The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 January 2024.
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 Articles of Association, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) 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 Murray Play Foundation was established in August 2018, to oversee the creation and eventual operation of a community multi-sports facility near Dunblane in Perthshire.
The charity's objects are to promote, advance and further charitable purposes and activities through the provision of accessible facilities, parkland and services which enable participation in sport and enhance and contribute to the health, fitness and personal development and wellbeing of the residents of Stirlingshire (and beyond) through sporting heritage and activities, with particular focus on tennis and golf.
The policies adopted in furtherance of these objects are:
to set up and provide grassroots and accessible tennis and golf programmes for the purpose of encouraging participation in tennis, golf and physical activity in general through accessible activities, services and sports programmes;
to set up and deliver a museum about tennis;
to encourage individuals and the wider community to be more active in sport and health and fitness that are accessible to everyone;
to manage parkland in a sustainable manner, and in doing so promote the natural history and environment of Stirlingshire;
and there has been no change in these during the year.
Our vision is and always will be to enhance and contribute to the health, fitness, personal development, self-esteem, and wellbeing of the residents of the local area and beyond through affordable sport, leisure and heritage activities, with particular focus on tennis and golf and quality access to the outdoors.
Outreach programmes will take tennis to rural and disadvantaged areas within the local area and we endeavour to build relationships with schools, creating inspirational learning experiences for children in all communities and growing the sporting workforce through our proposed apprenticeship scheme and training workshops for teachers, students, parents and volunteers.
In the last year, the Trustees have met on numerous occasions. We have worked closely with our project team and advisors regarding our plans for the facility, and the decisions we have made on its future.
Our not-for-profit facility intended to provide affordable access to leisure facilities for thousands of people of all ages and abilities, and to grow the sports of tennis, pickleball and padel by creating an accessible, community-focused pay-to-play centre with indoor and outdoor courts, gym, exercise studio, soft play, and a multi-use games area (MUGA).
In our last report, we highlighted several macro-economic issues which presented challenges to our project, as well as elsewhere in society and the economy.
Taking into account a combination of economic and other factors, including significant increases in construction, material, energy and labour costs, a lengthy and uncertain planning process, and protracted discussions with governing bodies, it was with deep regret that the Trustees had to make the difficult decision to bring the Park of Keir project to an end.
Whilst this particular project has come to a close, our vision to enhance and contribute to the health, fitness, personal development, self-esteem, and wellbeing of the residents of the local area and beyond through affordable sport, leisure and heritage activities, with particular focus on tennis and quality access to outdoors remains.
MPF has continued to provide free online and practical workshops for coaches, teachers, parents, students and volunteers in order to grow the tennis delivery workforce across Scotland and beyond.
There has been a particular focus on women and girls via our leadership and tennis programmes in schools, training teachers to deliver excellent coaching and advice to female sports leaders in secondary schools and to P6/7 girls in primary schools. The pupils are then encouraged and supervised to deliver lunchtime clubs to younger pupils, building a pipeline of healthy, engaged young people - both players and coaches.
The charity has been supported by one of the trustees, Dr J Murray who has provided funding to meet legal and professional costs incurred to date. These funds have been provided interest free and unsecured, and it is intended that the loan will be repaid as and when the charity is in a position to do so.
It is the proposed policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees considers that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
This level of reserves has not been maintained throughout the year due to the charity still being in the 'set up' phase and only governance costs being incurred. The reserves will be monitored as the charity grows and funding is gained. In the short term the trustees have agreed to continue funding the costs incurred.
The trustees has assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
We have immediate plans to update and refilm our content to increase our reach across Scotland and beyond. We expect to significantly increase the number of people accessing tennis on a regular basis, through the delivery of a bigger and stronger workforce.
We are exploring several ideas to promote our work in communities around Dunblane and beyond, and look forward to announcing further exciting new projects during the course of 2025.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee, was incorporated on 2nd August 2018 and has no share capital. The company was registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity regulator (OSCR) on the 28th August 2018 and has had charitable status since then.
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:
Trustees are recruited by the current board and proposed at the next meeting. Appointment is confirmed when the board have discussed and agreed the suitability of the candidate.
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.
In these early stages of the charity, the board meet on a needs basis whenever any decision is required. These are voted on and approved when a majority is in agreement. It is anticipated as the charity moves forward that the Board will grow and specific regular meetings will be formally set.
The only related party transactions relate to the payment of the governance costs by a trustee, explained above.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 January 2024, which are set out on pages 5 to 12.
The charity’s trustees, who are also the directors of Murray Play Foundation for the purposes of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investments (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(a) to (c) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the financial statements as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the financial statements.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and
to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations;
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn 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.
Murray Play Foundation is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is C/o Brodies LLP, Capital Square, 58 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BP.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's articles of association, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) 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 charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
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.
The charity is dependent on the support of its trustees to support with costs until such times as they progress with project plans and income is received through grants or donations.
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 are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Expenditure is included on an accruals basis, inclusive of VAT.
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).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Outreach work
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The impairment loss is a result of the write off of fixed assets on the balance sheet in relation to the Park of Keir project which has been mentioned in the Trustees report, note 10 and note 11 of the financial statements.
Impairment tests have been carried out where appropriate and the following impairment losses have been recognised in profit or loss:
The fixed assets on the balance sheet were development costs for the Park of Keir project which has been mentioned in the Trustees report, and in the Summer of 2024, the Trustees took the difficult decision to stop this project. Consequently, the capital expenditure is required to be written off as the project is no longer continuing.
More information on the impairment arising in the year is given in note 10.
Trustee Dr J Murray has paid for all set up costs of the charity until such times as the charity is in a financial position to make repayment. This loan is interest free and has no set date for repayment.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
Included within note 13, is a loan payable to Trustee, J Murray of £258,775 (2023 - £217,775). The terms of the loan are disclosed at note 13, under Directors Loans and Overdrafts.