AFC_FYLDE_COMMUNITY_FOUND - Accounts

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2023.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's trust deed, the Companies Act 2006 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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)".

Introduction

AFC Fylde Community Foundation was established as a charity in 2015 and now employs over 20 staff who deliver community based activities across the Fylde borough that impact over 6,000 people each year.

The charity's objects are for the public benefit and are specifically restricted to the following:

• To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Lancashire and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the life of said inhabitants. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing by the provision of the opportunity to participate in the sport of football in all ways and according to all abilities.

• Such of other exclusively charitable purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion may determine from time to time.

There has been no change in these during the year.

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

• Our Mission

Work alongside AFC Fylde to improve lives and communities by delivering high quality programmes with a lasting impact.

• Our Values

Respectful in our approach

Pride in our work

Collaborative in our partnerships

Inclusive for our participants

Valued by our community

Growth of our people

• Aims and Objectives

Working with AFC Fylde to:

• Improve health and wellbeing

• Improve employability and skills

• Create stronger communities

The Foundation has three priority areas of delivery: Schools, Community Development and Employability and Skills, and aims to:

• Encourage people and families to lead healthier and more active lifestyles.

• Increasing participation in sport across all levels of society.

• Improving the skills, aspirations and achievements of local people.

• Contributing towards increased community cohesion by improving the quality of life for people and families.

As a charity AFC Fylde Community Foundation is committed to measuring the impact of the work it undertakes and for a full copy of the 2022 Impact Report please click here:

https://www.afcfyldefoundation.co.uk/_files/ugd/3d89f0_12ff1ee134e543e9825eaa8e20d51a5d.pdf

Between June 2022 to May 2023 AFC Fylde Community Foundation was able to support over 6,000 people across Fylde.

The Foundation had a productive year growing its reach and footprint across Fylde as well as launching a new strategy and significantly increasing its income and number of staff. The Foundation continues to focus largely on continuing to expand the numbers of people it delivers services to and to expand services to groups who have previously not benefited from its activities.

The key projects delivered by the Foundation during 2022/23 included:

Employability and Skills

Building Better Opportunities – Changing Futures

The Changing Futures project is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund to help tackle the poverty and social exclusion faced by the most disadvantaged people in England.

The project is specifically designed to meet the needs of any individual between the ages of 16 – 49 years who would like to work but are unable to do so without additional skills or support. Working alongside partners Jobcentre Plus and other referral agencies the Foundation offers participants a one to one service that is designed to break down barriers holding participants back from re-entering the workplace or accessing education or training.

Building Better Opportunities – Age of Opportunity

The Age of Opportunity project is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund to help tackle the poverty and social exclusion faced by the most disadvantaged people in England.

The project is specifically designed to meet the needs of any individual over the age of 50 who would like to work but are unable to do so without additional skills or support. Working alongside partners Jobcentre Plus and other referral agencies the Foundation offers participants a one to one service that is designed to break down barriers holding participants back from re-entering the workplace or accessing education or training.

Building Better Opportunities – Invest in Youth

The Invest in Youth project is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund to help tackle the poverty and social exclusion faced by the most disadvantaged people in England.

The project is specifically designed to meet the needs of any individual between the ages of 14 – 24 years who would like to work but are unable to do so without additional skills or support. Working alongside partners Jobcentre Plus, Pupil Referral Unit’s and other referral agencies the Foundation offers participants a one to one service that is designed to break down barriers holding participants back from re-entering the workplace or accessing education or training.

Fylde Focus

Fylde Focus supports young people living in the Fylde borough who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) to find positive outcomes. The Foundation work alongside local partners to recruit participants, provide mentoring support and find them suitable exit routes into employment, education or training. Funding for Fylde Focus is provided by Fylde Council through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Futures Through Football

In partnership with Career Connect, the Futures Through Football programme uses football as a catalyst to improve the skills and aspirations of prisoners. Through a mixture of classroom and practical sessions, inmates complete an accredited qualification through demonstrating a number of skills including teamwork, communication and leadership.

Schools Services

School based activities

The Foundation works in partnership with local primary schools to deliver specialist sport provision. Specialist staff deliver the PE curriculum to children in all age groups ensuring the provision is in line with Ofsted requirements. Staff also provide fun and enjoyable lunch time sessions for children to engage in whilst they are on their lunch break.

The Foundation also delivers extra-curricular sessions after school that consist of a range of fun and enjoyable sports. Sessions allow children to take part in a variety of activities in addition to those provided in the school curriculum, which has great benefits to physical and mental health. Throughout the year the Foundation worked with 17 primary schools.

Early Years Activities

Working alongside local nurseries/early years settings the Foundation delivers a range of sports sessions for children aged between 2- 4 years to improve their physical literacy. All sessions are designed in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework enabling the children to learn and develop in a fun environment whilst preparing them for school. The Foundation worked with 12 nurseries/early years settings through the year.

Holiday Soccer Camps/Activity Clubs

The Foundation delivers multi-activity camps during all school holidays for children and young people aged 6 – 14 years. The camps are provided at an affordable rate and are available for all to attend.

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme

The HAF programme is funded by the Department for Education, giving children in England who are eligible for free school meals the opportunity to take part in fun, enriching, school holiday activities. The HAF programme is delivered alongside the Foundation’s existing holiday activities in partnership with Fylde Council

Football Development Centres

Delivered in the evening, the football development centres are designed to improve the football skills for all children and young people aged between 2 – 14 years. The sessions are delivered in line with AFC Fylde Academy programme and provide a pathway into the Academy for talented individuals.

Community Development

Armed Forces Community Project

In partnership with the Veterans’ Foundation and BAE Systems, the Foundation are proud to support any ex-service personnel who are struggling to adapt to civilian life once they leave the forces. The Foundation offers a bespoke mentoring service that supports individuals with a range of challenges they may be facing ultimately assisting them to adjust and settle into the community in which they reside.

Fylde Loneliness Prevention Programme

In response to the increased numbers of older people across Fylde experiencing social isolation and loneliness, the Foundation delivers a one to one support programme to help them reintegrate back into their community. The programme is funded by The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.

Champions

The Foundation works in partnership with Lancashire Constabulary to deliver an intervention based programme aimed at reducing re-offending. It aims to divert young people and young adults aged 10 - 25 years away from crime. Working as part of the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) specialist coaches from community clubs engage young adults during their detention in police custody and young people from the local community identified as being or at risk of being involved in crime.

Fit Fylde

In partnership with the National League Trust and Fylde Council, Fit Fylde is an accessible multi-component lifestyle weight management service for obese male and female adults aged 18+. The project is open to all members of the public with a BMI of 28+ with each participant receiving one to one and group mentoring support to design their personalised weight loss journey and achieve their goals.

Just Join In

In partnership with BBC Children in Need, Just Join In provides the opportunity to young people with disabilities aged between 6 – 18 years, with the opportunity to take part in free weekly sports activities to improve their physical and emotional health as well as create and maintain positive relationships with their peers and other adults.

Football Welcomes

The Foundation’s Football Welcomes project offers weekly sports activities free of charge at Fylde Sports and Education Centre for refugees and asylum seekers residing in Kirkham and surrounding areas. The project helps participants to settle into the local community and culture, make new friends, learn the language, and feel a part of the local area.

Matchday activities

The Foundation facilitates a range of activities on a matchday to help fans engage with the football club. The School of the Week initiative invites local schools to the stadium on a matchday and the Team of the Week initiative invites local grassroots football teams.

The 2022/23 financial year was a positive period for AFC Fylde Community Foundation and it was able to increase its income.

Income for the full year was £742,908 (2021/22: £672,890) while expenditure for the period was £667,882 (2021/22: £607,584) which resulted in a surplus of £75,026 (2021/22: surplus of £65,306).

Based on the figures to 31st May 2023, the Foundation’s cash reserves amounts to £191,736 which does not yet meet the target of a minimum of six months operating costs, however Trustees are committed to working towards this

Reserves Policy

The Trustees have considered the Charity's policy in respect of reserves. The Trustees have set a target of retaining at least six months of total expenditure (excluding depreciation) in cash reserves to provide financial security to the Charity in the event of unforeseen reductions in available funding which may arise from time to time. Based on the figures to 31st May 2023, this amounts to approximately £333,941 (2022: £303,792). The balance held at the end of the year of £191,736 (2022: £116,710) does not yet meet this target, however, the Trustees are committed to continue to work towards this.

The surplus for the year of £75,026 (2022: £65,306 surplus) was transferred to reserves and added to the brought forward surplus of £116,710 (2022: £51,404). The total funds carried forward of £191,736 (2022: £116,710) will be used in future years to meet the objectives of the charity, whilst having due consideration to meeting the stated reserves target above at the discretion of the Trustees.

The charity is a company limited by guarantee.

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

New trustees are recruited and appointed by the existing trustees as required. They are selected for their respective knowledge, abilities and interests in the objects of the Foundation. Due to the nature of the work undertaken by the Foundation it is relevant and appropriate to appoint trustees from a range of backgrounds.

None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

There shall be a minimum of 3 trustees but there shall be no maximum number. The trustees must hold at least 2 meetings per year at which the quorum is at least 2 or one third of the trustees in office, whichever is greater.

New trustees will be introduced to the aims and objectives of the charity by existing trustees and will be guided in the rights and duties of a trustee by reference to such training material and information is available from, in particular, The Charity Commission.

The day to day management of the Charity is undertaken by the Foundation Director and the Assistant Foundation Director who are supported by the senior management team. This is overseen by the Board of Trustees, which is Chaired by Dave Edmundson.

The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of AFC Fylde Community Foundation (the charity) for the year ended 31 May 2023.

As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of 2, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

the financial statements do not accord with those records; or

the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The charitable company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 May 2023.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

AFC Fylde Community Foundation is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Fylde Sports and Education Centre, Coronation Way, Wesham, Preston, England, PR4 3JZ, Lancashire.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Charitable Income

Charitable Income

Sports Camps

Grants & Funding

Charitable Expenditure

Charitable Expenditure

Insurance

Telephone

Postage and Stationery

Sundries

Motor Expenses

Holiday Activity Fund Costs

Kit & Equipment

Facility Hire

Accountancy and legal fees

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 May 2023 nor for the year ended 31 May 2022.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 May 2023 nor the year ended 31 May 2022.

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxationof Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2022 - none).

The charity had no debt during the year.