SPEAR Search and Rescue Trustees Annual Report (2022-2023)
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:
Jamie Read (Chair of Trustees) Steve Fox (Trustee) Peter Parry (Secretary and Treasurer)
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.
We would like to congratulate Lauren Hooper on her appointment as SAR Winch Paramedic Bristow Coastguard. She has now stepped down as Chair of Trustees, Jamie Read will be replacing her and Steve Fox has now joined as a Trustee.
Partnerships and Alliances
SPEAR has continued to develop good working relationships with SARAID, which has been recognised by the UN as an INSARAG light classification team. Their 8-year process developing this recognition is something they wish to help us achieve in a reduced amount of time, hopefully. They worked closely with like-minded international disaster response team @Fire to gain this classification, something they wish to pay forward.
ServeOn has opened the doors for their training sessions for Swiftwater rescue training and confirmed we are able to join their teams and would cover the cost of the qualification.
3SFire has opened Fort Widley for us to use as a training ground if we require.
SIMEX 2023, have confirmed that SPEAR would be welcome to attend this year, alongside its UKIVRA cohorts.
Bosch donated an array of tools that can be used on USAR training and deployments.
Training
Securing training venues has been difficult due to ongoing changes in insurance requirements and increased costs to suppliers and users.
Members of SPEAR were called away to a number of deployments via their professional and personal commitments namely to Turkey, Ukraine and Malawi.
USAR training and Bosch tools familiarisation day at ServeOn facilities in Chilmark.
Financial Review
Information presented for the period 1[st] June 2022 to 31[st] May 2023
Total incoming: £607.64 Total Expenditure: £1,184.99 Balance as of 31[st] May 2023: £621.36
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. One of our members ran a marathon and raised £310 which he donated to SPEAR.
Focus over the next 12 month must be to increase donations, whether through fundraising activities or grants. The fundraising strategy for 2023-2024 is currently being developed but is likely to include bids to The National Lottery, Post Code Lottery and Corporate Sponsors. Other smaller funds and schemes are also likely to be included. Fundraising events such as street collections and Amazon donations.
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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Attend SIMEX independently in 2023
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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: | Peter Parry |
|---|---|
| Position: | Secretary & Treasurer |
| Date: | 17.08.23 |
| Signature: | |
| Name: | Jamie Read |
| Position: | Chair of Trustees |
| Date: | 17.08.23 |
| Signature: | |
| Name: | Steven Fox |
| Position: | Trustee |
| Date: | 17.08.23 |
| Signature: |