**8[th] Squirrels Heath Scout Group Annual General Meeting** Sunday 9th November 2025 ## **Treasurer’s Report** 8th Squlrrels Heath Scout Group SLqtement olAc￿un￿8s 0131 March 2025 Incomo and exp•ndltur• Income ExpBnd6ture Catégory Subcat4gQry uitrel$ Amouni Cxt48&ry Subcat*g0ry S9CUtiiy Water Amount £400.00 £102.00 8eavers £840.00 £387.95 Mèmbèrshlp Cubs £800.00 £1,878 20 £662.35 Scots £1.800.00 £5,184.00 £507.00 Ekciricity cleaning Insutan¢s CapilalK>n 1n¢orrs¢tA¢￿Uhi £1,￿0. ,593 50 £252.99 Headqu£rters Dance Group Hall Hye £8,160.00 £1,840.00 aintsnance £6,246 77 £2,671.41 Equipment Activibes £75.00 AGM Don$t1￿$ 8500 Christmas Fayre Mix Don8lw)ns £1,701.16 £285.25 Capitation Fees £5,￿6. 6500 Jack Pelc £1,000.00 £68.89 IncorrectAcGounl Re(unds £507.00 T-shirt Sabs £258.00 District Refunds £109.00 Unifom £26.00 Group Camp £1,510.00 Van Hire e505 01 T-shirts £604 08 Badges 91.95 Christmas Fayre AGbA Expenses Group Carnp £951.15 e109 03 £1,839.82 Subtot41 £24M59A1 Subtoial E27,094.10 -£2.634 69 £24AS9A1 Exce55 Income Over Expenditure Tot*1 Totsl £24,4S9A1 Balan¢e Shwgt Sanlander CurrgnlAG￿UThl £i.ocN).00 Balan¢e Brought FoThvard Lloyd5 cu￿ent￿Cl￿Thl Sedk)n Funds £41.750.86 £5Z,667.gZ £9.917 08 Group Secbons £24.459.41 Income £55,612.51 £31.153.10 Group Secuon5 £27.094.10 Expendllure £57,669.30 £30.575.20 Santander currentAc￿unI £O.OD Balance Carr4ed FoThiard Lloyds CuirentAccthnt Funds £40.116.17 E50,611.13 £10.494.96 Treasurer GSL I have exèmined the Income ènd expenditure accountfor the year ended 311031202S and l am of the oplnlon that they show a true and fair wewfrorn the book5 and VDuiher5 presented to me. Audltor Data ## **Section Report - Squirrels** This past year has been an eventful period for our Squirrels group. We have enjoyed a variety of meetings and events, where our young members engaged in numerous activities that fostered their development and made valuable memories. Our meetings included fun themes such as Diwali, Super Heroes, and Easter Night, where the Squirrels explored topics through crafts and games. The children also participated in practical activities like making Christmas decorations, cooking, and even learning about the environment through litter picks and animal studies. We held several outdoor sessions, which included sports day and the excitement of putting up tents, encouraging teamwork and outdoor skills among the children. These gatherings provided fantastic opportunities for everyone to learn and grow together. In addition to our regular meetings, we participated in notable district events including the Remembrance Parade, the District Sports Competition, and St George's Parade. These occasions allowed our group to come together with others in the scouting community, enhancing the sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. I would like to extend particular thanks to Jacob Owsley and Megan Cassidy, who have transitioned to adult leaders. Their dedication has greatly benefited our group, and we look forward to their continued involvement in this new capacity. We appreciate all our leaders for their hard work and commitment over the past year. As we look ahead, we hope that camping will be on the agenda for the coming year, which promises to be an exciting adventure for our Squirrels. It will provide the children with a chance to explore nature and develop new skills while forming lasting friendships. We also want to acknowledge the children who have moved on to Beavers. Their contributions to our group have been significant, and they will be missed as they embark on new adventures. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the children for making each meeting enjoyable and rewarding for our leaders. A heartfelt thank you is also due to the parents and volunteers who tirelessly support us, helping to create a nurturing environment for our Squirrels. Looking forward to another year of scouting, filled with adventure and growth! ## **Section Report - Beavers** It's been an active year for our Beaver group, with both engaging meetings and memorable events. This year, we focused on district events and camping, which allowed our Beavers to interact with other groups and participate in various activities. Among the significant gatherings, we took part in the Remembrance Parade, which was a respectful occasion to honour those who have served. Our Sleep Over provided Beavers with an adventurous night, fostering friendships and teamwork. Highlights included the St George's Day Parade, where our Beavers proudly showcased their spirit, and the District Beaver Sports Day, a day filled with competition and fun. May Camp marked a wonderful opportunity for outdoor learning and bonding. Collectively, these experiences contributed to the personal development and confidence of our Beavers. Throughout the year, the weekly meetings covered a range of engaging topics such as crafts, map reading, cooking, and health awareness. Special sessions included the introduction of the Beaver Promise during Chinese New Year and sports activities at Harold Wood Park. Notably, we held farewell activities for our older Beavers, helping them transition smoothly while welcoming new members into the group. Each meeting was an opportunity for learning and growth, and they were well-attended with the Beavers demonstrating enthusiasm for various challenges. I would like to extend our gratitude to all leaders for their unwavering dedication, particularly Rob Pottinger, who played an essential role as a Young Leader. His contributions and support ensured that our Beavers had a fulfilling experience this year. Looking forward, there is much to anticipate in the coming year. Our Beavers can look forward to more camping adventures and increased involvement in district events, which will enrich their experiences further. To conclude, I want to thank the children for their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn, which makes our time together truly enjoyable. A heartfelt thank you also goes to the parents for their support and the volunteers whose hard work behind the scenes has been invaluable in running our group. We look forward to another year filled with discovery and fun in scouting. ## **Section Report - Cubs** We have taken part in many District events - Maureen Preston and St George’s joint Competitions, Target Competition, Scooter Rally, Sleepover at Ninja Warrior, Tuff Mudder at Nuclear Races. We won 2025’s Scooter Rally - congratulations to Frazer, Dylan, Jamal, Josiah, Jin, Liam, Ethan, Min and Oskar. A special well done to Reuben who joined another Group’s team, and still competed to win! We had three joint camps with 21st Romford. Easter Camp at Thriftwood, Winter Camp at Belchamps and then at Tolmers in February where we covered the DIY badge by making go karts which we then raced In June we had a Linking Camp for the older Cubs and younger Scouts to get to know each other better. There was sleeping in hammocks, sleeping under tarps, cooking on fires, chopping wood and so much more! Well done to one of our Young Leaders, George, who planned and led this camp under the supervision of leaders. We held a Group Summer Camp in August where many badges were earned and more importantly the Cubs had great experiences, some for the first time! We discovered we have some sharp shooters on the rifle range! We offered a sleepover in the hall for all the Cubs who had yet to experience a camp with us and were joined by some of our more experienced Cubs to share their knowledge. They slept in tents, had a quiz, helped prepare dinner along with a host of other fun activities. We were privileged to be able to join the County Water Activities Day at Docklands Scout Project. We also visited several interesting places through the year. Including Upminster Windmill’s lovely volunteers and Chadwell Heath Traffic Police Station. We’ve been to Thriftwood and Crow Camp numerous times. We had visits from a member of local Muslim community and a Fairtrade representative. We celebrated Diwali, Brazilian culture and Australia Day. We learned about money, amateur radio and so much more. Emily, one of leaders joined us to talk about her approaching trip to The Gambia with her Explorers, and then came back to tell us about it. Thank you!! From April 2024 to March 2025 we have awarded almost 400 badges, including 12 Silver Chief Scout Awards, the highest accolade which can be achieved in Cubs. Several other Cubs are very close to also completing this. We are very proud of them all. Arinka bade us farewell to spend time on other challenges. Thank you for all your contributions. We thank all the parents who volunteer to help at our meetings and our fabulous Young Leaders (George and Samuel), without whom we would struggle to provide such a fun and varied programme for our Cubs. ## **Section Report - Scouts** It has been another eventful year for our Scouts group, marked by memorable meetings, engaging events, and the valuable contributions of our leaders and volunteers. Notably, our group achieved an impressive milestone by winning the district cooking competition for the third consecutive time in October 2024. This success reflects the hard work and dedication of our Scouts and leaders. In addition, we participated in various camps, including the district survival camp in April 2024 and the group camp in August 2024, which provided our members with opportunities to develop skills and foster friendships. We also enjoyed a fantastic outing to RockUp at the end of March 2025, where the Scouts tested their climbing abilities. Throughout the year, our meetings featured a diverse range of activities aimed at building essential skills. From the welcome back evenings to outdoor skills sessions at Thriftwood, children gained exposure to cooking, pioneering, and various teambuilding exercises. Special events such as our participation in Fireworks Night, Children in Need, and the celebrations for Diwali were particularly well-received and allowed our young Scouts to engage with the wider community meaningfully. As we reflect on the contributions of our leaders, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Bonnie, Meyrick, Emily, Elliot, and Jacob, our Young Leader, for their unwavering support. A special mention must be made of Sue, who has recently retired after over 40 years of service. Her dedication and warmth have made a lasting impression on the group, and she remains a cherished presence, giving us the opportunity to celebrate her legacy together. Looking ahead, we are eagerly anticipating NorJam in August 2025, where we will send 45 children away for an unforgettable week filled with activities and new experiences. This promise of adventure is something we are all looking forward to as a highlight for the coming year. Finally, I would like to thank all our Scouts for their enthusiasm and energy, which makes our time together enjoyable. Our gratitude also goes to the parents for their ongoing support and the volunteers behind the scenes who contribute so much to the group's success. We look forward to another exciting year of Scouting ahead. ## **Group Lead Volunteer’s Report** It’s been another fantastic year for our Group, and I’m incredibly proud of everything our young people and volunteers have achieved together. So much has happened over the past twelve months that it’s hard to know where to start, but it’s certainly been a busy and rewarding year. We continue to maintain strong numbers, with over 100 young people across the sections — and nearly the same number again on our waiting list. It’s wonderful to see such enthusiasm for Scouting locally, which reflects the great work of our leaders and the reputation the Group has built within the community. Increasing capacity further simply isn’t possible without more adult volunteers, so if anyone can spare some time, please do get involved — even a little help makes a big difference. Our Christmas Fayre was a real highlight, raising an impressive £750 for Group funds. Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a success — from stallholders to bakers and tidy-uppers! The hall continues to be well used and a valuable source of income, with our regular dance group and the new knitting group (displaced from the library) adding to the community feel of the space. This year we said a fond farewell to Sue, who retired from her leader role after many years of dedicated service. We’re so grateful for her kindness, patience, and commitment — she’ll always hold a special place in our hearts and it’s lovely that she still visits occasionally. As always, we are in need of more adult support. A new Beaver leader to work alongside Elaine would help enormously, and Cubs would also benefit from an extra pair of hands. Please do encourage anyone who might be interested to get in touch — it’s a hugely rewarding experience. A huge thank you goes to all our leaders and helpers for their energy, creativity, and dedication. Week after week, they deliver brilliant programmes that keep our young people inspired and learning new skills. We’re also continuing to strengthen links within the local community and look forward to another exciting year ahead. Finally, thank you to everyone — leaders, parents, committee members, and supporters — for all you do to keep the Group thriving. Wishing you all a fabulous 2025/26 and another great year of Scouting adventures! ## Elliot Archer - Group Lead Volunteer ## GSL@8thsquirrelsheath.org.uk - 07825 834951 ## **Link to Proposed Constitution** - - - - - - - https://www.scouts.org.uk/por/5c constitutions of groups districts and counties - except scotland/