## Association of Lowland Rescue ## **Trustees Report 2021/2022** We continued to work on the four objectives set in 2019 as follows: ## **1. Supporting, engaging and communicating with our Teams and being transparent in our dealings** We continued to support four probationary teams on their journey to full operational status. Merseyside Search and Rescue obtained Operational Status in November 2021. During 2021-22 we updated our medical policy to give teams greater flexibility in choosing from a range of courses delivered by appropriately accredited training providers. We continue to work on providing additional e-learning to cover elements specific to our environment. The trustees supported a number of teams with challenging issues, and received one complaint which was resolved satisfactorily. ## **2. Ensuring our Tasking Agencies, SAR Strategic Partners and the Charity Commission have confidence in LR** Lowland Rescue continues to be an active part of UKSAR and regularly meets with the Operators, Medical, Radio Communications, Volunteer and Mental Wellbeing groups. Active work has also taken place in the Emergency Drivers Working Group. In addition, we attend the Police Search Governance Board, and meet regularly with the National Police Chiefs Council. ## **3. Demonstrating good governance and managing key risk areas** It is important in terms of overall governance that, as an organisation, we have accurate data on our activities and resources in LR. This assists in terms of internal management but also supports some of the developments we are undertaking and need external support. LR team members continue to develop the AIR (Annual Incident Report) database and to collate such important data. The 2021 AGM took place over Zoom and attendance was excellent with a high percentage of our Teams attending. We elected a new Trustee, Adrian Edwards. Since then we had one resignation, and have co-opted two new trustees to be ratified at the 2022 AGM. Lyndsey Donaldson-Selby will act as Treasurer until then, and Diana Green will act as Secretary. Thank you to Noel Kerr who has stood down as acting Treasurer and as a trustee, and to Andy Harrison who has stood down as acting Secretary. Andy remains a trustee. . ## **4. Establishing a Sub-Group to generate options of the future structure of LR – ensuring that we have a diverse membership of the group and including our younger members.** We postponed work on this as the pandemic continued and as we make significant changes to our operating standards over 2022-23. This does however remain an important strategic aim and work will take place during 2023 to move forward. ## **Key points from 2021 data include:** - There were **34 Lowland Rescue Teams** - There were **1653 operational members** and 523 non-operational members across the teams. This compares with the operational numbers from 2020 (1572 operational). This increase is consistent with earlier years and follows a stagnation in team growth during 2020 possibly as a result of deferred intake programmes due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and the ability to recruit and train new members. - Resources available across the teams included: - 52 dogs - 110 vehicles - 52 boats - 56 drones - 95 bikes - 44 canoes and kayaks The main changes are similar to previous years with large increases in vehicles (99 in 2020) and drones (46 in 2020). - In total over **102,000 person-hours** (91,000 in 2020) of Lowland Rescue incident activity were completed - In 2021 there were **2372 incident callouts** (2158 in 2020) including assists and **1539** (1642 in 2020) of these associated with searches for missing people. - The large number of other incidents primarily related to providing support during the COVID-19 pandemic either providing food and PPE for the local community or working in hospitals and vaccination centres. - Operationally, January 2021 was the busiest month and there is a significant variation across the year compared to pre-COVID-19 trends. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns during 2021 this may have had an impact on search activity. There were no significant observable variations incallout by days across the week although, as has been observed previously, there was an upturn in callouts around 8-9am and 6-7pm. - Based on the full economic costs of a police officer (National Policing Guidelines 2018) the **total value of the Lowland Rescue Services provided for search incidents alone would be £4.6 million** . This excludes all costs associated with additional activities supporting the NHS and other organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as training and equipment. Teresa Archer Chair, Lowland Rescue October 2022 Intome arxl Expenditure Account for Association of Lowland Search and Rexue Yeario 31 March 2022 Inccthe tk)natKTrliS- unfe￿rIc1ed Teèm Subscription5 General Sales G*8nt5 toiAL&4R Assessment Fees.. Do85 2,140.38 3.630.(MI 1.093.44 40.tIJo.oJ 195 47.058.82 Less Costof income Ban* tharges SDH- Resirirted Fund Purchase Taxcontrol Account F Dog fijnd Hostiag Fees and li Consumables Telephone and Mobile Charges SubscripEior Trav@Iling Licence5 Adjustments -25.139.57 -5.097.82 -262.5 -657.99 -34.59 -73.29 -1,345.89 .3.260.50 -70 -970 Auoit Accourtncy Fees Insurance Totsl Costof Incorne -1,566.54 -38862.69 Net Cash Flow5 8.196.13 Cash arml Barkketc at IAprfl 2021 10450J.68 Cash ar￿ Banketr at 31 M4rch 2022 112697.81 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the acccunts Section A Independent Exam evs Report. Report to thè truste?81 members of ASSOCIATION Or LOWLAND SEARCH AND RESCUE On accounts for th8 year ended 31 MARCH 2022 Charity no lif any) 1150317 Set oiit on pages I report to the truste88 on my examination of the ac¢ount5 of the above ¢harity lllhe T¥usi°j forthe year ended 31 MARCki 2022 Responsibilitles and As the ch8rily trustges of the Trust. you a￿ responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in <7ccordan￿ with the requirement5 of the Cl)arfoes Act 2011 1.the Act"i. I report in respect cf my exarnination of the Trust's accoLints ¢arried out under 8e¢tion 145 ijf the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed the Jpplicable Diredions given by th& Charity Comrnission under sectson 14515llbl of the Act. I have ¢ompleted tny exarnination. I confim that no material rnattet5 hsve vorr.e to-. C ¥¥lli l ([￿￿x￿rylmaIi0n which oives'ne cause to believe tliat in, any material respe¢t'. accounting records wer8 not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Ad or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent I have no concgm$ and have come across no other matters in connoction with the examination to which attention should b) drawn in order to enable proper understandirig of th8 8ccounts to be reached. Signed.. Date: 3110812022 Name.. ANDRE PIAPPELL Relevant prof055ional quaiificationl51 or body {rf anyl- FCA Addre88: CHAPPELL ASSOCIATES LTD VESTFIELD HOUSE. BFurrop4 ROAD, WEATBURY IMLTSHIRE. BA13 JEP Section S Disc105ure Only complete If thL> exaininer nèeds to hi9hlight matters of con￿r￿ Isee CC32. Independent exarninalion of charity accounts. directions and guidan￿ for examine151. IER Octr&ber 2018