Pledgeball Charity
Report of the trustees for the year 28[th] April 2021 - 1[st] May 2022
The Governors of Pledgeball Charity present their annual report for the year ended 1[st] June 2022 and confirm they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
Objectives and Activities
Our aims
The objects of the charity are set out in the charity’s governing document and are summarised as follows:
The object of Pledgeball is to promote the conservation, improvement and protection of the physical and natural environment for the public benefit by:
- advancing education and increasing awareness amongst the community of the
benefits of reducing carbon emissions and energy saving and effective ways to make such reductions and savings
- promoting amongst the community the reduction of carbon emissions and energy saving.
Our objectives
Our objectives are set to reflect our environmental and conservation aims. Each year our trustees review our objectives and activities to ensure they continue to reflect our aims. In carrying out this review the trustees have considered the
Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.
Our key objectives for the year included:
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Complete research with pilot clubs into impact of Pledgeball; impact on changing behaviour and mindset
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300 people pledged through Pledgeball fixtures
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Average amount pledged by new pledgers = 2,383kg CO2e
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Implement Pledgeball at 5 further clubs
Use of volunteers
Volunteers are an integral part of Pledgeball, helping it to deliver its objectives and so ,ultimately, its environmental and conservation aims. Currently it entirely consists of volunteers, the founder being responsible for, amongst other things, the management, development and partnership development, and volunteers responsible for social media, research and impact assessment. Pledgeball is lucky to have some very qualified volunteers on its team including three Masters students. All our trustees also give their time freely. To all of these volunteers we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks.
Activities and achievements
How our activities deliver public benefit
The charity carries out a range of activities in pursuance of its charitable aims. The trustees consider that these activities, summarised below, provide benefit both to those who take part in Pledgeball and the wider community. Currently, Pledgeball works in two ways:
1. Football Fixtures
Each match day, Pledgeball encourages fans to make pledges in support of their team. Whilst teams compete on the pitch, fans compete virtually by choosing from a list of currently 65 pledges (ranging from using a reusable cup to installing solar panels making it possible for each individual independent of his/her financial situation to contribute). The team of fans that pledges to save the most carbon emissions wins that fixture and their position in the Pledgeball League is determined by the cumulative amount they have pledged to save. Whilst any fan can pledge, Pledgeball is working with an ever-growing list of partner clubs (see below for full list) and Supporters' Associations, including the likes of Birmingham County FA and Huddersfield Town Supporters' Association.
2. Pledgeball events
Anyone can apply to host an event. Events range from one-off classes to season-long projects, the event participants making sustainable lifestyle pledge(s) to enter, with the individual's CO2e saving together with that of their fellow group members automatically calculated.
Currently the number of individual people who have pledged is 531 a roughly 50/50 split between the number who have pledged through fixtures and the number who have pledged through events.
A total amount pledged so far has is 3,951,420kg of CO2e, representing an average of 7,441kg of CO2e per pledger. This represents a significant saving of CO2e and its corresponding benefit to the planet and therefore wider society.
All the football clubs that have taken part in Pledgeball fixtures and the total CO2e pledged to be saved per year (kg) can be found in the comprehensive table below:
Team T¢)tsl CO2e pledged to be s•ved per ywr Ikgl Bristol City Whitehawk FC 272136 Charlton 199393 Huddersfield 145907 8urnley 949n.4 Peckham Town FC 91717.1 Eastleigh FC 911123 Bristol City W Shoreham FC Liverpool W 737 Team Total CO2e pledged to be saved per year (kg) Manchester unld gY705.7 Birmingham Leicester 36812.4 Rainbow R(wers 3S246 Chelsea W Nottingham Forest Chelsea 21922.4 Manchester United W I9228.I Arsenal Ir729.8 Lewes FC W gnI32
Research
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The impact of Pledgeball on its beneficiaries is evidenced by the key findings from the peer-reviewed academic research carried out on our pilot club:
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Pledgeball’s impact goes beyond the mainstream behavioural change campaigns: through making these pledges interviewees became more conscious in their everyday life (e.g. more likely to read related newspaper articles), the awareness about their embeddedness in a broader social context increased and some started to re-evaluate their relationship with nature.
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Experimenting with these pro-environmental changes shifted people’s perceptions of change more generally: change does not necessarily have to be something difficult and unpleasant, but on the contrary, can be enjoyable leading to beneficial results for oneself, the broader community and, in this case, the environment.
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The league table made visible the concern and action of other fans and it showed fans and the club that it is ok to talk about this topic on the pitch.
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The league table made people realise that their individual actions make a difference.
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Irrespective of their previous experience, individuals perceived making pledges in support of their team as a new, motivating, and fun way to engage with climate change but also with each other.
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Voluntarily choosing from a list of behaviours, some of which they already committed to but were unaware of the impact, made it easy for people to get involved and for some provided a ‘good enough excuse’ to start experimenting with some of the changes.
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Those who'd engaged with Pledgeball were much more likely to engage with further material around sustainability.
Partnerships
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Pledgeball engaged 5 further clubs enabling them to promote climate action using their platforms.
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Pledgeball were selected as Innovation Partners of Climate Outreach. This provided expert training and evaluation of the Pledgeball mechanism and Monitoring and Evaluation process, and also resulted in a collaborately produced toolkit to support fans and fan groups with promoting Pledgeball amongst their members, at their clubs and amongst their peers.
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Pledgeball partnered with the Football Supporters' Association, enabling us to work with the 700,000 members, each representing supporters groups across the country, to empower and train them to promote Pledgeball and therefore climate action.
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'
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Pledgeball spoke at the UNFCCC s Action Hub at COP26.
Financial Review
Principal funding sources
To date, the charity’s main source of income has been the winning application to the FootballCan2041competition.This amounted to £6,382.26 and was the majority of our funding sources for the year. Additional funding was derived from a grant given by the Northwick Trust (£1000) and services provided to Warwick University Project Support
(£800) Football Business Academy (£202.83). These were all used to fund our core key objectives. At the end of the period Pledgeball held £1,981.49. In the future there are 3 planned streams of funding: commercial partnerships, services provided and grants.
Reserves policy
At this early stage in the life of Pledgeball there is no explicit reserves policy. Once there is a regular funding source and/or income exceeds £50,000 in the bank account we will ensure there are sufficient funds/pending funds to pay salaried staff one months wages. Currently a minimum of £100 reserves will be held to enable any volunteers who need to attend an event can claim expenses.
Investment policy and objectives
The charity has no long-term investments. Our cash reserves are held in a charity bank account.
Plans for the future
Currently Pledgeball is run entirely by volunteers, apart from occasional invoicing, agreed by the trustees, by the founder for crucial consultancy work. This has only been done when funds have been available and the total invoiced in this period was £2100. There are clear, comprehensive development plans in place to secure funding for the long-term viability and survival of Pledgeball.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing document
Pledgeball is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission in April 2021 under charity number 1194263. It is governed by its constitution which was last updated in April 2021.
Organisational structure
The charity trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits.The trustees meet together as a body around every 3 months (at least 3 times a year) and are responsible for decisions taken in relation to how it is run and its strategic direction. The founder is responsible for the day-to-day management of Pledgeball.
Recruitment and appointment of trustees
The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees but in so doing the trustees seek the views and recommendations of those involved in the day to day running of Pledgeball. The trustees believe this approach ensures that new trustees are respected members of their particular field of expertise and have an intimate knowledge of the sector. This ensures increased impact when meeting the aims of Pledgeball.
Induction and training of trustees
Following appointment, new trustees are introduced to their new role and given copies of the governing constitution and publications from the
Charity
Commission such as ‘The Essential Trustee’. This ensures that new trustees are aware of the scope of their responsibilities under the Charities Act.
Reference and administrative details
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Charity name Pledgeball
Registered charity 1194263
number
Charity’s principal 77 Maple Road
address Bristol
BS7 8RE
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Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
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Name of person (or body)
Dates acted if not for
Trustee name Office (if any) entitled to appoint trustee
whole year
(if any)
Nikolaus Chair
1
Kieboom
2 Rachel Scammell Treasurer
3 Mark Doidge
4 Alex Piper July 21 - Present
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Nik Kieboom
Position (eg Chair Secretary, Chair, etc)
Date 18112122
Charity number: 1194263
Pledgeball
ACCOUNTS FOR THE FIRST PERIOD FROM 28/04/21 TO 30/04/2022
Pledgeball
Statement of Financial Activities for the first period from 28/04/21 to 30/04/2022
| 202 | 202 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | |||
| Unrestrict ed funds |
Restrict ed funds |
Tota l |
Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Income | ||||
| Income from generated funds | ||||
| Income from charitable activities | - | - | 8,52 2 |
- |
| Total Income and endowments | - | - | 8,52 2 |
- |
| Expenses | ||||
| Costs of generating funds | ||||
| Expenditure on Charitable activities | - | - | 6,42 1 |
- |
| Total Expenses | - | - | 6,42 1 |
- |
| Net gains on investments | ||||
| Net Income | - | - | 2,10 1 |
- |
| Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fxed assests | ||||
| Net movement in funds: | ||||
| Net income for the period | - | - | 2,10 1 |
- |
| Net funds carried forward | - | - | 2,10 1 |
- |
This statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the period. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities
Pledgeball
Expenses
for the period from 28/04/21 to 30/04/2022
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Expenses | ||
| Costs of generating funds | ||
| Charitable Activities | ||
| Resources Expended Charitable Activities 1 | 34 | - |
| Computer costs | 4,200 | - |
| Consultancy fees | 2,100 | - |
| Sundry expenses | 87 | - |
| 6,421 | - |