|113| |2022/23|206|94|112| |2023/24|158|57|101| |2024/25|96|6|90| - Membership overall has been impacted by the loss of the junior section in two ways: `1.` Overall reduction in membership `2.` Loss of some members who were parents or helpers with the junior section - Senior membership remains reasonably stable but has dropped as per point 2 above but also some long-term members moving away from the town, and moreover the just general turnover of members who join the club for a brief period and then move on. The post covid ‘bounce’ we experienced a few years ago has gone. - We hope to grow the junior section in the next 12-24 months. Senior membership should remain relatively stable. The committee generally feels any large-scale growth would have to come from ‘beginner runners’ which we currently not well resourced to cater for. ## **Finances and membership fees** As we will be reported the club finances are in a very healthy position with a significant surplus. I’ll highlight some ideas in my report, but we’ll also take questions on that post the Treasurers update. Subject to final conformation with the committee. Membership fees will once again absorb the £1 increase in EA fee, and will likely cut the Senior membership fee by a further £2-4 to give back some of the surplus. I’d like to thank Pete Mackrell and our Treasurer Roger Seldon for putting the account together. ## **Training and coaching courses** A big thank you to our run leaders / coaches who have helped on our mid-week training or have led a Sunday long run. Attendance at training has been up and down through year. There is a regular core training group on a Thursday but attendance on Tuesdays and Wednesday does fluctuate, although the ‘on tour’ runs appear universally popular. We also added monthly track sessions at Stantonbury Campus in Milton Keynes. Picking up and theme that I’ll come to in relation to events I would encourage everyone along to training as often as them can make it. It appears that in recent years people’s lives have perhaps taken a busier turn, and with flexible working arrangement as well people are perhaps having in turn more flexibility when they run. Wednesday nights are social runs and as far as possible are open to all. The nights are planned on the base of a core route with an extension at the end if you want to run further (which may vary on trial routes). There is not a fast or slow group just a choice of distance. People run at their own pace, there is wide variety of paces so looping must always apply and be conducted well to keep the group together. The aim should be a social experience so mix in and speak with others and ensure nobody is left too running alone. We’re always looking for more people to help on any of our club nights. We have at times struggled this year on some nights due to people’s availability due to injuries etc so we could always use extra help. We have two people in myself and currently Neil Green undertaking or have undertaken the LiRF course, and I will continue to push this with our run leaders. This is important in terms of ensuring the quality for what we offer, making use of our surplus and thereby investing back into our members and sport. Facilities, equipment and kit ## **Leighton 10 (L10)** The Leighton 10 was once again a great success this year building strong momentum on the previous year. The planning and organisation went off smoothly, as did the day itself. We had total entries of 242 and 205 people took part on the day (it was 156 for both 2023 and 2022). Total takings from the event were £4, 374 and profit back to the club was £2,700 Our thanks go to Ian Grimshaw as Race Director and his hard-working Leighton10 Committee for putting on a wonderful event. I’m sure we’ll see the event continue to grow in 2025, and the event is in safe hands. ## **Junior section** In 2025 we had small group of at various time 3-4 juniors regular attend training with me on a Thursday night. In particular, Amy and Nathan and George Perkins have regular attended training also turned up for most of the CCCL showing great commitment to the club. In 2026 Neil Green will look to complete the LiRF qualification and join me in building up the junior section. This will likely move to Tuesday nights. The club is committed to reestablishing our junior section however small it may be. This is a core part of what we do and set out in our charitable goals. This will be a gradual process. Training will be offered to ages groups 12+ and initially training numbers will be limited with the focus on endurance running. We will look to engage with parents but if there is anyone within the club who would be interested in helping out it would allow us to offer a more robust training program. When you are reliant on one or two individuals it’s very easy for training etc to get cancelled so if you have helped before or would like to be part of rebuilding the junior section please let me know. ## **Events and Racing** Each year our Club Captain develops a fantastic calendar of events across our various championship – road, off road, cross country and track and field. Which we once again have in place for 2025. The year has seen some wonderful team and individual performances, too many to list. From a club perspective the Greensands Ridge Relay was a particular highlight where we took home 3 of the 4 team trophies. We have seen several vets club records broken, and had people competing in the UK, Europe, Australia and the USA. At the CCCL we finished in a respectable mid-table position. With some strong performances at some events which shows the clubs full potential. At others we have struggled to get a strong team out or even a full team out for ladies which no doubt impacted on how far up the table we finished. To pick up a theme we are seeing a noticeable trend over the last two year of diminishing attendance generally across all disciplines. There may well be a variety of reasons for this, and I stress this is not a moan but more a desire to ensure we don’t lose something that makes us the club we are. Speaking personally and quiet apart from my legs being made of biscuits – I’ve found it very hard to balance work, life and competing much to my own frustration. I’m sure I’m not alone in that, and there may be other reasons such as people not being aware of the events, what the various series awards are for etc. However, all that is speculative so I would say to all members that the committee is open to receiving feedback on the events we choose. We want to know what would encourage you along or what barriers you face. Equally, if this is simply pressures of life, then I don’t create an issue where none exits. So, if we can do something differently then please let us know. In the next 12 months I encourage our members once again to familiarise themselves with what events are being held and look to participate. We’ve never been a club that says we ‘expect’ people to compete but taking parts at events together, is a big part of what being part of a club is about. It promotes a social and supportive aspect to the club giving you another opportunity to meet up, run, and compete as necessary. None more so that at Cross country events where we really need that team spirit across the club to keep motivating our runners as they tackle the mud and hills. I want to make a special mention to the likes of Carl and Northy for being really troopers in terms of delivering and setting up the gazebo. ## **A Golden Year – 2026 – 50[th] years of LBAC** In 2026 the club will be 50 years old which is a fantastic milestone. Over the next 12 months the committee will work on plans for how to mark this achievement. We would welcome ideas and involvement from our members so we can make it a special year. Early ideas discuss but nothing finalised have included: - Bringing back the Round Leighton Buzzard Relay but opening it up to a teams from local clubs - A commentative technical t-shirt or similar for our members - Introducing a junior event at the L10 e.g. junior mile or similar With the clubs healthy financial position, we do hope we can invest some the surplus into plans for 2026. ## **Club priorities for the next year** In no particular order: - Look to have a new intake of junior members for the first time in 18 months. Building the section in small sustainable way. - Invest in coaching courses for those that are keen to develop their skills and support the club so we can enhance the quality of what we offer. - Ensure the Leighton 10 continues to grow and be successful event for the local area. - Actively encourage and look for ways to boost attendance at training and events. - Put in place plans for our 50[th] Birthday year in 2026 I’d like to put on record my thanks to all the committee for their support in the next 12 months, and as we stay together for the next year as well. Thank you to everyone that has helped out with the club behind the scenes and events, we cannot do anything unless we work together. The committee is always here to listen to ideas both for social and running events so don’t shy in coming forward. Following the Chairman’s report Members discussed ways to spend the Club’s surplus budget, including the upkeep of facilities at Vandyke School, fundraising for a nominated charity, hiring transport to events, and subsidising social events. The Committee undertook to discuss these ideas at the next Committee meeting. The purpose and value of the Club’s charity status was discussed and James Lowe outlined the role and expectations of Run Leaders. James Lowe Club Chairman (General Committee) ||**LEIGHTON BUZZARD ATHLETIC CLUB**
|**LEIGHTON BUZZARD ATHLETIC CLUB**
|**LEIGHTON BUZZARD ATHLETIC CLUB**
|**LEIGHTON BUZZARD ATHLETIC CLUB**
|**LEIGHTON BUZZARD ATHLETIC CLUB**
|**CC16a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**For the period**
**from**||**01/01/24**|**To**||| |||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||| |**A1 Receipts**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|||**to the nearest £**
**Restricted**
**funds**|**to the nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |Membershipfees|**3,740**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**3,740**
**7,657**
**1,120**
**240**
**500**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**6,194**
**3,449**
**1,610**
**240**
**500**
**8**
**32**
**-**| |Race entries|**7,657**|||||| |Social functions|**1,120**|||||| |Club kit|**240**|||||| |Grants & donations|**500**|||||| |Other income|**-**|||||| |Interest|**-**|||||| ||**-**|||||| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_|**13,257**
||**-**|**-**|**13,257**|**12,033**| |||||||| ||||**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**|**-**| ||||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**| |||||||| ||||**-**|**-**|**13,257**|**12,033**| |||||||| |
Affiliation fees|**1,843**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**1,843**
**4,857**
**1,120**
**1,474**
**273**
**190**
**537**
**42**
**-**
**343**|**2,728**
**2,087**
**2,088**
**815**
**310**
**265**
**812**
**276**
**440**
**369**| |Race events|**4,857**|||||| |Social functions|**1,120**|||||| |Competition fees and transport|**1,474**|||||| |Club kit|**273**|||||| |Coaching/welfare courses|**190**|||||| |Medals and engraving|**537**|||||| |Equipment|**42**|||||| |Venue hire|**-**|||||| |Other costs|**343**|||||| |**_Sub total_**|**10,679**||**-**|**-**|**10,679**|**10,190**| |||||||| ||||**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**|| ||||**-**|**-**|**-**|**-**| |||||||| ||||**-**|**-**|**10,679**|**10,190**| |||||||| ||**2,578**||**-**|**-**|**2,578**|**1,843**| ||**-**||**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**|**-**
**16,488**|**-**
**14,645**| ||**16,488**|||||| ||**19,066**||**-**|**-**|**19,066**|**16,488**| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 14/09/2025 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B5 Liabilities**
**Notes to the accounts**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**|**Details**
Current account
Savings account
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
Paypal account
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))|**to nearest £**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**|**to nearest £**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**|**to nearest £**
**Restricted**
**funds**|**to nearest £**
**Restricted**
**funds**|**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||**15,277**||**-**||**-**| |||**-**||**-**||**-**| |||**3,789**||**-**||**-**| |||**19,066**||**-**||**-**| |||||||OK| |||||||**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**-**| |||||||**When due**
**(optional)**| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| ||**The CIO has not provided any guarantees.**
**The CIO has not entered into any debt arrangements during the period, and does not have**
**any debt outstanding**|||||| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |Signature|Print Name
Richard AnthonyInchley
Roger Alan Seldon|Date of
approval| |---|---|---| ||Richard AnthonyInchley|12/09/25| ||Roger Alan Seldon|12/09/25| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 14/09/2025 2