ZesT Football Club has promised to refund parents for cancelled children’s camps scheduled to take place this month.
The Aberdeen-based club, which provided “free coaching for underprivileged families”, has announced it is closing after two years.
The news coincides with the publication of a watchdog report which revealed leaders had been stopped from taking money for lessons.
Upcoming sessions were scheduled to run between October 16 and 27 at Aberdeen Beach.
Parents of children signed up to take part will be contacted next week about receiving a refund, according to a message posted on Facebook by the founder.
Club closing after two years
The camps were first set up by lifelong football fan Zander Thornton in 2021 with £950 raised through a crowd-funder.
The organiser said the aim of ZesT was to “change lives through football”.
The club successfully secured sponsorships and hired four full-time employees who delivered the football camps to hundreds of children in the city.
ZesT’s first camp was held in the October holidays in 2021 and was completely free for the 90 kids who attended.
However, some of the more recent camps have cost £75 for the week.
The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) has been looking into the organisation for the past six months and published its findings this week.
ZesT was ordered to cease certain activities including all financial transactions.
OSCR stressed that this was not “the final outcome of the inquiry” and said an updated report will be published in due course.
Refunds for ZesT football camps
Mr Thornton explained the club was unable to open a bank account and the departure of trustees meant it would not be able to keep running in the future.
He told the Press and Journal he was “disappointed” by the blow, and had “tried everything” to make the charity work.
Today, the club founder shared an update via social media. He wrote: “I want to thank everyone who is offering messages of support.
“My intentions were only to give football to those who couldn’t access it. This is the end for us unfortunately.
“Huge thanks to people that have allowed us to achieve the impossible along the way.
“We are working out refunds to those who supported us and planned to come to camps in a October and shall be in contact next week.”
Read more on the probe here:
Aberdeen children’s football group closes amid charity watchdog probe
Conversation