## **THE SUMMER CAMPS TRUST** 

President: Baroness Estelle Morris PC Chair: Ian Lewis FRSA Co-ordinator: Chris Green MBE 

Kildare, Manby Road, MALVERN, WR14 3BD (01684-577033) E-mail:  chris@summercampstrust.org. 


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Reg Charity No: 1162580<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


## **The Summer Camps Trust  -  Annual Report 2023-2024.** 

1. The year 2023 – 24 was a difficult one for the Trust, in that recruitment for the leader training course in April and for the two TryOut Camps in August was poor, and both these sessions ended up showing financial deficits. Fortunately fundraising during the year was good, so the overall loss on the year was manageable. It is however worrying that recruitment for residential sessions has not got back to anywhere near its pre-Covid level. This problem is not only affecting the Trust, but other providers of similar sessions. 

2. The leader training week and both the TryOut Camps were held at Longtown Outdoor Education Centre on the Herefordshire – Wales border. The centre worked very well, and the training week was outstandingly successful. The first of the August camps also went extremely well. The second, which only comprised 15 children, was a less easy session, with an unusual number of challenging children; however an excellent staff team worked very hard to mitigate the problems and make it a successful week in the end. 

3. We were pleased to welcome a number of visitors to the training week and the camps, among them representatives from UK Youth and The Woodcraft Folk, also the civil servant in the Department for Education who is in charge of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programmes. UK Youth and The Woodcraft Folk signed up during the year as new subscribing members of the Trust (as did Black2Nature and Volley Ball Development Camps). The HAF Programme are interested in collaborating with the Trust to set up pilot residential sessions with a couple of LEAs as part of their HAF provision. 

4. Porthpean Outdoor Centre in Cornwall decided to set up some summer camps in summer 2024, and enlisted the help of the Trust. We provided some training, and a director and three leaders to go and help on the ground. Their first year’s sessions were not well booked but highly successful, and Porthpean is set to continue with offering residential camps in 2025. They have also signed up as a subscribing member of the Trust. 

5. The Trust continues its main objective of lobbying for government and / or other official support for a proper national system of well-run residential summer camps in the UK.  In particular we have concentrated on the incoming Labour ministers, both since the election and before while they were shadow ministers. The work done in this regard during 2023-24 has led to some promising conversations in the 2024-25 year. 

6. Keith Hagon, the CEO of the Christian Residential Network, who has been a helpful Trustee of the Trust since its inception, resigned during the year. Dave Crane, his 



very able successor, has taken over the Trustee role. Tricia Rawlingson-Plant also stood down as the Trustee representing the “commercial sector”. Her successor is Kate Cravero, who has worked in the French “colonies de vacances” system, and is now director of operations at Mill On The Brue.Finally, Hannah Peart stood sown as the Trustee representing current volunteer staff, and she has been replaced by Scott Taylor. 

7. Trustees met three times during the year, on January 11[th] , May 10[th] and September 11[th] . The May meeting was face to face in London. The other two meetings were via Zoom. 

8. The Trust was sad that Lord David Ramsbotham, who had been our President since the start, died in the autumn of 2023 following a fall. Tributes were paid to all the help he had given the Trust over the years. We are delighted that our new President is Baroness Estelle Morris, Secretary of State for Education the Labour government of 2005 - 2010. 



The Summer Camps Trust
Sheet i
Registered Charity no. 1162580
Annual accounts for the 12 months to September 30th 2024
Section A . Statement of Financial actsvities
12 mths to
30109120Z4
12 mths to
3010912023
INCOME RECEIVED
Subscrlptfons from members
Donatlons
rry out Camps
Volunteèr leadèr tralnlni
8ook sal•s
other
1.400.(KI
5,907.42
18.77436
1,150.LKI
10.637.23
23,782.15
2.495.85
105.14
273.27
208.13
585
26,875.41
38,443.64
EXPENDIWRE
CentTrl Admlnlstration
Salary and on ¢95tS
Insuranc•s
Advertisln8 cost Includlng w•b$lts
Book costs
Tryout tamps
Volunte•r l••d•r trnlnlng
1,473.59
5,908.IXI
950.79
3,906.0)
609.63
2,408.00
34.(
24,156.48
7.664.31
270.00
66.00
23,843.28
32.170.50
39,729.21
Net Income/lExpendlture}
-5.295.09
-1.285.57
Total funds brou8ht forward
Total funds carrièd forward
814.04
4.481.05
2,099.61
814.04
Sertlon B . Balance sheet
3010912024
3010912023
Stock
Trade DÈbtors
C05h at Bank
6.460.00
6.526.C
2J(Kl.52
L828.82
L28&10
Total Cufrent A%stts
7.74&10
10,655.34
Trade credltors and accruals
Oeposits held
Loan
-3.886.87
-L559.02
0.00
-8.282.28
4.282.28
Net Assets
4.48L05
814.04

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
Summer Camps Trust
On aGcounts forthe year
ended
3010912024
Charity no
(if any)
1162580
Set out on pages
Sheet 1
I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity {Ih¢ Tru5f) for the year ended
Responsibllltles and
basis of report
As the charit￿S twstees, you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordanr2 with the requirements of the Charities Ad 2011
rthe Act.).
I report in respect of my examination of th8 Trust's accounts carried out
undef section 145 ofthe 2011 Act and in C*2rrying out my examination. I
have followed all the applicable Directs'ons given by the Charity Commission
under section 145{5){bl of the Act.
Independent
examlner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no materi81 matters have
come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that
disclosed below ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material
respect..
the 8Ctounting records were not k&pt in accordance with sectlon 130
of the Charities Act: or
the accounts did not a¢xord with the accounting records.. or
the accounts did not comply wrth the applicable requirements
conceming the fom and content of accounts set out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement
thal the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter
Considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no con￿M$ and have come across no other matters in ¢onnection
with the examingtion to which gttontion should bc drawn in thia report in
order to enable a proper understanding of the accounls to be reached.
. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed:
Date:
Name:
John Blakiston
Relevant professional
qualification(sl or body
(rf any):
ACMA (Member in practise)
Address:
Rose Cottage , Spring Grove Bams, Bewdley Bypass
Bewdley, Worcs
IER
Oct 2018

DY12 1LG
Section B
Disclosu
Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight material matters of conTrrn
(see CC12. Jndependent examinatson of charity accounts.. directions and
guidanr* for examiners).
Give here brief details of
any items thatthe
examiner wishes to
disclose.
None
IER
Oct 2018