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2025-03-31-accounts

Servitum Non Displico

April 2025

The First New Cross (The Greys) Scout Group Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25

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Contents

Structure, Governance and Management 4
Objectives and Activities 4
Achievements and Performance 5
Financial Review 7
Comments upon the Future 9
Section Reports 11
Squirrel Report 12
Beaver Report 15
Cub Report 18
Scout Report 21
Golden Hind ESU Report 24
Group Accounts 27

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Trustees’ Annual Report

1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025

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A. Reference and Administration Details.

Registered Charity Number: 1021328

Scout Registration Number 44935

Headquarters: 25 Breakspears Road, Tack Mews, Brockley, London, SE4 1XW

Names of the Charity Trustees who manage the Charity: Alan McKinnon – Chair David Fricker – Trustee Eileen Fricker – Trustee Elizabeth Fricker– Lead Volunteer Tom Allebone-Webb - Trustee Rebecca Stansfield - Trustee Brian Sweeting – Treasurer Mari Toomse-Smith - Trustee Stacey Ingrassia - Trustee Eleanor Clarke - Trustee Stephanie Dil - Trustee

Other members of the Group Sub-Committees:

Debbie Cohen, David Cohen, Katie Sturgess, Joanne Fuller, Tamara Lees, Hayley Streeks

B. Structure, Governance and Management.

The Group’s governing documents are those of The Scout Association. They consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Association and The Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.

The Group is a Trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts. The Trustees are appointed in accordance with The Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.

The Group is managed by the Charity Trustees of the Scout Group (Group Trustee Board), which is an educational charity. As charity trustees they are responsible for complying with legislation applicable to charities. This includes the registration, keeping proper accounts and making returns to the Charity Commission as appropriate.

Currently, The Group Trustee Board consists of Chair, Treasurer and Group Lead Volunteer with other representation from Leaders and parents and meets six times annually unless any extraordinary meeting needs to be convened. It exists to support the Group Lead Volunteer in meeting the responsibilities of the appointments and is responsible for: the maintenance of Group property; the raising of funds and the administration of Group finance; the insurance of persons, property and equipment; Group public occasions; assisting in the recruitment of Leaders and other adult support; appointing any sub-committees that may be required and appointing Group Administrators and Advisers other than those who are elected.

C. Objectives and Activities.

The objectives of the Group are as a unit of the Scout Association. The aim of the Scout Association is to provide the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local and international communities. The method of achieving the Aim of the Association is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and Law and guided by adult Leadership.

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Amongst measures required to achieve our objectives are the production and implementation of informative, interesting and fun programmes and activities for all Sections plus the maintenance of numbers. Attendance at Cub and Scout District Camps and District sleep-overs for Beavers is typical of the external activities encouraged, as is taking part in broader based activities with other organisations and various Scout District and County organised events.

With costs rising continually, an income of around £10,000 per year is required to pay the Group’s mandatory expenditure – Council tax, utilities, insurances, plus additional funds for exceptional and unexpected matters and vehicle insurance and running costs etc. More traditional methods of fund raising such as attendance at fairs continue to be in the main abandoned due to almost total lack of assistance and public apathy. Other methods of fund raising are being used including a direct method of raising establishment funds based upon the number of Scouts, Cubs, Beavers and Squirrels benefiting from our facilities, an on-line shopping system which generates a percentage fee from the retailer, the Lewisham Lottery and numerous sponsored events and social evenings. The use of our Headquarters two days a week by three external organisations generates much needed donations as does the use for children’s parties, however this is not necessarily throughout the entire year but we appreciate their continued support. The requirement of funds for the Group excludes the needs of funds for the Sections for expeditions and other activities.

D. Achievements and Performance.

The Group continues to go from strength to strength and is well supported by the Group Trustee Board. As outlined on a number of occasions, there is an ongoing requirement to encourage parents to become more involved in fundraising and social events which generate a much needed source of income, without which we would struggle to continue. The new structure that has been put into place has allowed us to create Teams based on requirements needed for the Group and we are hopeful that the parents will be able to continue to support the Team for Fundraising.

The provision of Scouting in Brockley continues to be adequately maintained. At the 2024 Census (January), our numbers had increased over a 12-month period in most sections, with strong retention rates. In the two months until the end of March 2025, our numbers have been maintained at maximum capacity in all sections with waiting lists. We need to ensure that this continues and maintain our extensive recruitment drives which are currently in progress and to concentrate on maintaining the youth membership. We have also continued to maintain sufficient numbers in adult leaders in all sections, but will continue to recruit to cover all eventualities

The Squirrel Scout, Beaver Scout, Cub Scout and Scout Section Annual Reports are appended at the end of this report. Also appended separately is a report from the Golden Hind Explorer Scout Unit which although they are District based, is affiliated to the First New Cross, meets at our premises and is part of our Scouting Family.

The sections have undergone some leader changes in the past year and we have welcomed a number of new leaders and helpers into the Group. The Group website, www.1stnewcross.co.uk continues to grow and is constantly being updated and expanded, continuing to provide visitors to the site with a great deal of information about the Group and its activities, fundraisers and events. The website looks fantastic. Our thanks to Katie Sturgess for continuing to keep this updated and maintained, giving full transparency of the Group’s activities.

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The completion of training of Leaders through District and County run and online courses still continues to be a priority and we are pleased to say that the majority of Leaders are up to date. All persons sitting on the Trustee Board also need to complete the online Trustee Induction Training. Alike with all other Scout Groups, all Leaders are volunteers and undertake their duties without any financial reward, indeed they are out of pocket, having to purchase uniform items and using annual leave to attend camps and other activities. We are extremely fortunate to have a group of very enthusiastic, dedicated Leaders who give as much of their own time as possible for the benefit of Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers, not just at weekly Drey/Colony/Pack/Troop/Unit meeting nights and camps or expeditions but also in administration, advance programme planning, fundraising, Headquarters maintenance, advertising, recruitment and undertaking their own training. Without this very devoted team, the First New Cross could not perform to its full potential. Our sincere thanks go to them all.

The members of the Group Trustee Board, that are not uniformed Leaders, are also unpaid volunteers and they too give up their spare time freely for the benefit of the Group and need to be DBS cleared and have minimal training. The Trustee Board continues to retain its member numbers. All fundraising and social events arranged by the Group require the support of the parents that have children within the Group to provide essential assistance in organising and running those events.

We had twenty four representatives from the Cub Section, including Leaders and Young Leaders, who went to the County run event to Disneyland Paris in 2024. A great time was had by all.

There have been a number of section camps, sleepovers, trips and excursions throughout the year giving our youth element a wide and varied window of opportunities to enjoy different things and basic camping skills alike. The section reports appended to this report give a full and in-depth insight into what these were and the enjoyment that was had by all.

In November 2024 the Group attended the Deptford War Memorial for our Remembrance Parade along with 2[nd] & 32[nd] Deptford Groups, where poppy wreaths were laid in remembrance.

The Group Lead Volunteer Liz Fricker writes: This year has seen yet another rise in Youth member numbers and we have also had some fantastic new adults join our merry band. Jo Fuller (Akela) has stepped up to become Deputy Group Lead Volunteer to support me in my role as Group Lead Volunteer. This partnership has meant that we have a more rounded team to support our team members within the Group and to ensure continuity. My personal thanks go to Alan McKinnon for being the Chair of the Group Trustee Board and to Brian Sweeting for being our Group Treasurer, of course not forgetting our tremendous Team members that help to facilitate the amazing programme that our youth members enjoy. The next 12 months are looking to be as jam packed as the last.

Chief Scout Awards for each section have been gained this year, the latest of which will be presented at the Group AGM & Awards Evening, a date for which will be announced shortly. The Group Annual Sectional Awards will be announced and presented at the Group AGM & Awards Evening on 6th September 2025.

The Annual Awards, which will be presented at the AGM are:

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E. Financial Review.

i. Background.

The Group’s policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the Group should income and fundraising activities fall short. Given the recent rise in costs of utilities and inflation, The Group Executive Committee considers that the Group should hold a sum equivalent to 12 months running costs, approximately £10,000.00 . This amount was held at the year end.

With both Central and Local Government requiring further economies, there is a possibility that the only external financial assistance we receive, being the Mandatory 80% discount on Business Rates, could be reduced particularly as a re-valuation of all Business Rates has recently been undertaken with possible new higher charges expected soon.

The Financial situation and details of Income and Expenditure are appended to this report.

The First New Cross Scout Group is totally self-supporting receiving no external financial assistance or regular grants from any source whatsoever save for the reduction in Business Rates as currently dictated by Parliament for premises used by Registered Charities.

We are very fortunate in having a substantial piece of freehold property within inner suburban London with a main hall, storage facilities and adequate space to undertake external Scouting and other activities. However, alike with any other business or domestic premises we have to pay our way finding funds for Rates - Water and Business; Gas; Electricity; Media Communications; Property, Equipment, Contents and Vehicle Insurances and, as with any premises owner or householder, maintain our land and the trees and buildings upon it in a reasonable condition. Indeed, as an organization dealing with Youth and other members of the public, the standards we are required to maintain are much higher than normal “Housekeeping”. Also being a Scout Group and a Registered Charity, we are classified as a “Commercial” organization and thus all tariffs charged to us reflect this classification.

The ways that the necessary funds are raised to meet these commitments are limited and all require the assistance of the Leaders, Trustees, parents of the Youth of the Group and other adults. Leaders and other adults working with the 1[st] New Cross are unpaid volunteers giving their own time and expertise for the benefit of the local Community. All Leaders and Trustees have to undergo mandatory training courses to suit their position in the Group, often at locations away from home and for weekends or longer periods. This is in addition to planning and running Squirrel, Beaver, Cub or Scout meetings each week; planning and running activities, camps and expeditions; keeping attendance and financial records; attending Scouters’ meetings within the Group and within the Scout District; up to and including this year, attending Group Executive meetings and serving on various sub-committees for fund-raising or maintenance - the list is endless. On top of all this, most of our Leaders still find time to organize fund-raising events and undertake valuable work around the buildings and grounds.

Whilst we are not permitted to hire out our premises for gain upon penalty of losing the Business Rates discount, a number of other organizations and individuals have made use of our premises and afforded donations towards establishment costs, and for this we are very grateful. Fixed rate donations have also been made by other Scout Groups and individuals towards the running costs of the Mini-bus and trailer. The figure for the running costs of the Minibus does not usually include fuel. Where the vehicle is used by external parties, the vehicle leaves our Headquarters full of fuel and is returned in the same manner. When used by the First New Cross, fuel costs are included within the individual Accounts for camps, expeditions, etc.

Every Squirrel, Beaver, Cub and Scout (and Explorer) is required to pay an Annual Membership fee (or Capitation) to the Scout Association and this is collected as part of weekly subscriptions. This is not First New Cross money; we merely collect the fee and pay it annually through Lewisham Scout District and this year was a total of £7,140.00. The Membership Fee goes towards paying the costs of all the many services provided by the Scout Association for its juvenile and adult members including the upkeep of Headquarters’ Camping and Activity sites such as Gilwell Park. Most importantly perhaps, this fee covers the Insurances provided for all members of the Scout Association whilst taking part in any recognised Scouting activity. Currently (2025) the Membership Fee stands at £60.00 per head per year; that equates to approximately £1.68 per week for each of the weeks that the Drey/Colony/Pack/Troop meet in an average year - good value for all the activities, adventure and knowledge available.

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ii. 2024/2025 Results.

There has been a decrease in our income for this year and this is largely due to the majority of payments were received in the previous year for the County Disney Trip, with just 25% of them made this year. The use of our premises by external entities is steady although is slightly less than it has been in previous years. Our fundraising events have been, on average, almost as successful as last year but these will need to increase in frequency and attendance for the events more widely supported. Once again, the lack of backing for the Gift Aid system has contributed to this. All parents that were eligible were requested to give consent for Gift Aid to be claimed back through Online Scout Manager and this has now been done, but not before the year end, so Gift Aid will be claimed from April 2022 to the present and will be shown on next year’s accounts. However, another push will be required to enlist new member parents to do this as standard so that Gift Aid information can be automatically generated.

The continuing increases in necessary expenditure emphasizes the need for a substantial contingency figure to be contained in the annual establishment costing and how important it is for parents/guardians of the Youth within the First New Cross to be supportive of our aims and needs, otherwise this 117 year old Scout Group, probably the oldest extant Scout Group in the World, could, in extreme circumstances, be forced to close, thus depriving your children and the rest of the local neighbourhood of any Scouting provision. We are more than aware that our premises, although in a usable condition, could benefit from some updating and modernization. The architectural survey undertaken last year has provided a means of identifying where this could be achieved. Of course, this is a project that would require a large amount of external funding through grants and one has become available in recent weeks, so we are actively looking for somebody who is adept at applying for such grants to undertake this on behalf of the Group, ideally a parent or Trustee.

Excluding the monies generated purely for the benefit of the Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts (weekly subscriptions, camp fees, etc.), the majority of our income came from the use of our Headquarters for educational and social occasions, and for use of the Mini-bus and trailer, and some Fund-Raising events organised by the Executive Committee and the Leaders. There has not been many events in number this year but we did manage an extremely well attended Bonfire Evening raising £1,950.86 , but we hope that next year will afford a greater variety of events. We also secured amounts from online outlets such as Easyfundraising - £207.23, Lewisham Lottery - £288.50, £175.80 from Group Logo pen sales and payments from Raffall for online raffles totalling £482.05. All liaison and other arrangements regarding the use of our premises and the minibus by third parties falls to a few Warranted and unpaid Leaders who already run Uniformed Sections and Trustees. It can therefore be disappointing and demoralising if fund-raising and/or social events organised for the benefit of other people’s children are poorly supported by the parents, even having to be cancelled at the last minute for lack of interest or assistance, although the events that have taken place have been better attended this year, so your continued support in future events would be much appreciated as is vital to the success of our ability to raise funds.

As mentioned before, Income Tax reclaim (Gift Aid) is claimed back from HMR&C one year in arrears. We have made no claim for a number of years for several reasons including difficulties in contacting HMR&C, late receipt of the necessary application forms, a computer error and most importantly, a dearth of signed Gift Aid forms from parents/guardians of the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and latterly Squirrels. This has thankfully now been resolved and for all weekly subscriptions paid by eligible parents/guardians, we can claim back a further 25% amounting to around £2,000 plus each year on current numbers. We therefore respectfully request that all parents/guardians who are able, complete the section and check the necessary box in the personal details section of Online Scout Manager (OSM). This is a genuinely easy and simple method of raising funds without any impact upon the time or pockets of the parents/guardians of this Scout Group’s Youth and without your assistance, as detailed above, we cannot claim this for your subscriptions.

The outgoings upon Utilities including Business and Water Rates, Gas, Electricity, Phone & Broadband and Insurances were largely within our budgetary expectations. Under recent legislation, all minibuses used by Youth organisations under a Section 19 minibus permit must also have 10-weekly safety checks which is an added cost and quite expensive at the slightly decreased rate of £1,032.00 for the year, although that does include an annual service and MOT test. This has been entered into for a fourth successive year but ensures that the vehicle that children and leaders are travelling in is checked very regularly and well-maintained.

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Business and Water Rates are due on 1[st] April 2025 and will be followed by Utility Bills each quarter, annual Premises Insurance and Mini-bus Insurance and other costs and funds must be raised to cover these mandatory outgoings. All expenditure save Utility, other mandatory bills and routine housekeeping is laid before the Group Trustee Board for approval.

The Number 2 Bank account has shown decreases in funds however this is purely temporary due to ongoing payments for the County Trip to Disneyland Paris in 2024, which was forwarded to County.

The Golden Hind Explorer Scout Unit are not part of the First New Cross Scout Group but are “controlled” both administratively and financially directly by Lewisham Scout District as is normal procedure laid down in the Policy, Organization and Rules of the Scout Association. Nevertheless they are part of the First New Cross “Scouting family” sharing our Headquarters and facilities and with some Adults serving in both the First New Cross (1NX) and the Golden Hind (GHESU).

F. Comments upon the Future

We aim to continue to maintain and strengthen our position in terms of numbers and the quality of Scouting available to the local community as always.

There continues to be recruitment campaigns through our website and social media with regard to bringing more children into the adventure that is Scouting (even though we have waiting lists currently), together with recruiting more adults to serve as leaders or on the Trustee Board and/or as officers of the Group. We will need to maintain the retention of our leaders in the sections and we need to also maintain the youth membership to keep them interested in staying with us particularly in the Scout Section as increasing schoolwork can put increased pressures on this age group. Leader training will continue to be a priority. The Group will continue to promote itself through recruitment campaigns to ensure that Scouting in Brockley is properly maintained. We are all very pleased to be back to face to face Scouting and long may that last

The efforts of the maintenance team and others have helped to keep our premises in a reasonable condition which will need to be continued. A work weekend will usually be scheduled within the summer break to tackle any work that needs doing. The pathways to the premises would all benefit from being resurfaced and this is another thing that we propose to apply for a grant for. The substantial trees on our property have been pollarded/reduced as they were substantially overgrown and this was paid for using a grant from Morrisons. There is however still work that will need to be done on these. Also with this grant we purchased raised beds for vegetables which are being put together with a view to each section looking after one. We will however need to look into applying for another grant to get the residue of the trees, not covered by this grant, to be pollarded/reduced. Therefore our fundraising efforts may need to be raised to encompass part of the cost albeit to offset our contribution to any grant application, as is usually expected.

Full details of our conventional fundraising and social events have not been finalised and we will advise on dates for these as soon as we are able to. The Fundraising Sub-Committee will meet in November to discuss and plan for the Fundraising events for 2026 and then present these to the Trustee Board for approval.

The 2025 Group Fundraising/Event calendar as it stands is:

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We will continue to raise funds through Easy Fundraising which allows anybody to purchase goods online acquiring a donation from the retailer for the Group at no extra cost to themselves. We will continue to promote the Lewisham Lottery which will help raise funds for the Group. We will continue to update our website and attempt to include as many links as possible to assist navigation of other associated sites and to provide our members with up to date information of Group, District and County activities and events.

We are fairly unique in Inner London in having a freehold property with a fairly large plot of land. Our conservation of this area is to be maintained, not only with consideration of our own use for training, games and camping, but also for the benefit of wildlife, of which there is evidence of substantial species. We see our husbandry of the trees and flora throughout the site as being a worthwhile legacy for the future. All youth Sections will continue to be encouraged to take part in the beneficial maintenance of the grounds.

The Group and GHESU will attend the Annual Remembrance Day Service at the Deptford War Memorial in November 2025 representing Scouting in Lewisham.

This coming year will again be a challenge given the amount that we need to achieve, however, with your help, we will achieve our goals. The teamwork and general enthusiasm shown by the Executive Committee (as was, now Trustee Board), Section Leaders and general support from the District and its team needs to be carried forward and where possible improved upon. It is imperative that recruitment within the sections is ongoing and successful to ensure that numbers in the Group are maintained and where possible increased.

Generally, we are very optimistic for the immediate future, but we fully appreciate the hard work and dedication which will be required, as always, by all adult volunteers in the Group to achieve our desired aims, not least of which is the need to generate funds to allow our aims and objectives to be met and the First New Cross to continue its long, so far, 117 year existence. It is essential that the Trustee Board is retained and strengthened and that all members of the Group Council make every endeavour to assist in the provision of funds, suitably maintained premises and afford the opportunity for even better Scouting in our community. All new members of the Trustee Board MUST submit to a DBS check and undertake a minimal amount of training. Should any parents wish to serve on this committee please speak with any leader who will pass on your details to the Group Scout Leader. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees report above.

Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees:

Alan McKinnon, Chair. Dated: 07.08.2025

Liz Fricker, Group Lead Volunteer. Dated: 07.08.2025

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Section Reports 2024/2025

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Squirrel Section Report

April 2024 – March 2025

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Our year

The Squirrel section continues to thrive, with 24 squirrels in our Drey and a long waiting list. 7 squirrels were awarded their acorn award this year and 2 squirrels additionally completed their YouShape badges.

Summer 2024

We focused on fun this term, with outdoor den building, treasure hunts and sports day. For Earth Day we planted seeds and we also learned about different bird species. Some parent helpers joined to supervise tool use to construct and decorate bird boxes. The squirrels created musical instruments from recycled materials then made beautiful music the following week with the help of a music teacher who led a session for the squirrels. For Father’s Day we made photo frames then toasted marshmallows over the fire. We finished the term with a teddy bear’s picnic at Hilly Fields. The Young Leaders organised games and we enjoyed sharing food with the teddy bears. We had so much fun that we hope to make this an annual event!

Autumn/Winter Term 2024

This term was all about badge work, with Digital Maker and Brilliant Builder badges being completed over a series of sessions covering duplo car ports and a local walk to identify computers in the environment. We had an eventful trip to Lewisham fire station; after we took a look at the fire engines two teams were called out on duty and we got to see the fire fighters in action before we had an enforced early finish! As we neared Christmas the squirrels became local superheroes and did a food bank collection, then we finished the term with a Christmas party.

Spring Term 2025

In the Spring term we had a lot of exciting events. We celebrated squirrel appreciation day, Lunar New Year, St Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, World Book Day and Easter. We managed to squeeze in more badge work, with Exciting Experiments and Emergency Aid both taking place over 2 sessions.

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Trips and nights Away

The 9 squirrels got adventurous by joining Spring Camp at Cudham Shaws in April. For some of these squirrels it was their first time sleeping away from home and it was a positive experience for all of them. Later in the Autumn 16 squirrels attended Space Camp, a sleepover at the Scout Hut, followed by a trip to the Planetarium in Greenwich for Ted’s Space Adventure.

10 squirrels challenged themselves to walk 5km on the New Cross Hike in September. They did so well and we think that some are ready to push themselves further and participate in the 10km hike next year!

Thank you to all the parents who have supported us this year and well done to our Squirrels who have shown us that age is no barrier to being a great Scout!

Squirrel Leaders

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At Christmas we organised a trip to the pantomime at Catford Broadway Theatre. 16 squirrels had a lot of fun getting into the Christmas spirit with plenty of audience participation and laughter.

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Beaver Section Report

April 2024 – March 2025

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Our year

Spring Term 2025

In Spring Term we covered Disability Awareness, International and Builder Badges and completed Experiment Badge at science camp, taking part in lots of exciting experiments over the weekend with really amazing results!

This year has been another exciting and rewarding one for our Beaver Colony. We’ve focussed on building confidence, developing new skills, and above all, having fun! The programme has been packed with hands-on activities, outdoor adventures, and valuable teamwork experiences. We’re incredibly proud of everything the Beavers have achieved.

Summer Term 2024

It’s been another super busy year for the beavers, and we have covered a lot of activities and badges. During summer term the beavers covered the Global Issues badge, and worked on lots of challenge badges. We also had a fantastic Spy Camp at Waylands, where the clever Beavers unearthed Raven as the dastardly Agent Mole in a weekend of code cracking, and a brilliant Pokémon themed district Beavers camp where many of our beavers slept under canvas for the first time.

Autumn Term 2024

During Autumn term the Beavers worked on Emergency Aid 2 badge, with some excellent first aid being administered! They also went on a trip to Nunhead Cemetery where we visited the Scouts memorial and had an interesting talk from the Friends of Nunhead Cemetery. We were really proud and impressed to see so many Beavers representing the section at the Remembrance Sunday parade to the cenotaph as part of their World Challenge and Faith Badge. We celebrated St Andrew’s night with tartan weaving, shortbread and Scottish country dancing with parents taking a turn too!

Trips and events

Other programme highlights include the Vitality Westminster Mile, Litter picking duties at Hilly Field Fair, Climbing at the Reach, and excitingly our first New Cross Distance Hike for the younger sections, which saw Beavers being invited to take part in a 5 or 10km hike. The hike was designed to give the younger members of our group the chance to take part in a distance hike, and had kit checks, pre hike briefings and snack checkpoints, just like the real thing! Beavers were awarded with a blanket badge and a great sense of achievement. We hope to build on this by inviting other district groups to join us next year.

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Badges

It has been a bumper year for badges- we have awarded a staggering 382 badges including 9 Chief Scout Bronze Awards, 106 challenge badges, 176 activity badges and 91 staged badges. A huge well done to all our Beavers and their families for their hard work.

Leaders

This year we have had some movement in our section volunteers. Very sadly, Otter (Daniel Perkins) stepped down from Beavers as section lead volunteer in November for personal reasons. We would like to thank Dan for his service to Beavers and send all our best wishes to him and his family. Raven has stepped up to section lead volunteer and is supported by 4 uniformed volunteers, a number of occasional helpers, and a team of enthusiastic young leaders. Kingfisher and Kookaburra have both been invested and have gone into uniform, and Mushu has joined us as a leader, making the transition from young leader. We were also very happy to welcome Chipmunk to the Beavers team. Kestrel continues to support the colony.

We continue to welcome a steady flow of new Beavers into the Colony and have seen excellent progression as older members move on to the next stage of their scouting journey. We continue to hold a waiting list, and were able to welcome two new beavers from this list. As of April 2025 there are 40 Beavers in the Colony.

A heartfelt thanks to our families, volunteers and of course, young people for everything they do to make this colony a great place to be!

From all the Beaver leaders

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Cub Section Report April 2024 – March 2025

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Our year

This year we increased the packs size to 36! we now have approximately 25 turning up each week! We have had a fantastic year and have done lots of different things. This year we have awarded 6 Chief Scout Silver awards and awarded a massive 302 Badges ranging from challenge to activity to staged! I'm extremely proud of all the hard work from both the Cubs and the Leaders

Autumn / Winter Term 2024

We kicked off the year by reviewing our code of conduct, we then started to look at a new badge that Akela found; the Earth Tribe badge. We then decided to go for a whistle stop tour of the air activity badges. As we crept closer to half term the cubs got to experience a new sport. We had someone come in and teach some fencing, which was greatly enjoyed by all the cubs who took part. We started to look at how celebrations are celebrated around the world and we kicked off with the Latin festival of Dia De Los Muertos and the Hindu festival Diwali. We decided as a team that we wanted to find out about as many festivals from around the world as we could.

Summer Term 2024

The summer term saw us camping again! This time we went to Bears Wood for a weekend of back to basics ☺ we cooked on barrel fires, tried some team building activities and had a lots of fun.

Spring Term 2025

To start off the year we made community maps, done some team building and problem solving challenges. And then came the really fun stuff! We asked the cubs to design either a bird house, bug hotel or hedgehog home and the ideas and creative juices were flowing. We then proceeded to build these homes for animals and have donated two hedgehog houses to Frylands Wood Scout Outdoor Center ☺

At weekly pack meetings we started off by doing some of the gardening badge where we grew seeds, learned how to cook on a trangia, and then paddled over to Danson Park to go on a giant paddle board! Which all the cubs enjoyed. We rounded off the end of the academic year by going to Hilly Fields to play some wide games.

Camps

This time Akela brought the sunshine with her to camp. We managed to get Liz to come and run the kitchen at bears wood camp for us! And then we slowed down a little bit UNTIL the First New Cross invaded the most magical place on earth! We went to DISNEYLAND PARIS for a quick weekend trip!

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We then moved onto some STEM work with Raksha. And had lots of fun making a mess for our Great British Cub bake off.

Leader training

September last year Akela decided that she didn’t have enough on her plate and then proceeded to get an archery permit for some strange reason. This was along side Liz so we can now take the sections for some archery shooting! Other leaders are still working their way through the leader training and hoping to be finished sometime within the next few months.

(Don’t worry we plan to do it again in the future!) a great time was had by all. After Disney Akela took a break from camping as she was getting a bit tired and needed a rest (although much disappointment Wolves don’t hibernate!) but she has planned a couple of camps for next year already.

Thank you to all parents who have supported us this year. Thank you to all the Cub Leaders as we know it has been a hard year and we have all needed to lean on and support each other.

Jo (Akela) Shelby (Kaa) Sam (Shere Khan), Rob (Raksha) Eagle (Justyna)

Cub Scout Leaders

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Scout Section Report

April 2024 – March 2025

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Our Year

The Scout section has had an exciting and successful period with a strong and active membership of 25 members. The scouts have shown great enthusiasm, achieving a fantastic total of 92 badges through a wide variety of activities.

Skills development

Scouts honed their outdoor skills with a “curry in a hurry” challenge, where they successfully cooked on trangias, a perfect preparation for future camping adventures. They also learned important new skills during a dedicated navigator night.

Problem-solving and teamwork

The troop engaged in fun and challenging problem-solving exercises, which were enjoyed by all (despite one instance leading to a humorous “explosion”!).

Trips and events

The scouts attended the Spectacular! musical, which was a fantastic cultural experience. They also had a great time at Group Camp, where they were able to put their newly acquired skills to the test. An evening at Frylands was also enjoyed, providing another opportunity for adventure and teamwork. The troop also took part in bouldering, a great way to challenge themselves physically and build confidence. Some of the older scouts joined with the explorers on a behind-the-scenes trip to ING bank.

Water activities

A major highlight was the scuba diving opportunity organized by Katie, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all who participated. The scouts also had a blast at a lively pool party and an end-of-term water fight.

Important learning

Beyond the fun, the scouts participated in crucial learning sessions. An internet safety night and a dedicated evening on the effects of drugs and alcohol were both well-received, with the scouts demonstrating excellent understanding and engagement.

Special thanks go to Raven and Katie for their invaluable support throughout the year. Their dedication has been a huge part of our success and the amazing experiences the scouts have enjoyed.

This has been a very productive and fun period for the Scout section. The high number of badges achieved reflects the scouts’ commitment to learning new skills, while the wide range of activities shows their adventurous spirit. We look

22

forward to more exciting challenges and adventures ahead!

Scout Leaders

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23

Golden Hind ESU Section Report April 2024 – March 2025

24

Our year

We have 34 fantastic intrepid Explorer Scouts and 6 Volunteers. Our Explorers come from 1[st] New Cross and 3[rd] Crofton Park Scouts, but we have also welcomed new young people who want to join our DofE programme. We have 4 regular Volunteers and several occasional volunteers.

Our adventures

In May 2024 we travelled to Belgium, exploring Brussels and Leuven, and visited the largest Scout Museum in Europe. We camped at De Kluis Scout Campsite, tried mountain scooters and tree climbing. The trip has inspired some of our Explorers to have their own international adventures, and consider the Explorer Belt award.

Canoe Programme

This year, our unit successfully raised £4,000 to purchase a new canoe trailer, thanks to fundraising efforts from our Explorers, parents, volunteers and through Scouting grants. This has significantly enhanced our capability to safely deliver DofE Expeditions and has already been put to great use. We are immensely grateful to everyone who contributed towards this goal and we are very proud of our Canoe fleet.

We have a new home for our Unit Expedition equipment - our very own shed. A special thank you to the 1[st] New Cross Scout group and to Trevor and David F who made it ready for us with repairs, security, lighting and shelving.

Expeditions

The Duke of Edinburgh’s award is a main focus at GHES and is growing each year. Bronzes complete in a 2 day expedition on the River Medway, the Silvers completed a 3 day expedition on the River Severn and the Golds complete a 4 day expedition on the Great Glen in Scotland - canoeing and wild-camping from Fortwilliam to Inverness. Gold graduates are also invited to take part in an autumn wild camp expedition on the the River Spey in Scotland. Congratulations to all our DofE participants.

Leader training

This year our volunteer team have completed outdoor first aid qualifications, white water safety and rescue courses, archery permits and tomahawk permits. A future goal is to develop a team of specialist volunteers in hillwalking and climbing to allow us to have mountain adventures. If you are interested in being part of the Lewisham Mountain Interest Support team (MIST) and developing your skills and experience, please email us at goldenhindesu@1stnewcross.co.uk.

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Explorer Activities and Achievements

Holly Dixon was nominated by our team for a Jack Petchey outstanding achievement award and with their £300 grant, they chose to take the Unit to an Aqua Course which was a fun treat after a busy Expedition season. We explored the Surrey Mines for a day with the county caving team.

Thank you

Thank you to our extremely dedicated volunteer team. Their commitment to Scouting has made a huge impact on our young people over the past year and we truly appreciate the countless hours the team have invested in planning activities and leading events.

Explorer Leaders

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We entered 2 x teams into the Southern 50 hiking and navigation challenge in February. We took part in a huge Halloween camp (Scarefest) at Gilwell Park where lots of fun was had by all. Trevor gave us a behind the scenes tour at ING bank. We also had a social at the theatre to see the Lion King, and held our own silent disco inviting local Explorer units. Favour and Kairo met the new Chief Scout - Dwayne Fields and were part of the press launch and Kairo attended the UK Youth Forum at Oxford University.

Be more.

Explorer of the Term

Summer 2024: Oscar Cole, Jonah Cole and Sol De Glanville Autumn 2024: Imogen Hooper Spring 2025: Holly Dixon

Volunteering as Young Leaders

We are incredibly proud of our fantastic young leaders who volunteer with Squirrels, Beavers and Cubs weekly. They attend Young Leader training run by Lewisham district, which is part of the YL training scheme. Their contribution is invaluable and we are grateful for their hard work. Well done to all our young leaders!

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Group Accounts 1[st] April 2024 – 31[st] March 2025

27

THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP

Registered Charity No. 1021328. Scout Registration No. 44935 First Registered with B-P on 24[th] . May 1908.

Receipts and Payments Account

For the Year from 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025

Receipts
2024/25 2023/24
£
£
Donations and Similar Income.
Annual Scout Assn. Membership Subscriptions
7,140.00		 6,292.00
Annual Scout Assn. Subs. paid on via Lewisham District Annual Scout Assn. Subs. paid on via Lewisham District(7,140.00) (6,292.00)
Membership Subscriptions - Section’s use
3,857.76
3,479.20
Membership Subscriptions - Establishment
2,017.24 2,741.80		 2,017.24 2,741.80
Donations - Puppy School, S.E. London
1,502.00		 731.25
Donations – Other (Guides, Church, Secret Adventure, Parties etc.) 7,194.44 8,840.78 Donations – Other (Guides, Church, Secret Adventure, Parties etc.) 7,194.44 8,840.78
- Mini-bus usage
996.00		 1,185.00
- Grant from Lewisham Council ------- —----- - Grant from Lewisham Council ------- —----- - Grant from Lewisham Council ------- —-----
- Grant for Squirrels ------- -—----
Gift Aid_(See note in Annual report)_
-------		 --------
Youth Programme, Activities, Camps, Inc. WSJ, Croatia etc.
13,939.00		 13,939.00 23,011.07 23,011.07
29,506.44
39,989.10
Fund Raising (Gross).
Table Sale/Fayres
—--- 30.00		 —--- 30.00
Easyfundraising
207.23 166.07		 207.23 166.07
Bonfire Evening
2,261.15		 1,436.50
Amazon Core Europe —---- Amazon Core Europe —----
72.08
Lewisham Lottery 288.50 386.50 Lewisham Lottery 288.50 386.50 Lewisham Lottery 288.50 386.50
Raffall Online Raffle Payments 482.05 1,267.20 Raffall Online Raffle Payments 482.05 1,267.20 Raffall Online Raffle Payments 482.05 1,267.20
Jingle Mingle —---- 672.50 Jingle Mingle —---- 672.50 Jingle Mingle —---- 672.50
Other fundraising activities
1,018.30		 195.00
3,987.23 4,225.85
Investment Income.
Deposit Account Interest
19.11
17.87
Total Gross Income
35,512.78 44,232.82		 35,512.78 44,232.82

28

THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP

Registered Charity No. 1021328. Scout Registration No. 44935 First Registered with B-P on 24[th] . May 1908.

Receipts and Payments Account

For the Year from 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025

Payments

Payments Payments Payments
2024/25
2023/24
£
£
Charitable Payments.
Youth Programme, Activities, Camps, etc. incl. WSJ & Croatia 23,642.56 Youth Programme, Activities, Camps, etc. incl. WSJ & Croatia 23,642.56
20,517.28
Council Tax (Business Rates)
648.70
648.70		 648.70
Water & Sewerage
354.95 443.32		 354.95 443.32
Electricity & Gas
3,089.29
2,918.54		 2,918.54
Property & Equipment Insurance
1,057.22
1,711.29		 1,711.29
Telephone & Broadband
726.66
646.24		 646.24
Mini-bus running costs. (Road Tax, Insurance, MoT, Purchase, etc.) 2,949.82
3,495.90
Maintenance - H.Q. and Grounds
1,419.73
902.32		 902.32
Equipment, furniture, etc.
1,958.42
91.92		 91.92
Online Scout Manager Costs 437.50 Online Scout Manager Costs 437.50 437.50
Other Establishment costs (Misc/ Zettle/ Stripe/GoCardless fees etc.) 2,170.84 3,426.65 Other Establishment costs (Misc/ Zettle/ Stripe/GoCardless fees etc.) 2,170.84 3,426.65
38,455.69 35,239.66
Fund Raising Expenses(including prizes, etc.)
Table Sale/Fayres
20.00
--------
Easyfundraising
-------
--------
Bonfire Evening
310.29
300.16		 300.16
Jingle Mingle —---- 144.18 Jingle Mingle —---- 144.18 Jingle Mingle —---- 144.18
Other fundraising activities (incl Pens with Logo)
383.99
—-----		 —-----
Cash Float for Fundraising
400.00		 400.00
1,114.28
444.34		 444.34
Total Gross Expenditure
39,569.97
35,684.00		 35,684.00
Net of Receipts/(Payments)
(-6,057.19)
(8,548.82)
Cash funds this year end
44,659.87
50,717.06**

29

THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP

Registered Charity No. 1021328. Scout Registration No. 44935 First Registered with B-P on 24[th] . May 1908.

Statement of Assets at the end of the year.

31[st] March 2025

31[st] March 2025 31[st] March 2025
31st March 2025 31 March 2025 31st March 2024
£
£
Cash Funds.
Bank Current Account (No.1 General Funds)
39,108.86
38,096.75
Bank Current Account (No.2 Expeditions)
1,196.91
8,786.91
Deposit Account (C.O.I.F.)
404.74
385.63
PayPal Charity Account Balance 590.68 590.68 590.68 590.68
Equals Card Balances 2,656.62 2,857.09 2,656.62 2,857.09
Cash/Floats
400.00
0.00
Cash in Hand from Disney
302.06
0.00
Total Cash Funds
44,659.87
50,717.06
Ring-Fenced assets from Geoffrey Morriss Bequest
(Building, Maintaining & Digitising Group Archives) 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00
(Emergency Situation Fund). 2,120.00 2,120.00
County Disney Trip Payments received to be paid to County ---------- 7,435.00
Total Ring-Fenced Funds 12,120.00 19,555.00 12,120.00 19,555.00
Non-monetary assets for own use.
Land and Buildings
190,000.00 190,000.00
Mini-bus
18,500.00
19,500.00
Scouting equipment, furniture, etc.
9,800.00
9,800.00
218.300.00 219.300.00 218.300.00 219.300.00

The above Receipts and Payments Account and Statement of Assets were approved by the Trustees

on the 31st Day of July 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

……………………………........................ ………………………………...................... Brian Sweeting, Group Treasurer Alan McKinnon, Group Chair

30

THE FIRST NEW CROSS

(THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2024/25

THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP
Registered Charity No. 1021328. Scout Registration No. 44935 First Registered with B-P on 24th. May 1908.
Receipts and Payments Account
For the Year from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025
Receipts
2024/25 2023/24
£ £
Donations and Similar Income.
Annual Scout Assn. Membership Subscriptions
 7,140.00 6,292.00
Annual Scout Assn. Subs. paid on via Lewisham District (7,140.00) (6,292.00)
Membership Subscriptions - Section’s use
 3,857.76 3,479.20
Membership Subscriptions - Establishment
 2,017.24 2,741.80
Donations - Puppy School, S.E. London
 1,502.00 731.25
Donations – Other (Guides, Secret Adventure, Parties etc.) 7,194.44 8,840.78
- Mini-bus usage 996.00 1,185.00
- Grant from Lewisham Council ------- -------
- Grant for Squirrels ------- -------
Gift Aid_(See note in Annual report)_ ------- -------
Youth Programme, Activities, Camps, Inc.WSJ, Croatia, Disney etc. 13,939.00 23,011.07
29,506.44 39,989.10
Fund Raising (Gross).
Table Sale/Fayres
------ 30.00
Easyfundraising 207.23 166.07
Bonfire Evening 2,261.15 1,436.50
Amazon Core Europe ------ 72.08
Lewisham Lottery 288.50 386.50
Raffall Online Raffle Payments 482.05 1,267.20
Jingle Mingle -------- 672.50
Other fundraising activities
1,018.30 195.00
3,987.23 4,225.85
Investment Income.
Deposit Account Interest 19.11 17.87
Total Gross Income
 33,512.78 44,232.82

THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP

Registered Charity No. 1021328. Scout Registration No. 44935 First Registered with B-P on 24[th] . May 1908.

Receipts and Payments Account

For the Year from 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025

Payments

Payments
2024/25 2023/24
£ £
Charitable Payments.
Youth Programme, Activities, Camps, etc. incl. County Trips
 23,642.56
20,517.28
Council Tax (Business Rates)
 648.70
 648.70
Water & Sewerage
 354.95 443.32
Electricity & Gas
 3,089.29
 2,918.54
Property & Equipment Insurance
 1,057.22
 1,711.29
Telephone & Broadband 726.66
 646.24
Mini-bus running costs. (Road Tax, Insurance, MOT, Safety Checks) 2,949.82 3,495.90
Maintenance - H.Q. and Grounds
 1,419.73
 902.32
Equipment, furniture, etc.
 1,958.42
 91.92
Online Scout Manager Costs 437.50 437.50
Other Establishment costs (Misc/Zettle/Stripe/GoCardless fees etc.) 2,170.84 3,426.65
38,455.69 35,239.66
Fund Raising Expenses(including prizes, etc.)
Table Sale/Fayres 20.00 --------
Easyfundraising ------- --------
Bonfire Evening 310.29 300.16
Jingle Mingle ------- 144.18
Other fundraising activities (incl Pens with Logo) 383.99 -------
Cash Float for Fundraising 400.00 -------
1,114.28
 444.34
Total Gross Expenditure
 39,569.97
 35,684.00
Net of Receipts/(Payments)
 (-6,057.19)
 (8,548.82)
Cash funds this year end
 44,659.87*
 50,717.06*

THE FIRST NEW CROSS (THE GREYS) SCOUT GROUP

Registered Charity No. 1021328. Scout Registration No. 44935 First Registered with B-P on 24[th] . May 1908.

Statement of Assets at the end of the year.

31[st] March 2025

31 31st March 2025 31 March 2025 31st March 2024
£ £
Cash Funds.
Bank Current Account (No.1 General Funds)
39,108.86		 39,108.86 38,096.75
Bank Current Account (No.2 Expeditions)
1,196.91		 1,196.91 8,786.91
Deposit Account (C.O.I.F.)
404.74		 404.74 385.63
PayPal Charity Account Balance 590.68 590.68 590.68 590.68
Equals Card Balances 2,656.62 2,857.09 2,656.62 2,857.09
Cash/Floats
400.00		 400.00 0.00
Cash in Hand – Disney 302.06 0.00 Cash in Hand – Disney 302.06 0.00 Cash in Hand – Disney 302.06 0.00
Total Cash Funds
44,659.87		 44,659.87 50,717.06
Ring-Fenced assets from Geoffrey Morriss Bequest
(Building, Maintaining & Digitising Group Archives) 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00
(Emergency Situation Fund). 2,120.00 2,120.00
County Disney Trip Payments received to be paid to County County Disney Trip Payments received to be paid to County
-------		 7,435.00
Total Ring-Fenced Funds 12,120.00 19,555.00 12,120.00 19,555.00
Non-monetary assets for own use.
Land and Buildings
190,000.00 190,000.00		 190,000.00 190,000.00 190,000.00 190,000.00
Mini-bus
18,500.00		 18,500.00 19,500.00
Scouting equipment, furniture, etc.
9,800.00		 9,800.00 9,800.00
218.300.00 219.300.00 218.300.00 219.300.00 218.300.00 219.300.00

The above Receipts and Payments Account and Statement of Assets were approved by the Trustees

on the 31[st] Day of July 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

……………………………........................ ………………………………...................... Brian Sweeting, Group Treasurer Alan McKinnon, Group Chair

Mrs Rebecca Warren Homeville The High St Bures St Mary Suffolk C08 5HZ 5 August 2025 SCUITINEER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ST THE I NEW CROSS THE GREYS SCOUT GROUP si I report on the accounts of the group for the year ended 31 March 2025 Respective responsibilities of trustees and Scrntineer As the Group's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts you consider that neither the audit not the independent examination requirements of the Charities Act 1993 apply. It is my responsibility without carrying out an audit or independent examination to scrutinise the accounts and report to you. Basis of Scrutineer's Statement In accordance with the directions given in the Group's constitution. and with particular reference to the Scout Association's Guidance on the Accounting and Audit Requirements - Fact Sheet LT103950 appendix 3. 1 have scrutinised the records and the accounts set out on the preceding pages. Scnitineer's Statement In my opinion the accounts are in accordance with the records and supporting infornation and explanations produced to me and comply with the constitution. It should be noted the land and buildings are registered with Land Registry under the title of The Scout Association Trust Corporation. I can confirn] that no income or receipts were subject to special restrictions which need to be shown in the accounts. Yours sincerel Rebecca Warren