1st Scout Group ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018-19

https://1ststocksfiieldscouts.org.uk 1st Stocksfield Scout Group Annual Report & Accounts 2018-19

Contents

CONTENTS 1

ABOUT THE GROUP 2

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 5

Beavers 5

Cubs 5

Scouts 5

Adult Leaders 6

SCOUT HUT 7

Progress Update 7

Grants and Supporters 7

Interim Arrangements 7

FINANCIAL REVIEW 9

Reserves Policy 9

Extra Income 9

Investment Policy 9

Gift Aid 9

Audited Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ending 31 March 2019 10

Bank Accounts 11

NOTICE OF APPROVAL 11

1 1st Stocksfield Scout Group Annual Report & Accounts 2018-19

About the Group

Formed in 1964, the 1st Stocksfield Scout Group is based in the village of Stocksfield, in rural . Part of Hadrian Scout District, we believe in preparing young people with skills for life. We encourage our young people (aged 6 to 14 years old.) to do more, learn more and be more.

The Group comprises Suzanne Richardson Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, Secretary The Aim of The Scout supported by adult leaders Philippa Harpin Association is to promote and a Group Executive Treasurer the development of young Committee. It is registered Carole Thirlaway people in achieving their full as a charity (number Helen Schooler physical, intellectual, social 522405) with the Charity John Walker – until July and spiritual potentials, as Commission. 2018 individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of Principal Address Advisors the local, national and The Scout Hut Bruce Lenton – District international communities. Guessburn Commissioner Stocksfield Dr Ben Mitchell – Gift Aid The Method of achieving Northumberland the Aim of the Association is by providing an enjoyable NE43 7QS External Auditor and attractive scheme of Ronnie Gibson progressive training, based Note at the time of this report work on the new hut on the Scout Promise and Governing Document was nearing completion but Law and guided by adult The Group’s governing remained a building site. As leadership. documents are those of The such an interim address is Scout Association. They provided here. Each week, Scouts give consist of a Royal Charter, over 460,000 young people which in turn gives Interim Address the opportunity to enjoy fun authority to the Bye Laws of and adventure while c/o Murray the Association and The developing the skills they 27 Apperley Road Policy, Organisation and need to succeed, now and Stocksfield Rules of the Scout in the future. We’re talking Northumberland Association. about teamwork, leadership NE43 7PG www.scouts.org.uk/por and resilience – skills that

have helped Scouts become Website Nature of Charity everything from teachers https://1ststocksfieldscouts. The Group is a trust and social workers to org.uk established under its rules astronauts and Olympians. which are common to all 2018-19 Trustees Scouts. We believe in bringing Dr Malcolm Murray people together. We Group Scout Leader Charity Objectives celebrate diversity and Mrs. June Hunter The objectives of the Group stand against intolerance, Group Chair are as a unit of The Scout always. Association.

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We’re a worldwide there are funds available for of the appointments and is movement, creating uniform and activities so responsible for: stronger communities and that young people are not inspiring positive futures. excluded from activities if • The maintenance of they are unable to pay. Any Group property; Public Benefit Criteria private benefits of Scouting • The raising of funds The Group meets the are incidental. and administration Charity Commission’s public The benefits of Scouting are of Group finances; benefit criteria under both further demonstrated • The insurance of the advancement of throughout this report. persons, property education and the and equipment; advancement of citizenship Selection of Trustees • Group public or community development The Trustees are appointed occasions; headings. in accordance with The • Assisting in the Policy, Organisation and recruitment of The Scouting Movement Rules of the Scout leaders and other complies with two key Association. adult support; principles set by the • Appointing any sub Commission regarding The Group is managed by committees that public benefit: the Group Executive may be required; Committee, the members of • Appointing Group 1. Identifiable benefit which are the ‘Charity Administrators and Advisors other than The way in which Scouting Trustees’ of the Scout those who are is carried out helps young Group which is an elected. people develop towards educational charity. As their full potential; this charity trustees, they are benefit is directly linked to responsible for complying Risk & Internal Control the Purpose of Scouting. with legislation applicable The Group Executive to charities. This includes Committee has identified 2. Public benefit the registration, keeping the major risks to which proper accounts and they believe the Group is Scouting is a national making returns to the exposed. These have been movement open to young Charity Commission as reviewed and systems have people aged 6-25 and appropriate. been established to mitigate adults. Full membership is against them. The main restricted to young people The Committee consists of areas of concern that have and adults who are willing three independent been identified are: to make the Scout Promise. representatives, Chair, The Association enables Treasurer and Secretary those in poverty to benefit 1. Damage to the together with the Group from Scouting; while the building, property and Scout Leader, individual Association charges a equipment section leaders and parents’ subscription to its members, The Group would request representatives. It meets the benefits of Scouting are temporary use of buildings, every 3 months. not constrained by the property and equipment member’s inability to pay. from neighbouring This Group Executive Locally, there are organisations such as local Committee exists to support arrangements to waive churches, schools and other the Group Scout Leader in subscriptions and other Scout Groups. meeting the responsibilities costs for those who cannot The use of these alternative afford to pay. Nationally, venues may limit the range

3 1st Stocksfield Scout Group Annual Report & Accounts 2018-19 of activities the Group is there would have to be a reasonable assurance able to offer. contraction, consolidation or against material a closure of a Section. mismanagement or loss, The Group has sufficient these include 2 signatories buildings and contents The group has in place for all payments and insurance to mitigate systems of internal controls comprehensive insurance against permanent loss. that are designed to provide policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered. 2. Injury to leaders, helpers and members The Group contributes to the Scout Association’s national accident insurance policy (through capitation fees). Risk assessments are undertaken before all activities.

3. Reduced fundraising income The Group is primarily reliant upon income from subscriptions and fundraising. The Group does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Committee could raise the value of subscriptions to increase the income to the Group on an on-going basis, either temporarily or permanently.

4. Reduction or loss of leaders Like all other voluntary organisations, the Scout Group is totally reliant on having sufficient trained adult volunteers to run and administer its activities. The Scout Association defines minimum adult to child ratios. If the number of leaders fell to an unacceptable level in a particular Section, or the Group as a whole, then

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Achievements and Performance

Beavers, Cubs and Scouts continue to operate a wide and varied programme offering exciting opportunities for our young people. For the first time in the Groups history, members of all three sections have obtained the highest award – The Chief Scout’s Award. Adult Leaders are enthusiastic and display a wide range of skills. The Group is well supported by parents and the community.

Beavers They impressed with their welcome return of some old roasted pineapple and favourites: the international Beavers caters for young muffins baked inside an Scout Bowling people aged between 6½ orange. They visited “Jambowlree” competition, and 8½ years of age. The Newcastle United football night hikes and constructing Beavers have had an stadium and BBC television things out of spaghetti. exciting programme this studios. They held their first Thanks to the support of year. They have learnt how camp at Whittonstall. Scout parent Tina Evans, a dairy farm works, Highlights include William we had a fantastic survival questioned an astronomer Jefferson gaining his Chief weekend camp – despite about the starts in the sky Scout Silver Award with the freezing conditions. and learnt to kick sample several others close behind Highlights were definitely fish and other invertebrates him. The Cubs have grown the pheasant goujons and with the Tyne Rivers Trust. in confidence, looked each cooking on Swedish They have also been after each other and worked candles. learning new games, new as a team. songs and honing their Competition was fierce for cooking skills. Rob Warr our second annual Cub Scout Leader Midwinter MasterChef The quality of the competition held in programme can be seen in Scouts Wheelbirks Woods. Both the fact that this year an Scouts caters for young Stocksfield patrols amazing 13 Beavers gained people aged between 10½ performed strongly in the their Bronze Chief Scout’s and 14½ years of age. District Night Hike –we Award. Numbers in the Scout successfully retained the Rhian Craddock Section remain at a record trophy for the third year in a Beaver Scout Leader high, with 26 young people row. The Troop also (including 5 girls). Two excelled at the District Cubs Scouts: Archie Murray and Mountain Biking challenge – Oscar Mitchell received their Cubs caters for young winning the team trophy Chief Scout’s Gold Award. people aged between 8½ and five of the top six and 10½ years of age. It places. This year we have tried to has been a busy year for our introduce some different 23 Cubs. They have taken A number of our Scouts activities into the part in lots of activities joined the County Winter programme – such as sub including personal safety, Camp at Hawkhirst. We aqua, stand-up paddle cycling, navigation, tea and have also had a series of boarding and a visit to toast making, sewing weekend troop camps. The Police Station. poppies for Remembrance Troop will join Hexham There was also the and cooking on a campfire. Scouts, camping with them

5 1st Stocksfield Scout Group Annual Report & Accounts 2018-19 in Austria in the Summer of hold the role of Assistant 2019. Scout Leader and are supported by the Group Jo Mitchell Scout Leader, Malcolm Assistant Scout Leader Murray. Paul has been

working through his Wood Adult Leaders Badge and Nights Away Scouting depends on the Training. availability of a pool of trained adult volunteers. Group Executive This year we have managed The Group Executive is led to expand the leadership by June Hunter (the Chair). team in some areas, but Suzanne Richardson is the vacancies still remain. Secretary and Philippa Harpin the Treasurer. Carole Beavers Thirlaway has continued to The Beaver Colony is led by provide sage advice. Helen Rhian Craddock and Helen Schooler (a past Cub Greer. Over the year they Leader) has been co-opted have been supported by a as a member of the range of parents. Particular Executive. John Walker thanks go to Holly Lowery resigned from the and Matthew Jefferson. committee in July 2018 After three years leading after many years service as the Group, Rhian and Helen both a committee member will be retiring at the end of and Cub Leader. Philippa the summer. We thank Harpin has been co- them for their efforts and ordinating the Group’s are actively recruiting a new fundraising activity for the leadership team. new hut.

Cubs The Group would like to There are two Cub leaders: thank Durham University, Rob Warr and Dave which has released Malcolm Meddings, who have been Murray for two days this quickly working through year as part of its work to their Wood Badge and promote community Nights Away training this volunteering. year. They have been supported by a regular team Wider Appointments of parent helpers, other Malcolm Murray sits on the leaders and Oscar Mitchell, Hadrian District one of our Scouts who is Appointment Advisory working towards his Duke Committee. Dave Meddings of Edinburgh Award. has been appointed a County Climbing Advisor. Scouts Malcolm Murray remains a There are two Scout County Training Advisor. Leaders: Jo Mitchell and Paul Sweetman. They both

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Scout Hut

This year we have made fantastic progress, able to approve work to create the new kitchen and external store for the new hut., as well as continuing to finish the main building. This acceleration of the final building phases is the result of generous donations and will result in considerable construction savings. Whilst the Group has continued to work to raise funds the progress to date would not have been possible without the support of local charities and successful grant applications. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all these bodies and also Phillipa Harpin and Colin Roberts for their tireless efforts to attract funding. We plan to re-open the hut in September.

Progress Update As well as the professional Beavers and other smaller trades, we have had a solid users of the hut. At the end of 2017-18 we band of volunteers helping were planning to build the with tasks such as painting, new hut in stages – having Grants and digging trenches and laid the foundations for the boarding-out walls. We are Supporters full plan, we would start very grateful to everyone We are keeping a list of all with a basic rectangle and who has helped. donations and grants. then add extra components Rather than include them such as the kitchen and We would like to officially piecemeal in annual reports external store later as funds thank Jules Mainwaring and (where the list would only allowed. This would mean colleagues at Mainwaring ever be partial) we are some interim arrangements Brothers Limited for their collating them on the Group (e.g. temporarily continued progress and website. repurposing a meeting room great tact and words of as a kitchen) and the later encouragement when The Group has raised a demolition of walls. working with a range of significant amount of

volunteers, some less than a money towards their new We were delighted that third of their height! hut. This year the Group’s part way through the year activities include collecting, we received a substantial We are hoping that the core sorting and delivering the donation from The features of the hut will be in Stocksfield Scout Post, Enterprise Trust which place for the start of the working with the Tynedale allowed us to speed up the new Scouting year in Lions at the Tynedale Beer construction process and September. & Cider Festival and skip the interim supporting Santa as his arrangements. The extra Thanks to the keen eyes of sleigh rides through the wooden hut parts were duly Paul Sweetman, the Group local villages. commissioned and installed has managed to find kitchen on site. Other donations fittings that can be installed from Tynedale Lions and Interim Arrangements to make the building Stocksfield Parish Council Whilst the new hut is under serviceable. We have also allowed us to progress construction, the Group has been able to find a new work on the Disabled led a “nomadic” existence. home for tables and chairs Access ramp that now runs Once again we have been from First School almost two sides of the supported by the that will be great for the building. Stocksfield community and other local Scout Groups.

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We would like to extend our most grateful thanks to the following individuals and organisations who have made Scouting possible this year:

Broomley First School for allowing the Beavers to meet in the School on Tuesday nights.

Stocksfield Baptist Church for allowing the Cubs to meet there on Monday nights.

1st Hexham Scout Group for allowing the Scout Troop to use their hall when required on Thursday nights.

Hadrian Scout District for allowing us to use the Dilston Campsite as an evening venue in the Summer.

Tom Richardson for allowing the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to make use of Wheelbirks Woods for outdoor activities and also for storing our equipment in his barn.

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Financial Review

The Group’s accounts continue to be dominated by the size of the transactions relating to the construction of the new hut. Looking only at recurring costs, the Group’s finances are continuing to grow. In the last 12-month period, expenditure on the new hut marginally exceeded income. This one-off negative balance is not considered a cause for concern over the four-year hut construction project. The Group ends the year firmly in the black.

Reserves Policy Gift Aid The Group’s policy on The Group is registered reserves is to hold sufficient with HMRC as a resources to continue the Community Amateur Sports charitable activities of the Club (CASC). Group should income and fundraising activities fall Where possible Gift Aid is short. The Group Executive gathered at source (e.g. via Committee considers that online payment of the Group should hold a subscriptions). The Group sum equivalent to 2 months has authorised Go Cardless running costs, circa £1,500 Ltd to automatically claim in the current account. Gift Aid on its behalf from HMRC where appropriate. The Group held reserves of approximately £3,900 against this at the year end. As such it met the Reserves Policy again this year.

Extra Income The accounts show extraordinary income this year of £115,742.38, funds raised towards the replacement of the Scout Hut.

Investment Policy The Group does not have sufficient funds to invest in long term investments. The Group has therefore adopted a risk averse investment strategy. All funds are held in cash deposited in mainstream banks.

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Audited Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ending 31 March 2019 Over the period the total income for the Group was £125,121.33 and the total expenditure was £128,021.86. This gave a negative balance of £2,900.53, which largely reflects the funds raised and money spent on the new hut. If we remove the fundraising and grant income relating to the new hut (£115,742.38) then the recurrent/business as usual income is £9,378.95. Similarly, of we remove the spending of £121,075.28 on the new hut, we are left with a recurrent/business as usual expenditure of £6,946.58, resulting in a positive overall balance of £2,432.37.

The diagram below provides a summary of the Group’s finances (splitting income and expenditure into recurring costs (dark shading) and separately those related to the construction of the new Scout hut (paler shading). The regular income exceeds the regular expenditure for this year, but spending on the new hut has exceeded the funds raised in this year. Summary of Group Finances

Income

Expenditure

£0 £20,000 £40,000 £60,000 £80,000 £100,000 £120,000

Full accounts are listed below.

Income £ Subscriptions (incl. Gift Aid) 5,540.00 Fundraising 2,137.23 Donations & Grants 114,000.00 Camps 1,054.00 Activities 1,021.00 Bank Transfers 1,000.00 Interest 229.95 Rebates 139.15 Total 125,121.33

Expenditure £ New Hut Construction 121,075.28 Capitation 2,898.50 Utilities 785.79 Insurance 579.97 Camps 1,052.20 Activities 48.00 Equipment, Repairs & Maintenance 0 Badges 372.29 Bank Transfers 1000.00 Online Banking Fees 209.83 Total 128,021.86

Balance -2,900.53

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Bank Accounts The Group held two accounts over the audit period. Day to day expenditure is carried out using the Barclays current account. The Virgin Money savings account is only used to hold funds relating to the construction of the new Scout hut. Opening balances as at 01 April 2018. Closing balances as at 31 March 2019.

Name Opening Balance Credits Debits Closing Balance Current Account (Barclays) 2,047.86 8,808.12 6,946.58 3,909.40 Scout Hut Savings Account (Virgin) 31,961.33 116,313.21 121,075.28 27,199.26

Total £34,009.19 £125,121.33 £128,021.86 £31,108.66

This summary is drawn from the Group’s accounts - audited by Ronnie Gibson.

Notice of Approval The trustees declare that they have approved the trustee’s report above.

Mrs June Hunter Dr Malcolm Murray Chair, Group Executive Committee Group Scout Leader 1st July 2019 1st July 2019

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