**Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** ## 1 **Reference and Administration Details** Charity Name: 1[st] Keyworth Scout Group Charity Number: **1030336** Principal Address: The Scout Hut, Elm Avenue, Keyworth NH12 5AN Independent Scrutineer: Nigel Brookbanks: 17 Lilac Close. NG12 5DN ## **1.1 Trustees** James Ratcliff (JR) Group Chair Laura Shepherd (LS) Group Secretary Lorraine Irvine (LI) Group Treasurer Andy Farrant (AF) Mary Butler (MB) ## 2 **Structure, Governance and Management** ## **2.1 Governing Document** 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 (POR) of the Scout Association. The Group is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts. The Group is registered as charity with the charity commission by virtue of the land and buildings they own, and their income is over £5,000. The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association ## **2.2 Group Executive Committee** The Group is managed by the Group Executive Committee, the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout Group 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. The Committee consists of 3 independent representatives, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary together with the Group Scout Leaders, individual section leaders (if opted to take on the responsibility) and parent’s representation and meets every 3 months. Page 1 of 8 **Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** Members of the Executive Committee complete 'Essential Information for Executive Committee' training within the first 5 months of joining the committee. This Group Executive Committee exists to support the Group Scout Leader in meeting the responsibilities of the appointments and is responsible for: - Complying with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association - Assisting in the recruitment of leaders and other adult support. - Protect and maintain any property and equipment owned by and/or used by the Group. - The raising of funds and the administration of Group finance. - Provide insurance for people, property, and equipment. - Provide sufficient resources for Scouting to operate. This includes, but is not limited to, supporting recruitment, other adult support, and fund-raising activities. - Promote and support the development of Scouting in the local area. - Group public occasions. - Manage and implement the Safety Policy locally. - Ensure that a positive image of Scouting exists in the local community. - Appoint and manage the operation of any sub-Committees, including appointing a Chair to lead the sub-Committees. - Appointing Group Administrators and Advisors other than those who are elected. - Ensure that Young People are meaningfully involved in decision making at all levels within the Group. - The opening, closure and amalgamation of sections as necessary. - And all other duties as set out in Policy, Organisation and Rules. ## **2.3 Group Scout Council** The Group Scout Council is the electoral body to which the Group Executive Committee is accountable. Membership of the Group Scout Council is open to: - Scouters - Group Active Support Managers and members - Colony Pack and Troop Assistants - Skills Instructors - Administrators - Advisers - Patrol Leaders - All Parents of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts - Any other supporters, including former Scouts and their parents, admitted by the Group Scout Leader, the Group Executive Committee or the Group Scout Council - Explorer Scout Leaders (if stated in a Partnership Agreement) ## ● The District Commissioner and District Chair are ex-officio members of the Group Scout Council. **2.4 Trustee Selection** The trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association Page 2 of 8 **Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** ## **2.5 Risk and Internal Control** The Group Executive Committee has identified the major risks to which they believe the Group is exposed, these have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate against them. The trustees have considered the major risks and are satisfied that appropriate systems are in place There have been no adverse events during the year. The main areas of concern that have been identified are: ## **2.5.1 Injury to Leaders, Helpers, Supporters or Members** The Group supports compliance with the Safety Policy and ensures appropriate risk assessment; elimination, reduction and control measures are taken to reduce the likelihood of any injuries. In addition, through the capitation fees to the scout association, the Group contributes to the Scout Association’s national accident insurance policy. ## **2.5.2 Damage to Buildings, Property or Equipment** The Group premise a hut on a small piece of land is held in trust under a deed of appointment and managed by 4 trustees on behalf of the group. It would request the use of buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations were this to become unavailable. The Group has sufficient buildings and contents insurance in place to mitigate against permanent loss. ## **2.5.3 Reduced Income from Subscriptions and Fundraising** The Group is primarily reliant upon income from subscriptions and fund-raising. The Group holds adequate reserves to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The committee could also raise the value of subscriptions to increase the Group income either temporarily or permanently. ## **2.5.4 Reduction or Loss of Leaders** The Group is totally reliant on volunteers to run and administer the activities of the Group. If there were a reduction in the number of volunteers to an unacceptable level, then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of activities or sections. In the worst-case scenario, the complete closure of the Group. The group operated in 2024 without the formal appointment of a GSL with the role and responsibilities covered by Rushcliffe HQ ## **2.5.5 Reduction or Loss of Members** If there were a reduction in membership of a particular section or the Group as a whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. The Village is undergoing a Page 3 of 8 **Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** major house building programme with many new families and potential members moving to Keyworth. ## **2.5.6 Financial Controls** The group has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories approval for all payments and comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered ## 3 **Objectives and Activities** The primary objective of the Group is that of the Scout Association generally, namely: **‘to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.’** ## **The Values of Scouting** As Scouts we are guided by these values: - Integrity - We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal. - Respect - We have self-respect and respect for others. - Care - We support others and take care of the world in which we live. - Belief - We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes. - Co-operation - We make a positive difference; we cooperate with others and make friends. ## **The Scout Method** Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on the values of Scouting and: - enjoy what they are doing and have fun. - take part in activities indoors and outdoors. - learn by doing. - share in spiritual reflection. - take responsibility and make choices. - undertake new and challenging activities. - make and live by their Promise. - **The activities of the Group are:** - The provision of the Scouting programme for 6–18-year-old members ## 4 **Achievements and Performance** ## **4.1 Group report from Chair James Ratcliffe** It has been a very busy year for 1[st] Keyworth Scouts along with many changes in leadership on the committee and the Scout sections. Graham Blakey, who was a Cub leader and then Group Scout Leader, for over 15 years stepped down. Graham was a massive loss with his vast experience and dedication to the group including being stand-in Chair on the committee for several years until I took that role on. We were able to Page 4 of 8 **Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** give him a nice send off at the carol service in December and wish him well now he has more spare time. Unfortunately we have not been able to replace Graham as GSL yet so the search continues. Thankfully the Scout leaders have continued their hard work to keep things running as smoothly as possible however it does still leave a big hole in running the group. The role and function of GSL is being covered by Rushcliffe HQ. Christian Arnhardt also stepped down as Quartermaster after two years of managing the groups equipment and stores. Gavin Jones has very kindly stepped in to the role and has already made massive headway in checking and refreshing our tent stock. Finally in the young people sections, Richard Hill stepped down from running our Scouts pack which he did for several years. Finding a fresh leader team was difficult however 9 amazing parent volunteers stepped forward and with help settling in from Bayan Mansour and Rebecca Conquest the section is stronger than ever and continues to grow. In other business we successfully submitted our annual return to the Charities Commission on time. As a Group we continue to take an active part in the wider Keyworth Community. This includes our almost famous bean bags in a pan throwing game at the Keyworth Show. Once again we undertook a Christmas post, around £300 was raised for Keyworth Community Projects. A combined scout leaders/turkey trot team took part in the 2024 edition of the Keyworth Quiz but unfortunately didn’t manage to retain our title. The biggest community contribution is obviously the Turkey Trot which involves many Keyworth residents and brings in many more people from outside the area. Major works this year at the hut included a replacement carpet following a flood. We are also looking to replace the lights in the summer as we cannot source tubes for the existing units. A longer term plan is to expand the size of the hut primarily to increase the amount of storage and make better use of the internal office/meeting rooms we have so watch this space as plans are confirmed over the next 12 months. There were two big Group events last year. The first was our annual Group Gathering camp which was an unfortunately wet weekend at Willesley however the rain (and storms) didn’t put a downer on everyone having a great time. But we do hope that GG this year back at Walesby will be warmer and dryer. The second was the Jamboree On The Internet in October which is a chance for Scouts and Guides worldwide to congregate through amateur radio and the internet, promoting global connections and friendship. Several young people in 1[st] Keyworth Scouts attended over the weekend and connected to other scouts across the world. It is clear from the activities and tasks listed in this short report that there is a lot of behind the scenes work required to run a Scout Group. Currently this is being achieved with a skeleton pool of volunteers. The completion of these tasks could be made easier if we were able to call upon a larger pool of volunteers, many hands making light work. This does not need to be a commitment to a specific role such as a Committee member. Instead it could be a part of a small team that organises our Keyworth Show contribution or helps with hut maintenance. For example, the majority of people on the Turkey Trot organising team no longer have young people in scouting. It is therefore imperative that new volunteers come forward so that they can learn on the job by Page 5 of 8 **Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** shadowing the current incumbents. This is relatively light touch meeting a few times a year leading up to race day in December. Without the Turkey Trot the group would have no income stream to maintain the hut and subsidise all the scouting activities throughout the year including keeping monthly subs low. If you are interested in getting involved please speak to a committee member or leader for more information. I would like to finish by saying a massive thank you to all the leaders who are part of 1[st] Keyworth Scouts Group for their tireless work and commitment every week organising fun sessions and amazing experiences for all of our young people. You are the true stars of the show! _James Ratcliff, Group Chair & representing GSL_ ## 5 **Finance End of year Report Year Ended 31 January 2025** **5.1** Reserves at the end of the year were £53913, so approximately £6000 higher than the £47725 last year. ## **Income** Total income for the year was £28658. The Turkey Trot again makes a huge difference to our accounts. The net income this year was £14074, so half of our total income. Thanks go to the TT committee for organising this event that enables us to continue to support our young people. Subs brought in £13580, a slight increase on the £12930 last year. We received £1003 in bank interest as most of our funds are now held in a separate higher interest bank account to maximise income. ## **Expenditure** Costs were £23472. This is significantly down from last year. The main difference this year was that we spent less on hut maintenance. There was a one-off expenditure on uniforms of £649 for our new Scouts leaders. There are also refunds still outstanding to leaders for the part-refund of subs that we allow in appreciation of the hard work they do throughout the year. Our Utilities costs were also reduced. Partly due to the drop in fuel prices but we have also agreed new contracts. This will continue to benefit us next year. ## **Donations** Our Christmas Post collection raised £238 which was passed direct to Keyworth Community Projects. Page 6 of 8 **Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** ## **Outlook for 2025/6** We are fortunate that we can continue to support all our sections in a wide range of activities. It will soon be Group Gathering, our annual family camp, which we continue to subsidise. Our section leaders all organise lots of weekly activities which we continue to fund. There are further improvements to our hut being planned which will incur significant expenditure but this will make the hut work better for the whole group for years to come. ## **Scrutineer of annual accounts** Our Accounts are examined by Nigel Brookbanks, 17 Lilac Close, Keyworth. NG12 5DN ## **5.2 Public benefit statement** The Group meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community development headings. ## 6 **Financial Review** ## **6.1 Reserves Policy** 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. The Group Executive Committee considers that the group should hold a sum equivalent to 12 months running costs, circa £12,000. The Group held reserves of approximately £50,000 against this at year end. This is an increase on the position last year, remains well above the level required for operating expenses. The committee continues with its plans for the extension to the scout hut where a considerable portion of these reserve will be allocated, planning permission has now been obtained and detailed budgets will be prepared when we have firmed up a building method that satisfying Building control . They have implemented improvements to heating and are looking at swapping to LED lighting of the existing hut to assist with reducing greenhouse gasses. ## **6.2 Investment Policy** The Group does not have sufficient funds to invest in longer-term investments such as stocks and shares. The Group has therefore adopted a low risk strategy to the investment of its funds. All funds are held in cash using only mainstream banks or building societies. The Group Executive regularly monitors the levels of bank balances and the interest rates received to ensure the group obtains maximum value and income from its banking arrangements. Occasionally this may involve using an account that requires a period of notice before funds may be withdrawn, before doing so the Group Executive considers the cash flow requirements. ## 7 **Declaration** The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees: Page 7 of 8 ## **Trustees Annual Report** **for financial year 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2025** Signature: Date: 30/11/2025 `o` **Full Name: Mr James Ratcliffe** `o` **Position: Group Chair** Signature: ps ## **Full Name: Mary Butler** `o` Date: 30/11/2025 **Position: Trustee** Page 8 of 8 Profit and Loss 1 st Keyworth Scouts For the year ended 31 January 2025 Account 2024 Turnover Donations Hire of Hul K8VWOrth Sho Reserve aG¢ounl Subs TT22 TT23 TT24 Totsl Turnover 55.00 175.00 760.001 375.00 18.75 21.85 70.001 0.00 13,580.001 12,930.00 0.00 I 150.00 100.001 11,856.24 1 14,074.191 0.00 i 28,657.94 25,508.09 Gro¥ts Pro 28 85Y.94 25 S08.09 Administrat1￿ C08ts AGIM Allotment Costs Annual Caprtalion Payment _ b8does Bank Fees Cleaninq Ctssl of Group 8clivilie5 Cost of mainlenan¢o of equipmerit Costs Beavers Costs Cub5 A pack Costs Cubs B Pack Costs Explorers linc DofEI Costs Scouts Eouipmont purcha￿￿ General Expenses GG24 GG25 Group GalheTing 23 Hul extenslon works Insurance IT Software gnd Consumables Leaders Gift Leaders Subs Refund Repairs & M8inlenan¢e on hyl TBW IThe Biq Weekendl Telephone & Inlernel Travel Expenses 22 Exponsè Uniforms 0.00 325 49 20.001 20.00 5,832 001 6,386.OD 21.501 336.80 60.001 60.00 851.441 1,448.59 434.611 2,862.85 229.001 33.66 999.991 2,203.93 1,3S5.61 | 1.S43.86 1156.6211 537.20 3,657.681 3,790.52 370.691 1,230.45 211.991 2,045.48 139.441 89.80 1,502.341 0.00 97.001 0.00 0.001 1,055.01 463.08 0.00 1,364.71 1,252.52 523.81 61D.88 150.00 84.19 O.ODI 1.662.00 1,067.671 8,358.80 1,627.061 804.00 330.061 308.25 24.301 0,00 o.oo'. 10.50 648,80 50.00 1,646.40, 2.219.70 23,472.S6 39,330.28 Total Admlnlstratlve Costs •ratln Pro 186.38 Other Income Interest reGeiv8d Total Other Incom• 1,003.01 877.28 1,003.01U877.28 12 .91 Prollt on Ordln ActlYlU￿ 8ofor• Taxauoft 12 Balance Sheet 1st Keyworth Scouts As at 31 January 2025 Cash Basis Account 31 Jan 2025 31 Jan 2024 Current Assets Cash at bank and in hand ICAF Current Account ICAF Reserve account Icash |Total Cash at bank and In hand Total Current Assets 53,813.841 0.001 100.001 53,913.841 53,913.84 3,777.79 43,787.66 160.00 47.72S.45 47,72S.45 N•t uiront AsMts bll 72S ¢>tal Aststs1888 ffant labllltl8$ 91 •t Assets 13.84 Ca Ital and R08erve8 Current Year Earninqs | Retained Earnings Total Ca Ital and Reiorve8 6,188.39 47,725.45. 63 913.84,, 112,944.911 60,670.36 47 725.45 LT700005 - Scrutineer's Report to the Trust•es ￿lY 2022 Scrutineer's Report to the Trustees of the 1st Keyworth Scout Group I rep¢xt on the accounts of the GrouplDistrict for year ended 3 1 January 2025 As the Group'slDistrirt's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts: you consider that neither the audtt nor independent examination requirements of the Charities Act 2011 apply. It is my responsibility without carryiThJ out an audit or irKleperKlent examination to scrutinise the accounts and to report to yo In accordance with the direction5 given in the Group'slDistrict's constitution, I have scrutinised the records ard the accounts Set out on pages ...... ..... In my opinion the accounts are in accordance with the records produced to me cornply with the constitution. II CKo44 Address:............ .............,... . ....................................................--......... I h£as1J￿6 @ I￿(￿￿[, SCOKJIS. dg ok ry41 slis