The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 January 2026.
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 operation of a multi-sport and leisure community facility near Dunblane in Perthshire, and to contribute to and enhance 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.
While we are no longer pursuing that facility, it is our long-term intention to use tennis and access to indoor and outdoor spaces to achieve our aims.
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.
Our ‘Learn to Lead’ programme (L2L) goes from strength to strength. We are delivering practical courses for primary school teachers, PE teachers and Active Schools coordinators, providing them with a wide range of creative content that allows them to deliver starter tennis activity in schools at any time of the year and in whatever space is available.
In the last year, the L2L campaign has focused on encouraging girls in primary school years P6/7 who are keen to deliver lunchtime or after-school clubs to children in primaries 1 to 4 .
This allows leaderships skills to be coached within the primary school environment, using sport as a practical and engaging learning tool.
Teachers who have attended our workshops are supported with a L2L equipment bag, online videos of all content, created by Judy Murray. We also schedule visits to our schools by our ambassadors and excellent team.
Teachers have the responsibility to identify and train girls in primaries 6 and 7, who work in pairs or teams to learn how to plan, set up, demonstrate and deliver fun tennis activities to younger pupils.
This pupil-led approach develops both leadership skills and drives participation. It also builds the girls’ confidence, communication skills and ability to work in teams, all in a real-world setting. The older girls benefit from the sense of responsibility and ownership and become positive role models for their younger counterparts.
By linking participating schools with local clubs or parks, we are creating a clear pathway for continued participation, ensuring long-term impact both in leadership development and physical activity.
Since launching the Learn To Lead Programme in June 2025, we have made excellent progress with more than 30 schools across Scotland involved, with many more in pipeline.
In June 2026, we plan to launch ‘Learn to Lead Mums’, applying our programme workshops, content and resources to encourage mums and grandmothers to get involved in delivering fun starter tennis sessions in clubs, parks, schools, community centres and in their own homes or gardens.
We have also created ‘Tennis in 10’ – a fun starter programme aimed at parents, teachers, coaches and volunteers. This consists of ten progressive sessions full of stimulating and fun activities, to give children the best possible start in developing the skills required to play the game.
This content can be delivered in any space, from homes and parks to driveways and school playgrounds - all using basic play equipment. It takes new starts through 10 easy to follow steps using colourful play equipment - from learning how to handle a small racket, throw and catch a bouncing ball, to being able to do a ‘bump’ rally, a ‘pop’ serve, and keep score.
We plan to launch this programme in the summer of 2026 through a series of fun days for families and workshops for parents, teachers, coaches and volunteers.
Through these practical activities and our comprehensive new on-line video content, we aim to help combat the decline in physical literacy in children and boost parent-child bonding through active play. ‘TENNIS IN 10’ will significantly increase the number of families and communities accessing tennis on a regular basis and will build a bigger and stronger workforce across Scotland.
We continue to explore several ideas and partnerships to promote our work in communities around Dunblane and beyond that align with our desire to help build a more active and healthy nation.
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 months' 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 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 no longer pursuing the previous project that was planned. The reserves will be monitored as by the trustees and 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 continue to explore several ideas to promote our work in communities around Dunblane and beyond, and look forward to sharing details of further exciting new projects that are aligned with our focus and vision, enhancing the health and fitness of our communities through a variety of activities and content.
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.
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 2026, which are set out on pages 6 to 12.
It is my responsibility to examine the financial statements as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. 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 seeking 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 the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1)(a) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulation 4 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006, and
to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006
have not been met, or
2. 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity 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.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, 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 classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
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.
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
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 9, is a loan payable to Trustee, J Murray of £258,775 (2025 - £258,775). The terms of the loan are disclosed at note 9, under Directors Loans and Overdrafts.