2025-03-31-accounts - The Welsh Sports Foundation

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C h a r i t y N u m b e r : 1 1 9 9 5 2 3 TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2025

TRUSTEES

ROLE Chair Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee

NAME Richard Thomas Victoria Barker Daniel Caunt William Gareth Davies L nn Pamment CBE y Damian Phillips Roger Pride *Until May 2025 Mark Tweed Katherine Stokes Davies Alwen Williams

DATE OF APPOINTMENT 01/07/2022 22/11/2022 01/07/2022 01/07/2022 01/07/2022 10/10/2023 01/07/2022 06/02/2025 01/05/2025 01/07/2022

CHARITABLE OBJECTIVES

CHARITABLE PURPOSE:

The Welsh Sports Foundation will ensure that every individual child and young person in Wales is able to participate in sport, by relieving financial pressure, where this is a barrier to participation. In doing so, we will ensure no child is left on the side-lines.

CIO OBJECTIVES:

To promote community participation in sport and healthy recreation for the benefit of the public in Wales by:

a. providing financial support, facilities and equipment in the interests of social welfare for the public at large or those who by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances, have need of such facilities and services;
b. the improvement and preservation of good health and well- being through participation in healthy recreation.
To advance education for the public benefit in particular by:
a. The provision of resources, skills training and practical assistance to assist community sports groups and organisations.
b. Advancing research into the barriers to participation and accessibility of sport advancing education in breaking down such barriers.
The conservation and protection of the environment for the public benefit by the promotion of waste reduction, re-use, reclamation and recycling of suplus sports kit and equiptment.

PROGRESS IN THE YEAR

DONATIONS

INTRODUCTION

The Trustees registered the Welsh Sports Foundation as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 1st July 2022. This Annual Report represents the second full year of trading.

During the year, the Foundation received donations from the Welsh Sports Association, Table Tennis Wales, Wales Golf, Commonwealth Games Wales, Cooper Associates, as well as from individual donors. The private donations supported the delivery of the Foundation’s first pilot projects in Caernarfon and Cardiff. Total donations for the year amounted to £7,190.

PILOT PROJECT In 2024, the Welsh Sports Foundation (the Foundation) launched a pilot project to test a voucher-based funding model designed to remove financial barriers to sport and physical activity for children and young people across Wales. The initiative enabled access to sport through trusted local referral agents and delivery partners, without funds ever passing through families directly. PURPOSE & STRATEGIC FIT The pilot served as a proof of concept, addressing youth poverty, inactivity, and inequality in access to sport - challenges central to national health and wellbeing strategies. It aligns with funders' aims to invest in targeted, evidence-led interventions that foster inclusion and prevent long-term social and health costs.

PILOT PROJECT

KEY RESULTS

20 young people supported (13 directly by the foundation; 7 via onward referral to FAW’s PAWB fund)

77% voucher redemption rate, covering 9 different sports including swimming, gymnastics, and football. £2,000 distributed directly to delivery partners with minimal administrative overhead. Vouchers ranged from £44 to £395, with an average value of £171.54 per participant.

IMPACT & VALUE Enabled participation for children at risk of exclusion due to cost - including a young carer, a recent refugee, and children at risk of entering the care system. Strong case studies illustrate improvements in physical and mental wellbeing, family cohesion, and social inclusion. The project leveraged an additional 30% in support through strategic partnerships, increasing reach at no extra cost to the Foundation. Proven potential to scale at low cost using a basic digital solution (in partnership with Sport 80). LEARNING & SCALABILITY The pilot highlighted the critical demand for targeted support and the need to build referral networks beyond the sports sector (e.g., schools, charities, social services). Manual delivery informed future digital platform design, ensuring operational efficiency and data capture. Demonstrated a replicable model, ready to expand across Wales with the right financial backing.

PILOT PROJECT

SUCCESSES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

CASE STUDY 1 Family A has 2 children (1 girl, 1 boy), both parents working but struggling financially and could only afford for 1 child to continue with sport, so they chose for their son to continue and remove their daughter from her chosen sport. They made this decision because their son was at risk of getting involved with a local gang and his sport was what kept him from joining / offending. The Foundation has paid for the daughter to continue with her sport too.

CASE STUDY 2

Single parent could not afford for her daughter to continue with her sport, despite the discretionary discount that the club gave for the child to continue. The Foundation provided the funds for the child to continue, the mother volunteers at the club to ensure she is contributing too.

CASE STUDY 3 Young carer, for a disabled single parent and 3 younger siblings was at risk of not being able to continue with her sport due to cost. This is the only hour and a half she gets a week to feel free of responsibility and able to stay fit and have fun with her friends. The Foundation has made sure the young carer can continue to enjoy sport.

PILOT PROJECT

NEXT STEPS

Launch second-stage pilot with more referral agents and wider geographic reach.

Re-engage Moondance Foundation and other funders with revised, lower-cost projections. Develop case studies and campaign assets to support donor acquisition (e.g., 100 Club initiative). Seek funding to complete digital infrastructure and scale operations.

CONCLUSION

This pilot showed that small, targeted investments can unlock meaningful participation for young people otherwise excluded from sport. With funder support, the Foundation is ready to scale this simple but effective model to reach more children, faster - building a healthier, more equal Wales.

PROGRESS IN THE YEAR

ANTHONY HUGHES MEMORIAL FUND

VOUCHER TECHNOLOGY A contract has been agreed between the Foundation and tech supplier Sport:80, to develop the voucher technology.

The Foundation has continued its collaboration with Disability Sport Wales through the Anthony Hughes Memorial Fund, established to honour the legacy of Anthony Hughes - a pioneer of Disability Sport Wales.

This work is ongoing, and it is hoped that it will be launched before the end of the calendar year.

WEBSITE

The Foundation’s website was re-developed as a stand-alone platform, separating it from the original site that was part of the Welsh Sports Association’s website. The new, bespoke design offers a more polished, professional look and enhanced user experience. A key addition is the integrated donation feature, enabling visitors to contribute directly to the Foundation through the website.

No further donations were received during the year. The Trustees now await recommendations from the Anthony Hughes Memorial Fund Committee on the release of the ring-fenced funds, in accordance with the Grant Making Policy.

EMPLOYEES

There were 0 employees during the Year. All Trustees acted in a voluntary capacity. The Welsh Sports Association Limited provided pro-bono administrative support.

FINANCES

The financial year ends on March 31st, in alignment with most sporting National Governing Bodies in Wales and the Welsh Sports Association.

The Foundation completed its second financial transactions during the year, with accounts approved up to March 31, 2025. The Charity holds no assets beyond its cash at bank and has no liabilities.

POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS Subsquent to the balance sheet date, the following events occurred

The Foundation was awarded a £100,000 grant from the Welsh Government Child Poverty Fund to support the second pilot project.
Following the award of this grant, the Moondance Foundation committed match funding of £100,000.