East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts
For the period 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2022
We’ve been making a splash in the London Boroughs of Hackney & Tower Hamlets in 2022
www.eastlondonscouts.org.uk
East London District Scout Council
Incorporating the London boroughs of Hackney & Tower Hamlets
Bankers:
Principal Address:
Custodian Trustees:
Unity Trust Bank Plc, Nine Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2HB 60 Watchouse Road, Galleywood, Chelmsford, Essex. CM2 8PU The Scout Association
Charity Registration Number: 1114589 (England and Wales Scout Association Registration: 10001028
Trustee Board
Ex-Officio Members District Commissioner Youth Commissioner Mr J. Ellison {Position Vacant} Explorer Scout Commissioner Scout Network Commissioner Mr K. Bridge Until Sept 22 {Position Vacant} Ms B. Mesquita-De-Oliveira Pegado From Oct 22
District Officers
Chair Mr A. Hands Secretary {Position Vacant}
Elected Members
Mrs J. Bridge Miss C. Carpenter Mr G. Davis
Co-opted Members Mr B. Bench Mr C. Greenslade Ms. K. Leggett
Treasurer Mr K. Yusuf Nominated Members Mrs J. Sacarello
Other Advisors
Vice Presidents
Mr A. Hands
Mr P. Final
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
Description of the charity’s trust
The District's governing documents are those of the 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 of The Scout Association. The District is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts.
Organisation:
The Scout District is led by a District Commissioner and managed by a Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees exists to support the District Commissioner in meeting the responsibilities of their appointment and is accountable to the East London District Scout Council for the satisfactory running of the District.
The East London District Scout Council is an unincorporated charitable association under the umbrella of the Scout Association. It operates within the guidelines laid down in Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) by the Scout Association.
The Trustee Board meets formally five times a year and is responsible for:
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Promoting the development of Scouting in the District
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Acting with the District Commissioner and District Team in all matters relating to finance and property
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Presenting an Annual Report and annual statement of accounts to the General Meeting of the Scout Council.
Risk and Internal Control
The District has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories for all payments and comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.
Our Purpose and Method
Scouts gives young people skills for life. We actively engage and support them in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
In partnership with adults, young people take part in fun indoor and outdoor activities. They learn by doing, by sharing in reflection and by taking responsibility. They make choices, try new and challenging activities, and live their Scout Promise.
Scouts’ Trustees have a duty to report on our public benefit in this Annual Report. We’ve assessed our aims, activities and charitable objectives, which are to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full potential as individuals, as responsible citizens, and as members of their local, national and international communities.
We believe we’ve met the Charity Commission’s public benefit criteria for both the advancement of education, and the advancement of citizenship and community development. Scouts follows two key principles set by the Commission with regard to public benefit:
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Identifiable benefit - The way we help young people in their personal development and empower them to make a positive contribution to society. This benefit is directly linked to the purpose of Scouts.
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Public benefit - We’re open to all young people aged 4–24 and adult volunteers who are willing to make the Scout Promise. We help young people step up, speak up and dream big. Most importantly, we help them gain the skills they need to succeed in life. We’re proud that all young people from all backgrounds and communities can benefit from our programme and aren’t constrained by their ability to pay to take part.
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
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District Commissioner’s Report – Jon Ellison
East London District turned 18 years old on 24th September 2022.
The significance of this milestone shouldn’t be downplayed: as our District is finally coming of age. The merger of Hackney with Kingsland and Tower Hamlets District may not have been the smoothest of births, with fault lines still visible for many years – however as we become “an adult” the transformation is significant: our membership has doubled, we act and come together as one team, and have an exciting future ahead of us.
Planned celebrations such as a Birthday Badge competitions (to go on uniforms) had to be downgraded in a year which featured no fewer than three occasional badges (marking royal jubilees, deaths, and coronations) which would have left no time to sew (yet more) badges on. The year was also concluded with another loss keenly felt: Sandra Southon our Badge Secretary retired leaving a large pair of shoes which were justly rewarded by the Chief Scout with the Award for Merit.
We came together as a whole District for the first time since the Covid-19 Pandemic for our Promise Renewal / Activity Day at Thriftwood Campsite (which also served as a launch pad for approving 3 leaders’ Nights Away Permits.) We took to the water at the Dockland Scout Project and began to look ahead to large scale change in the movement with a move to Team Based volunteering and trying to leverage the benefits that volunteer culture will bring.
Our first members of the 6th Hackney Scout Group were invested on Cazenove Road following a number of taster sessions towards the end of 2021– this saw the first brand new group to open in the Borough in recent memory, and reminds us of the work that needs to go into further developing Scouting in the borough that was so integral to the birth of the movement and that brought us the Hackney Scout Song Book . However, as our first Muslim faith group in the borough it also helps to remind us of our commitment to Scouting for All and improving the accessibility of the movement to communities who might otherwise not have thought that “Scouting was for them” and deliver more brilliant programmes and Skills For Life.
Our January 2023 census recorded 12% growth year-on-year (beating the County average) and further goes to show what we achieve together as a District: as we start focussing on teams coming together to solve shortterm projects I would hope that we can open another 2-3 Scout Groups in both boroughs over the next couple of years. Our biggest limiting factor has been the human factor of getting things mobilised. Here’s hoping that the shift towards short-term volunteering projects (which set up long-term results in the new groups) are met with enthusiasm and we can turn around at our 21st birthday in 2025 to report on the phenomenal growth we’ve seen!
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
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District Chair’s Report – Alan Hands
Scouts is a team game, and everyone plays their part. Thank you to every one of you for what you do, making Scouts open to all, improving our facilities, taking care of the admin, supporting our young people, and most of all, looking out for each other.
Each year I look back with pride – and no little astonishment at what we’ve achieved together. But this year, I truly believe we’ve more to be proud of than ever as we have ramped up our support for young people as they recover from the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Our young people face an uncertain future. The world of work and society is changing fast, and the skills they need – from emotional resilience to digital confidence – are evolving. As the needs of young people change, I’m proud of the way our volunteers have adapted to support them. We help young people believe in themselves. It’s a place to belong and a safe space to grow.
We welcomed a new Scout Group and provision for 4-5 year olds (Squirrel Scouts) multiplying. Thanks to Jon, his team and our Scout Groups who’ve helped Scouts leap forward, and for making a special effort to bring Scouts to even more young people.
It is wonderful to see that we are now supporting 1146 young people every week through our engaging programme. We welcome Branca into role leading our provision for teenagers (Explorer Scouts) and the Trustee Board looks forward to financially supporting plans to open additional provision. We are committed to our programme for young people from 4–25 years old. We’re there for young people at every stage of their journey.
We are very thankful to generous financial supporters of East London Scouting.
This external funding of over £33,000 has made it possible to make Scouting open for all during these tough times for many of our families. We provided subsidised activity badges (spending £5,000), provide free District/ County badges, subsidise the cost of UK membership for our youth members (spending £5,400), run free training events, supported our nine members attending the World Scout Jamboree in Korea (spending £6750), and Kevin organised a range of activities providing the opportunity to take on a new challenge and come together in friendship (spending £13,000).
In addition to all those working directly with young people on programme delivery we have a variety of teams helping to ensure governance, safeguarding, safety, finances and facilities are outstanding. Many of these are quietly working away in the background helping to make the magic happen including our wonderful volunteers looking after Charles Watts Memorial Hall and Fairmead Scout Camp Site.
The team at Fairmead have this year installed a hard core path opening up the site to those with mobility issues. We have our best year ever with 3310 nights camped and 721 day visitors. Next year the team will install Solar panels – reducing the cost of electricity used and improving our carbon footprint.
The Trustee Board is pro-active finding ways to support more young people benefit from Scouting. Speak to your elected trustee if you have any innovative ideas.
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
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Annual Census of Membership (31/01/2023)
| Youth Members | Adult Volunteers | |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd East London (Isle of Dogs) | 136 |
41 |
| 3rd Bethnal Green | 37 |
13 |
| 4th Poplar (Ss. Mary and Joseph) | 9 |
4 |
| 4th Stoke Newington | 32 |
10 |
| 5th Tower Hamlets (West) | 114 |
55 |
| 6th Hackney | 39 |
9 |
| 7th Stoke Newington | 30 |
15 |
| 8th East London | 72 |
23 |
| 9th Stepney | 9 |
6 |
| 10th Stepney (Hayaat) | 68 |
14 |
| 14th Hackney (St John at Hackney) | 53 |
8 |
| 16th East London | 71 |
69 |
| 23rd Poplar | 50 |
14 |
| 63rd Hackney | 43 |
9 |
| Explorer Scouts | 60 |
12 |
East London District Census (2003 – 2023)
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
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East London District Scout Council (Charity Registration Number 1114589)
Receipts and Payments account
| Year start date | Year end date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st January 2022 |
To | 31st December 2022 |
||
| Receipts and payments | ||||
| 2022 £ |
2021 £ |
|||
| Receipts | ||||
| Programme - activities | 192 | 1,288 | ||
| Programme - badges | 664 | 1,599 | ||
| Campsite fees and electricitycharge | 20,820 | 11,661 | ||
| Hall hire - Charles Watts Memorial Hall (Bouverie Road) |
15,157 | 15,097 | ||
| Donations andgrants | Note 2 | 33,377 | 46,615 | |
| Membershipfees | 4,655 | 7,740 | ||
| Bank and buildingsocietyinterest | 11 | 1 | ||
| Miscellaneous income | 250 | |||
| Total receipts | 74,877 | 84,251 | ||
| Payments | ||||
| Programme: Activities | 13,190 | 6,462 | ||
| Programme: Badges | 5,059 | 2,932 | ||
| Programme: Jamboree support | 6,750 | |||
| Administration | 43 | |||
| Campsite: Maintenance/improvements | Note 3 | 36,900 | 11,814 | |
| Charles Watts Memorial Hall: Maintenance/improvements |
5,535 | 11,433 | ||
| Bank charges | 72 | 72 | ||
| Training | 180 | |||
| Membershipfees | 31,024 | 21,990 | ||
| Promotion/recruitment/retention | 709 | 733 | ||
| Sundry payments | Note 4 | 29 | 746 | |
| Total payments | 99,448 | 56,225 | ||
| Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||
| - 24,571 | 28,026 | |||
| 150,422 | 123,753 | |||
| 125,851 | - | 150,422 |
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
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Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year
| 2022 £ |
2021 £ |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash funds | |||
| East London Scouts | 16,346 | 44,357 | |
| Charles Watts Memorial(Bouverie Rd) Note 5 |
90,598 | 74,737 | |
| Fairmead campsite | 18,906 | 31,328 | |
| Total cash funds | 125,850 | 150,422 | |
| Non-monetary assets for charity's own use | |||
| Equipment | 3,200 | 3,368 | |
| Badge stock | 800 | 1,623 | |
| Charles Watts Memorial(Bouverie Rd) | 403,001 | 403,001 | |
| Fairmead campsite | 414,105 | 414,105 | |
| Sub total | 821,106 | 822,097 | |
| Total net assets | 946,956 | 972,519 |
Notes to the accounts
1 . The accounts incorporate the funds administered by the District Scout Council and do not include any of the funds administered by the individual Scout Groups within East London Scout District
| 2. Donations | 2022 | 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Government Covid reliefgrant | £4,024 | £44,860 | ||
| Amazon | £14 | £5 | ||
| Jack PetcheyFoundation | £750 | |||
| Pemberton Barnes Will Trust | £24,000 | |||
| Tesco Foundation | £1,125 | |||
| 29th HackneyScout Group | £1,357 |
3 . Camp site improvements include £22,560 on new hard path to improve accessibility of the facilities. Jack Petchey Foundation have approved a £15,000 grant which will appear in the 2023 accounts. 4 . East London Scouts Web domain fee
5 . Funds held to replace roof on this grade 2 listed building - quotes received to date are for £80,000 plus
The above receipts and payments account and statement of assets and liabilities were approved by the Trustees on Monday 18th September 2023 signed on their behalf by
Alan Hands
Chair of Trustees
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of the East London District Scout Council
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the East London District Scout Council for the year ended 31[st] December 2022.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the East London District Scout Council 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 East London District Scout Council 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 examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the East London District Scout Council as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Signed:
Name: Mr R Sarfraz Zaman CIPFA
Address: 47 Gladstone Avenue, London, E12 6NR
Date: 18[th ] September 2023
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022)
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16-year-old Simon had VIP access to the launch of a satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida after answering the question ‘how do you think satellites in space will help improve life on Earth in the future?’ in a national Scout competition.
Simon’s winning entry was judged by Scouts’ Ambassador and worldfamous astronaut Time Peake, who praised the teenager’s technical knowledge and creativity.
Having fun at the Promise Renewal - District activity day at Thriftwood Camp Site
Splashing around on the District Water Activity Weekend at the East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2022 to 31 December 2022) Dockland Scout Project
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