LISBURN CHESS CLUB Reregistered Charity No NIC 108811 Lisburn Chess Club annual and public benefit trustees report. The purpose of the charltv Lisburn Chess Club shall promote the game of chess as an Amateur Sport in the Lisburn area and further afield. The Club shall endeavour to improve the skill of individual members in particular and the Club in general. The Club will provide an atmosphere of friendly play. Discussion "over the board" is to be encouraged (except during tournaments). This will create an atmosphere of friendship and comradery. This club will endeavour to become a focal point in the community for all ages. The Club shall enga8e with the community and join in approprlate communlty events. The Club shall provide teaching/in5truction in a suitable format, as necessary, and as often as Possible. Playing che55 has well documented mental and cognitive benefits to both older players and young people who have concentration, behavioural, and learning issues. The club will encoura8e attendance by thls group for the benefit of all concerned. Activlties carried out during the year to fulfll the purpose of the Charlty. The commission will notice that the accounts supplied cover 18 months, this is the time that we have been in our building. The club became a charity to facilitate the opening and maintenance of the club rooms this is one of the main way we are able to fulfil our mission statement above. The business rates on the club rooms were quoted as £6,500, and as a charity we are now rates exempt. We are now open 4 times a week- Tuesdayi 6..30pm- 8:30pm beglnners and teach5ngi We have about 20 young people on Tuesday nights. Wednesday• 1.pm - 4:00pm casual game5. We have 8-15 older members who take advantage of the earlier time on Wednesdays they are joined by regular shift workers and students, the teenagers who are becoming very keen also call in when the schools are off.
I ISBU Reregistered Charity No NIC 108811 Thursday. 7.1Spm- end. This is our main tournament practice night, this would be our more serious night, there are fewer kids and longer time formats. (It must be noted. thot if we are open, we ore open to anyone who want5 to call infor o cosual game regardless of what the weekly timetable says). We can have 15-20 people on Thursday nights. Satuidayi 10.30- 13.30 Casual games. This is our main club day and busiest, having a full house of 3040 people. Actlvltles We have held small club tournaments (these are usuallyshot timeformat andpopular with the children) and done a lot of teaching, we bough a number of the teaching exercise books that we intend to use to keep coaching conslstent. We hosted the Ulster Masters in November which was a huge success. Main activity that we were proud of this year was during the Belfast and District League. This is a team event running from October to Aprll, with home and away 8ames. There are two divisions 1&2 we had team in both. Unfortunately, we lost Division l after winning it for the first time in 116 years last year. We did how ever win Divislon 2 this was even rnore remarkable because the team had many teenagers who were in their 1st seriou5 tournament. We tried through the Ulster Chess Union to 8er a Division 3 set up, but the other clubs did not have sufficient numbers to make this possible. We then added a second team to Division 2, this was Lisburn 3 and was want we called the Development Team. This was made up of the younger children and despite the horrendous results, was a resounding succe55 many were very young- primary School age/preteen. It was amazlng to see these kid5 so keen to volunteer for the team each week to take on the other team5 in Division 2, the excltement and determlnatlon was upllfting to see. I must mention here that we need to recognise the effort of the team captains who sent a lot of free time looking after the team5, making sure that all the players young and older were at the respective venues on time. We also had 3 international master one of these a Woman's International Mater doing coaching session via zoom. We had some of the kids who were away on holiday joining via their phones so they did not miss out.
LIJSBU N CHESS CLUB Reregistered Charity No NIC 108811 We went to the Mayor's show in Lisburn to promote the game. Setting up a stand with set5, this was very popular despite the awful weather, this is the second time we have attended and are always asked back by the council organi5ers. th We also met in Lisburn city centre on World Chess Day 20 July, to advertise our activities, and promote the game, (20 July World Chess Day 15 the foundation of FIDE annually, our world governing body). There have been no instances where there has been harm flowing from our activities There have been no instances of private benefit from our activities, other than professional services, such a5 international coaching via zoom. TRUSTEES STATEMENT In setting our objective5 and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given carful consideration to the Charlty Commlssion for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity's purposes and provide benefit to the beneficiaries. MARTIN JOHNSTON TRUSTEE / SECRETARY NEIL GARDNER TRUSTEE / DIRECTOR STEVEN EACHUS TRUSTEE