The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 28 February 2025.
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 company's Articles of Association, 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).
Salto's mission is to promote lifelong physical activity amongst people of all ages through gymnastics education. The organisation provides a wide programme of activities giving the opportunity for all people regardless of background to take part in gymnastics for health, fitness and technical expertise.
The benefits for all participants are broader than learning skills and techniques. Salto Gymnastic Centre aims to enhance physical literacy which can serve to increase physical activity and reduce health concerns over child obesity and fitness. Our activities and presence in the community can improve the quality of life and wellbeing for all whether they are participants or spectators. In addition to mass participation in gymnastics, the Club has added the aspiration of delivering excellent performance of the elite gymnast.
Despite the pandemic we continued to function as a charitable business where government guidelines allowed us to fulfil our desire to provide benefits to the public. Where applicable we continue to work with the community and our stakeholders to excel to the highest level possible given the difficult circumstances caused by the pandemic.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the company should undertake.
Reaching the Community
At Salto our mission statement is “Gymnastics for all” and we strive to grow our membership by reaching out to the community by offering a variety of gymnastics as follows:
Pre-school and recreation
Pre-school (age 3-4) and recreational (age 4-12) structured gymnastics classes are available from Monday to Saturday and we had circa 950 members during the financial year.
In September 2024 we introduced our own awards scheme. We believed there was a need for children to be rewarded for their hard work, dedication and effort spent developing their gymnastics. This awards programme focuses on boosting the confidence of our members and helping them feel a sense of pride in their achievements. Our Awards Scheme is open to all our members and will form the content taught in our classes, enabling the gymnasts to develop their gymnastics skills. The awards go from Level 1 to Level 9 followed by Bronze, Silver and Gold. When a gymnast successfully passes the award a certificate and medal can be presented to them during their class. Not only does the awards scheme monitor the gymnasts progress, it also enables us to grade them based on their ability and offer an alternative class to enhance their performance and development.
With the award scheme and class structure, we are aiming to provide each child with a gymnastics journey and along the way challenge them at every level and provide a pathway to learning advanced level skills in a safe environment.
We hosted a recreational competition part way through the year which was a huge success with circa 100 competitors. The gymnasts were delighted to showcase their gymnastics in front of an audience.
Our Recreation Summer scheme was well attended with all weeks full except the first week of July 2024. The Summer Scheme is open to non-BG members as well as our members and a number signed up for the new term which commenced in September 2024.
Inclusive
Our Saturday 12 noon class which is our “quiet” class for neurodivergent children is becoming increasingly popular and now has a waiting list. Parents are more inclined to seek a diagnosis for their child and find ways to enhance their development. Parents understand that neurodivergent children can greatly benefit from participation in sport due to the physical activity, experiencing improvements in physical health, social skills, emotional regulation, and even cognitive function.
Schools
We provide gymnastic lessons for 12 different local schools who attend our facility on a weekly basis to participate in structured gymnastics classes to fulfil their national curriculum activities. This provides an opportunity to introduce many children to the sport of gymnastics. It is also a means of talent spotting.
We provided training to the teachers at a local primary school to help improve their confidence while teaching gymnastics to the pupils being a requirement of the school’s curriculum.
Toddlers Soft Play
Our unstructured Toddler Soft Play sessions were well attended. The Toddler Soft Play is an important part of Salto's development. Not only do the sessions provide a steady flow of income but they also introduce toddlers to gymnastics at a very young age, with the potential of remaining in the sport by becoming members of our Recreation Programme and on some occasions our Performance Squad Programme. Gymnastics for toddlers focuses on building confidence and training and developing motor skills in young children.
Adult Gymnastics
Our adult gymnastic class has been hugely popular this year with attendees of between 30 and 40 at each class. We hosted an Adult competition which attracted participants from around Ireland and is now an annual event due to demand.
Squads
Our squads offer a performance pathway for boys and girls from age 5 upwards. During the year we visited ten different local primary schools in search of talented 5–6-year-olds to join our Foundation Squad. Our squad gymnasts are given the opportunity to potentially reach international level through the squad structure we have in place. With a long history of international successes, our squad programme is always in demand. We have over 90 gymnasts, male and female, on our performance pathway.
Other community benefits
We held our annual Women's Artistic competition the "Tony Byrne Invitational" (named after the founder of Salto Gymnastics Club). This competition attracted circa 120 competitors from around the UK and Ireland – the largest number of competitors since the competition began 3 years ago.
We hosted British Gymnastics Annual two-day Coaching Conference led by top quality speakers from the UK. A total of 50 coaches attended.
Performance
Salto is recognised as the National Centre of Excellence in Northern Ireland and during the year our elite gymnast Eeffie Montgomery qualified for the British Junior Championships - the first gymnast from Salto and NI in over 12 years to qualify. Eve McGibbon represented Ireland at the Unni and Harold’s Trophy event in Oslo finishing fourth place on vault and 6th place on floor. Three Salto gymnasts were part of the NI Team who competed in the Caledonian Cup – Farah Cousins placed third on Bars and Poppy Elwood 5th on Beam. Soley Laverty represented NI at the British Gymnastics Excel 2 National Finals placing 15th all around and 9th on floor. Six Salto gymnasts competed in the Northern European Championships – Eve helped team Ireland place first in the team competition and came fourth on beam.
Achievements
Our workforce during the year consisted of 20 staff of which 10 are full-time and 10 part-time. We are a club with a strong belief in staff education and provide financial assistance to encourage where possible, staff to develop their coaching skills and obtain coaching qualifications. During the year we had four achieve their Men’s Artistic Level 2 qualification, three Level 1 qualification, five Women’s Artistic level 2 qualification and two Level 3 qualification.
We had a staff training away day whereby topics included coaching neurodivergent children, positive coaching, CPR and first Aid.
Several Salto coaches were acknowledged by Northern Ireland Gymnastics for their achievements during the year, namely Olga Flederiene (Participation coach), Gina Popa-Dickson (Services to gymnastics), Ella McGurnaghan (Volunteer of the year) and Oscar Hall (Young coach of the year).
Local community connections
We are thankful to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and Sport NI for their continuous support and of course our members who have been very supportive.
We are especially grateful to our president Lady Mary Peters for her unconditional support.
The results for the period are as set out on pages 12 to 24. The charity returned net incoming resources of £18,115 (2024 - net outgoing resources of £20,365). At 28 February 2025 the balance of reserves was £1,316,602 (2024 - £1,298,487).
It is the policy of the company 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 consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the company’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
Salto Gymnastics Club is a charity limited by guarantee, incorporated on 2 February 1999 and accepted as a charity by the Inland Revenue from that date and by the Northern Ireland Charities Commission from 2015.
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:
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.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Salto Gymnastic Centre Limited for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102);
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that GMcG LISBURN be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Salto Gymnastic Centre Limited (the ‘company’) for the year ended 28 February 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the statement of financial position, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the trustees report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the trustees report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the trustees report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the trustees report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
As explained more fully in the statement of trustees responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the company for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
We identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, and then design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, including obtaining audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In identifying and assessing potential risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliances with laws and regulations, we considered the following:
The nature of the industry and sector, control environment and business performance, including the charitable company’s remuneration policies for directors, bonus levels and performance targets, if any;
Results of our enquiries of management about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;
Any matters we identified having obtained and reviewed the charitable company’s documentation of their policies and procedures relating to:
Identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instance of non-compliance;
Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and
The internal controls established to mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;
The matters discussed among the audit engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and potential indicators of fraud.
As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the charitable company for fraud and identified the greatest potential for fraud in income recognition. In common with all audits under ISAs (UK), we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override.
We also obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that the charitable company operates in, focusing on provisions of those laws and regulations that had a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The key laws and regulations we considered in this context included the Companies Act 2006, and local tax legislation.
In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the charitable company’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty.
Our procedures to respond to the risks identified included the following:
Reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on the financial statements;
Enquiring of management concerning actual and potential litigation and claims;
Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud;
Reading minutes of meetings of those charged with governance and reviewing correspondence with tax authorities; and
In addressing the risk of fraud through management override of controls, testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments; assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and evaluating the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. In addition, as with any audit, there remains a higher risk of non-detection of irregularities, as they may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Salto Gymnastic Centre Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Northern Ireland. The registered office is City of Lisburn National Gymnastic, Warren Park, Lisburn, BT28 1LW.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the company's Memorandum and Articles of Association, 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 company is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. 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 company 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the company has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. It is categorised under one of the following headings: Costs of raising funds, Expenditure on charitable activities and Other expenditure.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which expenditure arose.
Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include finance costs and governance costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at the office. Payroll costs, finance costs and governance costs are allocated to charitable activities based on usage. The allocation of the support costs is analysed in note 9.
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.
Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value.
Net realisable value is the estimated selling price less all estimated costs of completion and costs to be incurred in marketing, selling and distribution.
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 company 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 company's balance sheet when the company 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.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
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 company 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.
In the application of the company’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.
The annual depreciation charge on fixed assets depends primarily on the estimated lives of each type of asset and estimates of residual values. The directors regularly review these assets lives and change them as necessary to reflect current thinking on remaining lives in light of prospective economic utilisation and physical condition of the assets concerned. Changes in assets lives can have a significant impact on depreciation charges for the period. Detail of the useful lives is included in the accounting policies.
Judgements are made in relation to allocation of income and expenditure to restricted and unrestricted funds. The directors consider it appropriate to allocate these funds based on interpretation of donations received.
Fees & subscriptions
Competition income
Insurance Claims Receivable
Promotion of lifelong physical activity through gymnastics
Rates & water charges
Light & heat
Repairs & maintenance
Insurance
Travel & competition fees
Legal & professional fees
Telephone
Stationery & sundry expenses
Bank Charges
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity considers its key management personnel to comprise of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive, the office manager, the recreation manager, the head of the MAG squad and the head of the WAG squad. The total employment benefits including employer pension contributions of the key management personnel were £120,418 (2024 - £121,792).
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.
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.
The board has agreed to designate the above funds for roof repairs that are required for the gym.
At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).
The company had no material debt during the year.