## WOMBOURNE CRICKET, TENNIS & BOWLING CLUB TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024 ## **Introduction** The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland published in October 2019. Wombourne Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club became a registered charity on the 24[th] January 2024 but due to a protracted granting of a premises lease by Staffs County Council it remains in dormant status at the end of the reporting period. Our existing unincorporated association will remain in place until a new lease is granted, and this is forecast to be circa the 2[nd] quarter of 2025 The organisation also registered a wholly owned trading subsidiary – Wombourne Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club (Trading) Limited. Registered Company Number 15718622 which was Incorporated on 14[th] May 2024. This like the charity remains in a dormant status pending a new premises lease ## **1. Objectives & Activities** Our charitable objective set out in our constitution is the promotion of community participation in healthy recreation for the benefit of the inhabitants of Wombourne by the provision of facilities for the playing of cricket, tennis, bowling and other sports capable of promoting physical health and fitness However, at the end of 2024 the Board of Management Trustees have been frustrated in our plans to implement our new Charity & Bar Trading Subsidiary structure due to an ongoing issue in obtaining a new lease from our landlords Staffs County Council. Both aspects of our business have been formally registered earlier in the year but remain in a dormant status until we have a formal agreement in place with the landlord. We will therefore continue to retain our un-incorporated status until such time as we’re able to move forward which will hopefully be early in the new year Although our Charity remained effectively dormant during 2025, we will report positively on our progress to date and where possible with overall charity intentions and core objectives fulfilled at all levels Membership of the club is open to adults and children interested in playing and leaning skills associated with playing sports like Cricket, Tennis, Bowling and Hockey. We also encourage and promote social interaction in our club house with an active nonsporting membership who consistently support and promote sporting participation across these sections and beyond. The elected Trustees oversee the day-to-day management of the running the club facilities and clubhouse. In series with this each sporting and non-sporting sub sections elect a supporting committee to administer their individual activities and associated membership. The elected Chair of each section are automatically elected to the main Trustee Management Board The Trustees are very much aware of their roles and responsibilities in conjunction with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission. The move to charity status is an important one for our club and we will continue and be fully committed to learn and develop both as individuals and as a group to uphold these requirements. The Charity Commission guidance has been distributed to all trustees, and we are all aware and that public benefit needs to be fully and always considered across all activities. All Management Trustees and sub section Committee Members give their time voluntarily and have received no financial remuneration or other benefit ## **2. Achievements & Performance** Although we’re somewhat stalled in terms of meeting our core charity objectives, we’ve taken the opportunity to review charitable sporting and membership participation across all sections and plan for all opportunities accordingly pre final charity implementation Charity & Bar Trading introduction & Overview / Chair & Officers Report - Actively engaged with the full membership in our proposed transfer to Charity & Bar Trading status and highlighted the advantages which can be delivered to all sections, membership and community in general. Encouraged active participation from the membership on formulating and delivering charity-based opportunities - Identified key fundraising and grant management opportunities to support active sporting engagement and facilities development and improvement. - Trustee engagement with key objective of ensuring awareness of role & responsibility in line with Charity Commission guidelines - Financial review undertaken across all areas to manage the delay in implementing the new structure thus maximising opportunities and minimising issues on the charity when introduced - Reviewed gaps in existing Trustee Management structure and actively sought membership support in delivering against knowledge and expertise shortfall - Maintained an active membership recruitment policy in line with core charity-based objectives and activities ## Cricket Chair Report - Increased membership in the year with over 200 active participants across Male, Ladies and Junior sections - 4 senior teams participate in the South Staffs Cricket League - Junior section competes in the North Worcestershire Country Leagues - Weekly Junior Training and Development program in place developing personal skills and abilities - All Stars Cricket program developed for 5- to 8-year-olds with the aim to introduce them to the game - Ladies & Girls sections formed with up to 30 participants attending regular training nights and they also compete in several softball competitions - Active local community sponsorship management actively in place promoting the clubs aims and objectives positively at all levels. ## Tennis Chair Report - Membership levels remain healthy with circa 230 members actively participating across the section on broadly a 50 / 50 split between Seniors and Juniors - Proactive sponsorship management supporting individual, section and club wide finances and promotion of facilities and events held in the community. - Improvements to courts and general facilities with several upgrades in place, continuing the promotion of a strong and active section to both the membership and community in general - League / team participation in the year - Hereford & Worcester Winter League – 5 teams consisting of Men’s, Ladies and Mixed - Kidderminster Summer League – 1 Team Mixed - Staffordshire Summer League – 5 Teams consisting of both Men and Lady players - Social Tennis programme developed to encourage membership wide interaction both at a playing and social level. Events and social activities held daily across the full year and well supported - Active Junior coaching and development program in place for all abilities promoting active involvement in tennis and supporting family wide involvement and membership - Support local and community-based charities by providing facilities and coaching throughout the summer thus promoting the club across the wider community Bowls Chair Report - Membership consists of over 100 active participants across varying adult age groups - Actively promoting the section within the community with the introduction of weekly “tastier” sessions available during the summer season. - Introduced a Development Team with an intention to provide active participation and competition for new bowlers. Program exclusively used to promote the game and club facilities across the community. - Programme for 2025 league entries being formed to support and develop the section overall and promotion of the game in general - Community and league wide initiatives introduced, offering facilities to be used by individuals, companies and charity organisations to support their activities within our community and support the club and section develop - Support section membership initiatives with raising monies for local charities and our club in general via weekly socials, events and competitions. In 2024 circa £1500 was raised for Wombourne Volunteer Bureau, Cancer Research UK and a Local Dementia charity. It’s our intention to promote this initiative further throughout 2025 and continue supporting local and club wide activities Non Sporting & Bar Trading Subsidiary - Non-Sporting membership consists of over 1000 members of varying age groups and categories i.e. Life Members, Seniors, Male & Female Adults. The primary objective and overall performance of the group was vital in providing both financial and morale support throughout the year to our sport playing membership and activities. - We have continued our open policy of recruiting new non sporting membership from the local area and will continue to provide excellent facilities and a welcoming environment for one and all - Multiple events and fund-raising initiatives have been held or formed during the year returning key finances for our club activities and provision of social interaction between all sections of our membership within our clubhouse. - Membership fees for the year directly contributed more than £30k to support both sporting activities and club facilities. This source of income will be vital as we formally move to charity status in 2025 - Bar Trading Subsidiary Registration was completed in the year although like our charity activity remained dormant due to the premises lease issue with Staffs County Council. The introduction of an independent trading activity will again provide vital year or year funding direct to the charity, supporting our sporting sections and facilities management and potential development opportunities It’s been incredibly frustrating in not being able to fully fulfil our core objectives of moving to charity status in the year, but we are hopeful this will be resolved shortly. A great deal if hard work has been undertaken so far in getting to this stage and that has been an achievement. We appreciate there remains a lot of hard work ahead, but we remain fully committed to fulfilling the charitable objectives statement set out in our constitution. ## **3. Finance Review** As previous stated due to an issue relating to the granting of a new premises lease by our landlords Staffs County Council, we have been unable to formally transfer to charity status. Both the Charity and our Bar Trading activities have remained in a dormant status from their initial registration through to the end of the 2024 reporting period. Finances associated to the un-incorporated business remain strong and on granting of a new lease all assets will transfer directly to the charity activity. ## **4. Structure, Governance & Management** The Charity Incorporated Organisation was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable organisation and is governed under its Charitable Constitution. The Club has a wholly owned trading subsidiary – Wombourne Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club (Trading) Limited. Registered Company Number 15718622 Incorporated on 14[th] May 2024 Membership of the CIO is open to anyone who is interested in furthering its purposes, and who, by applying for membership, has indicated their agreement to become a member and accept the members duties under the constitution Trustee are elected by the Membership at the Annual General held in accordance with timeframe adopted in the Club Constitution. Prospective Trustees nominations, together with details of those members who proposed and seconded the nomination are submitted to the Club Secretary in advance of the AGM. ## **5.12. Charity Trustees** ## **5.12.1 Functions and duties of charity trustees** The charity trustees shall manage the affairs of the CIO and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of the CIO. It is the duty of each charity trustee: (a) To exercise his or her powers and to perform his or her functions as a trustee of the CIO in the way he or she decides in good faith would be most likely to further the purposes of the CIO. (b) To exercise, in the performance of those functions, such care and skill as is reasonable in the circumstances having regard in particular to: (i) any special knowledge or experience that he or she has or holds himself or herself out as having; and (ii) if he or she acts as a charity trustee of the CIO in the course of a business or profession, to any special knowledge or experience that it is reasonable to expect of a person acting in the course of that kind of business or profession. ## **5.12.2 Eligibility for trusteeship** (a) Every charity trustee must be a natural person. (b) No one may be appointed as a charity trustee: (i) if he or she is under the age of 18 years; or (ii) if he or she would automatically cease to hold office under the provisions outlined in clause 5.15.1(f). (c) No one is entitled to act as a charity trustee whether on appointment or on any reappointment until he or she has expressly acknowledged, in whatever way the charity trustees decide, his or her acceptance of the office of charity trustee. ## **5.12.3 Number of charity trustees** (a) There must be at least three charity trustees. If the number falls below this minimum, the remaining trustee or trustees may act only to call a meeting of the charity trustees, or appoint a new charity trustee. (b) The maximum number of charity trustees is 15. The charity trustees may not appoint any charity trustee if as a result the number of charity trustees would exceed the maximum. ## **5.13. Appointment of charity trustees** ## **5.13.1 Retirement by rotation** (a) At every annual general meeting of the members of the CIO, one-third of the charity trustees shall retire from office. If the number of charity trustees is not three or a multiple of three, then the number nearest to one-third shall retire from office, but if there is only one charity trustee, he or she shall retire. (b) The charity trustees to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment. For this purpose, a charity trustee’s last appointment or reappointment shall be deemed to the date of his last appointment or reappointment to the predecessor organisation also known as Wombourne Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club. If any trustees were last appointed or reappointed on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree among themselves) be determined by lot; (c) The vacancies so arising may be filled by the decision of the members at the annual general meeting; any vacancies not filled at the annual general meeting may be filled as provided in clause 13.1(d). (d) The members or the charity trustees may at any time decide to appoint a new charity trustee, whether in place of a charity trustee who has retired or been removed in accordance with clause 15 (Retirement and removal of charity trustees), or as an additional charity trustee, provided that the limit specified in clause 12.3 on the number of charity trustees would not as a result be exceeded. (e) A person so appointed by the members of the CIO shall retire in accordance with the provisions of clause 13.1(a) and clause 13.1(b). A person so appointed by the charity trustees shall retire at the conclusion of the next annual general meeting after the date of his or her appointment and shall not be counted for the purpose of determining which of the charity trustees is to retire by rotation at that meeting. ## **5.14 Information for new charity trustees** The charity trustees will make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment: (a) A copy of this constitution and any amendments made to it. (b) A copy of the CIO's latest trustees' annual report and statement of accounts. (c) Overview of the newly formed Charity Incorporated Organisation and Bar Trading subsidiary and high levels aims and objectives. ## **5.15 Retirement and removal of charity trustees** 5.15.1 A charity trustee ceases to hold office if he or she: (a) Retires by notifying the CIO in writing (but only if enough charity trustees will remain in office when the notice of resignation takes effect to form a quorum for meetings). (b) Is absent without the permission of the charity trustees from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the trustees resolve that his or her office be vacated. (c) Dies. (d) In the written opinion, given to the CIO, of a registered medical practitioner treating that person, has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a trustee and may remain so for more than three months. (e) Is removed by the members of the CIO in accordance with clause 15.2. (f) Is disqualified from acting as a charity trustee by virtue of section 178-180 of the Charities Act 2011 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision). 5.15.2 A charity trustee shall be removed from office if a resolution to remove that trustee is proposed at a general meeting of the members called for that purpose and properly convened in accordance with clause 11, and the resolution is passed by a twothirds majority of votes cast at the meeting. 15.3 A resolution to remove a charity trustee in accordance with clause 15.2 shall not take effect unless the individual concerned has been given at least 14 clear days' notice in writing that the resolution is to be proposed, specifying the circumstances alleged to justify removal from office, and has been given a reasonable opportunity of making oral and/or written representations to the members of the CIO. ## **5.16. Reappointment of charity trustees** Any person who retires as a charity trustee by rotation or by giving notice to the CIO is eligible for reappointment. ## **5. Reference & Administrative Details** ## 5.1. Charity Name Wombourne Cricket Tennis & Bowling Club ## 5.2. Registered charity number 1206678 ## 5.3. Registered address Church Road, Wombourne, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, WV5 9EZ - 5.4. Advisers, Bank, Accountants, Solicitors Lloyds Bank, Registered Office, 25 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HN J Lochhead Accountants, 1 The Granary, Central Buildings, High Street, Wombourne, Staffordshire, WV5 9dn FBC Manby Bowdler Solicitors, Juneau House, Sitka Drive, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, SY2 6LG ## **6. Officials & Names of Trustees (Inc Active period)** Chair Edward John Boyle (30[th] November 2023 to date) Vice Chair Peter James Harkness (30[th] November 2023 to 4[th] December 2023) Vice Chair Andrea Powell (4[th] December 2023 to date) Secretary Stephen Scott (30[th] November 2023 to date) Treasurer Paul Andrew Church (30[th] November 2023 to date) Trustee Robert Gorton (30[th] November 2023 to date) Trustee Adrian Jeavons (30[th] November 2023 to date) Trustee Neil Martin (30[th] November 2023 to date) Trustee Peter James Western (30[th] November 2023 to 13[th] November 2024) Resigned Trustee Adam James Bradley (30[th] November 2023 to date) NB – First date is the date the Trustee Declaration was signed to facilitate registration of the Charity. The Charity itself was officially registered effective the 24[th] January 2024 ## **Chairman’s report.** Good evening and thank you for attending this year’s AGM. There is a lot to get through this evening and most importantly, in my opinion, an update on our transition to a Charity Incorporated Organisation. This was agreed in principle at a Special General Meeting earlier in the year, the members who attended were very thorough in their questioning of the committee, and a lot of concerns and worries were allayed by a comprehensive presentation and Q and A session by the Honorary Treasurer Paul Church. He will update you tonight with our current position and progress with this process. I cannot praise highly enough my fellow committee members, but the Secretary and Treasurer who have invested a substantial amount of time and effort over the last twelve months to take the club forwards deserve a special mention and on behalf of all the membership I want to pass on our thanks and gratitude. It has been great to be able to invest in the refurbishment of the main lounge, the transformation has been incredible and I’m sure I speak for us all when I thanks Pete Western for overseeing the project from start to finish. He works tirelessly for the club in maintaining the clubhouse and I’m so glad he’s staying in post for the forthcoming year. As a committee we will be looking forward to further improving the fabric of the building which has been neglected for far too long. All the sporting sections are performing well, with good levels of membership and participation. A particular mention to the cricket section who continue to promote junior’s and women and girls’ involvement in the sport. It’s a vital part in future proofing the success of our club and demonstrates us trying to be as inclusive as possible which will further support us as a charitable organisation when we look at grant funding to improve our facilities and member experience. The social and entertainment committee have arranged and hosted several events across the year, and they deserve praise for their commitment to the club and for our membership. The social section is the life blood for the club, and without you the members who continue to support the club across the whole year, we would not be able to support the sporting sections to the level we are able to. Our new Greens Manager, Paul Clarke, has proved again this year that he is able to provide high quality playing surfaces for the sporting sections. Feedback from our own members as well as visiting teams has been especially positive. So, a massive thank you to Paul and I hope you remain at Wombourne for many years to come. I feel it only right to mention Malcolm Jones, our previous greens chairman, who we sadly lost earlier in the year. His legacy at this club will remain for years to come and the work he did alongside Paul should be commended. In recognition of this, the bowls terrace will be named in his memory. The bar team continue to work hard and look after us across the year yet again, thank you all for what you do on behalf of the membership both forward facing and behind the scenes. Great to see Jude returning from maternity leave, we missed you whilst you weren’t here. She has assured me she isn’t planning on any more children soon! Unfortunately, there have been some issues around the behaviour of members through the year, thankfully rare but I reiterate the message that staff do not come and work here to be verbally abused and it will not be tolerated. They are imposing rules and standards set by us as a committee and if any members wish to make representations regarding these, there are appropriate processes in place to do so. Paul and Paula Westwood, who have been our caterers for many years, will be moving on at the end of the year. I want to thank them for their years of service to the club. Likewise, Jayne and Sue our cleaning team will be retiring just before Christmas. Again, they have both served the club for many years and I wish them well for the future. I would not be appropriate to go into specifics regarding these changes, but the committee have looked at these changes alongside our desire to look at our whole club as a business venture and how we want to move forwards. We will continue to try and make the club as efficient as possible, especially with the cost-ofliving crisis and the massive cost increases we are experiencing. We have tried to keep subscription rate increases to a minimum but I’m sure everyone understands we need to cut costs as much as possible. So long to Tony Hilditch who has served on the committee for the last few years as Bowls Chairman, he has also played an important role in behind the scenes work with IT and the new club management system. We welcome Neil Martin as the new Bowls Section Chairman and look forward to working with him in the future. I look forward to the year ahead as Chairman of the club, it is a privilege, and I want to thank you the members for the support I have received over the previous twelve months. I hope that the next year will see us move on successfully under our new CIO governance structure. Best wishes to you all, have a wonderful Christmas with your friends and loved ones and a happy and healthy 2024. ## **7. Statement of Accounts** Due to the delayed implementation of our Charity Incorporated Organisation and Bar Trading Subsidiary the appointed Trustees presented for approval of the Membership dormant accounts for both activities. The membership present at the Annual General Meeting held on the 6[th] May 2025 approved each set of accounts. - 8.1 Expenditure Nil - 8.2 Income Nil ## **8. Declaration** - 8.1. The Board of Trustees declare that they have read & approved the Trustees Report above - 8.2. Signed on behalf of the Charity Trustees Signature: Full Name: Edward John Boyle Position: Chair Date: 1[st] May 2025 Signature: Full Name: Stephen Scott Position: Secretary Date: 1[st] May 2025 Signature: Full Name: Paul Andrew Church Position: Treasurer Date: 1[st] May 2025