SCOUTSE XPLORERS
~~ee~~ www.walsallwoodscouts.org.uk 0844 414 2438
~~ee~~ Report & Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 SCOUTSE XPLORERS
38[th] Walsall
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
Registered charity 1133604
Accounts – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Receipts and payments for the year ended 31st March 2025
| 2024/2025 | 2023/2024 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||||||
| funds | Funds | Total Funds | Total Funds | ||||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||||
| Donations, legacies and similar income | |||||||||
| Membership subscriptions | £ | 15,000.00 £ |
£ | 15,000.00 £ |
£ | 14,082.00 £ |
|||
| Gift Aid | 6 | £ | 3,496.86 £ |
£ | 3,496.86 £ |
£ | 3,183.47 £ |
||
| £ | 18,496.86 £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 18,496.86 £ |
£ | 17,265.47 £ |
||
| Donations / Grants | £ | 360.00 £ |
£ | 23,158.07 £ |
£ | 23,518.07 £ |
£ | 7,126.47 £ |
|
| Fundraising (gross) | |||||||||
| AGM fundraising | £ | 84.00 £ |
£ | 84.00 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Amazon Smile | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 68.66 £ |
|||
| Beetle Drive event | £ | 294.20 £ |
£ | 294.20 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Benevity | £ | 19.68 £ |
£ | 19.68 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Bingo events | £ | 526.00 £ |
£ | 526.00 £ |
£ | 872.81 £ |
|||
| Chase Walk sponsorship | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 20.00 £ |
|||
| Easter raffle | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 193.10 £ |
|||
| Easy Fundraising | £ | 194.38 £ |
£ | 194.38 £ |
£ | 194.97 £ |
|||
| Foodbank | £ | 198.00 £ |
£ | 198.00 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Group family discos | £ | 713.60 £ |
£ | 713.60 £ |
£ | 821.00 £ |
|||
| Leader half marathon sponsorship | £ | 335.00 £ |
£ | 335.00 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Quiz nights | £ | 238.80 £ |
£ | 238.80 £ |
£ | 230.30 £ |
|||
| Poppy sales | £ | 33.00 £ |
£ | 33.00 £ |
£ | 16.00 £ |
|||
| Section fundraising | £ | 548.00 £ |
£ | 548.00 £ |
£ | 47.24 £ |
|||
| Tuck shop | £ | 600.00 £ |
£ | 600.00 £ |
£ | 426.00 £ |
|||
| Walk to Brownsea | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 1,767.35 £ |
|||
| £ | 3,784.66 £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 3,784.66 £ |
£ | 4,657.43 £ |
||
| Investment income | |||||||||
| Bank interest | 1 | £ | 707.27 £ |
£ | 707.27 £ |
£ | 137.94 £ |
||
| Activities | |||||||||
| Camps/Events | 2 | £ | 13,236.50 £ |
£ | 13,236.50 £ |
£ | 11,774.66 £ |
||
| Vehicle hire | £ | 5,801.15 £ |
£ | 5,801.15 £ |
£ | 6,867.46 £ |
|||
| Sundry Receipts | |||||||||
| Uniform Item Sales | 3 | £ | 520.50 £ |
£ | 520.50 £ |
£ | 261.50 £ |
||
| Miscellaneous Income | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 120.39 £ |
|||
| £ | 520.50 £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 520.50 £ |
£ | 381.89 £ |
||
| TOTAL RECEIPTS | £ | 42,906.94 £ |
£ | 23,158.07 £ |
£ | 66,065.01 £ |
£ | 48,211.32 £ |
Page 2 of 9
38[th] Walsall
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
Registered charity 1133604
Accounts – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Receipts and payments for the year ended 31st March 2025
| 2024/2025 | 2023/2024 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | |||||||||
| funds | Restricted Funds | Total Funds | Total Funds | ||||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||||
| Charitable Payments | |||||||||
| Administration expenses | £ | 819.04 £ |
£ | 819.04 £ |
£ | 1,094.84 £ |
|||
| Camps/Events | 2 | £ | 12,967.85 £ |
£ | 12,967.85 £ |
£ | 13,323.54 £ |
||
| Capital equipment | £ | 1,553.35 £ |
£ | 28,545.70 £ |
£ | 30,099.05 £ |
£ | 1,213.45 £ |
|
| Consumables | £ | 289.34 £ |
£ | 289.34 £ |
£ | 259.81 £ |
|||
| Insurance | 4 | £ | 3,393.32 £ |
£ | 3,393.32 £ |
£ | 3,389.19 £ |
||
| Membership fees paid on | 7 | £ | 9,765.00 £ |
£ | 9,765.00 £ |
£ | - £ |
||
| Miscellaneous | £ | 123.40 £ |
£ | 123.40 £ |
£ | 275.98 £ |
|||
| Programme materials | £ | 480.37 £ |
£ | 480.37 £ |
£ | 1,066.33 £ |
|||
| Purchase of badges | £ | 1,633.66 £ |
£ | 1,633.66 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Refreshments | £ | 48.37 £ |
£ | 48.37 £ |
£ | 18.15 £ |
|||
| Rent | £ | 2,060.00 £ |
£ | 2,060.00 £ |
£ | 1,860.00 £ |
|||
| Training | £ | 180.00 £ |
£ | 180.00 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Transport | £ | 9,158.44 £ |
£ | 112.37 £ |
£ | 9,270.81 £ |
£ | 16,995.94 £ |
|
| Uniform | 5 | £ | 795.96 £ |
£ | 795.96 £ |
£ | 377.49 £ |
||
| £ | 43,268.10 £ |
£ | 28,658.07 £ |
£ | 71,926.17 £ |
£ | 39,874.72 £ |
||
| FUND RAISING EXPENSES | |||||||||
| Beetle Drive event | £ | 47.69 £ |
£ | 47.69 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Bingo events | £ | 95.37 £ |
£ | 95.37 £ |
£ | 71.78 £ |
|||
| Foodbank | £ | 198.00 £ |
£ | 198.00 £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Group family discos | £ | 173.39 £ |
£ | 173.39 £ |
£ | 350.00 £ |
|||
| Quiz nights | £ | 20.00 £ |
£ | 20.00 £ |
£ | 12.17 £ |
|||
| Section fundraising | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
|||
| Tuck shop | £ | 347.67 £ |
£ | 347.67 £ |
£ | 392.42 £ |
|||
| Walk to Brownsea | £ | - £ |
£ | 47.99 £ |
|||||
| TOTAL PAYMENTS | £ | 44,150.22 £ |
£ | 28,658.07 £ |
£ | 72,808.29 £ |
£ | 40,749.08 £ |
|
| NET OF RECEIPTS/(PAYMENTS) | -£ | 1,243.28 -£ |
-£ | 5,500.00 -£ |
-£ | 6,743.28 -£ |
£ | 7,462.24 £ |
|
| Cash funds last year end | £ | 29,523.69 £ |
£ | 7,549.74 £ |
£ | 37,073.43 £ |
£ | 29,611.19 £ |
|
| CASH FUNDS THIS YEAR END | £ | 28,280.41 £ |
£ | 2,049.74 £ |
£ | 30,330.15 £ |
£ | 37,073.43 £ |
Page 3 of 9
38[th] Walsall
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
Registered charity 1133604
Accounts – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Statement of Assets & Liabilities as at 31 March 2025
| 2024/2025 | 2024/2025 | 2023/2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds | Funds | Total Funds | Total Funds | ||||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||||
| Cash Funds | |||||||||
| Bank Current Account | £ | 421.87 £ |
£ | 421.87 £ |
£ | 6,892.96 £ |
|||
| Bank Deposit Account | £ | 25,813.80 £ |
£ | 2,049.74 £ |
£ | 27,863.54 £ |
£ | 20,019.23 £ |
|
| Fixed Term Deposit | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 10,000.00 £ |
|||
| Cash/floats | £ | 2,044.74 £ |
£ | 2,044.74 £ |
£ | 161.24 £ |
|||
| £ | 28,280.41 £ |
£ | 2,049.74 £ |
£ | 30,330.15 £ |
£ | 37,073.43 £ |
||
| Non monetary assets for charity's own use | Non monetary assets for charity's own use | ||||||||
| Badge stocks | £ | 60.00 £ |
£ | 60.00 £ |
£ | 94.50 £ |
|||
| Tuck shop stock and float (est) | £ | 95.00 £ |
£ | 95.00 £ |
£ | 50.00 £ |
|||
| Uniform & clothing stocks | 5 | £ | 990.00 £ |
£ | 990.00 £ |
£ | 1,094.00 £ |
||
| Scouting equipment etc. | 5 | £ | 18,577.77 £ |
£ | 18,577.77 £ |
£ | 19,451.28 £ |
||
| 3 x Registration numbers | £ | 750.00 £ |
£ | 750.00 £ |
£ | 750.00 £ |
|||
| Box trailer | £ | 1,750.00 £ |
£ | 1,750.00 £ |
£ | 1,750.00 £ |
|||
| Ford Minibus | 8 | £ | 30,000.00 £ |
£ | 30,000.00 £ |
£ | 7,000.00 £ |
||
| Fiat Minibus | £ | 18,000.00 £ |
£ | 18,000.00 £ |
£ | 25,000.00 £ |
|||
| Vauxhall Van | £ | 10,000.00 £ |
£ | 10,000.00 £ |
£ | 10,000.00 £ |
|||
| £ | 80,222.77 £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 80,222.77 £ |
£ | 65,189.78 £ |
||
| Liabilities | |||||||||
| Outstanding payments (e.g. cheques) | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 5,669.35 £ |
|||
| Expenses incurred not yet invoiced | £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
|||||
| £ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | - £ |
£ | 5,669.35 £ |
||
| £ | 108,503.18 £ |
£ | 2,049.74 £ |
£ | 110,552.92 £ |
£ | 96,593.86 £ |
||
| Cash Funds above represented as follows: | |||||||||
| General funds | £ | 3,280.41 £ |
£ | 3,280.41 £ |
|||||
| Walsall Wood Remembrance Parade | £ | - £ |
£ | 2,049.74 £ |
£ | 2,049.74 £ |
|||
| Vehicle replacement fund | £ | 18,000.00 £ |
£ | 18,000.00 £ |
|||||
| Reserves | £ | 7,000.00 £ |
£ | 7,000.00 £ |
|||||
| £ | 28,280.41 £ |
£ | 2,049.74 £ |
£ | 30,330.15 £ |
The above receipts and payments account and statement of assets and liabilities were approved by the Trustees on 16th May 2025 and signed on their behalf by
Signature
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Natalie Vale | Acting Group Chair |
| Julie Freeman | Group Treasurer |
Page 4 of 9
38[th] Walsall
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
Registered charity 1133604
Accounts – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025
Note 1
Bank interest is Gross and is for Savings account and fixed term deposit accounts only.
Note 2
Activities - Camps/Events is a summary of the income and expenditure for all camps and events, where separate accounts are kept; a copy of the camp/event accounts are kept by the treasurer for inspection.
Note 3
Sundry Receipts - Uniform Item Sales, includes the sale of woggles, neckerchiefs and replacement group poloshirts
Note 4
Other Expenses - Insurance, figure includes equipment insurance, trailer, personal health cover and fully comprehensive cover (including breakdown) on Group owned minibusses and van.
Note 5
Non-Monetary Assets - Scouting equipment, stock is re-valued to include new purchases with a provision for deterioration in use. Replacement and therefore insurance value is in the region of £39,000. Uniform stocks held at the year end included new Group polo shirts and neckerchiefs.
Note 6
Gift Aid claim received in the current year relates to the tax years 2023 to 2024 (previous year relates to 2022 to 2023).
Note 7
In the year 2023-2024 following guidance from the Scout Association, membership fees passed on to Scout District/County has been moved from a deduction on the receipts to a payment. The membership fees for 2023-2024 (£4,738) were not paid by the year end and are therefore included in the figures for 2024-2025, along with the current year (£5,073).
Note 8
The Ford minibus was replaced during the year, from a 2009 model to a 2018 model. The value in the accounts reflects this.
Page 5 of 9
38[th] Walsall
Registered charity 1133604
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
Accounts – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the 38[th] Walsall (1[st] Walsall Wood) Scout Group
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the 38[th] Walsall (1[st] Walsall Wood) Scout Group for the year ended 31[st] March 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the 38[th] Walsall (1[st] Walsall Wood) Scout Group 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 38th Walsall (1st Walsall Wood) Scout Group 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:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the 38[th] Walsall (1[st] Walsall Wood) Scout Group as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
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.
Page 6 of 9
38[th] Walsall
Registered charity 1133604
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
The Trustees Annual Report – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Charity name: 38[th] Walsall (1[st] Walsall Wood) Scout Group (SA 37766) Also know as: 1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group Charity number: 1133604 Principal address: c/o 58 Watling Street, Brownhills, WS8 6JS
Trustees:
Nat Vale Acting Chair (from 01 July 2024) Julie Freeman Treasurer Kate Coulter Squirrel Section Team Leader Kerry Davies Beaver Section Leader Kay Cresswell-Green Cub Section Team Leader Lee Bragginton Scout Section Team Leader Karl Southall Scout Section Team Member Andrew Southall Walsall Wood ESU Team Member Michelle Fellows Scout & Explorer Parent Carrie Stephens Scout & Explorer Parent Alistair Mayo Explorer Grandparent
Advisors to the Group:
Dan Phillips District Lead Volunteer Lloyds Bank
Structure, governance and management
The Groups' 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 of The Scout Association.
The 38th Walsall (1st Walsall Wood) Scout Group is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts.
The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.
The Group is managed by the Group Trustee Board, the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout Group. 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.
Page 7 of 9
38[th] Walsall
Registered charity 1133604
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
The Trustees Annual Report – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Structure, governance and management
The Trustee Board consists of two independent representatives, Chair and Treasurer together with the Group Lead Volunteer, individual Section Leaders (if opted to take on the responsibility) and parent’s representation and meets about every three months.
Members of the Trustee Board aim to complete 'Trustee Induction’ training within the first 5 months of joining the committee.
This Group Trustee Board exists to support the Group Lead Volunteer in meeting the responsibilities of the appointments and is responsible for:
The maintenance of Group property; the raising of funds and the administration of Group finance; the insurance of persons, property and equipment; assisting in the recruitment of Leaders and other adult support; appointing any sub committees that may be required; appointing Group Advisors other than those who are elected.
Objectives and activities
Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. 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 co-operate 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 Group meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community development headings.
Risk and internal control
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 for all payments and comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.
Page 8 of 9
38[th] Walsall
Registered charity 1133604
1[st] Walsall Wood Scout Group
The Trustees Annual Report – For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Achievements and performance
Over the past year our numbers have remained steady, with a small waiting list for a number of sections. We have replaced our Ford Minibus with a 2018 model with help from successful external fundraising, helping us continue to provide the group and wider community with opportunities they couldn’t otherwise access.
Reserves & Investment 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 Trustee Board considers that the group should hold a sum equivalent to six months general running costs, circa £7,000.
The Group also puts aside funds towards replacement of group owned vehicles to ensure funds are available to replace them when they reach the end of their economical useful lives. This is set to increase by a minimum of £1,000 per annum.
Any funds above the reserve level set are put aside for future capital programmes or for re-investment in the Group’s normal activities.
The Group's Income and Expenditure is very small and as a consequence 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 a mainstream bank.
Plans for the future period
We are continuing to monitor our waiting lists with a view to increasing provision, however this has to be balanced our with safety and the number of volunteers available.
Recruitment for a new Group Lead Volunteer and Team Members within the Group and Sections will help to ensure a stable future for the Group.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the Trustees:
Signature: Name: Natalie Vale Julie Freeman Position: Acting Group Chair Group Treasurer Date: 16[th] May 2025
Page 9 of 9