Newry City Afc Special Olympic Club
Trustees Annual Report and Receipts and Payments Accounts for the year: 31" August 2024.
NIC: 102526
Registered Address:
5 Liska Villas
Newrv
Co Down
Northern Ireland
BT35 8TN

Newry City Afc Special Olympic Club
Statement of Receipts and Payments-year Ended 31 August 2024.
NIC: 102526
Contents
Page
Trustees Annual Report
Independent Examiners Report
Statement of Receipts and Payments
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Notes to the Accounts

Newry City Afc Special Olympic Club
Statement of Receipts and Payments-year Ended 31 August 2024.
NIC: 102526
Charity Name:
Newry City Afc Special Olytnpic Club
Charity Registration Number:
NIC: 102526
Registered Office:
5 Liska Villas
Newry
Co Down
BT35 8TN
Trustees
The following served as charity trustees during the year and up to the date of this report
Christopher Cooke IChairperson}
James Byrne (Vice Chairperson)
Esther King {Secretaryl
Helen McKee ITreasurerl
James Fox
Bankers:
Ulster Bank
11-16 Donegal Square East
Belfast
BTI SUB

Newry City Afc Special Olympic Club
Trustees Report- Year Ended 31" August 2024.
NIC: 102526
Objectives and Activities:
Newry City Afc Special Olympic Club objectives are=_
To promote Special Olympics as an athlete-centered movement. in which athletes with intellectual
d isabilities a re the central focus of each training. competition or events, and in which athletes are
provided meaningful opportunities to participate in additional activities that support Special Olympics
programming:
To develop the physical, social. psychological. intellectual and spiritual qualities and capabilities of
each athlete;
To promote the spirit of sportsmanship and a love of participation in sports for its own sake, by
stressing and celebrating the importance of. and the personal achievement associated with, each
athlete's participation and personal effort in Special Olympics, regardless of that athlete's comparative
level of ability or the results of a particular competition; encourage athletes to reach their highest
level of athletic achievement in a particular sport. by providing opportunities for them to do so and by
helping their coaches and families provide them with increased support and encouragement and
increase public awareness of the needs and capabilities of persons Wlth intellectual disabilities and
increasing public support for Special Olympics.
Our club provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in aquatics, bowling, floorball,
kayaking. open water swimming and stand-up paddle boarding forchildren and adults with intellectual
disabilities by giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage,
experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts. skills and friendship with families, other Special
Olympics athletes and the community.
Our club operates within the Newry and Mourne area. Coaching activities leads to inclusive sports
competition at the Special Olympic Games providing all athletes of all abilities with opportunities to
compete and progress at local, regional. national and international levels competing at the Special
Olympics World Games if they qualify which is a four year cycle.
We encourage athletes to compete and participate for the fun of it, rather than focus on winning.
Some of our athletes chose not to take part in the competitions and traif) and participate in our range
of sports on a recreational basis. Our club currently has 81 members with intellectual disabilities
Down's syndrome. autism spectrum disorders. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder {ADHDI,
learning disabilities and physical disabilities (Cerebral Palsy). This is made up of 57 members aged eight
to twenty five and 24 members aged over twenty six. Athletes are sUPPOrted by 33 volunteers and
coaches.
41Page

Newry City Afc Special Olympic Club
st
Trustees Report- Year Ended 31 August 2024.
NIC: 102526
2024 presented new challenges for our club and our athletes with intellectual d isabilities.
The closure of the swimming pool at Newry Leisure Centre left our members who participate in
aquatics without a place to train. We had a few sessions in Kilkeel Leisure Centre but were unable to
secure a block booking there. We also had a few sessions in Camlough Lake but this was not ideal as
some of our novice members are not experienced enouEh to train in open waters.
This presented our club with a new set of challenges. Some of our athletes had regressed both
physically and mentally from the period of inactivity.
Some of our coaches and volunteers encouraged our aquatics members to try different sports. We
were able to secure funding from some generous charities that enabled us to purchase extra
equipment allowing us to introduce floorball, bowling and football to new members.
We have been fortunate that we were able to secure numerous sources of funding which has enabled
us to purchase new equipment and upgrade existing equipment. The funding also gave us the ability
to pre-book facilities in the knowledge that we had the funds in place to meet these commitments.
One of the highlights of our year was our Floorball team qualifying to represent Ulster at the Ireland
Games and finishing in a very commendable silver medal position.
Thankfully our club is thriving at the minute and our athlete. coaches and volunteers all committed to
a happy and successful future.
Financial Review
Total receipts this year was £30.611.04 compared to E31,669.06 the previous year.
Total Expenditure this year was £26.269.85 compared to £33.225.65 the previous year.
th
Approved by the Trustees on 7 March 2025 and signed on their behalf by
Christopher Cooke {Chairperson)