2023-03-31-accounts - Association Of Lowland Search And Rescue

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Association of Lowland Search and Rescue

Trustees Report 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023

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 our probationary teams on their journey to full operational status. During 2022-23 we received £66,723 from Charities Aid Foundation which allowed us to continue providing additional training to all Teams to cover elements specific to our environment.

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 2022 AGM attendance was excellent with a high percentage of our Teams attending. We elected two new Trustees, Diana Green (Secretary)and Lyndsey Donaldson-Selby (Treasurer).

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 significant change continues through the review of all of our LandSAR training courses are reviewed and updated, which in turn may impact on our operating standards. This does however remain an important strategic aim and work will take place during 2023-24 to move forward.

Key points from 2022 include:

There were 34 Lowland Rescue Teams
There were 1,626 operational members and 531 non-operational members across the teams. This compares with the operational numbers from 2021 (1653 operational).
Resources available across the teams included:
54 dogs
106 vehicles
49 boats
64 drones
98 bikes
40 canoes and kayaks

This year we saw a significant increase in drones from 56 to 64 as drones are proving to be a valuable tool in searching for missing people. We also had 6 teams with sonar capacity – a valuable resource when searching in rivers, lakes etc

In total over 69,700 person-hours were recorded (102,000 in 2021) of Lowland Rescue incident activity were completed. 2021 hours included resilience efforts such as Covid support hence the large variance.

Association of Lowland Search and Rescue

In 2022 there were 1,450 incident callouts (2,372 in 2021) including assists and 874 (1,539 in 2021) of these associated with searches for missing people.
The large number of resilience 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, July and November 2022 were the busiest months. During the week there were slightly more callouts on Saturdays and Sundays, and slightly less midweek.
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 £2.3 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.
Platinum Jubilee Medals – 810 medals were requested across all 34 Teams. These were awarded to frontline emergency services personnel dealing with emergencies and have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 February 2022. Further eligible members were identified after a clarification in the eligibility criteria and these will be awarded along with Coronation Medals once received.
Special mention to Suffolk SAR who were awarded of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
LR is working on introducing new processes for delivery of land search training with the sole aim being to ensure consistency of training offers across all teams.

Teresa Archer Chair until May 2023

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independent Examlnerfs Report Report to the trusteesl members of ASSOCIATION OF LoblND SEARCH AND RESCUE On accounts for the year ended 31 MARCH 2023 Charity no (if any) 1150317 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the a¢¢ounls of the above charity (Yhe Twst.) for the year ended 31 MARCH 2023 Responsibilities and As the Charity trustees of the Twst, you are responsible for the preparation ba818 of report of the accounts in accordan with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {llhe Acr). 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in ¢onne¢tion with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect.. arxounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examlner's statsment I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understandin of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 7 AUGUST 2023 Name: AN EW CHAPPELL Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (If any): FCA Address: CHAPPELL ASSOCIATES LTD WESTFIELD HOUSE. BRAThON ROAD. WESTBURY WILTSHIRE, &413 3EP Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight rnatters of conrn (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). IER October 2018

Glve here brief detalls of any items that the examiner wlshes to disclose. IER October 2018

Income and L¥penditure Accounts forAssociatlon of Lowtand Searth and Rescue Year to 31 March 2023 Income Donations- Unrestricted Team Subscriptions General Sales Grants forAL 6,519.12 3,520.00 1.866.00 81,032.83 92.937.95 Less Cost of Income Purchase Tax Control Account Hotels Travelllng Training Costs Bank Charges Telephone and Mobile Charges VAT on &4R purchases SDH - Restrlrted Fund Subscriptions Hosting Fees and ITConsumables Aud6t and Accountsncy Fee5 Prlntlr Insurance 2,369.83 3,831.08 1,611.27 1.664. IW.70 38.95 8,351.65 13,788.18 149.88 670.60 3LKJ.00 1,897.07 3,223.11) 179.17 7.644.00 29.160.08 Licenses General Pur¢hase5 F19- Restrirted Fund Net Cash Flows 63.777.87 Cash and bank at l April 2022 112,697.81 Cash and 8ank at 31 March 2023 176,475.68 LR Uoyds Account Bank Reser¥e Account 156,473.16 20.rx12.52 176,475.68 Restrlcte&5DH DF 7,201.28 Restrirted-vfF 2017118 Restricted-vfF 2018119 Restricted-vfF 2019120 Restrict-vrF 2020121 Restricted-vfF 2022123 856.90 5.567.22 24,394.10 52,029.98 81848.20 Operatlftg Reser¥e 66,423.68 20.002.52 176.475.68

Glve here brief detalls of any items that the examiner wlshes to disclose. IER October 2018