Trustees Annual Report
(Accompanying Receipts & Payments Accounts)
Section 1 Charity Name
Legal & Administrative Information
Essex Search & Rescue (ESSEXSAR)
Charity Commission Registered Number:
1096661
For the Financial Year beginning on: 01/10/2021
For the Financial Year Ending on: 30/09/2022
Charity’s Principal Address:
PO Box 10576, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 9NY
Description of the Charity’s Trusts:
Governing Document:
Constitution dated 12[th] February 2020
Objects of the Charity:
The Charity’s objects (“the objects”) are to assist in the relief of suffering and distress amongst persons endangered by accident or natural hazards in lowland areas primarily in the County of Essex, but not restricted to this area. In particular by providing adequate arrangements for the secure and efficient search for and rescue of any person or persons so endangered, by trained personnel.
Specific Investment Powers
None.
Essex Search & Rescue (ESSEXSAR) is a member of the Association of Lowland Search & Rescue (ALSAR) www.alsar.co.uk
Section 2
Trustees and Governance:
| Name of Trustee | Dates during which the named trustee acted if not for the whole period of this report |
Names of Directors of any corporate charity trustee at the date of this report |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint any charity trustee |
| David Callington | Members | ||
| Anna Wallerstrom | Members | ||
| Stuart Turner | Members | ||
| Steve Jarret | Members | ||
| Adam Hayes | Members |
Trustee selection method: Trustees are appointed by the membership as honorary officers and committee members.
Names of the Charity’s Custodian Trustees:
No appointment has yet been made
Section 3
Activities & Achievements
The charity has again had a busy year, with double the operational demand as the effects of COVID-19 have subsided.
Essex Search and Rescue remain operationally one of the busiest Lowland Rescue teams in the UK. The team was called out 102 times (double the previous year), totaling 3290 hours of total time, and 56 individual volunteers. Average time per volunteer for callouts 53 hours in that 12 months.
In addition to callouts there were 101 training exercises, totaling 4225 hours of total time. Average time per volunteer for training 69 hours.
455 hours recorded on other activities, but strongly suspect that is substantially under reported.
As of 30th September 2022, the charity’s volunteers currently stood at 63 operational and non-operational members, an increase on the previous year of 2020/2021.
The year has been focused on recovering our strength in numbers by trialing and establishing a revised recruitment process, which has provided much higher retention rates. This has allowed ESSEXSAR to return to full operational strength mitigating any impacts from COVID-19. A revised approach to training and qualifications has also demonstrated that a decentralised CPD approach to self-learning in some of the less critical aspects of the syllabus has worked well. Considerations have been made to reduce all mandatory training to the minimum level of comfort to reflect ESSEXSAR’s commitment to responding to the cost of living crisis that is expected to prevail into 2022/2023
Our K9 unit continue to be used more on searches, with several new dogs in training. Trailing dogs and support are requested on a regular basis by Essex Police. On many occasions they are being deployed ahead of foot teams (and in same cases, without the need for foot teams to be deployed). They have managed to continue their very high level of training, with considerable personal commitment from the handlers and their families to put in regular practice. Enhanced training for K9 support was able to continue, which gives the team member the ability to carry out several functions under pressure pending the arrival of additional assistance.
We have grown our Drone Search capability with the acquisition of two thermally equipped consumer grade drones that assist in large area search day and night. During this period we have three drone pilots trained and qualified to a national Lowland Rescue standard.
Within this period we qualified or requalified all members to a minimum of EFAW first
Finance & Fund-Raising
Total draft figures for the year ending 30th September 2022 as follows.
| Total Income | £36,424 |
|---|---|
| Total Expenditure (inclusive of VAT) | £21,294 |
| Total cash in hand at the end of the year | £72,816 |
Contribution of Volunteers
The volunteers fundraising activities this year have been greatly reduced. However, they have become more creative, taking the opportunity to explore new avenues of raising funds and deliver awareness of Essex Search and Rescue in the local communities which we support and social media.
Essex Search and Rescue would not exist without the tireless efforts of our volunteers, who not only raise funds and awareness, but also make themselves available to search for vulnerable missing people and support the community 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.
Our volunteers also bring skills and experience they have gained in their life outside of the team to pass and readily pass these on to others with a large amount of good humor and team work.
Relationships to other parties
We continue to have an excellent relationship with Essex Police and continue to develop relationships with other blue light and emergency response organisations, Essex Fire Service, HM Coastguard, and the RNLI. We continually seek joint training and opportunities to aid and support each other. The team is also represented on the Essex Volunteers Network and local Resilience Forum.
We have had good support from several local councils in Essex, and also dementia charities, and we have had mutual training activities with them. We hope to continue these relationships.
Section 4 Policies
Reserves
It remains the Trustees’ intention to hold reserve funds equivalent to the total annual running costs of Essex Search & Rescue, as well as to build further reserve funds to replace equipment as required in the future. Expenditure in 2022/2023 is anticipated to increase from the levels in previous years and will relate in the main to ongoing operational costs, maintenance of existing equipment and replacement of limited life items.
Risks
We continue to look carefully at our financial obligations. Outgoings are regularly monitored and no expenditure is authorized unless sufficient funds are available.
Insurance
Team members are insured against personal injury whilst on callout or training via the Essex Police volunteer policy. A further policy is in place with Hiscock to cover public liability risks up to £10m, property loss or damage up to £20,000, medical malpractice, and trustee indemnity.
Health & Safety
We continue to utilize a generic Health & Safety policy, which is based upon good practice and Lowland Rescue guidance. However, we intend to develop and implement a more specific and relevant policy next year.
Prior to each search and training, an individual Health & Safety Risk Assessment is prepared, which takes in account local conditions, time of search, number of searchers available , and weather conditions. Health and Safety issues and documentation are reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
Other policies
The charity has adopted policies covering:
Health & Safety Risk Management Casualty Care Infection Control Diversity & Equal Opportunities Safeguarding Confidentiality Volunteer membership Bullying & Harassment Data Protection Continual Professional Development Code of conduct Use of search dogs Search operations TRiM. GDPR Social Media
All new team members have signed an acknowledgement form to confirm that they have read and accepted the above policies.
Section 5 Signature and Declaration Declaration: I declare in my capacity of charity trustee, that:
The trustees have approved the report above; and Have authorized me to sign it on their behalf
Signature: S. Jarrett
Full Name: Stephen Jarrett Position: Trustee Date: 28[th] February 2023
| Income & Expenditure Report | Income & Expenditure Report | Income & Expenditure Report | Income & Expenditure Report | Income & Expenditure Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex Search and Rescue | 01-OCT-2021 - 30-SEP-2022 | |||
| Current Yr | Current Yr | Prior Yr | Prior Yr | |
| INCOME | ||||
| 4000 Membership Income | 900.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 4001 Membership Subscriptions | 900.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 4100 Donations, Subs and Similar Income | 7,163.72 | 0.00 | ||
| 4110 Donations | 6,758.72 | 0.00 | ||
| 4115 Fundraising | 405.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 4200 Income | 15,495.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 4205 Textile Recycling | 13,880.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 4220 Event Income | 1,130.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 4230 External Training | 485.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 4300 Uniform/Clothing | 1,453.20 | 0.00 | ||
| 4301 Outerwear - recharge | 1,391.15 | 0.00 | ||
| 4310 Torches - recharge | 62.05 | 0.00 | ||
| 4400 Fundraising Income | 11,399.48 | 0.00 | ||
| 4415 Donated Clothing Sales | 4,777.48 | 0.00 | ||
| 4420 Restricted Fundraising | 6,622.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 5000 Investment Income | 13.08 | 0.00 | ||
| 5010 Bank/Building Society Interest | 13.08 | 0.00 | ||
| TOTAL INCOME | 36,424.48 | 0.00 | ||
| EXPENDITURE | ||||
| 7000 Operational Costs | -11,058.92 | 0.00 | ||
| 7001 Insurance Costs | -5,020.73 | 0.00 | ||
| 7002 Fuel - vehicles | -686.49 | 0.00 | ||
| 7003 Communications | -1,239.55 | 0.00 | ||
| 7004 Medical supplies | -632.99 | 0.00 | ||
| 7005 License Costs | -1,465.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 7006 Vehicle R&M | -1,919.66 | 0.00 | ||
| 7007 Member PPE | -94.50 | 0.00 | ||
| 7200 Activities | -3,050.32 | 0.00 | ||
| 7201 Venue hire | -700.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 7202 External Training | -894.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 7203 Training supplies | -1,074.41 | 0.00 | ||
| 7204 K9 assessments - support costs | -194.85 | 0.00 | ||
| 7207 Membership Event Expenses | -187.06 | 0.00 | ||
| 7300 Fundraising expenses | -2,076.23 | 0.00 | ||
| 7309 Purchase of Equipment for Resale | -510.54 | 0.00 | ||
| 7310 Purchase of Clothing for Resale | -1,546.69 | 0.00 | ||
| 7311 Other Fundraising Costs | -19.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 2 Page 1 of Clubtreasurer.com Sat Jul 15 11:03:03 UTC 2023 TREASURER@ESSEXSAR.ORG.UK |
| Current Yr | Current Yr | Prior Yr | Prior Yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7400 Administration | -792.70 | 0.00 | ||
| 7401 Website | -203.98 | 0.00 | ||
| 7404 PO Box | -315.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 7426 Uniforms | -233.72 | 0.00 | ||
| 7427 Trustee expenses | -40.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 7800 Capital Equipment Purchases | -4,316.00 | 0.00 | ||
| 7801 Capital Purchases | -4,316.00 | 0.00 | ||
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | -21,294.17 | 0.00 | ||
| SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR PERIOD | 15,130.31 | 0.00 |
Clubtreasurer.com Sat Jul 15 11:03:03 UTC 2023 TREASURER@ESSEXSAR.ORG.UK
Page 2 of 2
Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees ESSEX SEARCH AND RESCUE { ESSEXSAR) On accounts for the year ended 30 September 2022 Charity no (if any) 1096661 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I 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, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below ") which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with 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 concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report 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. Signed: Date: rd 3 August 2023 Name: David Roland Woods Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): NIA Address: 4 Thornton Place, Stock, CM4 9NQ IER Oct 2018