Staffordshire Search and Rescue Team Legal and Administrative Information
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Charity Number: 1105836
Trustees
Ms H Morning Mr J Rudman Mr S Rowley
Secretary
Vacant c/o H Morning
Treasurer
Mr S Rowley
Charity's Principal Address
91 Burnthill Lane
Rugeley
Staffs WS15 2HW Bankers
National Westminster Bank Pic.
1 Upper Market Square
Hanley
Stoke on Trent ST 1 1 QA Accountants Chase Accounting
4 Station Court, Girton Road
Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0EJ
Staffordshire Search and Rescue Team
Legal and Administrative Information
for the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Charity Number: 1105836
www.ssart.org
The trustees present their report together with the financial statements for the charity for the year
ending 31 March 2025.
STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Legal and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial
statements comply with current statutory requirements and the Statement of Recommended
Practice for Accounting and Reporting by Charities.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The principal activity of the charity again during the year under review was to provide professional and immediate response to search and rescue calls from Staffordshire Civil Contingencies Unit to assist the police, fire, and ambulance services in order to save lives and render assistance as required in Staffordshire and adjacent counties.
CHARITABLE STATUS
The company was registered as a charity by the Charity Commissioners for all purposes on 13 September 2004 (certificate number 1105836).
TRUSTEES
The trustees were originally elected from the founding members of the charity. New trustees can be appointed by the existing board at any time. The composition of the Board has been reviewed and will now comprise the Honorary Officers as elected by the members plus any additional persons from time to time invited.
FINANCIAL REVIEW, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
This year, once again, the team has maintained its membership and continued to develop its skills and experience in search and rescue. We have continued to train new members to become qualified Search Technicians. All our search technicians are now licenced and on the national register with lowland rescue. We have also continued to include further training to nationally recognized qualifications in Search Planning, Search Management, Team Leader, and First Aid.
Staffordshire Search and Rescue Team Legal and Administrative Information for the Year Ended 31 March 202t5 Charity Number: 1105836
www.ssart.org
We have again been used primarily by Staffordshire and West Midlands Police Authorities over the
past 12 months, with calls to assist in vulnerable missing person searches.
MOD Stafford has once more continued to provide valuable assistance, as a training facility and by providing garaging facilities for the team vehicles.
The Team’s relationship with Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Services and West
Midlands Police remains strong.
The Team has remained very constant during the period.
The total income from public collections has again been the team’s main source of funding alongside grant donations.
The team’s total expenditure was less the years income level.
Operatonal
SSART has been involved in numerous searches and assists during 2024/25 SSART has always provided a presence at the request of the Police and we have again seen over the past year that even small numbers of trained searchers in attendance can make a real difference.
The Team’s operational capability and performance consistently attracts praise from both the emergency services and other SAR Teams by offering an ongoing level of professionalism and dedicated service.
Personnel
Members remain the teams most important asset, we train every week and this high training to operational attendance ratio helps to keep members skills high, even when callout numbers fall from time to time.
The Trustees and Executive Committee would once again like to thank everyone who has put time into the Team over the last year, whether it be operationally, helping to run the committee, coordinating PR/fundaising events, looking after equipment, or helping with administrative functions. They would also like to pass on our sincere thanks to the members of the public and emergency services for all their support during 2024/25.
Management
The Team has slightly increased its membership with 90% of members in an operational capacity.
As previously, for a voluntary group which meets for a few hours a week this presents a challenge in terms of management. Governance, administration, training programmes, funding and record keeping are all continuing to increase in their complexity as ever.
SSART’s Executive Committee, Search Managers and Party Leaders have continued to have a good handle on governance; team welfare and training and development. Health and safety is managed as one of the first items on the Exec meeting agenda, a range of insurances are in place to protect assets and members and personnel welfare is regarded very highly. Prior to joining the team now all new perspective student members are required to successfully complete a DBS check and undergo the team’s eLearning safeguarding training programme.
Capability
SSART has invested over recent years in assets and training to bring the range of capabilities up to an excellent level for the benefit of all emergency services. A number of members again continue to specialise in the use of dogs, cycles, powered watercraft, and kayaks for search and rescue. The team continues to operate and improve on its technology, we are pleased to report our underwater sonar system is now fully operational.
SSART has continued its involvement with assisting to develop capabilities at a national level. Team members have again been involved with developing kayaking, radio communications, dog search, rope work, and water search capabilities.
RESERVES POLICY
The team has maintained its stance on our reserve policy.
Post covid the trustees feel that a good number of reserves is vital to protecting our charity.
The charity currently has £25,000 in reserves enough to cover 12 months running costs and any major unexpected repairs.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees.
Simon Rowley Treasurer Date 29.01.26
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE
1105836
for Voluntary Financial accounts Service- For The Year Ended The MBE for volunteer groups 31 March 2025
CHASE ACCOUNTING CANNOCK STAFFORDSHIRE
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE
Financial Accounts for the Period Ended 31 March 2025
Contents
-
1 Independent Examiners' Report
-
2 Income and Expenditure Account
-
3 Balance Sheet
IER
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ members of STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE
On accounts for the year ended 31/03/25 Charity no (if any) 1105836
Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 Respective responsibilities of Of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. Trustees and examiner It is my responsibility to: 1.examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, 2.to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and 3.to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the Basis of independent accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures examiner’s statement in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to Those matters set out in the statement below.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: a. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and Independent b. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements Examiner's statement of the Charities Act have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper Understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 31/01/26 Name: Rebecca Scott-Clegg
Relevant professional AATQB Qualification(s) or body 4 Station Court Girton Road Address: Cannock Staffs WS11 0EJ
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.
Page 5
2
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
| INCOME: Subs Paypal Income Payments for Training Fund Raising Donations from companies / groups Donations from individuals / Supermarket Collections Collection Tins ST Course Text giving Equipment sales Bank Interest Miscellaneous GRANTS - Regalia and associated goods Fuel Clothing Stickers/Signs etc Reimbursements TOTAL INCOME FOR THE YEAR EXPENDITURE: Telephone / postage Administration / ALSAR Fee Travel / Food Printing / ID Cards Stationary / Computer cons Cost of Events / Publicity /F/R items Medical Equipment Licence & Subscriptions Cost of Training PL Insurance Vehicle Insurance SMS Text Service Equipment Servicing Support Items (Dogs) Team Equipment Purchase Vehicle Purchase Vehicle spares Vehicle Servicing Fuel MOT TAX Insurance Accountants Fees Bank/Paypal Charges Clothing / Badges Signs & Stickers Miscellaneous Insurance claim TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR Surplus/(Deficit) For the Year |
2025 £ 0.00 0.00 0.00 7089.82 15099.11 3825.10 2846.05 0.00 260.00 0.00 1770.00 349.58 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 19204.00 0.00 0.00 1534.80 0.00 4294.54 56,513.00 403.33 0.00 735.03 480.00 372.19 134.00 389.70 2792.80 2480.92 3318.66 2659.00 1086.00 489.98 1731.04 17689.58 0.00 1320.22 547.75 1395.49 255.00 0.00 0.00 9486.10 483.60 3407.57 250.98 51,908.94 4,604.06 |
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE BALANCE SHEET AT 31 March 2025
| Current Assets Current Account Reserve Account Total Current Assets Net Assets Financed By: Opening Equity Surplus/(Deficit) for year |
2025 | 2025 | 2023 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ 26,282.08 25,000.00 |
£ 51,282.08 51,282.08 51,282.08 51,282.08 |
£ | £ | |||
| 21,678.02 25,000.00 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 4,604.06 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 | ||||||
| 42,875.87 3,802.15 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 | ||||||
46,678.02 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 | ||||||
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE
1105836
for Voluntary Financial accounts Service- For The Year Ended The MBE for volunteer groups 31 March 2025
CHASE ACCOUNTING CANNOCK STAFFORDSHIRE
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE
Financial Accounts for the Period Ended 31 March 2025
Contents
-
1 Independent Examiners' Report
-
2 Income and Expenditure Account
-
3 Balance Sheet
IER
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ members of STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE
On accounts for the year ended 31/03/25 Charity no (if any) 1105836
Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 Respective responsibilities of Of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. Trustees and examiner It is my responsibility to: 1.examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, 2.to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and 3.to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the Basis of independent accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures examiner’s statement in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to Those matters set out in the statement below.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements: a. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and Independent b. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements Examiner's statement of the Charities Act have not been met; or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper Understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 31/01/26 Name: Rebecca Scott-Clegg
Relevant professional AATQB Qualification(s) or body 4 Station Court Girton Road Address: Cannock Staffs WS11 0EJ
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.
Page 5
2
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
| INCOME: Subs Paypal Income Payments for Training Fund Raising Donations from companies / groups Donations from individuals / Supermarket Collections Collection Tins ST Course Text giving Equipment sales Bank Interest Miscellaneous GRANTS - Regalia and associated goods Fuel Clothing Stickers/Signs etc Reimbursements TOTAL INCOME FOR THE YEAR EXPENDITURE: Telephone / postage Administration / ALSAR Fee Travel / Food Printing / ID Cards Stationary / Computer cons Cost of Events / Publicity /F/R items Medical Equipment Licence & Subscriptions Cost of Training PL Insurance Vehicle Insurance SMS Text Service Equipment Servicing Support Items (Dogs) Team Equipment Purchase Vehicle Purchase Vehicle spares Vehicle Servicing Fuel MOT TAX Insurance Accountants Fees Bank/Paypal Charges Clothing / Badges Signs & Stickers Miscellaneous Insurance claim TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR Surplus/(Deficit) For the Year |
2025 £ 0.00 0.00 0.00 7089.82 15099.11 3825.10 2846.05 0.00 260.00 0.00 1770.00 349.58 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 19204.00 0.00 0.00 1534.80 0.00 4294.54 56,513.00 403.33 0.00 735.03 480.00 372.19 134.00 389.70 2792.80 2480.92 3318.66 2659.00 1086.00 489.98 1731.04 17689.58 0.00 1320.22 547.75 1395.49 255.00 0.00 0.00 9486.10 483.60 3407.57 250.98 51,908.94 4,604.06 |
STAFFORDSHIRE SEARCH AND RESCUE BALANCE SHEET AT 31 March 2025
| Current Assets Current Account Reserve Account Total Current Assets Net Assets Financed By: Opening Equity Surplus/(Deficit) for year |
2025 | 2025 | 2023 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ 26,282.08 25,000.00 |
£ 51,282.08 51,282.08 51,282.08 51,282.08 |
£ | £ | |||
| 21,678.02 25,000.00 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 4,604.06 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 | ||||||
| 42,875.87 3,802.15 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 | ||||||
46,678.02 |
||||||
| 46,678.02 | ||||||