THE ROYAL AIR FORCE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Registered charity 1129460 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as RAFFA

The organising of football activities within the RAF. This includes organising football leagues, cup competitions, coaching courses, referee courses for all genders. Governance in line with FA and RAF FA Sports Board regulations.

Objects

TO PROMOTE THE EFFICIENCY OF HER MAJESTY'S ARMED FORCES BY INCREASING PHYSICAL FITNESS, FOSTERING ESPRIT DE CORPS AND RAISING MORALE OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AND OTHER SERVICES, IN PARTICULAR ( BUT NOT BY WAY OF LIMITATION), THROUGH THE PLAYING OF, ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION IN AND PROVIDING OR ASSISTING IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR THE SPORT OF FOOTBALL.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£229k

Latest spending

£230k

Registered

2009

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total free reserves held at 31st December 2025 were £29,734, which the trustees describe as being 'just in line with liquidity guidelines stipulated by the County FA Operating Model'. The charity reported a net expenditure for the year, having digged into its reserves to support overseas training camps, while noting that funding streams from the FA and RAF Central Fund have remained healthy.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: liquidity guidelines stipulated by the County FA Operating Model (held: £30k)

“Current Reserves remain just in line with liquidity guidelines stipulated by the County FA Operating Model.” — page 7

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: One director was reimbursed £125 for team minibus costs that they paid personally.

“One director was reimbursed £125 for team minibus costs that they paid personally. No other payments were made to directors or any persons connected with them during this financial period. No material transaction took place between the organisation and a trustee or any person connected with them.” — page 17

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 06641135 · Financial health read from its filings

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

National Football Association — “The provision of the latter comes from many sources, with the National Football Association and the RAF Sports Board both providing the main…” (source page)
RAF Sports Board — “The provision of the latter comes from many sources, with the National Football Association and the RAF Sports Board both providing the main…” (source page)
Cool Water Direct — “Cool Water Direct. As the longest serving sponsor of RAF Football, Cool Water Direct provide generous support in the form of a car for the R…” (source page)
Thales UK — “Thales UK. A sponsor of RAF Football since 2014, Thales UK support the RAF U23s Men’s Development Squad.” (source page)
RAF Benevolent Fund — “RAF Benevolent Fund. Another major supporter of RAF Football, the RAF Benevolent Fund sponsor the RAF Festival of Football and is the second…” (source page)
The RAF Association — “The RAF Association. The RAF Football Association’s Primary Sponsor, RAFA specifically focus their support towards the Ladies Representative…” (source page)
ISS — “ISS. In their fourth year as a Sponsor of RAF Football, ISS are the main sponsor of the Senior Representative Team.” (source page)
SecureCloud+ — “SecureCloud+. The sponsor of the RAF Cup and Plate competition is SecureCloud+, who have taken an extremely active role in this year’s compl…” (source page)

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

SANDERS, Kevin Jonathan, Wing Commander — director, appointed 14/05/2026on trustee list
ANDERSON-DIXON, Steve — director, appointed 02/09/2025not on trustee list
CALLAGHAN, Jessica — director, appointed 02/09/2025on trustee list
REID, Phillip — director, appointed 23/07/2024on trustee list
WILKINSON, Martin Ross — director, appointed 23/07/2024on trustee list
HETHERINGTON, John — director, appointed 27/03/2024on trustee list
PHILIPPOU, Christina — director, appointed 22/03/2023on trustee list
PORTLOCK, Rachel, Wing Commander — director, appointed 06/07/2021on trustee list
HANCOCK, Louise, Wing Commander — director, appointed 01/10/2018on trustee list
WILSONS (COMPANY SECRETARIES) LIMITED — corporate secretary, appointed 08/07/2008

Official officers record.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): instagram

Trustees · trustee networks

Phillip Reidchair
Christina Philippou
Jessica Callaghan
John Hetherington
Kevin Jonathan Sanders
Louise Hancock
Martin Wilkinson
Rachel Portlock
Steve Anderson Dixon

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£229k	£230k
31/12/2024	£178k	£240k
31/12/2023	£195k	£205k
31/12/2022	£177k	£209k
31/12/2021	£146k	£130k

Common questions

Is THE ROYAL AIR FORCE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total free reserves held at 31st December 2025 were £29,734, which the trustees describe as being 'just in line with liquidity guidelines stipulated by the County FA Operating Model'. The charity reported a net expenditure for the year, having digged into its reserves to support overseas training camps, while noting that funding streams from the FA and RAF Central Fund have remained healthy. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE CENTRAL FUND	1	£194k
QUEEN MARY'S ROEHAMPTON TRUST	1	£50k
THE JOHN SCOTT CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£5k
BOOTS CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£5k
THE LIZ AND TERRY BRAMALL FOUNDATION	1	£2k
THE ULVERSCROFT FOUNDATION	1	£2k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL WANTAGE	1	£91

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE ROYAL AIR FORCE RUGBY UNION.

THE ROYAL AIR FORCE RUGBY UNION income £135k
ROYAL AIR FORCE GOLF ASSOCIATION income £150k
THE ARMY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION income £335k
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE CENTRAL FUND income £6.6m
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BENEVOLENT FUND income £2.4m
THE ROYAL AIR FORCES ASSOCIATION - CORPORATE BODY income £21.6m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION	£229k	—	0	within	—	no doubt
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE RUGBY UNION FY2024	£135k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
ROYAL AIR FORCE GOLF ASSOCIATION FY2025	£150k	—	0	unclear	—	noted
THE ARMY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION FY2025	£335k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE CENTRAL FUND FY2024	£6.6m	£100,001 - £110,000	3	unclear	—	no doubt
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BENEVOLENT FUND FY2025	£2.4m	—	19	unclear	17.9%	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.