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2024-03-31-accounts

1[st] Corsham Scout Group

Trustee’s report for the period 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024

Section A – Reference and administration details

Charity name: 1[st] Corsham (Lord Methuen’s Own) Scout Group

The Group is registered with the Charity Commission, registration number 1059288.

The Charity’s principle address is:

Corsham Scout and Guide Headquarters The Laggar Corsham Wiltshire SN13 0DE

The Charity may be contacted through the Chairman as follows:

Chris Hyde 3 Potley Lane Corsham Wiltshire SN13 9RY

Throughout the year being reported on, the following have acted as Charity Trustees:

Chris Hyde - Chair

Roger Tigwell - Treasurer Gayle Lui - Secretary Drew Tigwell – Group Scout Leader

Sarah Ball, Beaver Section Leader

Martin Lancashire – Scout Section Leader

Section B – Structure, governance and management

The Group is run as a Charitable Trust under the rules of The Charities Commission.

The Group’s governing documents are currently 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), specifically Rule 5.4, of the Scout Association.

A proposal, agreed by the Trustee Board, to continue to adopt the Group’s governing documents (Constitution) to be in line with those contained in Section 5.4 of the POR of the Scout Association is included in the Agenda for the Group AGM to be held on 25[th] September 2024.

The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the rules of The Charities Commission and Rule 5.4 of the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association.

A Trustee Board acts as the governing body for the Charity, 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

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legislation applicable to all charities. This includes the registration, keeping proper accounts and making returns to the Charity Commission as appropriate.

The Trustee Board consists of 3 independent representatives, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary together with the Group Scout Leader and individual Section Leaders. It meets six times per year.

The Trustee Board exists to support the Group Scout Leader in meeting the responsibilities of the appointment and is responsible for:

The Group has in place systems of internal controls, which are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss. These include a requirement for two signatories for all major payments and a range of comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.

With effect from April 2024, there have a number of changes and clarifications to section 5.4 of the POR relating to the appointment of Trustees, the role of the Trustees, how the Trustees manage the Trust and greater separation of Trust management from the day-to-day management of the Group. These changes are being phased in during 2024 and 2025.

Section 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 promote 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, national 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.

The Group meets the Charity Commission’s public benefit criteria through both of:

Section D – Achievements and Performance

The Group continues to provide Scouting opportunities for young people in each of the available age-ranges, catering for young people aged 6-14 years. It works in close partnership with the North Wiltshire District Explorer Scout Unit, which means that the full range of scouting provision is available locally. The Group provides the necessary infrastructure for this wide-ranging provision, including running two separate building locations and providing support and training for adult leaders.

The three sections continue to operate at or near capacity and provide a strong, progressive programme of adventurous and other activities. There is a bias towards water activities in the Scout section, as it is a designated Sea Scout Unit.

Despite being one of the largest in the area the Group continues to find itself unable to meet all of the potential demand for places for young people at the Beavers and Cubs levels. The Trustee Board has concluded that at present due to the hall and other facilities being in use by various sections on each weeknight it is not possible

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to extend the size of the sections or create additional ones. The Trustee Board will keep the situation under review. In the meantime enquiries where the Group is unable to provide a place are referred to other local Scout Groups. The Group has sufficient capacity to meet demand for Sea Scouts.

All of the activities of the Group are enabled through the hard work of a significant number of volunteers, fulfilling a diverse range of roles. There are no paid staff and the activities of the Charity would not be possible without this significant voluntary contribution.

Section E – Financial Review

The Group held total funds of approximately £28,240, including the required reserves, at the year-end. This is a slight increase on the previous year (FY2023/24 - £24,225) due mainly to timing differences as a result of income for camps and trips received at the end of 2023/24 with related expenditure happening early in 2024/25.

All three Sections (Beavers, Cubs and Sea Scouts) have been meeting normally throughout the year (including attending camps and going on trips) and normal membership subscriptions are in place. Although income levels are at usual levels, it has been necessary to waive or reduce membership subscriptions in a few cases, where families have been struggling under the current economic conditions. The Trustee Board has sanctioned these on the basis that financial conditions should not be a barrier to young people to prevent them having the opportunity to benefit by the activities the Scout Group can provide. Even though the Group itself is suffering from increased operation costs, based on the budgets and forecasts prepared for the last year and the coming year, the current level of annual income is sufficient to maintain normal operations and maintain the necessary reserves.

The Board’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 Trustee Board considers that the Group should hold a sum equivalent to at least 6 months running costs - approximately £12,000. A sum equal to this is held in a notice term deposit account, to maximise earnings on the reserves held.

As part of a review of the existing building infrastructure, the Trustee Board has signed off on a necessary renewal of elements of the main hall fire alarm system and electrical system, as identified by external experts. These works will take place during the next fiscal year. This expenditure will come from the funds remaining from the Council Covid grants received in 2020/21 and 2021/22.

Section G – Declaration

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustee’s report above at the Trustee Board meeting held on 4[th] September 2024.

Signed on behalf of the Trustee Board on 4[th] September 2024:

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a - Chairman
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_________
Roger Tigwell - Treasurer
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- Charities Commission Accounts Submission Year Ended 31st March 2024

Section A Receipts and Payments

Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Endowment
funds		 Total funds Prior
year
A1 Receipts
Membership
Membershipsubscriptioins 13,760 13,760 13,114
lesspaid (4,806) (4,806) (4,565)
Total Membership 8,954 0 0 8,954 8,549
Investment Income 420 420 47
Fundraisng General 241 241 0
Donations/Grants
Guides contribution towards HQ
runningcosts		 4,674 4,674 3,999
Activitycharges 11,350 11,350 9,892
donations andgrants 500 500 620
Gift Aid 2,695 2,695 2,538
Sundry Receipts
Hire of hall 2,791 2,791 2,087
Sundries 62 62 305
Sub-Total 31,688 0 0 31,688 28,037
A2 Asset and Investment sales
Asset sale 0 0 0 0 0
Total Receipts 31,688 0 0 31,688 28,037
A3 Payments
Premises
Ground rent 50 50 50
Heat,light,water,etc. 3,357 3,357 2,342
Insurance 3,299 3,299 2,984
Cleaning 3,351 3,351 3,194
Repairs and renewals 3,471 3,471 12,507
Miscellaneous 751 751 731
Insurance
Boats 1,228 1,228 1,208
Leaders 42 42 42
Equipment
Purchase 191 191 4,918
Repairs 11 11 274
Training 177 177 1,075
Activities Expenditure 11,744 11,744 9,868
Sub-Total 27,673 0 0 27,673 39,193
A4 Asset and Investment
Purchases		 0 0 0 0 0
Total Payments 27,673 0 0 27,673 39,193
Net of Receipts/(Payments) 4,015 0 0 4,015 (11,156)
A5 Transfers Between Funds 0 0 0 0 0
A6 Cash Funds Last Year End 24,225 24,225 35,381
Cash Funds This Year End 28,240 0 0 28,240 24,225

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

the period
Categories
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B5 Liabilities		 Details Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
Group Accounts 28,240 - -
- - -
Total cash funds 28,240 - -
Details
Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Details Fund to which
**asset belongs **		 Cost
(optional)		 Current value
(optional)
- -
- -
- -
- -
Details Fund to which
**asset belongs **		 Cost
(optional)		 Current value
(optional)
Headquarters Building - 1,010,000
Boathouse Building - 130,000
Boats and Contents - 134,650
Note - values shown above
representinsuredvalues		 - -
- -
- -
- -
Details Fund to which
liability relates		 Amount due
(optional)		 When due
(optional)
-
-
-

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGIAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Réport to the trustees oILCs On accounts for the year ended LOL Charlty no (if any) ioSqLEE Set out on pag8S I report to the trustees on my examination of charity (Ih6 Trust.) for the year ended Si, unts of the above o,s Responslbllltles and basis of report As the charitys trusteés, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wrth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Twst's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have foll0v￿d all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination {othept ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records W￿re not kept in accordance Y￿th section 130 of the Charities Act" or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements conceming the forn and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a Irue and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be dra￿7 in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Pleasg delets the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 10 og Name: Relovanl professional quallfiution(s) or body IER Oct 2018

(If any): Address: Wittshire STr415 300 Etnail.. chrtS@watchm8na¢countants.¢om Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concem {see CC32. Independ8nt examination of charty a¢¢ounts'. directions and guidance for examin8rs). Glve here brfof detalls of any Items that the examlner wishes to dlsclo80. IER Oct 2018