**Association of Lowland Search and Rescue** ## **Trustees Report 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024** The trustees continue to work on and develop the four objectives set in 2019 as follows: ## **1. Supporting, engaging and communicating with our Teams and being transparent in our dealings** Our leadership team continued to support any probationary teams through our process to full operational status. During 2023-24 we received £39,976 from Charities Aid Foundation which is supporting Lowland Rescue in continuing to provide additional training to all our member 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 with great progress being made during the past year. In addition, we attend the Police Search Governance Board and meet regularly with the National Police Chiefs Council and other strategic partners and stakeholders. ## **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. In addition to this we have begun the process of updating our internal AMS system which holds all our documents and records. The 2024 AGM and Conference attendance was excellent with a high percentage of our Teams participating. ## **Key points from 2024 include:** - There currently are **34 Lowland Rescue Teams** - There remains **1,626 operational members** and 531 non-operational members across the teams. This compares with the operational numbers from 2021 (1653 operational).so retention and recruitment remain good. - Resources available across the teams included: - 54 dogs - 112 vehicles - 52 boats - 64 drones - 98 bikes - 40 canoes and kayaks Last year we have seen a significant increase in drones from 56 to 64 as drones are proving to be a valuable tool in searching for missing people and this has again increased over the past year. We also had 6 teams with sonar capacity – a valuable resource when searching in rivers, **Association of Lowland Search and Rescue** lakes etc and this capability has also increased with the establishment of a new department for underwater search and recovery. - In total over 75,000 **person-hours were recorded** (69,000 in 2022) of Lowland Rescue incident activity were completed in the past year. - In 2023-2024 period there were 1,726 **incident callouts** (1,665 in 2021) including assists and 1,551 (1,450 in 2021) of these associated with searches for missing people. - 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 £5.9 million** . This excludes all costs associated with additional activities. - Coronation Medals – were awarded across all 34 Teams. These were also awarded to other frontline emergency services personnel dealing with emergencies and have completed five full calendar years of service at the required date. - Special mention to our teams who were awarded the Kings Award for Voluntary Service - LR has introducing new processes for delivery of land search training to enhance the consistency of training across all member teams. ## Sean Mc Carry OBE ## Chair The association of Lowland Search and Rescue CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of ASSOCIATION OF LOWLAND SEARCH AND RESCUE On accounts for the year ended 31 MARCH 2024 Charity no (if any) 1150317 Set out on pages Irèm2rnber la incllide Ilie page nunihers ol additional Sheelsl I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act"). 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 confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause. to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's ststement 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 understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete th words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 8 AUGUST 2024 Name: AND EW CHAPPELL Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): FCA Address: CHAPPELL ASSOCIATES LTD WESTFIELD HOUSE, BRATTON ROAD, l+VESTBURY WILTSHIRE, BA13 3EP IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of cOn￿M (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018 Income and Expenditure Account forAssociation Of Lowland Search and Rescue Yearto 31 March 2024 Income Donations- Unrestricted General Sales Team Subscriptions Grants for ALSAR 613.53 7,080.00 330 39,976.00 47,999.53 less Cost of Income Telephone and Mobile Charges Bank Charges Travelling Training Costs Trainlng Course Costs of Sales Purchase Tax ControlAccount Hotels Stationery General Purchases Subscriptions Hosting Fees and IT Consumables Audit and Accountancy Fees Insurance SDH - Restricte(J Fund Other costs Licences -46.03 -88.14 -5,195.35 -8,022.00 -16,842.50 209.67 -18,950.44 -37.59 -337.56 -80.08 -500.04 -315 -1,937.89 -7,432.53 350.00 -3,223.00 -62,448.48 Net Cash Flows .14,448.95 Cash and Bank at l April2023 176,475.68 Cash and Bank at 31 March 2024 162,026.73 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of ASSOCIATION OF LOWLAND SEARCH AND RESCUE On accounts for the year ended 31 MARCH 2024 Charity no (if any) 1150317 Set out on pages Irèm2rnber la incllide Ilie page nunihers ol additional Sheelsl I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act"). 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 confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause. to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's ststement 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 understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete th words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 8 AUGUST 2024 Name: AND EW CHAPPELL Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): FCA Address: CHAPPELL ASSOCIATES LTD WESTFIELD HOUSE, BRATTON ROAD, l+VESTBURY WILTSHIRE, BA13 3EP IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of cOn￿M (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018 Income and Expenditure Account forAssociation Of Lowland Search and Rescue Yearto 31 March 2024 Income Donations- Unrestricted General Sales Team Subscriptions Grants for ALSAR 613.53 7,080.00 330 39,976.00 47,999.53 less Cost of Income Telephone and Mobile Charges Bank Charges Travelling Training Costs Trainlng Course Costs of Sales Purchase Tax ControlAccount Hotels Stationery General Purchases Subscriptions Hosting Fees and IT Consumables Audit and Accountancy Fees Insurance SDH - Restricte(J Fund Other costs Licences -46.03 -88.14 -5,195.35 -8,022.00 -16,842.50 209.67 -18,950.44 -37.59 -337.56 -80.08 -500.04 -315 -1,937.89 -7,432.53 350.00 -3,223.00 -62,448.48 Net Cash Flows .14,448.95 Cash and Bank at l April2023 176,475.68 Cash and Bank at 31 March 2024 162,026.73