## Do more. Share more. Be more. Harrow District Scouts Annual Report 2024 **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 1 of 37 ## Contents Charity Details .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Foreword from our District President ....................................................................................................... 4 Welcome from the District Chair ................................................................................................................ 5 District Lead Volunteers Report .................................................................................................................. 6 Programme ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Support Team Report ................................................................................................................................... 15 District 14 to 24 Report ............................................................................................................................... 18 Roll of Honour ................................................................................................................................................. 23 Jack Petchey Award ...................................................................................................................................... 24 Mayor’s Scout ................................................................................................................................................. 25 Badge Secretary Report .............................................................................................................................. 26 Buildings and Estates ................................................................................................................................... 27 Harrow Scout Active Support Unit (SASU) ........................................................................................... 28 Harrow Scouts & Guides Swimming Club ............................................................................................. 30 Harrow Scouts Activity Club ...................................................................................................................... 31 Financial Report ............................................................................................................................................. 32 In Memoriam 2024 ........................................................................................................................................ 36 **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 2 of 37 ## Charity Details ## **Aim of the organisation** The education, training and development of young people using the Scout Association principles and programme. Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. ## **Charity Details** Scout HQ Ref: 13807 Charity Number: 1195556 Charity Name: Harrow District Scout Council Charity Contact: Mr Ian McLuckie 1A Walton Road, HARROW, Middlesex, HA1 4UX Tel: 02084273733 **President** : Councillor Janet Mote **Vice Presidents** : Brian R. Jones, David C. Payne, Tom Johnson ## **Trustees** |**rustees**||| |---|---|---| |Ex Officio|Tyler Skerton|District Lead Volunteer/Trustee| ||Jennifer Grogan|District Chair/Trustee| ||Ian McLuckie|District Secretary/Trustee| ||Alkesh Shah|District Treasurer/Trustee| |Elected|Jonathan Jones|Trustee| ||Alison Jacobs|Trustee| ||Christopher Read|Trustee| ||Robert Jenkins|Buildings Officer/Trustee| |Nominated|Charlotte Clark|District Administrator/Trustee| **District Auditor** : Roy McKerracher ## **Statement of Purpose** The Harrow District Scout Council exists to assist with the running of Scouting within the London Borough of Harrow in Greater London. The Council governance is to ensure the correct and safe running of Scouting activities within this area as per the rules and regulations set out by the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. We endeavour to promote Scouting and to grow the movement reaching out to all young people between the ages of 4 and 25 in the area. ## **Future Plans** We would like to see all our existing Groups operating to their full potential within the area they are based and would like to see new Groups created where there is a gap in the Scouting provision. **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 3 of 37 ## Foreword from our District President I have continued in the last year to support all Harrow Scouts wherever you have been. It has been a delight to see how you interact with the young people at various events, bringing particularly important Skills for Life to the community in Harrow. Our volunteers make such an impact, and I can’t tell you how valued you are for all that you do. Thank you. This year it will be my pleasure to see you all in person and congratulate you for the year 2024 and wish you all the best for an exciting 2025. I look forward to hearing about all your achievements and activities in what is promised to be an extremely exciting year! ## **Janet Mote, District President** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 4 of 37 ## Welcome from the District Chair Welcome to the AGM of the Harrow District Scout Council. Our Annual Report will share the great activity across the District in the last year. Thank you to all who have contributed to the report, demonstrating the ongoing Scouting activity in the London Borough of Harrow. The District Trustee Board has met 4 times in the last year, with other various sub committees to progress work we have engaged in. This year we have been working on releasing the land, used by the car yard, for Scouting purposes. This remains ongoing. There has been further interest from nurseries to use the DAC but upon commercial negotiation, we haven’t quite achieved the required rates to make it a viable option for us. Rates have been in line with other local nurseries and what would be viable to run the DAC with the cost this will bring. Refurbishment of the DAC buildings continues. We have also been reviewing the DAC Warden role and flat lease. The District Risk Assessment is a dynamic document and regularly reviewed which is a key part of the governance role of the Trustee board. The Trustee Board is updated on the development of new Groups, any mergers of Groups and sadly any closures. We were able to give Groups the District capitation sum earlier as agreed and there was no increase in this. Each Trustee is responsible for a cluster of groups for supporting AGM’s and accounts. We would welcome invitations to your AGMs to hear about the fantastic scouting that your group is doing. Working closely with the District Lead Volunteer and his team it is great to see the events and activities that they have facilitated. This year, the largest event, was the Space Camp at Paccar, in July, which despite the weather, was well supported by Groups and Explorer Units. There continues to be a high demand for Scouting in Harrow, although often thwarted by the challenge of recruiting leaders and finding suitable venues. The Trustee Board would like to put on record our thanks to Peter Harrison who stepped down from the Board this year. For many years he was the Appointments Secretary for Pinner & Headstone District and then continued to support Volunteer appointments in the new Harrow District. On occasions, a challenging role, getting responses from people, but he got people through the process. Lastly, many thanks to the Trustee Board, for the ongoing support and commitment to Scouting and to all those involved in Scouting in Harrow. We wish you an incredibly happy and successful remainder of 2024. Best wishes, **Jennifer Grogan District Chair** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 5 of 37 ## District Lead Volunteers Report As Scouts, we believe in creating brighter futures and this year, we’ve done that by helping even more young people gain skills for life. But that can only happen when we have well supported volunteers locally, and when we’re reaching out to new communities. That’s why we’ve focused on two key things: improving our volunteer experience and growing inclusively. For volunteers, this has been a year of change as we move to team-based volunteering. This will make volunteering simpler, more rewarding, and enjoyable. It’ll also make volunteering easier to understand for those new to Scouts. We’re seeing change across our organisation, and our District Team is no exception. This is the first year I write with my new role title of District Lead Volunteer. Change isn’t always easy, and we’re working through it together. Our programme has gone from strength to strength. I was especially delighted at the success of our district camp this year. Whilst also encouraging more outdoor adventure, from camps and hikes to kayaks and climbs. We still believe the great outdoors is where young people learn best; where they can be themselves, step up and play their part. The outdoors has proven benefits for wellbeing and we’re proud to be supporters of outdoor learning across Harrow. As a movement we’ve continued to focus strongly on safety and safeguarding too. Learning continuously, we make sure our policies, procedures and training in these areas reflect the absolute best practice in the sector. We updated our ‘Yellow Card’ – our safeguarding code of conduct for adults – in January. We supported our members to make sure they felt confident about the changes. Safety training is a key part of every volunteer’s journey, and I’m pleased 98% of all our adults are compliant. But this needs to be higher still. Keeping people safe remains our top priority and my gratitude goes to everyone who’s kept this as a number one concern in an exceptionally busy year. One of the most enjoyable parts of my role is meeting people within our groups and units – it is not something I have managed to do a lot this year due to demanding work commitment which includes travelling out of the area for extensive periods over the week. Although I’ve been part of Scouts most of my life, I’m still bowled over by the commitment and kindness of our volunteers, and the energy and creativity of our young people. **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 6 of 37 Over the year we have continued with our communications programme: newsletters are issued when there is news to share or updates to provide, the website is kept up to date and our socials are maintained. Very recently we have brought on board two additional team members, Carol and Nita, and created a plan of action so we should be able to be more active and dynamic in this space. Our ambition is to raise the profile of Scouting in Harrow as well as making it easier for adult members to find information they need. Throughout the year, our community embraced the core values of Scouting, fostering growth, leadership, and service among young people. We successfully provided thousands of hours of memorable experiences that promoted teamwork and resilience, giving our young people skills for life. It’s great that an increasing number of employers recognise the value of the skills young people gain through Scouts, but there’s more to do here. It’s essential to give every young person every chance, regardless of background, race, or gender. Equity, diversity and inclusion remain central to our work and we’re continuing our journey to become a fairer, more inclusive movement. To reach our goals, we’ll continue to focus on how we deliver Scouts. Our three pillars of work – programme, people, and perception, which is ingrained in our district team structure has been our continual plan of action to support members and extend our reach, so we impact the lives of more young people across Harrow. We have seen positive growth in young people throughout our Scout Groups and Explorer Units. We have welcomed 128 new young people which is a 7.3% increase whilst also growing the number of leaders supporting those new young people bringing our total membership to 1886 young people and 446 adults – 6.3% up from last year. One statistic that I particularly love is that for the last 24 years we have seen year on year increase in female young people joining our movement within Harrow, representing 37% of our youth membership. ## _**A vital part of Scouts is broadening horizons and helping young people become true global citizens.**_ I have been engaged in various tasks throughout the year; most notably the Transformation programme which was born out of our national strategy: Summit17 and BaseCamp22 - both of which I attended. As I write to you now, only a few weeks before our AGM, we are about to go live with our new online tools, our **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 7 of 37 volunteer experience and learning journey. This is such an exciting time for how we manage Scouts locally and I cannot wait for it to become easier, clearer and more accessible, safer and welcoming to join Scouts. ## _**Scouts at the Kings Birthday Parade, London.**_ Development of our existing groups but more importantly, opening new provision and engaging communities and areas that we serve is and has always been a high priority of mine. This year we have focused on rationalising our provision where needed to focus on larger more sustainable groups. This had meant some groups closing, merging or being restarted in order for the best and safest provision to exist. We engage a development team of three individuals who are tasked with growth and development, led by Karen Tempest. Whilst last year we focused on developing existing groups, this year has been all about new sections. I am thrilled to welcome more squirrel sections, a new group and unit. I anticipate, looking at the latest figures supplied by Online Scout Manager, that we are most definitely on the growth path, and we continue to do everything we can to support Groups in their success. ## _**“No one can pass through life, any more than pass through a bit of country without leaving tracks behind. Try to leave the world a little better than you found it.” – Robert Baden-Powell**_ I know as well as you do that Scouts will go from strength to strength, but only through us continuing to face into our challenges, learning, and moving with the times. When all’s said and done, we’re about one thing – preparing young people for the future with skills for life. Every young person deserves every opportunity. As long as we continue to create these, the future remains bright. As we look ahead to a new **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 8 of 37 year for Scouts, and a new strategy, I look forward to engaging our members in shaping our organisation. The future belongs to us all, but especially our young people. Let’s create a bright future together. _My thanks are extended to each and every volunteer, helper, leader, trustee, and any other member of the team, for your continual support and expert deliverance on our mission._ _Wishing you all a positive and successful year ahead for Scouting in Harrow_ . ## **Tyler Skerton** **District Lead Volunteer, Harrow** **9[th] Roxeth Cubs leading the St Georges Day Parade in Pinner with their handmade dragon!** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 9 of 37 ## Programme Compiled by our outgoing Programme Lead, Reshma Patel, and incoming lead, Gillan Barnard. _September 2023 to May 2024_ This past year has been busy and exciting, with numerous Groups and Units participating in a wide range of District events. As always, we want to recognize and express our gratitude for the hard work and dedication of all our volunteers who make these events possible. Since the last AGM, we’ve held several successful events for all sections in the district: **Festival of Lights Campfire:** Thanks to Sammy Holliday-Jackson (Lead Volunteer at 4th Headstone) and the group leaders for organizing this memorable event, which brought together 160 young people in December. Participants from Squirrels to Explorers enjoyed an afternoon filled with diverse activities, capped off by a lively campfire enjoyed by all. **Remembrance and St. George’s Day Parades:** It was inspiring to see over 400 young people join the Remembrance Parades and St. George’s Parades at Harrow Town Centre and Pinner High Street, with additional members attending local church ceremonies. The strong turnout and commitment of our groups and units continue to make these annual events impactful. **Shooting Competition:** Led by Kate Barry (Lead Volunteer at 9[th] Kenton), this year’s shooting competition was another success, with over 100 Scouts and Explorers competing across two weekends. The finals were particularly thrilling, with competitors vying for the top three spots. We hope to see even more young people and leaders involved in next year’s event. **Beaver Quiz Night:** Hosted by 3rd Kenton Scout Group, this event brought together around 80 Beavers and their leaders for a fun, quizfilled Friday evening. Our Young Leaders excelled, taking charge of the event with support from the leaders. We encourage more Young Leaders to step forward and help deliver district programs, as these experiences are invaluable for their development. **Gold Chief Scout’s Award & Expedition Challenge:** Congratulations to the 70 Scouts who achieved their Scout Expedition Challenge as part of their Gold Chief Scout’s Award. Thank you to Alan Sims and a dedicated team of leaders from across the district who assisted in the delivery of the badge which is a part of achieving this award. This event was a testament to the collaborative spirit of our leaders, many of whom met for the first time that weekend. By coming together, we made it possible for even more Scouts to complete this prestigious award. **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 10 of 37 **Water Activities Weekends:** Led by Duncan Wakeling (Lead Volunteer at 13[th] Roxeth) and his team of instructors, Cubs and Scouts enjoyed three weekends of water activities at Bury Lake. Cubs spent three hours trying out SUPs, kayaks, and caracols, while Scouts participated in a full day of water-based challenges. Over 160 participants took part, and we look forward to expanding this program next year. **District Space Camp:** The highlight of the year was our District Space Camp! The event welcomed around 1,000 young people and leaders from across Harrow. Despite the challenge of torrential rains, the weekend was a resounding success, with positive feedback from participants, leaders, and parents alike. Young people enjoyed a variety of activities, including carving camp pegs, lighting fires in multiple ways, pioneering, rocket building, and more. Explorers had their own programme led by Alex, Tiyan and the Unit leadership team, featuring a sky-themed camp, costume contests, cooking challenges, and a midnight silent ‘rave’ that even leaders couldn’t resist joining! On behalf of the Senior Leadership Team and David Poole, we extend a HUGE THANK YOU to Sanjay Chandarana for his outstanding support in planning and organizing the programme for the weekend. Special thanks also to Chad Lake, Richard Williams, Mark Yates, Gillan Bernard, Sanjay Chandarana, Alan Sims, Sandra Bourke, Steven Jenkins, Sophie Thompson, Angela Braid, Vilas and Kushi Halai, Richard Gross, Dawn Sheppard, Sue and Rob Jenkins, Paul Turner, Tiyan Patel, Alex Stanisci-Brown, and Alkesh Shah. David and I are particularly grateful to Tyler Skerton for going above and beyond to ensure an unforgettable experience for everyone. **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 11 of 37 Finally, a huge thank you to Chris and Amanda at PACCAR and their team, whose support over the past two years has been instrumental in making the Space Camp possible. We also received fantastic messages of encouragement from Tim Peake and Ellie Simmonds, which you can view on our Facebook page. Their words truly uplifted everyone involved and helped make the camp a memorable experience for all. It has been an amazing 3 years working as Programme lead for Harrow Scouts and over that time, I have been fortunate to see over 2800 young people take part in some activity or another within the district. Special thanks go to all the leaders who have stepped up to help at the various events and I take away some special memories from the Diwali and Purim festivals, both district camps the Scouts expedition this year and more. Also, a huge thanks to all the leaders who attended and supported the section leader’s meetings and helping each other to deliver an exceptional quality programme. I look forward to supporting Gillan Bernard, as your new Programme Lead, who has amazing ideas to bring to the district as I move on to the 14-24 provision. The annual Cooking Competition for Scouts was held, with 19 teams from 6 Groups participating. The aromas from what was produced were amazing and all the YP worked very hard on their planning and cooking as well as demonstrating their creativity in their menus for ‘Celebrating the Olympics’. Imaginative ideas included Olympic rings out of coloured spaghetti, medals made by circular biscuits and candy shoelaces and torches from orange peppers stacked in cups. The overall winners were a team from 3rd Kenton – well done to them! Thanks to all the leaders who gave up their time to support their Scouts for this competition and especially to our judges – Jennifer Grogan and Kirsty Robinson and our supporters at the DAC, Helen Wharton, Sue Jenkins and Rob Jenkins for making the day a success. A successful visit to London Zoo by 66 Beavers and their Adult Volunteers took place on 13th October. We had pleasant weather (amongst many days of rain) and especially enjoyed the parrots who did tricks, the baby gorillas and the penguins. An easy event to arrange and a lot of fun for all, as well as ticking off various badge requirements. **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 12 of 37 Our next event is the Cubs Bunkdown at the Bunker in November, where we are already at capacity with the number of Cubs signed up to attend. ## **Programme Support** Outside District events, we have continued to hold termly leaders’ meetings by section, and these are very well received. Not only do these meetings give us the opportunity to get to know each other but we also share ideas and problems/challenges across the District, helping everyone to fulfil their role with more confidence and bring some fresh ideas into the programme (if they wish). These are the opportunities for feedback on District events and to work together on planning what is wanted in the future, so that the events team put together activity’s leaders want to support. The Programme & Events team always welcome in more helpers, whether it is to support a single event or to organise things on a regular basis. Your Group or section may also want to host other members of Scouting at a joint event or a cross-District event. Please just let us know! Finally, a huge thank you to all our Leaders, Young Leaders and Trustees who have continued to support the team at all these events. A special thank you to Sue and Rob Jenkins, Helen Wharton, and Sanjay Chandarana for all your help in making our events a success! **Reshma Patel (outgoing) Gillan Barnard (incoming) Programme Team Lead, Harrow** Page 13 of 37 _**Safety is a golden thread throughout Scouts. Alongside safeguarding, it’s our number one priority to keep young people in our care safe from harm.**_ **Explorer Scouts from Rayners Lane and Network from Harrow in Luxembourg for their summer camp.** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 14 of 37 ## Support Team Report ## **Nights Away** To be able to take Young People on overnight stays, whether camping or staying in indoor accommodation a leader needs to gain a Nights Away Permit. There are now 86 Leaders across the District with a Nights Away Permit. With new Leaders taking up Permits, and several Leaders have also renewed their permits this year. Well done to all those Leaders who gained or renewed their Permits this year, this helps us run more Nights Away activities for our Young People, which is what Scouting should be all about! These activities are a key part of Scouting, and all Groups and Units should be looking to take their Young People away. A Nights Away activity only needs one Permit holder to run it, but ideally should have two permit holders present. The Nights Away Notification (NAN) process is also running well, and most NAN forms are being submitted with all the required information, with only a few having to be returned for more details to be added. This year Scout HQ mandated that all NAN forms must be submitted at least 7 days before the overnight stay takes place, we have 100% compliance with this, since this requirement has been in place, well done everyone. The new system that will be replacing Compass will automate the Nights Away Notification processes. As a District we have a good Nights Away approach to our programmes, with over 70 camps and indoor overnight stays so far this year, run by Groups and Units across the District. This is a great achievement, as getting away to camp or staying overnight is what Scouting is all about. ## **Activity Permits** Activity Permits allow leaders to run Adventurous Activities for our Young People, without having to buy in specialist skills from external companies. These Activity Permits cover a range of Adventurous Activities, such as Water Sports, Shooting and Archery, Climbing and Hillwalking, etc. We have many leaders in Harrow with Activity Permits, and the number is growing. We have 122 Adventurous Activity Permits held by leaders across the District. Well done to all those Leaders who gained or renewed their Activity Permits this year, this helps us run a more exciting programme for our Young People. **Use of Activity Permits:** When an Activity Permit is used as part of a nights away, the use of the Permit is recorded on the NAN and approval is provided via the NAN process. When an Activity permit is used during a normal **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 15 of 37 meeting or as a day activity, then approval for use of the Permit must be gained from Alan Sims (Support Team Lead). This can be obtained by email Alan the details of the activity and who the permit holder(s) are. **Meetings away from your Normal Headquarters:** Where section meetings are held away from your normal Headquarters, the section leader must inform their Group Lead Volunteer (GSL), with details of the activity. If the Group Lead Volunteer is also attending the activity, then the section leader must inform Alan Sims (Support Team Lead). ## **Minibuses** The District have two Ford transit 17-seater Trend minibuses and two equipment Trailers for Harrow Scout Groups and Explorer Units to use for Scout activities and camps. The District would like as many Groups as possible to make use of these minibuses, and thereby offer a wide range of activities to their young people. They have been used well this year however there is always room for improvement! The District asks Groups to donate for the use of the Minibuses and Trailers, and these are detailed on the SharePoint site. These are calculated from the costs of running and maintaining the minibuses and are very competitive compared to other organisations such as Harrow Community Transport, and significantly cheaper than commercial hire companies. Groups additionally must pay for the fuel they use in the minibuses. Graham Franks is retiring from managing our fleet and is being replaced by Ethan Emmet. We thank Graham for all the work he has put in over the years, and welcome Ethan to his new role. **Alan Sims Support Team Lead, Harrow** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 16 of 37 **Dwayne Fields with Ramesh from 1[st] Stanmore at his welcoming event.** **Paul Turner on receipt of his Harrow Hero’s award from the Worshipful Mayor of Harrow.** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 17 of 37 ## District 14 to 24 Report In my new role as the 14-24 Lead for our District, I am excited to contribute to the development and growth of our Explorer Scouts, Young Leaders, and Network Sections. This role offers an opportunity to shape dynamic programmes for youth ages 14-24, creating an environment where young people feel welcomed, empowered, and involved in shaping their own experiences. As you are aware, the 14 to 24 team is a new team that has been set up following the Transformation journey we have been on. I am thrilled to introduce our dedicated team: Alex as Explorer Team Leader, Tiyan as our Network Team Leader, and Richard Gross heading up the Young Leader Programme. Linda Brown will lead our Expedition team, ensuring our youth have the support needed for engaging adventures and skill-building opportunities. Together, we’ll focus on providing meaningful activities that include leadership development, community engagement, and skill-building. The 14-24 team’s mission is to ensure program quality, safety, and inclusivity, making it a welcoming space that reflects our local community. In this role, I’ll also work closely with our Section leaders to ensure that young people’s voices influence our decisions and that each activity aligns with the Scouts' values and priorities. In my role as the 14-24 Lead for our district, my goal is not only to deliver engaging programmes but to also enhance leadership opportunities for our Explorer Scouts as they transition toward becoming Network members. By working closely with the Young Leader Programme and our Expedition Team and collaborating with our Explorer Scout Unit (ESU) leaders, I aim to support Explorers in developing leadership skills that will serve them well within Scouts and beyond. Through hands-on leadership experiences, structured programmes, and targeted mentorship, we’ll encourage our Explorers to take on more responsibility, helping them gain confidence, independence, and a sense of community. By the time they reach Network, they will have already built essential skills that make them active, contributing members who can take the lead in creating impactful activities for their peers and the District. ## **Key Activities and Events** This year, our Explorers and Network members engaged in a variety of activities focused on outdoor adventure, skill-building, leadership, and community involvement. Highlights of this year included: ## **YOU London Young Leader Weekend** Sixteen Explorers from Harrow joined over 100 delegates from other London-based uniformed service groups for the 4th YOU Leadership Development Workshop. Participants engaged in eight unique activities designed to build teamwork and leadership skills, from planning exercises to constructing wooden catapults. **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 18 of 37 The weekend featured motivational speakers and provided valuable opportunities for new friendships and skills. We extend our gratitude to YOU London for including us in their program and look forward to next year’s event. ## **District Summer Camp at PACCAR** In July, over 130 Explorers from across the district gathered at PACCAR for a memorable weekend camp. Despite rainy conditions, Explorers participated enthusiastically in activities designed to foster teamwork, resilience, and camaraderie. A huge thank you to Alex, Tiyan, and the Network team for organizing this enriching experience, as well as to Luca and Kirsty for managing catering and ensuring everyone was well cared for. ## **Expedition Challenges for DofE and Chief Scout’s Awards** Over 80 Explorers and Network members participated in various stages of the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) and Chief Scout’s Award expeditions, with 50 members expected to complete these awards soon. Additionally, nine young people began their journey toward the prestigious King’s Scout Award (KSA), demonstrating great skill and determination throughout. Having been involved closely with the team, I want to highlight the dedication from Linda Brown and her DofE Team for the sheer amount of work put in to facilitate the training and subsequent expeditions. Thank you to Derek Paterson for supporting the provision daily answering queries and questions from all the 100+ participants. ## **Young Leader Programme** Led by Richard and his team, the Young Leader Programme supports over 160 Explorers. They ensure that all participants complete essential training like Module A and continue to support those near completing the award. Five Explorers proudly earned their Young Leader belts this year, and plans are in place to coordinate a rolling program with district leaders to support every young person’s progression through this program. ## **Jack Petchey Awards** This award recognizes young people who go above and beyond in pursuit of their goals. We are incredibly proud that this year 100 young people were nominated and recognized by their peers for their efforts in overcoming challenges and **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 19 of 37 stepping out of their comfort zones. A huge thanks to Paul Turner for supporting all our units (and scout sections) in delivery of this award. ## **International Jamborees and Expeditions and Camps** Several of our Explorers had life-changing experiences this year. Some were fortunate to attend the Essex International Jamboree, while three Explorers and Network members represented our district as part of the GLMW contingent to Roverway in Norway. Others had exciting adventures in Luxembourg, and some explored closer to home, traveling from Bournemouth to Wales, seizing opportunities to experience new cultures and environments. ## **Deputy Lieutenant (DL) Awards** This year leaders have put forward names for the DL Awards for recognition to the achievements of the young people within the community. This year award went to Sean G, Arjun P and Zak M-C. ## _**Roverway 2024 Norway contingent**_ ## **Mayoral Commendation Awards** This year Arjun P and Ben M were presented the Mayors Commendation certificates for their commitment and achievements to date at the Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden. Across the units, Explorers collectively earned a range of awards, with many now advancing into the Network section, which, for the first time, features an active programme meeting every 2-4 weeks. Working closely with Tiyan and the Network members, we’re building higher award programs into the 18-24 section, **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 20 of 37 with a focus on the Scout of The World (SOWA) and the Kings Scout Award (KSA). Participation in future international jamborees will also support the development of future leaders within the district. These events and accomplishments speak to the dedication, resilience, and enthusiasm of our Explorer and Network members and leaders. We look forward to another year of growth, friendship, and success. **Reshma Patel 14-24 Team Lead, Harrow** **Scouts Canoeing at Bury Lake for the District Water Activities Day.** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 21 of 37 **Liam Rafferty, this year’s King Scout to be part of the Guard of Honor at the National Remembrance Service. Harrow Scouts have been part of this for the last 4 years in a row!** _**We’d like every young person to shape their own Scouts experience and get the skills they need to be great leaders. For this to happen, it’s important we create opportunities for young people to use their voices.**_ **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 22 of 37 ## Roll of Honour Compiled by our Volunteering Development Lead, Paul Turner and Chair of the Awards Advisory Committee, Ashley Martin ## **Congratulations to the following members who have received Awards for good service during the last period.** ## **AWARD FOR MERIT** **Steven Jenkins Tom Paterson Kamlesh Shah Aimee Lyons** _In recognition of outstanding services_ District **David Silverstone** 9[th] Pinner Rayners Lane ESU **Jonathan Gregson** 1[st] / 6[th] Edgware 1[st] / 6[th] Edgware **Chris Read** 1[st] Hatch End / District 16[th] Edgware **Owen McFadden** 17[th] Harrow ## **CHIEF SCOUT’S COMMENDATION FOR GOOD SERVICE** _In recognition of good service_ **James Courten** 9[th] Roxeth **Sarah Foster** 13[th] / 21[st] Harrow **Helen Wharton** Archers / 6[th] Harrow **Matt Pearn** 13[th] / 21[st] Harrow **Scott McCreeth** 1[st] / 6[th] Edgware **Ashok Vekaria** 1[st] / 6[th] Edgware **Sheetal Patel** 1[st] / 6[th] Edgware **Jayna Gorasia** 1[st] / 6[th] Edgware **Alkesh Shah** 1[st] Stanmore **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 23 of 37 ## Jack Petchey Award From our Volunteering Development Lead, Paul Turner As most will know we run the Jack Petchey award scheme in our District. The Jack Petchey Foundation was set up to inspire and motivate young people across London and Essex by providing exciting projects and programmes for them to get involved in. We also recognise the outstanding achievements of today’s young people by rewarding them for their hard work and positive impact in their community. Jack Petchey believed each young person should be given the chance to achieve. As he always said; “If you think you can, you can!” This is an opportunity to nominate a young person in Scouts or Explorers for an achievement award. This may not be the best Scout or Explorer in your Group but a young person who has tried their best. We are fortunate that our District each year has been given 60 young person awards and 7 Adult awards which are shared around every Scout Troop and Explorer unit. We encourage every Group to put forward a young person for an award. With the award comes £300 for the Troop or Unit and the young person decides what they would like to spend the money on – for example an outing, an item of equipment or an experience etc. There is also a certificate and medal given usually at an award ceremony that is held annually. With the adult award there also comes with the possibility to apply for a grant for up to £1000! If you know of a Leader which you feel deserves an award, please speak to us. ## **Who was Jack Petchey?** Sir Jack was an incredible inspiration to everyone who works at the Foundation. Sadly, he passed away in June at the age of nearly 99. Before his passing he was still going to the office, he did this positively and his determination to work hard was paramount. He was born into a working-class family in the East End in 1925, left school at 13 and then joined the Navy in 1943. After leaving the Navy, he began working as a clerk for a solicitor’s firm. Sir Jack was an incredible inspiration to everyone who works at the Foundation. If you would like any further information, please speak to Paul Turner. ## **ADULT JACK PETCHEY AWARDS** Ashley Martin Jonny Jones William Bartholomew Rob Watts Matthew Crossland Vilas Naran Brett Lake-Benson _**When young people shape Scouts, they improve our movement and become**_ _**more likely to achieve their Top Awards.**_ **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 24 of 37 ## Mayor’s Scout The position of Mayor’s Scout (and Deputy Mayor’s Scout) is a prestigious appointment that is made at the sole discretion of the District Lead Volunteer. Lasting for one year, this role is awarded to an Explorer in the District that has displayed impeccable standards of presentation, dedication and bearing, and can carry themselves in a public setting. Often being good speakers, their role is not only to represent the district, but to promote Scouts locally alongside the mayor at official functions. Mayor Scout duties will Include attending Remembrance Day, Civic services and other events which the mayor has asked them to attend. These happen outside of school hours (usually weekends for main events). The person that the Mayor’s Scout is awarded to gives absolute dedication to Scouts and is passionate, kind, and helpful in all that they do, living by their scout promise and implementing the Scout law. We are proud to say that this year the mayor scout is Sean Gambrill from Axoltol ESU _This is why he was chosen:_ _**“Sean’s a fabulous explorer with nearly perfect attendance, beloved young leader with Cubs and passionate volunteer at Ruislip Lido. Seeing him with the Cubs is a joy. He explains things patiently but clearly and although they try to tease him it is obvious they all look up to him massively. Because of Sean's volunteering connections with the Ruislip Lido railway, we are able to take groups of Beavers and Cubs for a ride on the train and he is able to be part of it from both his scouting and railway volunteering teams.”**_ ## _**Sean Gambrill, Mayor’s Scout 2024, pictured at the Harrow Remembrance Day Service.**_ **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 25 of 37 ## Badge Secretary Report Badge Report for year-end 31st March 2024 Badge sales have been busy this year, with Groups awarding a wide range of badges. It has been great to see so many Chief Scout Awards being presented across all sections. I was really pleased to order some Squirrel badges for one of our Drays in the District. The Wholesale Scout Store raised the badge prices this year, but availability has improved. Susan Jenkins deals with the badge bank account, with Group invoices copied to her and the Groups for payment. ## **Trading Activity for April 2023- March 2024** ## **Purchases From Scout Store £7078.18** ## **Sales to Groups with a 50% subsidy from the District £4460.46** This year John Salter has had to retire from being Badge Secretary, his wife’s health has been deteriorating, and he now needs to devote much of his time to caring for her. We thank John for the work he has done for Scouting in Harrow and wish him well for the future. Currently Helen is the only Badge secretary in Harrow, so if you know of anyone who would like to also take up the role, please contact Alan Sims. **Remembrance Day Service** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 26 of 37 ## Buildings and Estates After all the work that has been done at the DAC over the previous couple of years, this past year has been a quieter year with the internal of the building taking priority. The stage has been removed from the main hall in the DAC centre and storage cupboards have been built along the wall where the stage was. The floor has been repaired in front of the cupboards and new flooring laid. The hall has been redecorated, in Duck egg blue and new blinds will be hung, if not already fitted, as soon as possible. Monts room is also going to be redecorated and the curtains removed, and blinds fitted. This is going to be done next year. The kitchen has been updated with a new cooker, new flooring etc. and this greatly improves its appearance. Cresswell building is having improvements made at the moment. Toilets are being fitted into the building and as we have a kitchen installed in there already, it will be a self-sufficient building. As many of you will have seen, we have a water issue in the compound. This is not the fault of the DAC. The drains in the main road are blocked right up to the magistrate’s court. They cannot cope with the amount of water that is flowing through the drains. The water is back tracking and coming into the DAC compound via the maintenance hole, as we are the lowest point. Despite having been on the phone to Thames Water numerous times, they say it is not their problem and that it is for Harrow Council to sort it out. Harrow council have been contacted and we are awaiting a response from them. I would like to thank Helen, for her quick response whenever there is heavy rain forecast, in lifting the maintenance hole cover so that the overflow water can flow away into the other drain and stop the compound from being flooded. I would like to thank, Chris Reed, Alan Sims, Paul Turner, Anand Taylor, Ash Martin, Johnny Jones and Helen, James and the boys for all the help and support they give me. ## **Robert Jenkins Buildings Project Manager** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 27 of 37 ## Harrow Scout Active Support Unit (SASU) SASU is for anyone over the age of 18 years. It is a way for Adults to volunteer time to Scouting in a flexible way that suits them without having to commit to weekly meetings. Maybe you have stepped away from running a section but would still like to be involved in helping in the District. Some of the activities that SASU are involved with are: - Catering at the AGM and Founders day - Running quiz nights for District - Beavers Fun Day - Cubs Game afternoon - Scouts sports Day - Football Tournament - Helping at camps - Helping at the Swimming Gala - General tidy up at the DAC - Day trips out for SASU members Being a large District it would be excellent if we can get new members to join us - Ex Leaders, Students, Mums, Dads, Grandparents, Guardians, ex members who have left and would like to be involved with Scouting again. All members of SASU are required to have a DBS check, and to have completed Module 1 and Safety and Safeguarding. Please do not feel intimidated by this, as we have several people in the District who will help you to complete this process. Please spread the word out to your Groups Exec and Parents and feel free to contact me at susan.jenkins@harrowscouts.org.uk if you have any questions. ## **Sue Jenkins SASU Manager** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 28 of 37 _**Dwayne Fields, our new Chief Scout, stood next to Sanjay Chandarana, Harrow.**_ **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 29 of 37 ## Harrow Scouts & Guides Swimming Club Another year on from our new structure and five-year plan and the club has continued along the path we started. We run 16 classes spread over the hour at Harrow Leisure Centre and more volunteers have qualified both in Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications. The club follows Swim England’s: Learn to Swim Stage 1-7. Awards are divided into progressive stages and once they achieve level 7 the young people move on to Bronze, Silver & Gold challenges. Swimmers can start at any level and then they move up until they gain their Gold. We have awarded over 25 Gold’s this year. Which is a brilliant achievement! Swim England has an annual review process for all its clubs to ensure exacting standards of governance, sustainability, and effectiveness. The club has been awarded the Club Affiliation standard. This is great as it shows we are maintaining the high standards as required. The club is a unique joint activity club that is open to all Scouts & Guides in the Borough of Harrow and our volunteers come from both Guiding & Scouting backgrounds as well as parents of members. All volunteers must complete the basic Scouting Training and attend a Swim England Welfare course as a minimum. We have 4 (Scout) Young Leaders and 2 (Guide) Young Leaders in the club and a number of current swimmers have told us they want to follow in the footsteps of these current Young Leaders. We do have a waiting list (50+), and we try and offer as many spaces as we can each term however this is limited based on volunteers and the qualifications they hold. New Volunteers are always welcome; we provide training and opportunities to gain the qualifications. The unfortunate news is that Harrow Leisure Centre closed both pools with immediate effect from Thursday 21st March 2024 due to structure issues with the roof; post year end update: Both pools reopened 16th September 2024, and the club returned Tuesday 1st October). ## **Caroline Latham** ## **Harrow Scout & Guides Swimming Club (SASU) Manager** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 30 of 37 ## Harrow Scouts Activity Club The Harrow Scouts Activity Club is the SASU that focuses on larger, more complex, and adventurous activities that may not be able to be achieved within groups, but also allows larger events, including audiences from more diverse areas of the District to get involved. The Pure Ski trip took place in April 2024 and involved 100 Scouts, Explorers, and Adult Volunteers in a fabulous week of skiing in Les Deux Alpes in the French Alps. Despite challenging overnight flights, some participants being stuck on a chair lift for 90 minutes and a Scout with a broken leg, we had a wonderful week! The weather was a bit mixed, but we did have plenty of snow and everyone engaged well in the lessons, progressing their skiing skills and having a lot of fun too. The trip made a surplus due to grants from UK Scouts and some unbudgeted donations. Prior to the Pure Ski trip, 7 Adult Volunteers and an expert tutor/assessor spent a long weekend in les Deux Alpes perfecting their skiing and being assessed to achieve their Scout Snowsports Permits. It is great that we now have more qualified leaders to assist on future trips and support the Scouts and Explorers attending even more. The Activity Club also organised and hosted skiing lessons for all the beginners attending the 2024 trip, so that they were ready to hit the slopes once in the Alps. We decided not to progress a Ski Trip in 2025, but we do plan to be back to skiing in 2026. In the meantime, the Club are investigating some alternative events – for example we ran a successful day of wakeboarding and team sports in the summer. ## **Gillan Barnard & Ian Parkinson HSAC SASU Manager** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 31 of 37 ## Financial Report The accounts for the year to 31st March 2024 are presented in the format recommended by The Scout Association. These includes a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities. The columns show unrestricted, restricted and total funds with the previous year's balances for comparison. We recently identified an inconsistency in the financial year setup with the Charity Commission. We have rectified this by shortening the current reporting period to run from September 2023 to March 2024. Going forward, our reporting period will end on 31 March each year. Due to the short year and the timing of it, some of the comparatives may not reflect what we would typically expect. We have also started including some Explorer Scout Units and the Harrow Scouts swimming club in the accounts from this year. This will cause the cash receipts to be inflated by approximately £35k. Just under £190k of cash was received by the district over the past year. This was mainly made up of just under £98k from HSAC, £7k from net subscriptions, approximately £55k from ESU's and the rest from rentals, vehicle donations, scouting events and DofE receipt. The district made payments of just over £251. The main payments included £105k for the Easter 2024 ski trip, £26k DAC costs, £58k on the ESU program, £19k relating to development costs and legal advice and £6.5k for vehicle costs. We have also transferred £30k to the investment account. On the statement of asset and liabilities, Prepayments and Advance Payments Received relate to the 2024 Ski trip. The debtors are mostly groups that have not settled Subs by the reporting date and invoices relating to scouting events and activities. Soon after the year end, all Subs were settled. On the reserves, the general fund has improved but due to timing, some expenses are still expected. Replenishing the vehicle reserve continues to be a challenge. As expected, the DAC reserve continue to deplete due to the loss of rental income. The District Trustee Board therefore continues to keep the budget and reserves policy under review to make sure that there is a balance between allowing the district to continue operating on a long-term basis alongside providing a wide range of programs for all sections and supporting groups where possible. ## **Alkesh Shah Treasurer** **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 32 of 37 ## **Receipts and Payments Account** |**Receipts and Payments Account**|**Receipts and Payments Account**||| |---|---|---|---| |Harrow District Scouts
For the period ended 31 March 2024
**Receipts**||7 Months from Sep 23 to Mar 24|Sep 22 to Aug 23| |||Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**|**Pervious Year**| ||||| ||**Subscriptions (Net)**||| ||
Membership Subscriptions|96,568
0
**96,568**|102,973| ||
Less Subscriptions Paid On|(89,635)
0
**(89,635)**|(77,888)| ||
**Total Subscriptions (Net)**|**6,933**
**0**
**6,933**|**25,085**| ||
Other Income|5,675
0
**5,675**|(54,985)| ||SASU Receipts|97,838
0
**97,838**|182,214| ||
Bookings and rent|5,735
0
**5,735**|30,110| ||
Explorer Scout Unit Income|54,947
0
**54,947**|6,248| ||
Event Income|5,374
0
**5,374**|4,672| ||DofE Income|5,985
0
**5,985**|1,375| ||Vehicle Donations|3,371
0
**3,371**|2,960| ||Donations|100
0
**100**|5,008| ||Interest on investments|2,698
0
2,698|2,962| |||72
0
72|(121)| |||**188,727**
**0**
**188,727**|**205,527**| |Investments
**Total Asset and investment sales, etc.**
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**||500
0
500|25,100| |||**500**
**0**
**500**|**25,100**| ||**Total Receipts**|**189,227**
**0**
**189,227**|**230,627**| ||||| |**Charitable Payments**
SASU Expenses
Event costs
Explorer Scout Unit Costs
Badge purchases and costs
DAC expenses
District Costs
Professional Fees
Licences and Subs
Insurance
Vehicle Costs
District Young Leader Programme
Administrators Remuneration
DofE Expenses
Trophies & Medals
Grants Made
Training
Badge Stock
Debtors / Creditors Suspense
**Total Charitable Payments**
**Asset Purchases**
Investments
Equipment
**Total Asset Purchases**
**Total payments**
**Reserves**|**Charitable Payments**||| ||
SASU Expenses|(104,966)
0
(104,966)|(151,501)| ||
Event costs|(920)
0
(920)|(6,122)| ||Explorer Scout Unit Costs|(58,031)
0
(58,031)|(4,431)| ||
Badge purchases and costs|(2,179)
0
(2,179)|(9,201)| ||
DAC expenses|(25,660)
0
(25,660)|(29,067)| ||
District Costs|(755)
0
(755)|(2,989)| ||Professional Fees|(19,156)
0
(19,156)|(13,767)| ||Licences and Subs|(1,263)
0
(1,263)|(1,483)| ||Insurance|0
0
0|(1,243)| ||Vehicle Costs|(6,454)
0
(6,454)|(1,337)| ||District Young Leader Programme|0
0
0|(87)| ||
Administrators Remuneration|(2,700)
0
(2,700)|(4,575)| ||DofE Expenses|(1,182)
0
(1,182)|(1,543)| ||
Trophies & Medals|0
0
0|(218)| ||
Grants Made|0
0
0|(13,417)| ||Training|0
0
0|(200)| ||Badge Stock|0
0
0|1,647| ||
Debtors / Creditors Suspense|1,814
0
1,814|(1,746)| ||
**Total Charitable Payments**
**Asset Purchases**|**(221,451)**
**0**
**(221,451)**
**0**|**(241,279)**| ||Investments|(30,000)
0
(30,000)|0| ||Equipment|0
0
0|(210)| ||**Total Asset Purchases**|**(30,000)**
**0**
**(30,000)**|**(210)**| ||**Total payments**|**(251,451)**
**0**
**(251,451)**|**(241,489)**| ||||| |Reserves
**Net Cash Flows**
**Cash and Cash Equivalents**|Reserves|35,184
0
35,184|0| ||**Net Cash Flows**|**(27,040)**
**0**
**(27,040)**|**(10,862)**| ||||| ||Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period|153,629
0
153,629|164,490| ||
Net change in cash for period|(27,040)
0
(27,040)|(10,862)| ||
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period|126,588
0
126,588|153,629| **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 33 of 37 ## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities** ## Harrow District Scouts ## As at 31 March 2024 |||**Unrestricted**|Restricted|Total|**Previous Year**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Cash Funds**|||||| ||Barclays Bank Main Account|62,657|0|62,657|117,962| ||Badge Account|1,735|0|1,735|913| ||Equals Fair FX|6,564|0|6,564|929| ||Pegasus ESU|997|0|997|0| ||Rayners Lane ESU|7,482|0|7,482|0| ||Alpine ESU|16,118|0|16,118|0| ||Harrow Scouts Activity Club|29,015|0|29,015|33,825| ||Harrow Scout & Guide Swim Club|2,020|0|2,020|0| |**Total Cash Funds**||**126,588**|**0**|**126,588**|**153,629**| |**Other Monetary Assets**|||||| ||Accounts Receivable|22,206|0|22,206|4,798| ||Debtors / Creditors Suspense|0|0|0|1,814| ||Prepayments|123,127|0|123,127|37,200| |**Total Other Monetary Assets**||**145,333**|**0**|**145,333**|**43,812**| |**Investment Assets**|||||| ||Investments (NS&I)|155,500|0|155,500|126,000| |**Total Investment Assets**||**155,500**|**0**|**155,500**|**126,000**| |**Non monetary assets for charity's own**||**use**|||| ||Equipment|920|0|920|973| ||Fixtures & Fittings|18,698|0|18,698|20,900| ||Vehicles|13,340|0|13,340|16,560| |**Total Non monetary assets for charity's o**||**32,958**|**0**|**32,958**|**38,433**| |**Creditors**|||||| ||Accounts Payable|450|0|450|18,517| ||Advance Payments Received|164,086|0|164,086|66,248| |**Total Creditors**||**164,536**|**0**|**164,536**|**84,765**| ||**Net Assets**|**295,844**|**0**|**295,844**|**277,109**| |**Reserves**|||||| ||**Unrestricted Reserve**||||| ||General Fund|61,505|0|61,505|38,143| ||**Total Unrestricted Reserve**|**61,505**|**0**|**61,505**|**38,143**| ||**Earmarked Funds**||||| ||Vehicle Reserve|16,680|0|16,680|18,080| ||Raptor ESU|2,826|0|2,826|1,930| ||Index ESU|4,964|0|4,964|3,096| ||Rayners Lane ESU|7,482|0|7,482|0| ||Pegasus ESU|997|0|997|0| ||Alpine ESU|16,118|0|16,118|0| ||Harrow Swimming Club|2,020|0|2,020|0| ||DAC (Reserve)|187,444|0|187,444|210,527| ||HSAC|(11,944)|0|(11,944)|4,776| ||DofE|7,750|0|7,750|557| ||**Total Earmarked Funds**|**234,338**|**0**|**234,338**|**238,966**| |**Total Reserves**||**295,844**|**0**|**295,844**|**277,109**| **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 34 of 37 Harrow District Scouts Period ended 31rt March 2024 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Harrow District Scouts I report to the trustees on my examination of the accourts of the Harrow District Scouts for the period ended 3161 March 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Harrow District Scouts you are responsibLe for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charit￿$ Act 2011 Ilhe Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Harmw District Scouts accounts carrEd out under sectK)n 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under sect¥Jn 1451511bl of the Act Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters ha¥* corne to my attention in connection wrth the examination gNing me cause to believe that in any material respeLt accounting records were r¥)t kept in respect of the Harrow District Scouts as requi￿￿ by section 130 of the Act: or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no COn￿M$ ar)d have come across no other matters in connertion with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this ￿F)Ort in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. s￿ned. Name: Roy McKerracher Member of the Institute of Chartered Actountants of ScotLarKI Address.. 34 Elmcroft cre￿n( Harrow Date: 121b November 2024 @ Harrow District Scout5 Page 35 of 37 ## In Memoriam 2024 _We remember the passing of the following members of the District, or of the former Districts since September 2023._ |**Emma Peck**|23rdHarrow|24/12/23| |---|---|---| |**Fred Russell**|Stanmore District|20/12/23| |**Frank Stroud**|6th Roxeth|13/05/24| |**Alastair (Charlie) King**|Vice President, Harrow|14/07/24| |**Chris Atkinson**|ex-4th Harrow|20/07/24| **© Harrow District Scouts** Page 36 of 37 Scouts Harrow Thank you ..to every one of our volunteers in Harrow Ternilnal 2 | The Queens Terminal 5. @ Harrow Districi Scout5 Page 37 of 37