2024-03-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report

For the period From (start date) 0 1	For the period From (start date) 0 1	For the period From (start date) 0 1	0 4 2 3 to end date	0 4 2 3 to end date	0 4 2 3 to end date	0 4 2 3 to end date	0 4 2 3 to end date
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Section A			Reference and administration details
Charity name Other names the charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) HQ registration number Charity’s principal address			Putnoe Scout Group Putnoe(Bedford North)Scout Group 2 7 2 1 1 8 1 0 0 1 6 9 6 9
			Putnoe Scout Hut
			Putnoe Heights
			Putnoe,Bedford,Bedfordshire
			Postcode				M	K	4	1	8	E	P

Trustee Name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Jonathan Marston	Chair
Nicola Smith	Treasurer
Lynn Robertson	Secretary
Michelle Davis	GSL(Ex-Officio)
Jarred Davis	AGSL & ESL(Ex-Officio)
Leanda Gandy	Trustee(Elected)
Helen Aston	Trustee(Elected)
Liam Jacklin	Trustee(Elected)
Oliver Lago	Trustee(Ex-Officio)	Until 27/03/2024
Colin Perkins	Trustee(Ex-Officio)	Until 22/06/2024
James Fairweather	AGSL(Ex-Officio)	Until 21/09/2024

Names and addresses of advisers (optional information but encouraged as best practice) (These will be published in the annual report of the charity)

Type of advisor Name Address Section B Structure, governance and management Description of the charity’s trusts Type of governing document

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	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.
(e.g. trust deed, constitution)
How the charity is constituted	The Group is a trust established under its rules which are
	common to all Scouts.
(e.g. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods	The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy,
(e.g. appointed by, elected by)	Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.
Additional governance issues (optional information but encouraged as best practice)
You may choose to include additional	The Group is managed by the Group Trustee Board, the
information, where relevant, about:	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.
Policies and procedures adopted for: a) the induction and training of trustees; b) trustee' consideration of major risks	The Trustee Board consists of the Chair, Treasurer and 7 Trustees (including 3 Ex Officio Trustees and meets every term. One of our Trustees also held the role of Secretary.
and the systems and procedures to manage them	Members of the Trustee Board complete Being a Scouts Trustee learning within the first 6 months of joining the Board.
	This Group Trustee Board exists to make sure the charity is well-
	managed, risks are assessed and mitigated, buildings and
	equipment are 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 gives young people skills for life.

Section B Structure, governance and management (continued)

Section B Structure, governance and management (continued)

Risk and Internal Control The Group 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 that have been identified are: Damage to the building, property and equipment. The Group would request the use of buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations such as the church, community centre and other Scout Groups. Similar reciprocal arrangements exist with these organisations. 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. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities. Reduced income from fund raising. The Group is primarily

2 LT700001 (27 February 2024)

g p p y reliant upon income from subscriptions and fundraising. The group does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Board could raise the value of subscriptions to increase the income to the group on an ongoing basis, either temporarily or permanently. 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 all 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.

The group has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories for all payments and a comprehensive insurance policies with Unity Insurance Services to ensure that insurable risks are covered.

Section C

Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

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: - enjoy what they are doing and have fun - take part in activities indoors and outdoors - learn by doing - share in spiritual reflection - take responsibility and make choices - undertake new and challenging activities - make and live by their Promise.

3 LT700001 (27 February 2024)

As Scouts, we are guided by the values of integrity, respect, Summary of the main activities in relation care, belief and co-operation. Programmes for the weekly to these objects meetings in all Sections (Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers) are designed to provide a wide variety of activities and bring out the best in the young people, whilst ensuring that they have an enjoyable time.

Additional details of the objectives and activities (optional information but encouraged as best practice)

Youmay chooseto include further statements, where relevant, about: • policy on grantmaking; • contribution made by volunteers; • policy on investments. Public benefit statement	All Sections are run by a team of volunteers who plan and run a varied and challenging programme of activities in a safe environment, which includes:- wide variety of team games; log chews/pack & patrol forums; camp fires; camps; days out; creative activities; shooting; archery; climbing; water sports; visiting local areas/centres of interest; problem solving; team work; parades.
	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.
Section D	Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
	We continue to bank with CAF Bank, which enables us to make payments via electronic transfer, whilst satisfying the Charity Commissions and The Scouts dual signatory requirement. We are continuing to claim back Gift Aid, using OSM to help us keep an accurate record of qualifying payments. The number of adults volunteering with us remains strong, although there are a couple of Sections where we would appreciate an additional volunteer to reduce the requirement for parent helpers when out and about to to protect us should a colunteer be unavailable. New joiner requests remain high and due to the increasing waiting list for all Sections, a note has been put on our website advising that our Sections are full - this has not stopped the new joiner requests, but does help to manage expectations. Our Flying Squirrel Drey for children aged 4-6 years old was opened in September 2023 and is proving to be a real success, offering activities from hikes to camps!
Section E	Financial Review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves	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 Group Trustee Board considers that the group should hold a sum equivalent to 12 months running costs, circa £15,000.

4 LT700001 (27 February 2024)

The Group held reserves of approximately £13,000 against this at year end. This is below the ideal amount required for operating expenses. However this can be explained since the Board of Trustees approved the purchase of paddle boards and bouyancy aids, to increase the frequency that the Scout Group is able to offer water activities to our young people. (District do not own any paddle boards, which is what 3 of our adult volunteers have permits for. District also only have 3 canoes, which is not enough for the numbers in our Group. They do have a few kayaks, but we do not have instructors for that and again, not enough for the numbers we'd need on the water. Paddleboards are suitable for all age Groups, enabling our Squirrels and Beavers to gain water confidence and then build on those skills with our Cubs, Scouts and Explorers. It should be noted that the District owned bouyancy aids are not of a size to fit the younger age groups and are quite old, which is why for safety reasons it was felt beneficial to invest in our own). These purchases are long term investments and mean that we won't need to bring in expensive external providers on a regular basis any more. Research has also indicated that paddleboards hold their value if looked after.

Quantify and explain any designations

Details of any funds materially in deficit (circumstances plus steps to eliminate)

Further financial review details (optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

The Group's primary source of income is the montly subscription payments received by youth members of the Scout Group. The subs are paid by direct debit on the first of each month via OSM and GoCardless and can be easily monitored by the GSL, Treasurer and Section Leaders. The Trustees regularly review the amount of the subs and they are currently set at £11.95 a month and have been since 1st October 2021. During our March 2024 meeting, all Trustees voted to increase our subs to £15.00 a month with effect from 1st September 2024. This increase is to help cover the increase in our costs, such as the increased Scouts Headquarters membership fees, increased running costs and an increase to the percentage of all payments received by OSM and GoCardless. The Scout Group has a hardship policy to support any youth members who are unable to pay, but this is only taken advantage of by a very small percentage of our members. Our Treasurer claims Gift Aid on an annual basis and all members are actively encouraged to sign up to this via OSM. The Group is pro-active in seeking grants and arranging fundraising when high value items are required, such as the grant that was secured in the previous financial year to cover the cost of a fixed projector and screen. In November 2023 the Scouts took part in a carboard box sleepout (our own Scouting Event) which raised £2,155 through JustGiving for the St John's Hospice at Moggerhanger, allowing them to claim gift aid on this donation of £450. The group receives 15% rebate from the Scout Shop for uniform purchased by Putnoe members and agreed to ringfence this money to support young people and adult volunteers attending the World Scout Jamboree - the next one is in Poland in 2027 and contingents are expected to be selected in the next 12 months. We have also recently set up a small Fundraising Committee, which will start to work on fundraising initiatives to supplement our finances.

• the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

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• investment policy and objectives; • how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;	The Trustee Board regularly monitors the levels of bank balances and all large expenditure items require the permission of the Executive Committee and the policy of dual signatures is strictly adherred to. We have also recently obtained a Scout Group CAF Bank card, the details of which are lodged with OSM so that all subscription renewals will go against the Group card. This was previously paid for by the Group Scout Leader and claimed back via expenses. 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. Investment Policy
Section F	Other Optional Information
Plans for future periods (details of any significant activities planned to achieve them)
	Monthly subscriptions will be increased to £15.00 per member with effect from 1st September 2024. The Trustees will continuously review our financial position to determine whether the amount charged needs to be increased again. Our newly formed Fundraising Committee will also start to arrange fundraising events to supplement our income. The Group will also need to take the increased costs into account when calculating the cost of our Nights Away experiences, since the amount charged per day for food etc needs to cover our costs.
Section G	Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above

gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024	gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024	gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024	gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024	gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024	gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024	gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024	gned on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Date D D M M Y Y Position (eg Secretary, Chair) Jonathan Marston Chair 14/12/2024
	Jonathan						Marston
	Chair
	D D M M Y Y 14/12/2024
	D	D	M	M	Y	Y

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

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Putnoe Scout Group (Charity no. 272118) Receipts and Payments Account

			Year start date	Year start date	Year end date 31/03/2024
	For the year from		01/04/2023	To
Receipts and payments
Receipts	Unrestricted funds £ 27,976 1,178 - 5,461 34,615 - - - 1,446 24,989 350 27 576 505 27,893 15 - - 15 39 - - - 39 62,562		Restricted funds Endowment funds £ £ - - - - - - - - - - - - 162 - - - 162 - - - - - 2,155 - - - - - - - - 2,155 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2,317 - 2024/3		Total funds £ 27,976 1,178 - 5,461 - 34,615 162 - 162 1,446 24,989 2,155 350 27 576 505 30,048 15 - - 15 39 - - - 39 64,879 - 64,879	2023/3 Total funds £
Donations, legacies and similar income				- - - - - -
Membership subscriptions	27,976					25,895
Donations	1,178
Legacies	-					-
Gift Aid	5,461					3,806
						-
Sub total	34,615					29,701
Grants				- - -
restricted donation	-
equipment	-
Sub total	-					-
Fundraising events (gross)				- - - - - - -
bridgewalk	1,446					1,703
activities	24,989					14,957
Moggerhanger
Biggleswade	350					374
amazon	27					27
sale of hats	576
ICS	505					2,033
Sub total	27,893					19,094
Scout hut income				- - - -
Hire of building	15					27
Hire of equipment	-					-
Other Scout hut income	-					-
Sub total	15					27
Investment income				- - - - -
Bank interest	39					12
Building Society interest	-					-
The Scout Association Short Term Investment Service	-					-
Other investment income	-					-
Sub total	39					12
Total Gross Income Asset and investment sales, etc. Total receipts
				-		48,834
	-		-	-		-
	62,562		2,317
	62,562			-		48,834

LT700003 July 2021)

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Putnoe Scout Group (Charity no. 272118) Receipts and Payments Account

oe Scout Group (Charity no. 272118) Receipts and Payments Account	oe Scout Group (Charity no. 272118) Receipts and Payments Account	oe Scout Group (Charity no. 272118) Receipts and Payments Account
Year start date Year end date For the year from 01/04/2023 To 31/03/2024
For the year from	01/04/2023	To

Receipts and payments

Payments	Unrestricted funds £ 22,465 1,800 1,522 361 419 1,949 1,092 8,254 281 3,839 2,256 529 685 1,084 46,536 - 976 29,456 30,432 76,968	Unrestricted funds £ 22,465 1,800 1,522 361 419 1,949 1,092 8,254 281 3,839 2,256 529 685 1,084 46,536 - 976 29,456 30,432 76,968	Restricted funds Endowment funds £ £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 162 - - - - - - - - - - - 162 - - - - - 2,155 - - - - 2,155 - 2,317 - 2024/3	Restricted funds Endowment funds £ £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 162 - - - - - - - - - - - 162 - - - - - 2,155 - - - - 2,155 - 2,317 - 2024/3	Total funds £	2023/3 Total funds £
Charitable Payments				- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	22,465 - 1,800 1,522 361 419 1,949 1,092 8,254 281 162 3,839 2,256 529 685 1,084
Membership subscriptions paid on (National/County/Area/District)	22,465
Youth programme and activities						-
Adult support and training	1,800					430
Rent	1,522					1,969
Water and Sewerage	361					227
Electricity and Gas	419					412
Insurance	1,949					2,007
Repairs and Renewals	1,092					4,165
Materials and equipment	8,254					5,774
Printing and photocopying	281					185
riffle shooting curtains						-
Uniforms	3,839					4,023
bank fees	2,256					1,787
internet	529					136
service fire alarm and exting	685					306
OSM / Quickbooks subs	1,084					1,066
Sub total	46,536			-	46,698	22,487
Fundraising expenses	-			- - - - -	976 - 2,155 - 29,456 32,587
Odd ball hats	976					1,750
food bank						2,033
Moggerhanger donation
Mercey Scouts						2,000
Activities	29,456					17,445
Sub total	30,432					23,228
Total Gross Expenditure Asset and investment Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) Transfers between funds Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end
				-	79,285	45,715
					-
	-		-	-		-
	76,968 - 14,406 - 27,639 13,233		2,317 - - - -
				-	79,285	45,715
	- 14,406			-	79,285	3,119
	-			- -	- 27,639	-
	27,639					24,520
	13,233			-	13,233	27,639

LT700003 July 2021)

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Putnoe Scout Group (Charity no. 272118) Receipts and Payments Account

For the year from

Year start date

01/04/2023

To

Year end date

31/03/2024

Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year

2024/3

2023/3 Total funds

			202	202	4/3	4/3			2023/3
Unrestricted funds £ Cash funds Bank current account 13,233 Bank deposit account - Building society account - The Scout Association Short Term Investment Service - Cash/Floats - Total cash funds 13,233 (agree balances with receipts andpayments a/c) ok 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 Badge stock - Shop stock - Other stock - Land and buildings - Motor vehicles - Scouting equipment, furniture etc - Other - Sub total - Liabilities Accounts not yet paid - Expenses incurred but not invoiced - Subscriptions not yet paid - Loan - detail - Other liabilities - Sub total -			Restricted funds £ - - - - - - ok - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -		Endowment funds £ - - - - - - ok - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -		Total funds £ 13,233 - - - - 13,233 ok - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -		Total funds £
									24,324
									3,315
									-
									-
									-
									27,639
									ok
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
									-
Total net assets	13,233		-		-		13,233		27,639

The above receipts and payments account and statement of assets and liabilities were approved by the Trustees on ____ and signed on their behalf by 14/12/2024

Signature

Print Name

Jonathan Marston Chair Nicola Smith Treasurer

LT700003 July 2021)

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