Trustees’ Annual Report
for the period 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025
Charity name Out for Sport Charity registration number 1198240 Charity principal address 87 Orange Grove, London, E11 4LP
Foreword
We joined Out For Sport in 2023 as trustees, and became co-chairs in 2024. It's an immense privilege to be entrusted with the leadership of a charity run by and for LGBTQ+ people, built around activity, wellbeing and belonging.
We're proud to say that 2024-2025 has been a brilliant year for Out For Sport. Around 800 people came to our events, and 15,000 people used our online services to find new sports. Despite a challenging fundraising environment, we ended 24/25 in a good financial position. As a small volunteer-run charity, our team delivers an extraordinary amount.
On behalf of the trustee board, we would like to thank everyone who has been part of Out For Sport; whether by supporting us financially, volunteering your time, organising events, or just by being part of the many fun, friendly, community-minded grassroots sports clubs and organisations that make up the Out For Sport member network.
David Lionetti and Suzanna Maas Co-Chairs, Out For Sport
Out for Sport Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025
About Out For Sport
Out For Sport is a volunteer-run charity representing London’s LGBTQ+ sports clubs and organisations in a shared mission to increase LGBTQ+ participation in sport. Our origins started in 1998, and we became a registered charity in 2022. For 27 years we’ve been improving participation in sport amongst LGBTQ+ people, supporting sports clubs to become more inclusive, and helping our member network to have robust governance.
Out For Sport is for all LGBTQ+ people who want to do grassroots sports. We offer:
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Free events where people can meet LGBTQ+ clubs and try out different sports
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An online LGBTQ+ sports club finder
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Support for LGBTQ+ sports clubs to find new members
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An awards event to celebrate our community's achievements
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Free learning and development for sports clubs, to support them to run their club
Our member clubs include:
All-Out Padel, BLAGSS - Brighton Lesbian & Gay Sports Society, Camden Shorinji Kempo Charlton Invicta FC, CycleOut London, East End Electric, Equality Dance, Hackney Womens Football Club, Ishigaki Jujitsu, Kings Cross Steelers RFC, Knockout LGBTQ+ Boxing Club, LDN RIDERS, London Cruisers Basketball Club, London Frontrunners, London Knights, London Otters Rowing Club, London Raiders Softball Club, London Royals Hockey Club, North London Lob-sters Tennis Club, NotSoTrad - Southern LGBT Climbers, Out to Swim, OutdoorLads, OutPlay Squash London, Pecs Education, Queer Running Club, Soho FC, South London Smashers, Stonewall FC, Thames Dragons Dragon Boat Club, The Cactus Club, The London Stags RFC, UK Equality Dance Council, Unicorns LGBTQIA+ Netball London, West London Warriors
During this year we worked with and received support from: GLL, Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Nurture Landscapes, The Co-operative Customer Donation Fund, HSBC Pride Network, London South Bank University, Unicorns LGBTQIA+ Netball Club, Buddle, and the LGBT Consortium.
Our charitable objects are:
The promotion of equality and diversity for the public benefit by the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity by promoting community participation in healthy recreation for the benefit of the LGBTIQ+ inhabitants of London and the Southeast by the assistance in the provision of facilities for playing amateur sport.
Our strategic plan remains focused on four pillars:
- Creating stronger clubs
Out for Sport Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025
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Broadening participation in LGBTQ+ sport
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Bringing clubs together
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Strengthening the voice of LGBTQ+ clubs in sport
The main activities we carry out in relation to our charitable objects are for the public benefit. The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. In particular, the activities, projects or services we do include:
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Raising awareness of LGBTQ+ sports clubs and their activities.
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Encouraging and enabling new members to access LGBTQ+ sports clubs.
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Promoting participation in LGBTQ+ sport in and around London.
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Promoting the health and wellbeing of members of the LGBTQ+ sport clubs.
Our impact in numbers
15,000 people used our online club finder.
500+ people attended our very first LGBTQ Sport Festival to try out new sports, from rugby and boxing, to dance and tennis. The LGBTQ+ Out For Sport Festival supported by Better is the UK’s largest event of its kind, bringing together LGBTQ+ inclusive sports clubs for the ultimate come and try day in London. Recognised as an official Pride in London event, it received media attention from Diva Magazine, The Gay UK, GScene, Sports Media LGBT+, BBC London Radio, Your Local Guardian, ITV News London, Health Club Management, and South London Press. The event was proudly hosted at the iconic Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.
109 sports club members came to the Out For Sport Awards for an evening of jubilation, camaraderie and recognition, honouring the outstanding achievements and contributions of LGBTQ+ sports clubs, teams and individuals. The Awards showcase the remarkable journey of those who have made a significant impact in the LGBTQ+ sports community. For a comprehensive list of winners and inspiring stories, visit the Out For Sport Awards page.
51 entries were submitted to the Awards.
80 people came to our Sports Fair to meet 15 clubs .
30 people from sports clubs attended learning and development sessions to help run their clubs. This included sessions on club leadership & governance, and club culture & values.
15 volunteers committed around 1560 hours of their time to Out For Sport.
Out for Sport Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025
Out for Sport Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025
Testimonials
"It’s really nice to be able to rediscover sport as an adult and be able to be in this supportive environment where you can try anything out."
"Clubs I've previously joined have not been LGBTQ+ specific, and the Festival is about being part of a group with a common interest that goes beyond your sexuality. Here I feel a lot safer.”
"LGBT sports clubs offer that space where people can just be themselves where there's no prejudice or attack on their sexual orientation or their gender identity."
Financial overview
We are going through tough financial times. In 2024, one in five charities reduced services due to financial and workforce pressures, as the central government reduced grantmaking by 26%, and National Lottery distributors saw a 13% decrease (UK Grantmaking). Luckily, as we wrap up this year, we’re pleased to report that we’re in a strong financial position.
As a volunteer-run charity we are able to minimise some costs. We worked hard to reduce our running costs, specifically for our website host and member management. As we continue our work to get more stable, long-term funding, we adopted an ethical fundraising policy. This ensures that any funding we accept aligns with our values and mission. This will help us as we work to diversify our income with private donors, grants, and corporate fundraising and partnerships.
We remain cautious given the fact that the landscape for charities today will continue to be challenging. If you have any ideas to help us increase our income, please do not hesitate to let us know. We cannot do this alone.
Our full accounts are at the end of this report. At the end of the period, the charity held cash reserves of £3936.13. The Trustees maintain a minimum reserve policy equivalent to two years’ running costs of the existing entity, being £1,600. The trustees are therefore content with the level of reserves held by the charity. This amount will be reviewed in Autumn 2025. The trustees do not consider there to be any material uncertainties about Out for Sport's ability to continue as a going concern.
Governance overview
As we are small and growing charity, we adopted policies on Ethical fundraising; Conflicts of interest; Equal opportunities; GDPR; Privacy; Bullying and harassment; and a Code of behaviour.
Out for Sport Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025
Our registered address changed to 87 Orange Grove, London E11 4LP. This is a postal address - we do not deliver activities there. Our activities are delivered in various venues in and around London.
Out for Sport is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The entity was incorporated on 14th March 2022 and registered as a CIO with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 15th March 2022. It is governed by its constitution which was adopted on 14th March 2022. This arrangement replaced a construct whereby the charitable activities of Out for Sport were carried out through Sport London Ltd (company number 08047670), a company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital with a memorandum and articles of association constituted on 26th April 2012. This company still exists and is being retained in case of a future need for its structure, e.g. a bid to run an international sporting event. Out for Sport’s origins are in an unincorporated association formed in 1998 to further LGBT sport in London and the Southeast.
The provisions of the constitution allowed for the appointment of between three and twelve trustees at the first Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the members of the CIO, at which point all the initial trustees would retire. At every subsequent AGM of the members of the CIO, one-third of the charity trustees shall retire from office.
Trustees regularly review board gaps in skills, experience and knowledge through a skills audit. Candidates are recruited through a process of advertising openly and widely. We next expect to have vacancies and recruit new trustees in Spring 2027.During the 2024-2025 period, five trustees the Board saw the departure of five trustees. No new trustees were appointed during this period of transition. At the next AGM a third of trustees will voluntarily retire (or, if not enough trustees volunteer, those to retire will be determined by lot). New and / or existing trustees will be elected each year for a three-year term so that approximately one third of the board is elected each year.
Future plans
In 2025-2026, we plan to:
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Do more cross over events with other LGBTQ organisations.
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Get our network together in no-pressure, social, fun events.
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Widen our membership.
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Refresh our community listening. We’ll report on survey we started in February 2025.
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Engage more volunteers.
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Shift our financial period for easier accounting - from 1st May to 1st April, starting on 1st April 2026.
Out for Sport Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025
Our trustees
| Our trustees | ||
|---|---|---|
| David Lionetti | Co-chair | Appointed as trustee 5thApril 2023 Appointed as Co-chair 24thJune 2024 |
| Suzanna Maas | Co-chair | Re-appointed as trustee 23rdApril 2024 Appointed as Co-chair 24thJune 2024 |
| Cleo Lyn | Re-appointed 23rdApril 2024 | |
| David Callaghan | Appointed 5thApril 2023 | |
| David Cobbald | Appointed 5thApril 2023 Left3rd December 2024 |
|
| Vân Nguyen | Appointed 5thApril 2023 Left 14th January 2025 |
|
| Onyinye Nkemdirim | Appointed 5thApril 2023 Left 19th May 2025 |
|
| Nicholas Scarfield | Appointed 5thApril 2023 Left 19th May 2025 |
|
| Suddankumar Subbaroyan | Treasurer | Re-appointed 23rdApril 2024 Left 21 May 2025 |
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees on 25th February 2026.
David Lionetti Co-chair
Suzanna Maas Co-chair
Out For S ort p
1198240
Receipts and payments accountspts and payments accountsts and payments accountspayments accountsayments accountsyments accountsments accounts
Receipts and payments accountspts and payments accountsts and payments accountspayments accountsayments accountsyments accountsments accounts CC16a For the period 01.05.2024 To 30.04.2025 from
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 1,000 1,530 182 1,546 - - - 4,258 - - - 4,258 3,169 550 114 - - - 3,833 - - - 3,833 425 - - 425 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 1,000 1,530 182 1,546 - - - 4,258 - - - 4,258 3,169 550 114 - - - - - - 3,833 - - - 3,833 425 |
Total funds to the nearest £ 1,000 1,530 182 1,546 - - - 4,258 - - - 4,258 3,169 550 114 - - - - - - 3,833 - - - 3,833 425 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants | 1,000 | 500 | ||||
| Donations | 1,530 | 2,023 | ||||
| Club membershipfees | 182 | - | ||||
| Events | 1,546 | 1,912 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
4,258 | 4,435 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 4,435 | ||||||
| Event costs | 3,169 | 1,014 | ||||
| Membershipadministration | 550 | 441 | ||||
| Website | 114 | 124 | ||||
| Trustee expenses | - | 45 | ||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 3,833 | 1,624 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 1,624 | ||||||
| 425 | - | - | 425 | 2,811 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 425 | - | - | 425 | 2,811 |
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| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets Details Details B2 Other monetary assets Details Total cash funds B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Details Details (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Coop Business Directplus Account B1 Cash funds Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 3,936 - - - - - 3,936 - Agreement Error OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - Print Name David Callaghan Suzanna Maas |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| OK | ||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| Current value (optional) |
||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| Current value (optional) |
||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| When due (optional) |
||
| Date of approval 07-Jan-26 |
||
| 09-Dec-25 |
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