SPEAR Search and Rescue Trustees Annual Report (2020-2021)
Reference and Administration Details
Charity Name: SPEAR Search and Rescue
Charity Address: The Compass Centre, Nelson Road, London Heathrow Airport, Hounslow, TW6 2GW
Charity Number: 1177543
Trustees:
Lauren Hooper ( Chair of Trustees) Peter Parry ( Secretary and Treasurer ) Mervyn Redfearn Miguel Ledo Comesaña Amanda Regan
Structure, Governance and Management
Type of governing document: Constitution. Adopted 14th March 2018
How the charity is constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Trustee selection methods: Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the Annual General Meeting held in June.
Additional Governance:
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The charity trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. Trustees give their time freely with no renumeration or other financial benefits.
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The trustees meet monthly and are responsible for the decisions made for the running of the charity. In addition to the required roles of Chair of Trustees, Treasurer and Secretary, trustees have been assigned roles to oversee particular aspects of running the charity.
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Once resources permit, membership will be open on a cyclical basis to allow for volunteers to receive the necessary training. Members currently consist of Trustees and volunteers who have passed screening and are understood to have the required level of training prior to joining.
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All members give their time freely without renumeration. Out of pocket expenses are reimbursed with the presentation of receipts.
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There is a safeguarding and child protection policy in place.
Objectives
To preserve and protect life in the event of disasters, hazards, crises and emergencies on affected populations and/or individuals within the UK and internationally; in particular to provide a dedicated and trained volunteer search and rescue service to assist and support the emergency services and other agencies in the operation of search and rescue and by providing medical and humanitarian aid in such circumstances and to provide training and equipment to local communities to increase their capacity and capability to react and provide assistance in the immediate aftermath of such disasters, crises and emergencies.
Activities for public benefit
The nature of the charity dictates that we serve the public benefit in times of emergency. With thanks, these have not presented to require a response from SPEAR Search and Rescue.
In order to ensure we are fully trained and equipped to respond when required, members have been working hard to ensure the partnerships have been nurtured, training has been a high quality and administration and networking activities are purposeful for the charity’s objectives.
Partnerships and Alliances
SPEAR SAR has continued to develop good working relationships with SARAID and ServeOn. The establishment of the United Kingdom International Voluntary Rescue Alliance (UKIVRA) of which SPEAR is a founding organisation, has meant that SPEAR is embedded in a network of like agencies which work together to ensure best practice is standardised within member organisations. SPEAR SAR are actively involved with the evolution of the alliance and its purpose.
SPEAR SAR continue to hold membership with FIRE Aid meaning there is access to shared resources. This relationship is strengthening demonstrated through invitations to National exhibitions for emergency services and disaster response organisations.
SPEAR SAR have now obtained its DEFRA registration, which enables us to respond to national water deployments.
Training
Medical
In-house Medical training for all members has been established to mitigate skill erosion. Training is led by qualified high-level medical professionals where by scenarios and contexts for medical emergencies are practiced to reflect the situations members may face.
SRT Advanced Training
Advanced Swift Water Rescue (SRT) training was completed by operational members of the team to ensure qualifications are in date and best practice is embedded into standard operating procedures and regular in-house team training.
Partnerships with SARAID and ServeOn have allowed further training opportunities to train for applying medical and technical rescue skills and allows opportunity to train with other actors for homogeneous responses in emergency scenarios: both domestically and internationally.
Medical event cover
SPEAR SAR has been able to directly support the community in providing medical cover for school sports events. Interacting with young people, providing the necessary service for sporting fixtures whilst raising the profile of the organisation and working with the community through providing short first aid workshops whilst on site.
Financial Review
Information presented for the period 1[st] June 2020 to 31[st] May 2021
Total incoming: £4,008.77 Total Expenditure: £3,649.31 Balance as of 31[st] May 2021: £1,602.27
Financial Summary
The financial summary reflects a dramatic reduction in charitable activities. However, the charity proactively reduced any expenditure due and did not over commit in any areas meaning that despite not having any significant income over the period we have still improved our financial position.
Focus of the next 12 month must be to increase donations, whether through fundraising activities or grants. The fundraising strategy for 2021-2022 is currently being developed but is likely to include bids to The National Lottery, Post Code Lottery, DFT, DEFRA and Corporate Sponsors. Other smaller funds and schemes are also likely to be included. Fundraising events such as street collections, event cover and other avenues are also being considered.
The key financial objectives of the charity remain as to:
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Facilitate the purchase of equipment, training, facilities and infrastructure in order to support the charity's objectives
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Build a deployment reserve to enable rapid response.
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Relieve the financial burden on individual members by providing training, equipment and expenses at zero cost to members.
Future Plans
The following goals are agreed by the trustees for the next 12-24 months:
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Start to openly recruit and begin training for local deployments
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Recruit, equip and train 5 new SRT’s
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Attend SIMEX independently in 2022
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Introduce further policy and governance to ensure the proper running of the organisation.
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To secure grants from charity and governmental schemes
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
| Name: | Lauren Hooper |
|---|---|
| Position: | Chair of Trustees |
| Date: | 12.03.22 |
| Signature: | |
| Name: | Peter Parry |
| Position: | Secretary & Treasurer |
| Date: | 12.03.22 |
| Signature: | |
| Name: | Amanda Regan |
| Position: | Trustee |
| Date: | 12.03.22 |
| Signature: | |
| Name: | Miguel Ledo Comesaña |
| Position: | Trustee |
| Date: | 12.03.22 |
| Signature: | |
| Name: | Mervyn Redfearn |
| Position: | Trustee |
| Date: | 12.03.22 |
| Signature: | Unable to obtain signature due to ill-health. |
Charity Annual Accounts Submission
1st June 2020 to 31st May 2021
| Month | Year | Money In | Money Out | Money Out | **Opening Balance ** | **Opening Balance ** | Closing Balance | Closing Balance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 2020 | £ | 20.00 |
£ | 883.81 |
903.81 | |||
| July | 2020 | £ | 1,518.00 |
£ | 1,697.50 |
903.81 | £ | 1,083.31 |
|
| Aug | 2020 | £ | 11.74 |
£ | 72.00 |
£ | 1,083.31 |
£ | 1,023.05 |
| Sep | 2020 | £ | - |
£ | - |
£ | 1,023.05 |
£ | 1,023.05 |
| Oct | 2020 | £ | - |
£ | - |
£ | 1,023.05 |
£ | 1,023.05 |
| Nov | 2020 | £ | 208.16 |
£ | - |
£ | 1,023.05 |
£ | 1,231.21 |
| Dec | 2020 | £ | - |
£ | - |
£ | 1,231.21 |
£ | 1,231.21 |
| Jan | 2021 | £ | 173.39 |
£ | 798.23 |
£ | 1,231.21 |
£ | 606.37 |
| Feb | 2021 | £ | 959.82 |
£ | 190.00 |
£ | 606.37 |
£ | 1,376.19 |
| Mar | 2021 | £ | 252.78 |
£ | 838.56 |
£ | 1,376.19 |
£ | 790.41 |
| April | 2021 | £ | 793.88 |
£ | - |
£ | 790.41 |
£ | 1,584.29 |
| May | 2021 | £ | 71.00 |
£ | 53.02 |
£ | 1,584.29 |
£ | 1,602.27 |
| TOTALS | £ | 4,008.77 |
£ | 3,649.31 |