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2025-03-31-accounts

3[rd] Farnborough Trustees Annual Report For the Period 1/4/2024 – 31/3/2025

V1.0 FINAL

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Contents

Reference and Administration Details 3
Charity Name 3
Registered Charity Number 3
HMRC Charities Reference Number 3
HQ Registration Number 3
Charity’s Address 3
Charity’s Address (for all correspondance) 3
Trustees 3
Name and addresses of advisors 4
Structure, Governance, and Management 5
Governing Documents 5
Constitution 5
Trustee Selection Methods 5
Governance 5
Objectives and Activities 8
Objectives 8
Activities 8
Public Benefit Statement 8
Achievements and Performance 9
Group 9
Squirrels 9
Beavers 10
Cubs 10
Scouts 10
Financial Review 11
Financial Highlights 11
Accounting Policies 11
Starting Balances 12
Income Accounts 12

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Contents

Expense Accounts 13
Balance Sheet 13
Reserves Policy 14
Investment Policy 14
Declaration 15
Scrutineer’s Report to the Trustees 16

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Reference and Administration Details

Charity Name

3rd Farnborough (Hawley Lane)

Registered Charity Number

1210262

HMRC Charities Reference Number

EW96190

HQ Registration Number

10012533

Charity’s Address

3[rd] Farnborough Scout HQ Rowallan Way (off Sand Hill) Sand Hill Farnborough Hampshire GU14 8ER

Charity’s Address (for all correspondance)

3[rd] Farnborough Scout Group c/o Iain Roy (Group Scout Leader) 84 Cotswold Close Hampshire GU14 9ET

Trustees

Trustee Name Office(if any) Dates acted if not for wholeyear
Susan O’Mara Trustee – Chair
Daren O’Toole Trustee - Secretary Elected 21stSeptember 2024
Marcus Macwilliam Trustee - Treasurer
Iain Roy Trustee - GroupLead Volunteer
Jo Green Trustee
Lisa Roy Trustee
Mark Cronin Trustee
Michael Baxter Trustee

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Name and addresses of advisors None Trustses Annual Report 2024 - 2025

Structure, Governance, and Management

Governing Documents

The Group's governing documents are those of the 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 of The Scout Association.

Constitution

The Group is a Trust established under The Scout Association rules and has adopted POR 5.4 as its constitution.

Trustee Selection Methods

The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.

Governance

The Group is managed by the Group Trustee Board, the members of which are the Charity Trustees of the Scout Group which is an educational charity. As charity 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 Group Trustee Board consists of appointed trustees, co-opted trustees, and ex-officio trustees. Appointed trustees are the Chair and Treasurer. The Group Lead Volunteer is an ex-officio trustee. Each section has co-opted one team member to the Trustee Board.

Members of the Group Trustee Board complete Trustee training within the first 6 months of joining the board.

The Trustee Board is a team of volunteers who work together, as charity trustees, to make sure Scouts is run safely and legally. At the heart of their role is a focus on strategy, performance, and assurance. Our Trustees are responsible for the following tasks:

The following quorums for meetings have been agreed:

Manage money well

Follow Scouts policies and relevant legislation

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Look after buildings, insurance and property

Manage risks

Help the charity to operate well, today and in the future

The Trustee Board has identified the major risks to which they believe the Group is exposed, these have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate against them. The main areas of concern (in order of probability / impact) that have been identified are:

Reduction or loss of leaders: The Group is totally reliant upon volunteers to run and administer the activities of the Group. If there was a reduction in the number of leaders to an unacceptable level in a particular section or the Group as a whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst-case scenario, the complete closure of the Group.

Reduction or loss of members: The Group provides activities for young people aged 4 to 18. If there was a reduction in membership in a particular section or the Group as whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst-case scenario, the complete closure of the Group.

Damage to the building, property and equipment: In recent years, the Group has made significant investments in security to reduce the probability of this risk. In the event of damage, the Group would request the use of buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations such as the church, and other Scout Groups. The Group has sufficient buildings and contents insurance in place to mitigate against permanent loss.

Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members: The Group through the capitation fees contributes to the Scout Associations national accident insurance policy. Additional insurance is taken out by the Group for occasional helpers. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities.

Vestiture of the ownership of the land and buildings of the Group: It is unclear where the ownership of the land and buildings of the Group are vested. The Trustee Board is seeking to obtain copies of the Deeds and to address this issue as soon as possible. To date, our efforts have not been successful.

Material Mismanagement or loss: The Group has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to

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provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories for all payments and comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.

Trustees Annual Report 2024 - 2025

Objectives and Activities

Objectives

The Purpose of Scouting

Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.

The Values of Scouting

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.

The Scout Method

Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on the values of Scouting and:

Activities

3[rd] Farnborough Scout Group meets these objectives through its weekly Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts meetings and through additional events organised by the Group, District, and County teams.

Squirrels meet on Thursday evenings for 1 hour during term-time, Beavers meet on Monday evenings for 1 hour during term-time, Cubs meet for 1 ½ hours during term-time, and Scouts meet on Thursday evenings for 2 hours during term-time. We are very grateful to all or leaders for all the time they commit to ensuring we have a safe and full programme of activities.

In addition to the weekly meetings, we have continued to run additional activities which have included the Shooting Club, a Group trip to the pantomime, Hikes, Days Out, and a number of camps for each section. We continue to run a full adventurous activities programme and our young people have participated in kayaking, shooting, abseiling, caving, raft building, crate stacking and more. We already have a number of activities organised in the FY26 financial year including a Beavers and Cubs camp, a Squirrels Sleepover, a Scouts Hammock Camp, and Scouts Summer Camp,

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.

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Achievements and Performance

Group

The Group has maintained a full and varied programme of activities during 2024 - 2025 across all its sections. During the year, we organised a number of nights away opportunities for our members allowing them to earn nights away, as well as hikes, days out, and adventurous activities.

In terms of membership, we had another record year of young people registered with the Group. Based on the 2024 - 2025 census returns, our youth membership (excluding young leaders) has increased from 88 to 89, and we now typically operate full sections.

The Group’s shooting club has continued to run monthly and the club also runs Have a Go sessions for other Groups in the district. Increasingly, we are starting to participate in shooting activities organised by Surrey Scouts Rifle Club at Bisley and we are grateful to them extending the invitations to us. We are very grateful to all the leaders who give up their time to support this activity provision for young people across Blackwater Valley District, especially Iain Roy [Skip], George Biddlecome, Mike Hughes, Jo Green, and Tim Ford. We currently have 2 sporter air-rifles on loan from Hampshire Scouts Shooting Club for which we are very grateful.

4 Leaders achieved Wood badges in FY25 – Congratulations to Lisa Roy, Jo Green, Nicola Urry, and Jane Turner .

1 of our Young Leaders achieved their King Scout Award in FY25 and, having now turned 18, has joined the Group as an Adult Leader. Congratulations to Elizabeth Roy.

7 Squirrels (Milo Stender, Charlotte Wilkinson, Evelyn Silvester, Nathaniel Sweeney, Theodore Gibbins, Thomas Burningham, and Elliot Jones) achieved their Chief Scouts Acorn Aard in FY25. 2 Beavers (Marc Nakhle, and James Foskett) achieved their Bronze Chief Scout Awards in FY25. 4 Cubs (Isha Pradhan, Ewen Silvester, Oscar Brooker, and Freddie Watson Cross) achieved their Silver Chief Scouts Award in FY25. 2 Scouts (Rachel Cronin, and Abby Bicknell) achieved their Gold Chief Scouts Award this year. Congratulations to all these young people who have achieved their Chief Scout Awards.

In total, 1,221 badges (FY24: 1,602 badges) (including occasional badges) were handed out to young people.

We continue to host Blackwater Valley Spitfire Explorer Unit and it is great to see many of our Scouts continuing their Scouting journey through into Explorers.

Our funding position is stable, and we have continued to invest in facilities at our HQ, in the maintenance and upkeep of our HQ, and in subsidising activities

Plans for future activities depend crucially on leaders and helpers continuing to come forward to maintain, and ideally expand the activities the Group can offer, both as Section Leaders and Trustee Board members. We are incredibly grateful to all our adult volunteers, whatever role they play in the Group.

Squirrels

A Squirrels section report will be presented at our AGM.

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Beavers

A Beavers section report will be presented at our AGM.

Cubs

A Cubs section report will be presented at our AGM.

Scouts

A Scouts section report will be presented at our AGM.

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Financial Review

Financial Highlights

– We also maintained the level of Group subsidy to activities recognising the cost-of-living pressures that our members’ families are under, again, possible because of our reserves position. As well as subsidising events, £375 (2024: £166) of subs and activity/camp fees were written off where required to support lowincome families and to ensure Scouting is provided to all.

Accounting Policies

The accounts have been drawn up on a cash basis. In line with the Scout Association rules, non-monetary

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assets do not need to be valued and shown within the accounts.

3rd Farnborough’s non-monetary assets predominantly consist of our building and land which was last valued in 2011 at £120,000 for the freehold interest and insured for re-build at £470,341.09 (2024: 442,896.28), content in our Scout HQ which have been insured at £32,378.92 (2024: £30,260.67) and shooting equipment which has been insured at £1,259.39 (2024: £1,177). All of these assets are fully insured with Unity on a reinstatement basis.

Starting Balances

At the start of the 2024 - 2025 financial year, account balances were as follows:

Assets
Bank Account £ 31,718.68
Cash on Hand £ 153.70
Total Assets £ 31,872.38

Notes to the Starting Balances:

Reporting Source was the Zoho Book Balance Sheet report (Cash Basis) as of 31/03/2024

Income Accounts

Gross Income in the 2024 - 2025 financial year was £38,447.49 (2024: £36,952.47).

Totals for our Income accounts are shown below: 

Fees - Activities £  3,414.00
Fees – Camp £  6,403.00
Fundraising Income £    439.84
Grants – Restricted £  5,739.16 (See Note 1)
Grants – Unrestricted  £  1,100.00 (See note 2)
Hall Hire  £  5,009.00 (See Note 3)
HMRC Gift Aid £  2,128.49 (See Note 4)
Shooting Club £  1,215.00 (see Note 5)
Subs  £ 12,979.50
Uniform Sales £     19.50
Total Income £ 38,447.49

Notes to the Income Accounts:

Reporting Source was the Zoho Books Profit and Loss report (Cash Basis) from 01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025

Reporting Source:

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Zoho Books Profit and Loss report (Cash Basis) from 01/04/2023 – 31/03/2024

Expense Accounts

Expenditure in the 2024 – 2025 financial year was £36,668.23 (2024: £33,819.06). Totals for our Expense accounts are shown below: 

Activities  £  7,008.43
Administration and Marketing £    734.87
Badges and Certificates £    621.21
Bank Fees and Charges  £    733.06 (see Note 1)
Camps  £  5,782.18
Capitation  £  5,778.50
Equipment  £  6,403.00
HQ Maintenance £  6,343.61
Insurance  £  1,036.39
Utilities  £  1,849.06
Leaders Uniform  £    629.75
Total Expenses £ 36,668.23

Notes to the Expense Accounts:

Zoho Books Profit and Loss report (Cash Basis) from 01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025

Balance Sheet

Mar 31, 2025

Assets

Bank Account £ 33,334.72
Cash on Hand £ 340.66
Total Cash and Bank £ 33,675.38
Total Assets £ 33,675.38
Liabilities
Current Liabilities £ 185.68 (see Note 1)
Total Liabilities £ 215.94
Equity
Current Year Earnings £ 1,779.26
Retained Earnings £ 31,680.18
Total for Equities £ 33,459.44

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£ 33,675.38

Total for Liabilities & Equities

Notes to the Balance Sheet:

Reporting Source was the Zoho Books Balance Sheet (Cash Basis) as of 31/03/2025

(1) Current Liabilities are expenses due to be repaid to Iain Roy (£164.46) Lisa Roy (£11.26), Jo Green (£40.22)

Reserves Policy

The Group's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the Group should income and fundraising activities fall short. The Trustee Board considers that the Group should hold £15,000 (2024: £15,000).

The Group held reserves of £33,675.38 (2024: £31,680.18) (see Note 1) against this at year end. This is above the level required for unavoidable annual operating expenses and above the level that the Executive Committee would ideally like as a Reserve. This extraordinarily high reserve is due to an exceptional year of grant fundraising, and the funds held for the reinstatement of our storage containers.

Notes to the Reserves:

(1) Calculated as Total for Liabilities & Equities – Restricted Funds = £33,675.38 - £0

Investment Policy

The Group does not have sufficient funds to invest in longer term investments. The Group has therefore adopted a risk-averse strategy to the investment of its funds. All funds are held in cash using only mainstream banks or building societies.

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Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustee’s report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

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Scrutineer’s Report to the Trustees

I report on the accounts of the Group/District for the year ended 31[st] March 2025.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Scrutineer

As the Group's/District's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that neither the audit nor independent examination requirements of the Charities Act 2011 apply. It is my responsibility without carrying out an audit or independent examination to scrutinise the accounts and to report to you.

Basis of Scrutineer's Statement

In accordance with the directions given in the Group's/District's constitution, I have scrutinised the records and the accounts set out on pages 11 to 14.

Scrutineer's Statement

In my opinion the accounts are in accordance with the records produced to me and comply with the constitution.

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