The trustees present their annual report together with the financial stataments of Manchester Young Lives Ltd for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors' report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
Reporting Framework
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 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).
It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of Manchester Young Lives during a year of real achievement, continued resilience, and purposeful growth. We have remained unwavering in our commitment to creating safe, inclusive, and aspirational spaces for children and young people across Manchester.
This year, we supported over 3,250 young people through our adventure playgrounds, Post 16 learning hubs, and targeted outreach. These numbers reflect the strength of our delivery, but more importantly, they show the continued demand for services that place trust, understanding, and opportunity at the centre of young people's experiences.
I want to thank our staff team, whose dedication and professionalism have been outstanding, and our senior leadership who continue to guide the organisation with energy and integrity. I'd also like to acknowledge the retirement of long-serving trustee Rosemary, whose wisdom and commitment have shaped our work for many years.
One of the most significant milestones this year was securing a 25-year extension to the lease of The Addy, providing much-needed stability and opening the door for capital improvements. This, alongside our ambition to redevelop the playground through the newly launched Stepping Stones Appeal, shows our determination to invest in the long-term future of the communities we serve.
We are also proud to have strengthened our Post 16 provision, piloted new ways of working, and commissioned independent evaluations to help us understand what works. Our external partnerships are growing too, especially with employers and funders who share our belief that every young person deserves the chance to thrive.
Looking ahead, we remain focused on expanding our reach, improving our infrastructure, and building sustainable, high-quality services. I am confident that, with the continued support of our funders, trustees, staff and local communities, Manchester Young Lives will keep doing what it does best: helping young people learn, grow and find their place in the world.
Charitable objects:
The objects of the charity are:
“The provision of facilities for the recreation and of other leisure time occupation for children and young people, being facilities: of which such children and young people have need by reason of their youth or socio-economic circumstances, and which will improve the condition of life for such children and young people by promoting their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
The advancement of education for the public benefit by the provision of support and advice to children, young people, and adults in such ways as the trustees shall from time to time determine.”
The Charity’s main activities are the provision and operation of adventure playgrounds and activity centres and Post 16 learning hubs for young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). It operates in some of the most deprived areas of Manchester.
Our purpose and activities
MYL believes passionately that ‘all children and young people can learn, make progress and can achieve, no matter what their starting point’. The charity works to a first principal of non-selection, alongside a celebration of cultural diversity and inclusion, these are key ingredients in our work.
In shaping the charity’s objectives for the year trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and believe all MYL work in the year has been consistent with this guidance.
Manchester Young Lives Centres
The Addy Young People’s Centre – Wythenshawe
Moss Side Adventure Playground – Moss Side
A6 Young People’s Centre – Ardwick
MYL also deliver play activities via hired spaces such as church halls and deliver community outreach for post 16 young people on the 'Make a Start' (MAS) employability programme.
Contracts, grants and donations
Our largest contracts came from our Post 16 work. Manchester Adult Education Service (MAES) fund our Personal Employability Programme (PEP) and also commission MYL to deliver the employability element of their Post 16 STEPS programme. Additional places on our 'Enhanced Employability Programme (EES) and 'Make a Start' (MAS) were funded through Manchester City Council EHCP Team. All young people require a EHCP to access MYL employability programmes.
Strategies the charity has used to achieve its aims and objectives:
Present a broad and balanced programme of activities which provide learning opportunities which are stimulating, engaging, easily accessible and positive.
Provide discrete projects focused on areas of need and concern for young people’s personal and social development.
Encourage successful outcomes for children and young people which builds confidence, resilience, self-esteem and supports the transition to adulthood.
Welcoming and celebration of the diversity of culture and history, which informs our learning and is promoted in all areas of the charity’s work.
Beneficiaries
The overall number of children and young people who have engaged in MYL activities in the period 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025 is recorded at 3,297.
The largest volume of service users is from our after-school play and youth provision and holiday playschemes with 2,536 children registered with the 111 young people engaging in our Post 16 programmes and 650 via community events and open days.
The gender distribution among young people was relatively balanced, with a slight majority of males at 58% and 41% female with the other 1% not disclosed. A total of 9% engaged during the period had a disability, 34% chose not to disclose or were in the process of assessment.
The overarching ethnicity profile for beneficiaries during this period is 46% White British and 54% BAME. The ethnicity profile for participants has remained consistent with the ward demographics where delivery takes place.
Post 16 Programmes
Manchester Young Lives Learning Hubs provide personalised learning programmes for young people aged 16-24 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and who have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP), supporting them to develop academically and with a view to gaining employment.
MYL provided 25 places on our Personal Employability Programme (PEP) funded though MAES and 35 places funded by MCC for a of mix of centre based and community employability education for young people who need additional support and flexibility to complete functional skills learning, alongside developing work and life skills.
The Steps programme is a partnership with MAES, young people on programme complete their functional skills with MAES and MYL deliver the employability skills through a combination of 1-2-1, group work, industry visits and work placements. The Steps programme has 25 learners on roll, divided into 3 cohorts, with various needs. From April 25 MYL intends to expand our post 16 offer at Moss Side learning hub, to provide an additional 10 places for post 16 learners who would like to work towards a vocational qualification such as health and social care.
Working towards employment remains the focus of MYL Learning Hubs. To date this academic year students have undertaken 43 work placements and a further 55 learners have participated in group volunteering to support charities and community projects. MYL have a dedicated bank of work placement providers and some of our top supporters over the last 12 months include: HOME Community Café, The Vella Group, The Bread and Butter Thing, Better Gym, Withington Bath House Café and The Apple Store for group volunteering.
Gaining functional skills qualifications in Maths and English is important for many students to move onto more career specific courses, gain apprenticeships or employment. This year 14 students have sat and passed English exams, and 12 will be taking Maths in June 2025.
MYL is confident in the quality of our post 16 programmes and took the decision in 2024 to commission an independent evaluation of the work.
“The evaluation demonstrated the effectiveness of an approach which combines youth work with teaching. This combination allows for a more holistic package of support to be built around each student which, in turn, enables personal and social challenges to be addressed alongside progression in training and towards employment.”
“The experience of students is overwhelmingly positive. In particular, this is expressed as different and better than their previous experiences in education and training because there is an understanding of their personal needs. The programme environment, relationships with staff and pace of learning are common success factors quoted by students.”
Thanks to ‘We love Manchester’, learners continued to benefit from the Post 16 crisis support fund, officially launched April 2023 for a 2-year period. The fund enables the team to act early when a learner is experiencing financial hardship, reducing the risk of them withdrawing from the programme due to finance difficulties.
Play and Youth
MYL delivers all year round play and junior youth sessions to children and young people aged 6-16 years from our 3 Adventure Playgrounds in Wythenshawe, Ardwick and Moss Side and play from hired spaces at Norbrook Youth Club and St Pauls Church Hall in Higher Blackley. MYL are the leading provider of play in the city mainly due to the popularity of our adventure playgrounds and the variety of activities and opportunities we have on offer.
The adventure playgrounds are a fantastic space for children to play, socialise, make lasting memories with their peers. They are a valuable community asset, a safe space and a hub of support for the 2,536 children and young people who have attend in the last 12 months.
All MYL sessions are open access, so children and young people don’t have to book in advance and can just come when it works for them or when they need us. Activities are designed to be both fun and provide informal learning, promoting health and well-being, building confidence, enhancing social skills, and providing opportunities with long lasting benefits. The play is very popular with an average attendance of 40 to 60 children per session and between 25 and 40 young people on our youth sessions. The weather can impact attendance, especially in winter months.
Many children attending play and youth sessions have limited opportunities in their lives for wider activities due to low income. Therefore, MYL work with Wood Street Mission, GMYF and other Partners to enhance our offer and provide off site trips to Bewilderwood, a pop-up Cinema, rock climbing, Simply Cycling, RHS, Pantomimes and residentials at Ormside Mill in the Lake District. These trips enable children to see more of the wider world and inspire new interests, building their confidence in varied social situations.
MYL support children and families to overcome hardship by making referrals when necessary for clothing and uniform support. We also received and distributed several thousand pounds worth of toys and gifts over the Christmas period donated by Hits Radio Mission Christmas and Mason Advisory and provided food hampers during Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays for 120 families who were the most in need.
Recognition of achievement is an important aspect of our work. A further 255 children and young people were given a recognition award over the last 12 months to recognise showing kindness and respect to others and overcoming personal challenges.
Holiday Playschemes (HAF)
Playschemes were delivered during the Easter, summer, and Christmas holidays, offering children free daily 4-hour play sessions. These sessions featured a variety of engaging activities, including adventure play, arts and crafts, cooking and baking, team games, and a wide range of physical activities designed to promote health and fitness. Children actively participated in planning the sessions, ensuring the games were fun, inclusive, and accessible for everyone. Additionally, we provided a diverse selection of meals throughout the holiday playschemes to help address holiday hunger.
Early Intervention - Play for All Programme - Well-being Champions
We are now in our final year (3rd) of our Early Intervention project. At the end of year 2, we surpassed our targets and demonstrated the significant impact of our work. The team provided intensive support to 1,140 children on a one-to-one or group basis and offered lighter interventions to an additional 1,986 children across Wythenshawe, Moss Side, and Ardwick. Our work has not only positively affected children but has also empowered 66 young volunteers, who assist in planning and delivering sessions and serve as peer mentors, helping new participants engage with the program. The team have developed strong, trusting relationships with children and families, allowing them to identify children who need additional support and understand the challenges they face. MYL commissioned an independent evaluation of the project in early 2025, which highlighted the extra value the integrated programme brings to play delivery, which has been submitted to the funder with a continuation of funding application beyond Dec 2025.
“The data demonstrates that the Play for All Early Intervention Programme is reaching its target audience both in terms of demographics and need. The children accessing the programme are representative of their local communities and a wide range of social, emotional, mental health and educational needs.”
“There is strong evidence that the programme is successful in delivering more intensive preventative support without this being prominent or overtly targeted. Feedback from parents, volunteers and external stakeholders all confirmed the importance of support being integrated into open play sessions.”
Few Other Key Highlights:
Community Events
MYL held a number of community events throughout the year including National Playdays, winter festivals, sports days and employability open days which seen over 650 young people attend. Open community events are great for promoting our work in the local community and a great tool for engagement.
Real Living Wage Employer
In April 2024 MYL became an accredited real living wage employer, we also reviewed our salary scales for front line workers to ensure they remain competitive with similar organisations.
NCFE AMR
MYL had our NCFE annual monitoring review 4th February 2025. After a successful review, MYL passed all the requirements and we were graded a low risk centre, this was followed by a successful NCFE external quality assurance review of the learners functional skills qualifications.
Matrix
MYL had our 2nd-year review in December 2024 for our information, advice and guidance services Matrix quality standard. We received great feedback from the assessor, all Matrix standards continue to be met.
Ofsted
Our centre in Wythenshawe, the Addy had an Ofsted inspection April 2024 for our afterschool play provision, the inspection went well and MYL is compliant with all requirements for out of school provision.
Lease Renewal
In August 2024 we secured an extension on our lease agreement with MCC for The Addy Young People’s Centre for a further 25 years. This gives us stability in terms of our delivery but will also enable us to seek capital funding for much needed repairs and maintenance. MYL are currently in the process of renewing the leases at our other 2 centres in Moss Side and Ardwick.
Corporate Sponsorship
MYL has been building stronger partnerships with the commercial sector who are interested in supporting charities through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The aim to raise our profile, build income & specialised pro-bono services, and create a bank of a work placement providers. Corporate partners who have provided substantial support to our charity over the last 12 months include Palatine Private Equity, JMW solicitors, Mason Advisory, S4B, and This is Influential.
Staffing
MYL headcount March 2025 was approximately 38 staff with 42% of these being part-time. During the reporting period 67% of staff were female, 31% were male and 2% were non-binary. Ethnic profile of staff was 56% white/British and 44% BAME backgrounds.
We had a couple of part-time vacant posts towards the year end in March due to staff leaving for pastures new. In addition, the expansion of Moss Side learning hub from April 2025 and a new deputy CEO post due to the growth of the organisation will see a further increase in the staffing structure in 2025/26.
MYL have highly skilled and professional staff across the organisation, who share their knowledge, expertise and good practice with colleagues across the divisions to ensure MYL provide quality services to children and young people. Continuous professional development of staff is very important to MYL. Therefore, we regularly review training records to ensure staff are up to date with all mandatory training, additionally we offer training and qualifications relevant to staff roles for CPD such as Leadership and Management courses, youth and play work and IAG qualifications.
Future Planning Priorities:
The charity will focus on 6 Key Strategic Aims:
To increase the Play and Youth Offer across MYL 3 centres
Enhance and Strengthen our Post 16 SEND Offer
Increase our portfolio of partnerships with corporates and develop key partners across the sector, alongside raising our profile.
To seek capital funding opportunities for investment into our 3 adventure playgrounds, centre refurbishments and energy efficiency upgrades.
Maintain a commitment to high quality standards within our work
Build Financial Strength, Secure Sustainability, and Independence
Capital upgrades planned for 2025/26
The Addy Young People’s Centre is our largest and busiest adventure playground. At 22 years old it is now reaching the end of its useful lifespan. Therefore, in June 2025 we will be launching a fund-raising campaign (Stepping Stones Appeal) to help raise funds for a new adventure playground. We are hoping to raise £650K through a variety of funding opportunities, corporate sponsorship, and donations.
The Addy Young People’s Centre will see a full kitchen refurbishment with funding already obtained via 2 grants from WCHG and MCC.
The Trustees are committed to using some reserves for the resurfacing of the MUGAS at Wythenshawe, after 20 years they are showing some significant wear and tear. The resurfacing will ensure the sports area is fit for purpose for future generations.
Overview
During the year, incoming resources amounted to £1,258,715 (2024: £997,323) and resources expended amounted to £1,089,811 (2024: £898,241). The closing fund balance at 31 March 2025 was £938,066 (2024: £769,162), of which £353,956 (2024: £92,143) is restricted.
Going concern
In light of the availability of designated funds, and the forecasts that the trustees have overseen, the trustees are confident that the charity has the resources and cashflow to meet its liabilities as they fall due. Accordingly, they believe that there is no significant going concern risk.
The directors have considered the level of free reserves (i.e, unrestricted reserves not invested in fixed assets or designated by the Board) that is is appropriate for the company to hold. They have concluded that a target level of free reserves equivalent to three to six months core costs, those costs that are not easy to vary to the short term, is appropriate. This equates to between £150k to £250k.
At the year-end, the company had free reserves of £232k, which is within the desired range.
Governing document
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated October 15, 1997, and amended September 28,2004, and July 27, 2017. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission.
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:
Members of the company
The directors have the power to admit any person or organisation to membership and also have the power to permit members to retire, providing there are never less than two members. There are currently ten members of the company, each of whom agrees to contribute a sum not exceeding £10 in the event of the charity being wound up.
Appointment of trustees
The directors, who are trustees, are appointed by the members in the general meeting. At each AGM, one-third of the directors retire by rotation, being the longest in office and are eligible for re-election. Other than a retiring trustee, the only people eligible for election as trustees are those either nominated by the trustees or by a member giving not less than 14 and not more than 35 clear days' notice of the intention to propose a person for appointment or re-appointment.
Trustee induction and training
New trustees have extensive induction including an introduction to senior management to assist in the understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Visits to projects based at various locations are also arranged. New trustees receive a comprehensive induction pack including copies of the governing document, financial accounts & annual report, business plans, copies of all MYL policies & procedures, trustees job description and code of practice and Charity Commission leaflet CC3.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Manchester Young Lives Ltd 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 charity 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;
- 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 charity 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 charity 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 charity 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 Mitchell Charlesworth (Audit) Limited 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 Manchester Young Lives Ltd (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, 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 charity 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 charity’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 charity 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 charity 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 charity’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.
Identifying and assessing potential risks related to irregularities
In identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we considered the following:
the nature of the industry and sector, control environment and business performance;
the company's own assessment of the risks that irregularities may occur either as a result of fraud or error;
the results of our enquiries of management and members of the Board of Directors of their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;
any matters we identified having obtained and reviewed the 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 instances of non-compliance;
detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud;
the internal controls established to mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations; and
the matters discussed among the audit engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and any potential indicators of fraud.
As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the company for fraud and identified the greatest potential for fraud in the following area: the timing of the recognition of revenue.
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 framework that the 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 UK Companies Act and local taxation 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 company's ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty. These included Ofsted inspection regulations, food hygiene regulations, and data protection pegulations.
As a result of performing the above, we identified the timing of the recognition of revenue as the key audit matter related to the potential risk of fraud.
In addition to the above, our procedures to respond to risks identified included the following:
reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with relevant laws and regulations described above as having a direct effect on the financial statements;
enquiring of management and members of the Board of Directors 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 relevant authorities where matters identified were significant; 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.
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.
Manchester Young Lives Ltd is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is The Addy Young Peoples Centre, Woodhouse Lane, Manchester, M22 9TF.
Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "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 £.
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.
All income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably. The following applies to particular types of income:
Donations from individuals and other bodies (not being of the nature of a grant) are recognised when receivable.
Gifts in kind are recognised in the accounts at market value when measurable.
Grants, whether of a capital or a revenue nature, are recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions have been met and it is probable that the income will be received.
Deferred income
Income is only deferred and included in creditors when:
The income relates to a future accounting period
A sales invoice has been raised ahead of the work being carried out and there is no contractual entitlement to the income until the work has been done
Not all the terms and conditions of the grants have been met, including the incurring of expenditure and the grant conditions are such that the unspent grant must be refunded
Earned income is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for services and goods supplied, net of discounts.
Expenditure is recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
Cost of raising funds including those associated with fundraising activities, managing investments and commercial trading by the subsidiary company.
Charitable activities costs of undertaking the work of the charity.
Allocation of support costs
Support costs are those functions which assist the work of the charity either by supporting the delivery of charitable activities or by supporting the generation of funds. They include property costs, back-office functions, staff costs and professional fees. The basis of allocations is set out in note 10.
Individual fixed assets costing more than £500 are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful lives on a straight line basis set out below.
Depreciation rates are as follows:
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash from short-term highly liquid investments with short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
The charity only has basic financial instruments which are initially recorded at cost, and subsequently measured at their settlement value.
Payments under operating leases are charged to the statement of financial activities in the period to which they relate.
Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due, and prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.
Creditors and provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount.
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.
Playschemes and related work
Post 16 Education
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The total employee benefits of other key management personnel was as follows:
The company is a registered charity and is entitled to claim annual exemption from UK corporation tax under sections 466 to 477 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010.
The provision relates to six years gas supply at The Addy Centre, the company has been unable to identify the supplier despite extensive investigation. The liability is not expected to crystallise before 31st March 2026.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
These are unrestricted funds which are material to the charity's activities.
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.
Transfers to General funds
Movements in designated funds, as reported in the Trustees' Report, have resulted in transfers to and from general reserves.
Designated funds
The designated funds are set aside to meet future obligations of the charity in relation to:
Redundancy - to reflect potential liabilities.
Strategic development to support the transition of the whole organisation to new ways of working and embedding project development.
Playground investment - to refurbish existing playgrounds.
Restricted funds
The restricted fund for play schemes is for the Easter 2025 programme.
Play and Youth for projects in 2024/25.
Other grants - towards future costs of playground equipment and future play sessions.
The balance of capital grants expended represents amounts received and spent on fixed assets where they are continuing restrictions. Depreciation on the related assets will be charged in future periods to this fund.
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
The company is limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital.
As at 31 March 2025, the charity had capital commitments of approximately £47,800 (2024: None) in respect of contracted expenditure for which work had not yet commenced. These commitments relate primarily to the planned refurbishment of the kitchen at The Addy (Wythenshawe) and resurfacing of the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) at The Addy (Wythenshawe).
The full amount of £47,800 is expected to be settled within the 2025-26 financial year.
The charity intends to fund these commitments through a combination of existing restricted funds and available surplus funds. No capital commitments have been recognised as liabilities in the balance sheet as at 31 March 2025.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none). The ultimate controlling party is the board of directors.
The charity had no material debt during the year.