Essex South East Guide Association
Charity Registration Number: 1029086
Working title:
Girlguiding Essex South East
Annual Reports and Financial Statements 1[st] March 2025 to 31[st] December 2025
Trustees:
Carole Davies – county commissioner Susan Bishop – assistant county commissioner Andrea Bray – division commissioner, Basildon Dee Dowsett – division commissioner, Billericay Sharon Lacey – division commissioner, Castle Point Carol Roberts – division commissioner, Rayleigh Sally Baskett - division commissioner, Southend East Rosalyn Jones – division commissioner, Southend West Janet Nelson – training lead Carol Crowhurst – outdoor activities adviser Elizabeth Perry – county treasurer
Executive Committee:
County president County commissioner Assistant county commissioner/s Division commissioners County secretary County treasurer County guiding development coordinator County outdoor activities adviser County Trefoil Guild chairman Other advisers as appointed by the county commissioner
Registered Address:
7 Great Hautbois Road Coltishall Norfolk NR12 7JN
Independent Examiner:
Lorraine Harris 148 Norsey View drive Billericay Essex CM12 0QX
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Bankers:
Lloyds Bank Santander 78 High Street Bootle Rayleigh Merseyside Essex L30 4GB SS6 7EB
Structure, governance and management
Girlguiding Essex South East (the county) is part of the Anglia region of Girlguiding. It has its own executive committee as set out in its constitution. The executive is chaired by the county commissioner and meets a minimum of four times a year. Girlguiding Essex South East operates in accordance with all policies adopted by Girlguiding. Girlguiding is governed by Royal Charter.
Trustees are responsible for the recruitment and appointment of new trustees. All new trustees are given a detailed introduction to the workings and activities of the organisation.
Aims and Objectives
As a member of Girlguiding, Girlguiding Essex South East aims to help girls and young women to develop emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually so that they can make a positive contribution to their community and the wider world.
This is achieved through activities which are relevant to the age group and which encourage learning by doing, through working in small groups, making their own decisions, having a balanced and varied program, caring for each individual and sharing a commitment to a common standard.
Public Benefit Statement
The trustees of Girlguiding Essex South East accept the need to have regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit. They recognize that it is their responsibility to ensure that the benefits offered
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are realised in Essex South East by promoting all aspects of Guiding within the county, both within the membership and in the wider community.
County Commissioners Report March 2025 – December 2025
I am very pleased to report that Girlguiding within our county is thriving. Leaders are busy planning and running weekly Unit meeting, running Residential events and many more activities.
We currently have 6 Divisions and 21 districts, 2 less than last year as we made the decision to amalgamate 3 districts into one.
As a whole, the county shows each Division with the total number of girls in that Division and also county figures for the total number of units in each section, including the number of girls in that section and the overall number of girls and adults within the county.
Basildon division 276 girls Billericay division 688 girls Castle Point division 306 girls Rayleigh division 431 girls Southend East division 372 girls Southend West division 639 girls
Totalling 2712 girls - down by 249 last year
693 Members and Recognised Volunteers - down by 17 on last year
Breaking down the numbers of girls into sections as follows:
49 Rainbow Units 577 girls down by 92 71 Brownie Units 1254 girls down by 100 43 Guide Units 739 girls down by 35 22 Ranger Units 142 girls down by 22
Once again, we held our Annual County Day for adult leaders in Mach 2025. This was well attended with over 65 attending the day. It was run by our county Training Team who put on various sessions linked to each of the sections and also fun activities in the afternoon. Lunch was provided and a good time was had by all. Many leaders commenting they liked the fun activities in the afternoon!!.
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There have been various events around the county during the year, some organised locally and some on a division level.
We held our Annual Thanks and Recognition event for adult leaders. This was attended by over 100 leaders and numerous awards were presented. The obligatory tea and cake was served, always a favourite!!!
Various activities were held in the county for the girls. These include Camps for the Guides and Rangers (10 – 18 year olds), indoor residential events for Brownies (7-10 year olds) and many over weekends and also overnight sleepovers events for Rainbows (5-7 year olds). Thanks go to all the adult leaders who give up additional valuable time to take these girls away.
Many residential qualifications have been gained by leaders this year, enabling even more girls to get away. These events are always the most popular with girls of all ages.
We held an International Selection Day for Guides and Rangers prior to them going forward for selection at Anglia Region. This was the first time we had held one of these events for several years, but it was great fun. As a result we were able to send 7 girls forward for selection and 5 were offered the opportunity of going on International trips taking place in 2026 and 2027, including Malta, India and Inter-railing across Europe. We hope they all have an amazing time.
We also had a leader who was selected and ran an International trip for Guides and Rangers across Anglia region to the Azores in August. A great time was had by all.
Various other events have taken place throughout the year and include trips to the Craft Barn, Pottery Centre, Colchester Zoo and many more. The Rangers and Young Leaders took part in their Annual Christmas Campfire. Which is always great fun, even if a bit cold!!! Everyone wraps up really well!! Always end with toasting marshmallows and putting them in between chocolate biscuits, yum yum!!!
There have been many presentations to girls and leaders throughout the year and I have had the privilege of presenting many of them whilst visiting units. This is one of my favourite bits of the role.
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Trainings for leaders in First Response and Safe Space, now rename Safer Guiding, continued to be delivered mainly by face-to-face trainings. We were also introduced to our new Leadership Development Platform, which we are all now getting to grips with. Many online training have taken place and our Training Team are considering doing a regular monthly online sessions just for an hour. This is something new in the county but saves anyone having to travel.
Our annual subscriptions payments were due to be paid to Girlguiding at the end of February 2025. Several units face financial difficulties, but I am pleased to report all annual subscriptions were paid on time. It has been very difficult for some areas, particularly where there is a large level of social deprivation and the general cost of living. Leaders are having to think long and hard about next year’s unit budgets, as we know the annual subscriptions are going to increase yet again.
I am pleased to be able to report we are now back to normal in all areas of guiding within the county and girls are working hard to achieve badges and awards while enjoying attending their weekly meetings.
Thanks must go to all the leaders who have worked hard to keep their units running over the difficult times we have had and for all the help and support they give the girls and to each other.
Carole Davies – County Commissioner for Girlguiding Essex South East
Financial Review
The financial period used was reviewed during the early part of the review period. The original year-end was February due to the County being formed on 1st March but it was felt an alternative date would be more appropriate. December 31st was chosen for the new year-end.
The County continues to hold funds in the CCLA COIF Investment Fund as a long-term investment. The value at year-end is higher than the initial investment but lower than at the start of the year. Performance will be monitored at the next statement to ensure charity funds are invested wisely.
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Interest received has decreased with Santander no longer paying interest on our account and reduced rates on other accounts.
Fees are increasing with Santander increasing theirs to 15p per transaction (up from 5p) and Lloyds changing the account in November from a Treasurers account to a Charity account which charges 50p per cheque (paid or received). The number of cheques used is very low so this will have minimal impact on the County finances.
There has been no request for financial assistance from the Riffhams Campsite during this period.
There have been no transactions with the Scouts for Essex International Jamboree (EIJ) this review period but with the next Jamboree planned for 2028 this was not unexpected. Support for EIJ will continue with the £52,666 held in reserve.
Grants were awarded to 2 individuals for international trips – one leader
and one young member. The County continues to support units struggling with finance but no applications were made during the review period. County Executive agreed to continue to hold £50,000 (being approximately 2 years expenses) in reserve in give strength and viability to Girlguiding Essex South East as an organisation.
All investments continue to be approved by the trustees and are made as securely as possible.
A full risk assessment is available from the County Commissioner.
Liz Perry – county treasurer for Girlguiding Essex South East.
Annual report and financial statement approved at County Executive:
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31st Decem |
31st Decem |
31st Decem |
ber 2425 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BankAccounts ThisyearLastYear LtoydsCharityAccountt67,610.10953,198.56 Ltoyds32DayNoticeDeposit11,208.19911,037.L4 |
||||
| Santander | S46,949.26t48,7!4.79 | |||
| CCLADepositAccount Total CashHetd |
858,432.26t56,037.31 f,184,199.81 f168,987.20 |
|||
| CCLAInvestmentAccount | 874,040.07t74,925.26 | |||
| Totat | t198,239.88tL83,912.46 | |||
| Funds | ThisyearLastyear | |||
| General | 895,407.94[81,080.52 | |||
| AngtiaSustainabitity | 9522.75t522.15 | |||
| DawnCrampinFund | -[356.88-t356.88 | |||
| Reserve | f50,000.00f50,000.00 | |||
| EIJ | f52,666.67f52,666.67 | |||
| Totat | t198,239.888183,912.46 | |||
| Additionat Assets | ||||
| BadgeStock | f3,836.84 | |||
| Equipment | Purchasesover!250peritem, | depreciation20a/oper | annum. | |
| New | Value at31-112/2425 | |||
| LifepatDefibTrainer | 202L/229378 | [191.52 | ||
| Laptop, mouse andkeyboard | 2023124793.99 | f317.59 |
| Preparedby | ) n ..Lrz_[f,3{i:i...... |
Examined by | --o-Sl-+ie ]S*.ll'.. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 2flvl+t" | Date | er\eS\:-\: |
| Signed | 4 | Signed | \l-_--.-... |
| 1st March2A25to | 1st March2A25to | 31st December 24 | 25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lncome | ThisyearLastyear Ef |
Expenditure | Thisyear st |
Lastyear | |
| Subscriptions | t24,745.40 | t23,562.00 | Subscriptions | s137.50f1,819.00 | |
| Angtia CoL | 8957.90 | Angtia CoLGrants | t250.00 | ||
| EU2024 | t37,166.67 | ilJ2424 | |||
| EIJLoanto Unit | f1,a45.OA | EULoanto Unit | f1,045.00 | ||
| CountyBadge Sates | t661.31 | f1,564.78 | CountyBadge Sates | t3,479.47 | f3,378.98 |
| Training Team | t100.00 | !1,545.00 | Training Team | f1,861".64 | f2,065.88 |
| CounryEvents | 9_7,207.00 | CountyEvents | 81",930.30 | 93,209.27 | |
| Archery | t331.00 | Archery | s333.20 | ||
| Miscettaneous | 1159.88[190.55 | Miscettaneous | [801.02 | 9624.00 | |
| ArchiveBadge Sates | 91,098.65 | lnsurance | 9700.75 | t669.83 | |
| CCLAReinvestment | !2,394.95L2,731..15 | PR | r324.00 | ||
| Donations | Expenses | f1,010.29 | |||
| lnterestLtoyds Dep | f171.05 | MobitePhone | t142.84 | [501.76 | |
| lnterest Santander | tL,072.77 | Archive | f128.39 | r100.19 | |
| lnterestCCLA | 9310.07 | Grants | t5,242.67 | ||
| lnterest | [3,133.81 | Riffhams | E4!7.0A | ||
| OutdoorTeam | 93,670.00 | Fees | q0.90 | f0.10 | |
| Storage-Safestore | f2,836.80 | ||||
| CCLA lnvVatuation | -!885.19 | 8L97.94 |
Storage-Harjo | t660.00 | |
| Storage | !2,196.10 | ||||
| Miteage | f5BB.60 | ||||
| Website | t770.oo | ||||
| lnlernationaIGrants | !665.00 | ||||
| 0utdoorTeam | t3,329.61 | ||||
| Totats | f32,359.84 | 274,737.45 | Totats | 818,032.42 | 923,187.27 |