1st Shelford & East Bridgford Scout Group
Trustees' Annual Report for the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
Section A: Reference and Administration Details
Charity name: 1[st ] Shelford & East Bridgford Scout Group
Registered charity number: 1202093
Scout Association registration number: 10014555
Charity's principal address: The Scout HQ, Butts Close, off Kneeton Road, East Bridgford, Nottingham, NG13 8PG.
During the period to 31 March 2025, the trustees who managed the charity were:
| Chris Evans | Chair |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth Meylan | Treasurer |
| Stephen Cumberland | Group Scout Leader |
| Francis Meylan | Assistant Scout Leader and Explorer Leader |
| Alan Tivey | Trustee |
| Becky Pennick | Trustee |
| Richard Povey | Trustee |
| Stephen Day | Trustee |
| Emma Oliver | Trustee |
| Lorraine Witt | Trustee |
| Sarah Upton | Trustee |
| Other advisors: | |
| Alec Hampson | Independent examiner of the accounts |
Section B Structure, Governance and Management
The Group's governing documents are those of the Scout Association. They consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Association and the Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) of the Scout Association. The Group is a trust established under these rules which are common to all Scout Groups. The trustees are appointed in accordance with the POR of the Scout Association.
The Group is managed as an educational charity by its Trustee Board, the members of which are the charity trustees. As trustees, they are responsible for complying with legislation applicable to charities. This includes the registration, keeping proper accounts and making returns to the Charity Commission as appropriate.
The Trustee Board consists of the Chair, Treasurer and nine other trustees. The Trustee Board meets a minimum of six times a year, with additional meetings as needed to arrange specific events such as fundraising.
Members of the Trustee Board are elected or appointed at the Annual General Meeting of the Group Scout Council, which includes all adult and associate members of the Scout Group (including the parents and guardians of young members) and all our Leaders, and representatives of Rushcliffe District Scout Council.
All new members of the Trustee Board must complete training in accordance with the Scout Association POR, including completing the Trustee Induction training within five months of joining the Board. All members of the Board, along with all adult volunteers having contact with young people on a repeated basis, or on nights away activities, are DBS checked.
The Trustee Board exists to ensure that the charity is well managed, risks are assessed and mitigated, equipment is in good working order, and everyone follows legal requirements and the organisation's policies and rules. Their support helps other volunteers run high-quality and safe programmes that give young people skills for life.
Risks and Internal Controls
The Trustee Board has identified, and periodically reviews and monitors the main risks to which they believe the Group is exposed. The main areas of concern include:
Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members: The Group contributes to the Scout Association's national accident insurance policy through capitation fees and takes out additional insurance if needed. We provide accident and injury insurance for adult helpers who are not uniformed leaders. Risk assessments are undertaken before all activities.
Damage to or loss of equipment: The Group maintains sufficient insurance to mitigate against the risk of loss or damage to our equipment.
Income from fundraising: The Group relies on income from fundraising to purchase and maintain our headquarters and equipment, and to subsidise the cost of participation in scouting where needed. Subscriptions are charged and these can be paid monthly, quarterly, half yearly or annually, but these cover only the routine running of the group, such as purchase of badges, consumables for meetings, etc. For events and camps, we charge fees to cover the immediate costs. We aim to keep the subscription and event fees as low as possible, to ensure scouting is accessible to everyone.
Our main fundraising activities are a twice yearly Soup,n,Spud morning, a family quiz night, providing refreshments at the annual East Bridgford Show and Fire Work display and letting our premises for small family occasions such as birthday and anniversary celebrations.
The group holds a reserve to ensure we would be able to continue our activities, or wind them down in an orderly manner, should there be a major reduction in income. We could also raise the level of subscription fees, should that become necessary, either as a temporary or permanent measure.
The Group relies entirely on volunteers to run and administer the activities of the Group. Most importantly, we need a certain number of uniformed leaders to be able to continue to operate our four sections (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and Explorers) at full strength. Many of these volunteers are drawn from among the parents of the young people who join the group. The commitment required is substantial,
and understandably, leaders often wish to move on or step down after a few years. This is perhaps the greatest risk that the Group faces and is one that requires constant attention from the Leaders and Trustees to ensure that we are constantly recruiting and developing new leaders.
The Group has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss. All payments require the approval of both the Treasurer and one other Trustee. The Group has comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.
Section C Activities
The purpose of Scouting is to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
As Scouts we are guided by these values:
Integrity - We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal.
Respect - We have self-respect and respect for others.
Care - We support others and take care of the world in which we live.
Belief - We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes.
Co-operation - We make a positive difference; we co-operate with others and make friends.
Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on these values and:
take part in activities indoors and outdoors; undertake new and challenging activities;
learn by doing; share in spiritual reflection; take responsibility and make choices; enjoy what they are doing and have fun.
All members of the Scout Group, whether young people or adult volunteers, make a Scout Promise in which they promise to do their best to help other people and to be trusted, loyal, friendly and considerate, to have courage in difficulty, to have self-respect and to respect others.
The Group arranges a programme of weekly meetings during school term times, with indoor or outdoor activities and challenges for young people of all ages between six and eighteen. The Group holds weekly meetings in term times for Beavers (aged 6 to 8), Cubs (8 to 10.5), Scouts (10.5 to 14) and Explorer Scouts (14 to 18).
The Group also organises weekend and holiday activities that include camps, hikes, and other outdoor adventure activities. The Group also participates in programmes of events that are organised at District, County, or National levels.
Young people in scouting can earn badges in recognition of skills learned, challenges met, and activities carried out. Our regular programmes and our camp activities are designed to meet the requirements for these badges. Young people who participate fully in the Group's activities will complete enough activities and challenges to be rewarded with the Chief Scout's Award, which they can wear on their uniform with justified pride.
To help young people in their personal development, if and when our leaders judge that they are ready for the challenge, they may be given a position of responsibility. For example, at age nine or ten, a young person may be promoted to the role of "Sixer" or "Seconder" within the Cubs section, with responsibility for a group of five or six Cubs. The Scout troop is organized in Patrols, and young people take responsibility as Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders. Later, as a teenager in the Explorer section, as well as taking responsibility for planning the activities of their own section, they may choose to join the Young Leaders programme and assist adult volunteers in the planning and running of programmes for a younger section.
Public Benefit Statement
The Group meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community development headings. Subscription fees are set at a level that covers only the immediate running costs of the Group and the capitation fees to the Scout Association, to ensure they remain as low as possible and do not unduly restrict membership. We admit members primarily from the local community in the immediate area around East Bridgford.
As charity trustees, members of the Trustee Board pay due regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance where relevant to our decision making.
Section D Achievements & Performance
During the period from April 2024 to March 2025, the group continued to provide a full range of scouting activities, including overnight, weekend, and multi-day camps, for young people of all ages from six to seventeen.
Throughout the year, our adult volunteer team organized a really exciting and varied programme of meetings and events.
The group's membership numbers grew slightly once again. Beaver remained roughly the same, the Cub section grew slightly as did the Scout and Explorers.
We continue to try to spread the workload by recruiting parents onto parent rotas, particularly for Beavers and Cubs, so the uniformed leaders don't have to do everything.
Section E Financial Review
Reserves Policy
The maintenance of available funds, excluding known commitments and contingent liabilities, equal to a minimum of 6 months budgeted income. The reserves can be used should there be a fall in the Group’s annual income.
This reserve policy will be reviewed annually at the Board of Trustees meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting.
The Group also aims to build up additional cash reserves over time, to ensure that any essential work to our headquarters can be completed without delay or other significant capital cost items needed by the group.
Investment Policy
The Group does not have sufficient funds to invest in longer-term investments such as stocks and shares. The Group has adopted a low-risk strategy to the investment of its funds. All funds are held in cash, using only mainstream banks or building societies.
The Trustee Board regularly monitors the level of bank balances and interest rates received to ensure the Group obtains maximum value from its banking arrangements. The Trustees would carefully consider the Group's cash flow requirements before entering into any arrangement that requires a period of notice before funds can be withdrawn. At present, all funds are held in accounts with instant access to funds.
Section F Other Information and Future Plans
The Scout Association has recently introduced Squirrels, a section for four- and five-year-olds and we are holding an Open Evening for Parents towards the end of January to assess the level of interest in establishing a Squirrel section, which would require a new team of adult volunteers, preferably parents, to run it.
The improvements to our premises listed ion last year’s report have all been successfully completed.
During the year the Group has also managed to raise sufficient funds to enable the acquisition of a secure shipping container which has been sited on one of the two fields which we lease from Southwell and Nottingham Diocese. We have also replaced the fencing around both fields, installed new field gates and improved the access to both fields. This enables us to store equipment so that we can make better use of the fields for training the various section. Previously this equipment had to be carried to the field from our HQ.
The freehold of Scout HQ is registered with the land registry with four named Trustees. At present if a trustee resigns a new trustee will have to be registered with the land registry. Using the official custodian would mean this is unnecessary and this is currently under consideration.
Lastly the Board of Trustees wishes to see continued and increasing use of the Scout building by other community groups / individuals, maintaining the ethos of the building being a real community asset.
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees' Report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees:
Elizabeth Meylan, Treasurer
Stephen Cumberland, Group Scout Leader
January 2026
1st Shelford & East Bridgford Scout Group Receipts and Payments Account
| Year start date | Year start date | Year end date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the year from |
01/04/2024 |
To | 31/03/2025 | |
| Receipts and payments | ||||
| Receipts | Notes | 2023/24 Unrestricted funds £ |
2024/25 Unrestricted funds £ |
|
| Donations, legacies and similar income | ||||
| Membership subscriptions | 6,538 | 7,564 | ||
| Donations | 5,854 | 2,107 | ||
| Legacies | - | - | ||
| Gift Aid | 1 | 3,973 | - | |
| Youth programme and activities | 2,287 | 1,832 | ||
| HQ Building Hire and Donations for use | 920 | 1,182 | ||
| Sub total | 19,573 | 12,685 | ||
| Grants | - | - | ||
| Maintenenace grant | - | - | ||
| Grants towards HQ Building Repair / Improvement | 2 | 26,660 | 10,400 | |
| Sub total | 26,660 | 10,400 | ||
| Fundraising (gross) | ||||
| Quiz Night - Feb | 2,521 | 2,889 | ||
| Soup n'Spud - Nov | 733 | 608 | ||
| Soup n'Spud - March | 480 | 465 | ||
| EB Village Show - June | 794 | 769 | ||
| Scout Group AGM BBQ - July 2024 | - | 114 | ||
| BBMF Talk - Dec 2023 | 345 | 10 | ||
| Dr Cope Talk - Feb 2025 | - | 453 | ||
| EB Open Gardens - June 2023 / July 2024 | 886 | 1,074 | ||
| EB Fireworks - Nov | 1,157 | 1,135 | ||
| EB Charity FB Match BBQ - Aug 2024 | - | 194 | ||
| 100 Club | - | 263 |
| EB Garden Centre - Nov 2023 | 226 | - | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAP Tea - Dec 2023 | 29 | - | ||
| Sub total | 7,171 | 7,973 | ||
| Investment income | ||||
| Bank interest | 357 | 277 | ||
| Beavers Dormant Bank Account - Paid by Nat West to Group |
61 | - | ||
| The Scout Association Short Term Investment Service | 29 | - | ||
| Sub total Total Gross Income Asset and investment sales, etc. 3 Total receipts |
446 | 277 | ||
| 31,335 | ||||
| - | 45 | |||
| 53,850 | ||||
| 53,850 | 31,380 |
1st Shelford & East Bridgford Scout Group Receipts and Payments Account
| Payments Account st Bridgford Scout Group |
Payments Account st Bridgford Scout Group |
Payments Account st Bridgford Scout Group |
Payments Account st Bridgford Scout Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year start date Year end date |
|||
| For the year from |
01/04/2024 |
To | 31/03/2025 |
Receipts and payments
| Receipts and payments | Receipts and payments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notes Payments |
2023/24 Unrestricted funds £ |
2024/25 Unrestricted funds £ |
||
| Charitable Payments | ||||
| Membership paid to district/ area etc | 4,158 | 4,661 | ||
| Youth programme and activities | 997 | 4,155 | ||
| OSM (& Adult support and training) | 192 | 192 | ||
| Rent old Scout Hut | 420 | 500 | ||
| Electricity old Scout Hut | 437 | 23 | ||
| HQ Building Loan Part-Repayment | 4 | 8,000 | 4,000 | |
| HQ Building maintenance and consumables | 5 | 2,105 | 31,533 | |
| Electricity, Gas and Water - Scout HQ | 1,463 | 1,197 | ||
| HQ Building - Non-Domestic Rates | 11 | 50 | ||
| Insurance Equipment/Building/Members | 2,377 | 1,931 | ||
| Insurance for Supporters | 52 | 52 | ||
| Equipment and materials | 423 | 674 | ||
| Remembrance Sunday, Group Admin | 114 | 92 | ||
| Uniforms / Badges | 517 | 1,264 | ||
| GSL expenses | 51 | 136 | ||
| AGM and trustee expenses | - | - | ||
| Fire Precautions | 211 | 138 | ||
| Field Lease | 3,600 | 1,416 | ||
| Field Maintenance | 80 | 167 | ||
| Field Fence Replacement | - | 1,201 | ||
| Container on Field | - | 3,754 | ||
| Sub total | 25,208 | 57,136 |
| Fundraising expenses | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz Night - Feb | 1,121 | 1,052 | ||
| Soup n'Spud - Nov | 142 | 110 | ||
| Soup n'Spud - March 2024 | 145 | 6 | ||
| Soup n'Spud - March 2025 | - | 136 | ||
| EB Village Show - June | 55 | 63 | ||
| WSJ 2023 Fundraising | 47 | - | ||
| BBMF Talk - Dec 2023 | 17 | - | ||
| Dr Cope Talk - Feb 2025 | - | 260 | ||
| EB Open Gardens - June 2023 / July 2024 | 296 | 415 | ||
| EB Fireworks - Nov | 874 | 606 | ||
| EB Charity FB Match BBQ - Aug 2024 | - | 166 | ||
| OAP Tea - Dec 2023 | 142 | - | ||
| Sub total | 2,837 | 2,814 | ||
| Total Gross Expenditure Asset and investment purchases, etc. Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||
| 59,949 | ||||
| - | - | |||
| 28,046 25,805 |
||||
| 59,949 | ||||
| 25,805 | - 28,569 | |||
| 10,702 | 36,507 | |||
| 36,507 | 7,938 |
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year
| 2023/24 2024/25 Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Notes £ £ |
2023/24 2024/25 Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Notes £ £ |
2023/24 2024/25 Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Notes £ £ |
2023/24 2024/25 Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Notes £ £ |
2023/24 2024/25 Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Notes £ £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash funds | ||||
| Bank current account | - | - | ||
| Bank deposit account | 34,357 | 4,872 | ||
| Bank HQ Building account | 920 | 2,390 | ||
| The Scout Association Short Term Investment Service | - | - | ||
| The Scout Association Short Term Investment Service - Closed Dec 2023 - balance of £1051.12 (incl. £28.52 interest)to Groupbank account |
- | - | ||
| Cash/Floats | 1,231 | 676 | ||
| Total cash funds | 36,507 | 7,938 | ||
| Other monetary assets | ||||
| Tax claim | - | - | ||
| Debts due from the County/Area/District/Group | - | - | ||
| Insurance claim | - | - | ||
| Sub total | - | - | ||
| Investment assets | ||||
| Investment property - detail | - | - | ||
| Quoted investments | - | - | ||
| Other investments - detail | - | - | ||
| Sub total | - | - | ||
| Non monetary assets for charity's own use | ||||
| Badge stock | - | - | ||
| Shop stock | - | - | ||
| Other stock | - | - | ||
| Land and buildings | 6 | 117,944 | 117,944 | |
| Motor vehicles | - | - | ||
| Scouting equipment, furniture etc | 6 | 21,700 | 21,700 | |
| Other | - | - | ||
| Sub total | 139,644 | 139,644 | ||
| Liabilities | ||||
| Subscriptions not yet paid | - | - | ||
| Loan - Rush Scout District for new HQ | 12,000 | 8,000 | ||
| Other liabilities | - | - | ||
| Sub total | 12,000 | 8,000 |
Notes to the accounts
1. No Gift Aid Claim was made in the year 24/25 but a claim will be made in year 25/26
2. The group has received various grants in 23/24 and in 24/25 to improve the new HQ.
3. Assest & Investment Sales was disposal of two old lawnmowers from the scout field.
4. A loan fom Scout District to buy the HQ was provided of which £12,000 has been repaid up to March 2025.
5. The renovation Grants received over the last two years, the majority were spent in the year 24/25
6. Depreciation is not charged on the building or Equipment at the present time.
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of 1st Shelford & East Bridgford Scout Group I report to the trustees on examtnatlon of the aCcnts ol the tst knlford & East Brldgrord Scout Group fortheyearended 31 March 2025. Responsibiiitles and basis of report As the charty trustees of the 1st Shettord & East 8rldgford Stout Group, Y are SpOnSIble for the preparalon ofthe accounts in accordancewith the requlrements ofthe Chartties P£t20111'the Acri. I report In respectof myexamlnatlon of the Istshellord & East Brfdgiord ScoutGroup. accountscarrled out under sectlon 145 of the 2011 Act and In carrJrfn8 Out my examlnatlon I have followed all the appllcabie Dlrectlons given tythe Charlty Commlsslon under sectlon 145151 Ibl of the Act. Independent examlnefs statement I have completed My examlnatlon. I confim) that no malerlal matters have come to my attenon In connectlon wfth the examlnatlon gmng me cause to belle4Ethat In any materlal respecL' l. accountlng records re not kept In respect of the tst Sh8iford & East Brldgrord Scout as requlred bysectlon 130 oftheAct 2. the accounts do notaccord*lth thoge record& I have no concems and hfft corne across no other matters In connecllonwlththe eyamlnatlon to whlch attentl¢)n should be dra Inthls rel In orderto enable a propef understandln8 ofthe accounts to be reached. sign Name: eC Hampson Relevant professIon qualfft¢allon or membeTshlp of 8 professthal body: ACA 7528759 Address: 18 Couege St, East 8rid8lord. Notts. NG13 8LE Dats: 002028