Maidstone West District — 2024/2025 Annual Review
We are now reaching more young people than ever before, with Scouting accessible to over 870 young people across the district. Our membership continues to grow year on year, and we are proud to see young people taking part in a fantastic variety of programmes across all sections.
It has been a busy and exciting year, with every section involved in a wide range of activities. From Cubs travelling to London to visit the Postal Museum, to Scouts visiting a Gurdwara, and Explorers climbing in the Peak District, there has truly been something for everyone.
In July, Beavers from across Maidstone West gathered at Buckmore Park Scout Campsite for the District Beaver Teddy Bear Picnic. That same month, Cubs came together at Leeds Castle for a fun-filled day, exploring the castle and its grounds,
Our Network Scouts, aged 18-25, visited a VR centre, taking part in an exciting virtual reality gaming experience, using immersive technology to explore and interact in a virtual world. Meanwhile, our Sea Scout Group purchased a fleet of new paddleboards and kayaks, which were put to great use over the summer months.
September was a busy one: three Explorer Units headed to The Big Weekend 2025 at Lower Grange Farm, enjoying a fantastic activities weekend run by Kent Explorers.
The annual Maidstone West District Camp brought scouts together for a thrilling camping competition. Patrols faced a series of challenges, from campfire skits and orienteering to building camp gadgets, fire lighting, and cooking, all for a chance to win the coveted shield!
November was a month of both celebration and remembrance. We marked the season in spectacular colour with our traditional firework displays, as Explorers from across the district came together for the annual District Explorer Firework Night. Alongside this, many groups hosted their own fireworks evenings for sections and parents.
We also came together to remember those who fought for our freedom. Scouts paraded in services and events across the town centre and surrounding villages, standing proudly alongside other community groups and organisations.
As Christmas arrived, festive spirits were high across the district. Groups celebrated in a variety of ways: whole-Group Christmas parties, carol services, a Network trip to London to see the lights, and even visits from Father Christmas to local groups, all helping to bring the season to life for young people and volunteers alike.
Scouts from Maidstone West and Maidstone East Districts took to the Town Centre for our annual St. George’s Day Parade! With all Groups, Units, and District colours flying, we proudly showed the town that Scouting isn’t just alive, it’s thriving.
Amidst all the fun and excitement, our young people also worked hard to raise funds and awareness for those less fortunate. We supported The Young Lives Foundation, which works with young people in the town, and Porchlight, which helps the homeless and those most vulnerable in our community.
It has been another fantastic year of Scouting in Maidstone West District, and | can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store for all of our young people and the District.
Daniel Everest - District Lead Volunteer
MAIDSTONE WEST DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL
Registered charity number 1022011
Accounts for the year ended 315 March 2025
Maidstone West District Scout Council
Financial Review for the year ended 31 March 2025
The accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 have been prepared on a ‘payments and receipts’ basis, as in previous years, and include the income and expenditure for each of the Explorer Units, and the District’s 50% share of the Hamlet Wood Scout Campsite and the Gang Show.
All these elements, other than Hamlet Wood, recorded a surplus of income over expenditure during the period. The deficit at Hamlet Wood was caused by the continued expenditure to maintain and upgrade the facilities there.
The District Council’s main income is from members’ subscriptions, net of capitation paid to Kent and UK Scouts, and income from hiring out the District HQ. Our main expenditure is maintenance of the District HQ, support for various Scouting events within the District and contributions towards the cost of the World Scout Jamboree.
The District recorded a small surplus following deficits in the 2 previous years occasioned by the cost of reroofing the District HQ and sending participants to the last Jamboree respectively
The Trustees have established a formal reserves policy in accordance with guidance from the Charities Commission. The reserves take in to consideration the financial circumstances of the District, as well as its objectives and obligations, and will be subject to regular review by the District Council in the future. During the year the funds from the temporarily closed Poseidon Explorer Unit were transferred to District pending its future re-opening. These funds have been put into a new reserve category. category.
: funds have been put into a new reserve category. category. Details of those reserves and the balances held in each of them as at the end of the financial : year are set out in the notes to the accounts. At the financial year-end the balance on the : General Reserve was £10,044 (last year £10,077). After a pause of several years, and in : order to ensure District can continue to meet its obligations and support the further | development of Scouting in the District, the decision was taken by The Trustees to increase the District component of the annual capitation fee levied on all youth members and rental : charges for the HQ from the next financial year. Overall, I’m pleased to report that Maidstone West District remains in a sound financial position.
Perry O'Callaghan District Treasurer
MAIDSTONE WEST DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL Registered charity number 1022011
Receipts and Payment Summary and Statement of Monetary Assets for year ended 31 March 2025
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Grand|Total|
|District|W'derers|Scylax|Xavier|W'bury|Poseidon|Paragon|Hamlet|Gang|This|Previous|
|Council|ESU|ESU|ESU|ESU|ESU|ESU|Wood|Show|Year|Year|
|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|
|rrrremem|tt|eee|
|Monetary assets|b/f|tld35,066|403|1,269kc3,420A|14,054|1,362a3,936|36,139|he7,866|103,515RT120,317|
|Total|Receipts for|Year|19,021|6,877|12,400|12,981|15,005|3,077|16,859|12,997|99,217|71,984|
|Total|Payments|for|Year|17,369|5,904|7,521|6,577|14,884|1,362|2,340|18,108|11,248|85,313|88,786|
|peTeeS|LS|
|Net Receipts|for Year|1,652|973|4,879|6,404|121|-1,362|737|-1,249|1,749|13,904|-—--16,802|
|niente|seers|smn erases|
|Monetary|assets|c/f|ann36,718ct eee1,376|6,148nmerermnnene tee9,824|14,175|i)|4,673|34,890OAD9,615|AI117,419|ANS103,515 OLS|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Statement|of Assets and|Liabilities|as|at|31|March|2025|
|District|Grand|Total|
|W'derers|Scylax|Xavier|W'bury|Poseidon|Paragon|Hamiet|Gang|This|Previous|
|Council|ESU|ESU|ESU|ESU|ESU|ESU|Wood|Show|Year|Year|
|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|£|
|Monetary assets|36,718|1376|6,148|9,824|14,175|0|4,673|34,890|9,615|117,419|103,515|
|Liabilities|eS,0|)|0|)|0|0|)|ee,i)|i) ee|0|cd500|
|36,718|1,376|6,148|9,824|14,175|is}|4,673|34,890|9,615|117,419|103,015|
|Non-monetary|assets|485,939|0|0|0|0|0|0|846,982|O|1,332,921|1,051,821|
|eeiii|
|Total|net|assets|522,657|1376|6,148|9,824|14,175|0|4,673|881,872|9,615|1,450,340|1,154,836|
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Following a re-organisation of the Maidstone South District at the end of March 2016 Maidstone West District Scout Council's interest in the Hamlet Wood Campsite increased from 28% to 50% and its share of the Gang Show finances increased from 33% to 50%.
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Maidstone West District Scout Council Registered charity number 1022011
Receipts and payments for the year ended 31st March 2025
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|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|RECEIPTS|Notes|2025|2024|
|in|eerie|ee|
|£|£|£|£|
|PREMISES|
|Property related grants|0|0|
|Rent and other property income|1,740|1,740|1,100|1,100|
|MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS|
|From Groups and Explorer Units|58,563|44,856|
|Less paid to County Headquarters|-48,317|-40,083|
|Capitation|rebate|408|10,654|380|5,153|
|ACTIVITIES|
|Camp & other activities|1,007|3,403|
|Jamborees|2,000|3,007|3,392|6,795|
|OTHER INCOME|
|Other grants & donations|0|689|
|Transfer from|Poseidon ESU|1,363|
|TOTALBadges|[RECEIPTS][ FOR][ THE][ YEAR]|e0202,257|3,620|chad2,353|3,042|
|19,021|16,090|
|PAYMENTS|ned|ee|
|DISTRICT HQ|
|Insurance|
|Utilities|1,051|869|
|Other|1,964|1,587|
|1|312|3,327|23,310|25,766|
|ACTIVITIES|
|Camp & other activities|2,790|5,667|
|Jamboree|5,000|3,716|
|Squirrels and other expenses|250|8,040|102|9,485|
|OTHER EXPENSES|
|AGM expenses|217|116|
|Donations|1,245|675|
|OSM & other expenses|2,429|1,364|
|Badges|2,111|6,002|1,821|3,976|
|TOTAL PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR|17,369|39,227|
|SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)|SES|nd|
|FOR|THE YEAR|weet 652|mcm|23/137)|
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Maidstone West District Scout Council
Registered charity number 1022011
Statement of Assets & Liabilities as at 31st March 2025
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2025 2024
£ £ £ £
MONETARY ASSETS B/F
Bank current account 35,066 58,203
Surplus 1,652 -23,137
MONETARY ASSETS C/F
Bank current account 36,718 35,066
NON MONETARY ASSETS
Badge stock 939 939
Fixed assets -District HQ & equipment 2 485,000 485,939 203,900 204,839
TOTAL ASSETS 522,657 239,905
LIABILITIES (due within one year) 0 0
TOTAL NET ASSETS 522,657 239,905
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Maidstone West District Scout Council
Registered charity number 1022011
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025
- Fixed Assets - District HQ and Equipment
During the year the value of the District HQ was revalued for insurance purposes at £485,000, plus £3,000 for the storage container
2. Reserves Policy
On 24 September 2012 the Committee agreed to establish a formal reserve policy relating to the Monetary Assets that are freely available to spend.
District HQ reserve - to maintain this property for the benefit of Scouting in the District
Jamboree reserve - being money held to provide support to scouts selected to attend and represent the District at World Jamborees or other international scouting events
Hardship reserve - to provide financial support to Groups, units or members within the District whose Scouting experience may be impacted due to financial reasons. Network Reserve - monies held by the District on behalf of the Network ESU Reserve - monies held by the District on behalf of the ESUs General reserve - being other money required to support the ongoing activities of the District Council.
The following reserves were held as at 31 March 2025:
| District HQ | Jamboree | Hardship | Network | ESU | General | General | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| reserve | reserve | reserve | reserve | reserve | reserve | Total | ||
| £ | £ | £ | 3 | £ | £ | |||
| Reserveb/f | 10,058 | 8,299 | 5,000 | 932 | 0 | 10,777 | 35,066 | |
| Receipts | 1,023 | 1,362 | 16,636 | 19,021 | ||||
| Payments | 17,369 | 17,369 | ||||||
| Realloaction ofreserves | 0 | |||||||
| Reserve c/f | 10,058 8,299 ha |
6,023 932 1,362 2c |
10,044 | 36,718 |
| CHARITY COMMISSION Independent examiner's FOR ENGLAND AND WALES report on the accounts
Section A
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Independent Examiner’s Report
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Report to the trustees/ ; a ; members of | Maidstone West Disctrict Scout Council On accounts for the year | 31 March 2025 ended
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Charity no | 1022011
(if any)
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- | report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the-Frast’) for the year ended 31 / 03 / 2025.
—
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, | have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
-
Independent | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
e accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
e the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
| have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
=
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Name: | M2S WENDY G'KicK Relevant professional AAT 2S qualification(s) or body : (if any):
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Address: | 22. Chawberlain Avene
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IER
1 -
October 2018
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose.
IER
2
October 2018