WEST MERCIA GUIDE ASSOCIATION REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2024 West Mercia Guide Association Year Ending 31 March 2024 General Inforniation c￿nty Commlsslonor Mrs Karon Belcher Asslstant County Commlssloner Miss Rebecca Hughes Charlty Trust￿0 Mrs Karen Belcher Miss H￿nah Bl8akley Mrs Elaine Bolton Ms Jane Buff811 Miss Helen Carivrright Mrs Anthene Cla￿0 Mrs Jane Collett Mrs Wendy Co*YJrey Mrs Deborah Drohan M8 Gemma Fletcher-Gardner Ms Alison Hughe8 Miss Fiona Lucas Mrs Kristi8 Mander M8 Joannè Mason Ms Jenny Mynett Ms Becky Powell Miss Freya Wenman Charity Numlxr 1017729 County H￿dqUart Mercia Polnt Hordeffl Road Wolverhampton WV6 OFrr Bankrfs HSBC Bank pl¢ The Bridge Walsall West Midlands WS11LN Accountsnts Neal & Co Business Services Ltd Shakespeare Buildings 26 Cradley Road Cradley Hoath West Midlands B64 6AG PwJe 1 Year EndiNJ 31 hlarch 2024 Annual Report The trublees Ixes&rt thar Annual Report arKI Financial Stat￿￿nts for the year endlng March 2￿22. West Mercia County Guides vthith also operatés under the name of Giflguiding West Meraa is a part of the Guide Association of the Unltecl lQngdom (also operdtiry as Girfguiding UK) is In￿rporated by Roydl Charter is a RegIst￿ed Charity (No 306016) The governance and organisational 8lru(*ure of the AssorAthn15 admwiistered through an Executi￿ Comittee under the leadership of the County Commissioner vkno is appointed by the Midland Region Guide Exwwbve. There are 13 divisK￿$ *ithin West Mercia eath haviry a DNiSK)n Cornmi5sioner vtho is appointed by the County Comrrissionw of Girl Guiding-west Mercia. and as su(* they are responsible for the overseeing of the adminlstrntK)n in the ￿unty. The Trustees of the County are the appointed Division Commi8sw)ners. The County Comrrissi￿￿ and the Assistant County c0mffissi￿(s) of Girf Guiding West Mercia. vtho are also votiNJ meth of the Girf Guiding West Mercia Exeojtive Committee. A full list can be found on page 1 of thls rewrL Our Ifi8lon MIBglon and V I GirlguidiThJ Wesl Mercia is a leading tharity for girls ￿Ung *Thmen. We are open to girt8 of all fths 8nd TrJn8. vth*ever thelr background, Cir￿MStanCeS and abilities Our vlsion- For an ￿Ual *t)rfd where 811 girfs c￿ rnake a posllve dfffwen(*J, be happy, safe and fulfil theSr Wential. Our ffl1s8l￿- Whoever Ihey are, where￿r ah￿re from. girfs and young women rxn do amazing things- we give them the through fun, friendship. d)allgrye and advenlure. We eny>wBr girls to find thelr voice. them to di8(x)ver the best in themselY8F WKI to a po8lUve diff￿￿ in thelr u)mmunty. (Xr values - We are wlng. challervJirwJ. erycthwing. fun. Inclusive and in8piring. As part of GirfguKling, members of Girfguiding West Mer￿a are encouraged to 'leam by doing. with th8 flve distinct al￿ents krThn as 'The Five Essentials, - WorkirKJ together in small groups - En￿uraging 5elf*ovemment and decbsbon maklNJ - A balan(%d and vad&l programrne which Is glrf led - CariThJ for the individual - SharirvJ a wmThNtment to a ￿rnr￿n S￿d￿d Through aduf( volunteer5 ￿ provide a • prcKJrammg of activities. training and opwrbJniiies to the girls and young %wmen a(xoss the county. The Guiding progrdmme allobvs member5 of Girlguiding West Mer(ia to 8XP8rien ivities suited to the abili￿8S and needs of eath indivKlual. the StruLthre of the sections and age grnupings makes this possible Rainl 7 yews 7-10 yews 1(k14 years 1418 yea 1&30 yO￿S 18+ Guides 1&30off Public Benefft GirfGuiding West Mercia is a branch of GirlGuMJiry UK ThthK* its branches fom￿ the unl￿ voluntary oryjanisation for girls and young Mjrnen. Page 2 West Mercia Guide Association Year Ending 31 March 2024 Annual Report {continued) nt First. l *YJuld like to thank all of ow adult volunteers for all the time. wmmitment and dedication they give to running their *wkly meetirKJ5 and for the amazing Op￿rtUnItieS they give to our yM)ung rnembe￿. l Y￿)Uld like to thank their f*nilies for all th8 Swrt tlw give to our volunteers- with(xrt that supw1 Volunte0￿ ThY)ukJ not be able to invest thdr time in gulding. Our rngmbgrship in Glrfguidlng West Mercia has grown and our Mon*￿I￿p Sta￿15 atwst over 5.000 mgth. Girlguiding Wesl IlerLia vrant all girls to kn(r￿ that can th) anylhirKJ. Through • unrt me8tiThJ5. distrrt division (wity events. our ￿n9 members have been given a variety of opporiunities fromlgamiro n￿1 lite skills to attending days out and residential events. Many of our youThJ meth have gained badges and avtards through the Girlguiding PrOgr￿nMe. We have hgj l¥ ung MeTr￿ gain their C0ffTh7n￿ a￿￿r{l. Mert)ets from our Guide and Ranger sedions have • the experi￿ of w)rking together vfith mert)ws from across th8 o)unty tr) tthyads gainiry their Bronze. silver and Gold D of E. As a County ￿ ran outdLK)r * for each of wr seclions. In W 2(Y23. 250 of our Guldes and Rang￿$ to(￿ wl In the Thrill S8ekw5 Day at the Ackers Trust. They took part In a(Xivits8s that wwwaged them to stap out of their a)m zone and be advert1w￿ts and kmw thal ￿hlOve thatever want to. All our Guid88 and Raw and thelr leaders had a f￿A￿u5 day. In September over 1(KX) Ra'nlxwa and BrMii8s. along *ith their18ad8r8 attended a Cwnty Day at Bl•*well Advenlure vthere Ihe theme for Ihe day was Drink Me, Shrink Me. The Rainbows and Brownies t(M)k in varM)us a¢*¥￿'e8 Induding grn and sport. b￿ncY caslles. rnaking pots'ons us1￿j their senses lo InV￿al•. For onc the ￿ather was wwm and sunny and the Rainbows and Brtrwnies had a faxdcw tirr* l)ts of happy Th)￿lIeS Throughtyjl the yw Glrfguldlng W63t Mer(aa has (¥Jntlnued lo offer their v(knteer8 a varhty of trainlng Oppor￿nItIes indudlng A Safe Spa￿. 1st R￿pOnSe. Rlsk As888sm8nt and Programme. In the auiumn some of our volunteers att8nd6d the Adult County Skllls Day. Théy enpywj devebpirg and leaming skills that they u)uld use V•lth the yowy mernbers in their units. The activitses induded IA&tslon. 1st Resp(x￿. Bhangra danang and edible ￿arts. All att￿ had a gr&2t timg. In June 2023 held our annual ry)unty aKards and recx)gnition celebration. We c4lebTrted lo￿ service and presented rnany aw*s that re(**Jnise the hard ￿￿rk and (x)mrritment of our adult volunteers. 2024r2025 will o)ntinue io offer our merths &Jventure and fun. We look foThvard to celebratiNJ our 50 Anniverwy with 50FESTI. A residential fesllv81 that all our nvnbws *ill be able to join togdher cel*xate and know that girls can do anything. I ￿)Uld like to thank Kristie Mander our Tre&8urer ￿K1 WerKty Cowdrey our Guiding Devekjpment Chair aloThJ with every of the ￿jUnty team for all their held M)rk and for all the suprM)rt they have giv￿ lo boih mysdf Finally. I VbDuld Ilke to say a big thank yY)u to RebeLYa Hughes ourACC for all hgr hard Thvrk arKI for the inuedible supwl thal she gives me ￿K1 the county ¢)ur leade￿ ￿ th8 0)unty. Page 3 West Mercia Gulde Association Ythqr Ending 31 March 2024 Annual Raport (continued) Reb￿ and I look forward to o)nlinuing to w)rk with dl of to offer our youNJ volunteers fant&siic guidirKJ experie￿. We can w)rk togthr for ￿ equal vthere our girls that they can (lo anythirKJ arKJ be anythiThJ w￿t to be. Yours in GuidiNJ Cwnty Cornmi5sioner REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF WEST MERCIA GUIDE ASSOCIATION ON Accouiifs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the acc¢)urrts. The (*ariVs trustees consider that an audrt is not required fw this year uThJer section 4312) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 knt) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my rosponsibility to: i) examin8 the accounts under section 43 of 1993 Act. to follow the procadures18id down in the general Directions glven ty the Ch817ty Commission (under section 43(7Mb) of the 1993 Act. and to state whether particular matters have com8 to my att8ntion. My examinatlon vras carrfed out In ￿nce wilh general DIreCti￿lS glven by the Charity Commisslon. An exarnination includes a review of the acC￿nting recordg kept by the d￿rity and a comparfson of th8 accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosw in the 8¢counts. and seekwu 8xplanatlon8 from the bijstees concemiNJ any such matter& Th8 wocedures undertaken do not provide all th8 8VIden￿ that would be required in an audiL and )nsequ8nty no opinion is given as to whether the a(xounts present a Irue arml faif and the report 18 limitad to those matters set out in the statement below. In wnnectlon *ith my examlnatlon, Th) matter has come to my attention 1. which give8 m8 reasonable cause to believe Ihat in. any material r88POCt, the requirements: i) to keep accountirvJ records in accordance vri¢h Sectlon 41 of the 1993 Act. and li) to prepare acwnts which accord *ith the act￿nting re¢ord8 and compty *lth the accountlng requirements of the 1993 Act have not b8en met . or 2. to vthith. in my oplnion. attention should be drawn In order to enabl6 a proper understsndir¥J of tha )unts to be reached. SIGNED: DATE: 18 Decemb8r 2024 nc Riknt Chanc8, FCCA Noal & Co. Business SeN1(￿ Ltd Shakespeare Buldings Cradley Road Cradley Heath B64 6AG Page 5 Vlest Marcla Guith Associatlon Income and Expandiiure For the Year Ended 31 Mareh 2024 unrus1r1c￿ Designated T¢Aal Funds Funds Funds 2024 2023 INCOME sthsulp￿ns CampSiHolida￿tingS Training D of E. Baden Psts Cixjnty events Indep￿K1￿1 examiners fee AGM and PR Costs Bank tharges 632 952 7.913 6.624 1200 7.913 6.624 1.200 11.068 5.771 1.200 123 2,053 1,810 1200 331 2.053 1.937 1.200 423 2.827 1.754 127 Transfe 43.870 19.081 62,950 54.117 SurplUsllDefiCit￿ Incomo over expendliurn {8.236) 9.167 931 (16,764) Funds broughtforward 349.354 48.115 395.469 412233 Surplusl{D*at) for year {8.236) 9.167 931 (18.764) Funds carrled fonward 341.118 55.282 396,400 Page 6 West Ilercia Guide Assoclailon Balancè Sheet at 31 IAarch 2024 2024 2023 Fixed Assets Tangible Assets 144,129 144,129 Currwrt A88et8 Cufrent asset investsnent Cash at Bank and in Hand 75.015 178.456 253,471 75,015 177.525 252.540 Credltors: amounts FdlliKKJ due wilhin one year {1300) (1,200) Not Cuffent ￿8¥ts 252271 251,340 Total A650ts1888 Current Llablllll68 396.400 395.469 Accumulatod Funds De￿nated Funds 55.282 46,115 Unre8trlcted Funds 341.118 Slgned Trustee Twstee Page 7 West Mercia ￿lde AssiKialion 1) DEPRECIATION No depredation has been charged thls period in resp￿￿ of the fre8hold property as il is believed that the property will not have reduced in value since the purchase. Other income includes d<)nths received. 2) cURRETr￿ ASSEf INVESTMEI asset inveslmenls are held at hIst￿le￿ cost value. Page 8 1. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Mercia Point At 1 April 2011 Additions 144.129 144.129 At 31 March 2014 144.12g 144.129 At 1 April 2015 Chage for Year At 31 ma￿ 2016 Ngt Book Valuo At 1 April 2017 144,129 144129 At 31 March 2018 144.129 144,129 Z CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND 2024 28.108 134.325 2023 37,575 132,024 Maln bank account High interest account Gen8ral HeadquarterB account Tralning account Outdoor account 742 2.342 12.939 1,812 2,516 178,456 177.525 CREDITORS 2024 2023 Independent examiners fee (1.21JO) (1,200) 1200 1200 DESIGNATED FUNDS BIFwd In fund8 Training Outdoors 2.517 (174) 9.341 12.939 46.115 9.167 Page 9