Trustees Report Immaculata Junior Football Club
(covering period of 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024)
This report was prepared for the AGM of the Immaculata Junior Football Club covering the period of 23/24 year.
Immaculata Junior Football Club is entirely run on a voluntary basis and sustained by volunteer efforts from the charity trustees to coaches and players.
The organisation is run by a set of rules and procedures set out in our inaugural governing constitution formally adopted on 29[th] June 2008. This document is reviewed each year alongside our collection of policies and procedures as part of an annual review of our governing processes. The constitution has been reviewed this year and will be circulated in advance of and discussed at the annual general meeting (AGM).
Vision and Public Benefit:
The Aims and Objectives of the Football Club are to promote the fitness and to advance the education and facilitate the social development of young people from 5 years through to 15 years through participation in football.
The charity trustees (club committee) are satisfied that the Public Benefit requirement has been met across 2023/24;
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The direct benefits flowing from the purposes include improved physical fitness, education and social development of young people from 5 to 15 years within West Belfast achieved through healthy participation in sports and football.
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Further, the benefits include an awareness of health through:
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workshops, active engagement in football training programmes,
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Increase participation
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Encouraging belonging within the wider community,
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an experience of teamwork and skills,
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and improved opportunities to participate in local, national and international competition.
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The benefits can be demonstrated through:
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physical fitness and skills tests or assessments,
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the gaining by volunteer coaches of professional accredited qualifications,
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measured levels of physical activity
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and overall feedback on improvements within the local community.
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Any harm which may arise – such as the risk of sports injury – is outweighed by the overall health benefits and any private benefits – such as the gaining of qualifications by coaches – is incidental or necessary to our fulfilment of the purposes.
We do this through:
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increasing the levels of participation in football,
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increasing the levels of physical activity in order to help prevent early onset of illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
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It helps to improve emotional wellbeing in young people and allows them to divert their energies into the positive activity of sport rather than engaging in anti-social behaviour.
We work in partnership with other organisations to increase opportunities for young people under a banner of a Falls Partnership Initiative.
Specifically, this reporting year we have:
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facilitated 45 weeks of football which included 5 nights training per week with competitive matches some weekday’s & Friday night with majority of matches taking place on Saturday and Sunday.
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We currently have 12 teams with 178 children participating in football each week.
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Increase of five extra teams due to high volume of young people wanting to participate.
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Through our partnership arrangements and running alongside training the young people were offered workshops across various associated and interlinked themes, which included:
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Nutrition and sport
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Fitness
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Alcohol and Drug Awareness
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Active Citizenship
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Anti bullying
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Health & Well-being Workshops
Throughout the year of 2023 – 2024 the community transmission of skin infection ‘Ringworm’. Due to high volumes of community cases the Club updated its infection control:
Ringworm Response and Management
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Educated players, parents, and coaches on recognizing symptoms of ringworm (red, circular skin rashes, itching).
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Implemented strict hygiene protocols: regular washing of kits, disinfection of shared equipment (balls, cones, bibs), and no sharing of towels or water bottles.
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Required any affected players to receive prompt medical treatment and stay off the pitch until cleared to return, following public health advice.
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Monitored team changing rooms and shower facilities for cleanliness, working with venue management to improve sanitation.
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Communicated openly with teams when cases arose, balancing transparency with respect for player privacy.
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Updated club policies to include skin infection management as part of our health and safety practices.
We also have been successful in recruiting volunteers in coaching, transporting young people to matches, fund raising and providing club administration. We acknowledge support from other local partners in this regard.
We have encouraged all volunteers to take part in training and have been able to offer the following courses.
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Volunteer development
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Safeguarding & Child Protection
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Grassroots Training
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Level 1 Coaching
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Level 2 Coaching
We currently have 27 volunteers who are all Access NI checked through a registered local umbrella body.
Finance and Administration:
A statement of income and expenditure has been prepared and verified for us by the finance officer of Divis Joint Development Committee covering April 1st 2023 to 31st March 2024 and is attached to this report.
We wish to thank both the Maureen Sheehan Centre in relation to ongoing administrative support to the Trustees.
Additionally:
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We had teams in 3 local tournaments this year and 2 national tournaments in Rhyl in Wales and the other in Blackpool England.
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Our younger team play in the IFA development league which is no pressure playing. There is no focus on scores until 12 years of age.
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Start of the first Immaculata Junior girls team to encourage more female participation within the club and sport.
We continually work to attract young people within our community to become team members of our club giving them the opportunity to develop not only football skills but practical lifeskills
Martin Voyle Trustee and Head Coach Immaculata Junior Football Club
Appendix 1
Active Trustees (as at 31[st] March 2023)
Gerard Fusco
Bobby Quinn
Martin Voyle
Danny Power
Elizabeth McShane
Jim McKee