Eastern Region Biggleswade Sea Cadets TS Duchess 4 Station Road Biggleswade Bedfordshire SG18 8AL sea-cadets.org 

**Telephone** 01767 314973 **Email** Biggleswade.scc@btinternet .co.uk **Charity Number:** 300005 

## **MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – 8 MAY 2024 held at the Unit of T.S Duchess, Biggleswade** 

**Present:** H Robinson, C Sparshott K Atkins, I Atkins, M Holmes, A Griffiths, J Stead, C Warren, L Busby, S Gibbons 

**Apologies** : A Burt, R Wendon 

**Minutes of Last Meeting:** Accepted as a true record and carried unanimously **Proposed C Sparshott Seconded L Busby** 

**Matters Arising:** None 

**Chairman’s Report** See attached 

**Co Report** See Attached 

## **Parents and Friends Report** See attached 

**Treasurers Report** See attached 

**Unit Accounts** See attached 

## **Elections** 

**President** Vacant 

**Vice President** Mr Alistair Burt 

## **Proposed L Busby Seconded C Warren** 

## **Unit Management Team** 

## **Re-Elected en bloc Proposed  A Griffiths Seconded C Warren** 

## **P & F Committee** 

## **Re-Elected en bloc Proposed  S Gibbons Seconded I Atkins** 

The meeting was brought to a close at 8pm 



## **Signature** 

## 

**Signature** 



BIGGLESWADE UNIT (T.S. DUCHESS) CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24 

After completing 6 years as the Chairman from 2011 to 2017, and following Helen Robinson’s 5 years Chairman’s service, this report is my first back as the Chairman of the Unit Management Committee and is for the period November 2023 to May 2024. The reason that it is not a year’s reports is because of the lateness of the last AGM held in November 2023, although moving forward we will try to keep to the usual May/June AGM timetable for next year. 

For those of you that are new to the Sea Cadet organisation I will give a brief explanation as to how the different roles of our small part of the organisation fit in, starting with the Unit Management Committee. This Committee helps the Unit staff run the Unit, although most of its work is carried out in the background. The UMC consists of local people, parents, ex cadets and interested others, elected at these AGM’s, and is responsible for the management of the Unit and all its financial, legal, regulatory and charity aspects. 

Additionally we have a subcommittee of the UMT here in Biggleswade, which we call the Parents & Friends Committee. This group is mostly, if not entirely, made up of parents or guardians of the cadets and their endeavours ensure the success and onward progression of the Unit facilities for our ship’s company by holding social and fundraising events to assist in the funding and running the Unit. Thank you to them for giving up their time to make teas, run the Wardroom bar during events, organise raffles and most importantly perhaps to the cadets for the superb Christmas/New Year dinner that is supplied gratis by the P & F for them at their Award Evening. The absolutely fantastic Chair responsible for organising (and cooking at) this particular event for the past few years is Ardene Griffiths. I have been made aware that she is going to be stepping down in the next few months and will be sorely missed for so many reasons as well as her delicious jam sponge and custard, and I’m going to take this opportunity to especially thank her now, as I know that she will slip away quietly otherwise! 

Then we have the staff in uniform, civilian instructors and office assistant seen by you, as parents, supporters and cadets, running the parade nights, events and activities led by the Commanding Officer, Chief PO Charlotte Warren. I would like us to take a moment to demonstrate our thanks to them all for the many hours of unpaid voluntary time that they give to the Corps every week for parade nights and events. Plus the additional time that they give up to become qualified to do what they do. Without them, the cadets and therefore the Unit would not achieve what it does. 

So, altogether, the Unit Management Committee, the uniformed and civilian instructors and the Parent’s & Friends Committee are T. S. Duchess and are all responsible to the relevant charitable authority and the Marine Society & Sea Cadets Corps for the running of the Unit as a whole and without each other it would not work so well. 

Nationally all cadet Units are placed within Districts and then 7 Areas, this is for the purposes of structure for inspections, competitions and assistance. This year at the beginning of April there was a change made to the Eastern Area’s Districts to ‘even’ out the distribution of Units within them, essentially to make them easier to manage. This has meant that Biggleswade is now part of the newly named West District together with Market Harborough, Broughton Astley, Bedford, Wellingborough, Rushden, Hinckley, Northampton and Kettering. 

Another change at the Unit that was formally confirmed in March, is the appointment of Chief PO Charlotte Warren as the Commanding Officer of the Unit. The Chief title also being new 

to her upon the passing of her Chief’s Promotion Board recently and is well deserved. Congratulations Charlie from us all. 

Usually as part of the process to ensure that all parts of the unit structure are working correctly together and following the ‘rules’ we are inspected at least once every year by a representative of the Royal Navy. However, 



due to the district changes that have been made this year we have not received a date for that to occur as yet and are unsure if we will now get a full inspection. However, we did have a Unit review carried out by the District team on Friday 3rd February 2024 and we are currently scored at 77/100 overall, for cadet qualifications, boating hours, health and safety, instructors qualification etc., and this is a Burgee score meaning that we are ranked within the top 25% of Units in the country. We are due a spot check visit by area in the near future after which we would hope that our status will be confirmed and a Burgee awarded, but so far so good, so well done T.S. Duchess. We received a Burgee last year and the flag is proudly displayed at the top of the mast. 

Regarding our financial status, the Treasurer Colin will present the finer details to you in a while; however a big change coming about at the end of May for us is that we will be losing our long term leasing partner, the Emily Thornton School of Dance. They will be moving to their own premises in the old Working Men’s Club building and therefore we need to find some replacement hirers to be able to replace those regular funds coming in as cadet subscriptions are only notional with regards to running costs. We do allow for ad hoc rental of the hall, wardroom and bar for various occasions and these are helpful funds and are only possible, particularly the bar facility used for some functions with the Parents & Friends Committee support. 

Looking forward I am personally endeavouring to secure some grant and trust funding for the maintenance work that is imminently required to be done around the Unit building to keep it secure and safe. We have various works that need to be completed such as replacing guttering, repointing brick work and the repainting of windows. Although some of this work can be completed with volunteer working parties some of this will need professionals, particularly because of the Listed status of the building, and this requires proper funding. 

In conclusion I bring us back to the subject of the committees and the requirement for volunteers to be part of them. They are essential to the running of this Unit, to ensure that it is an effective and safe environment for the cadets and staff to use. Currently we have a small Unit Management committee and we would welcome anyone who would like to be part of it. We are running on the barest minimum of numbers and we do struggle at times to hold effective meetings because of this. Therefore if anyone would be interested in joining this committee, or perhaps the Parents & Friends as part of the fund-raising crew, then please come and talk to either myself, Ardene Griffiths or Chief Warren as you would be very welcome. 

Finally, thank you all for taking time to attend tonight, and this concludes my report. 

Mandy Holmes 

Chairman 8th May 2024 

## **P&F FUNDRAISING REPORT ARDENE GRIFFITHS** 

Hi, I’m Ardene, and chair of the P&F 

It’s been a quiet year for fundraising with all of our funds coming from having the bar open, for private functions and our own social functions. Remembrance day. 



To the year ahead, fundraising: Quiz night. Arrange some social evenings with a band or singer. Try the silent disco event again. Continue to support the unit and band wherever possible. Private functions. 

It is my intention this year to step away from the P&F as we will be relocating up north. 

If you would like to join the P&F or have any ideas , please do come, and speak to me. 

## This concludes the P& F report. 

## **Biggleswade Sea Cadets – Treasurers Report for year to 31 March 2024** 

The accounts for the year have been distributed. Overall, a surplus for the year of £1,442. Utility bills almost doubled to £7,387 but we were lucky enough to receive £6,000 from the temporary hire of the unit to the Air Cadets for a seven month period which helped to cover this. We received a legacy of £1,000 from the estate of the late Commander Greenwood and also received £400 from the Masons. We spent £5,100 on new drums and were kindly donated £4,000 towards these from the Biggleswade Conservative Club. We bought new canoes costing £1,250 From an administration point of view, we have decided to move away from Barclays Bank and have opened accounts with CAF Bank (Charites Aid Foundation) which is more suitable for our organisation. Unfortunately, this means all current cadet standing orders will need to be changed and I understand this is already in progress. Since the year end, we have learned that our major source of income, Emily Thornton School of Dance, has given notice as she is moving to alternative premises in Biggleswade. This means that we will be losing around £12,000 per annum and we will need to investigate alternative ways of raising income from the unit, any ideas much appreciated. I thank you all for your support during the year. 

Colin Sparshott Treasurer 



## Biggleswade Sea Cadets Income and Expenditure Account For the year ended 31 March 2024 

||||2024||2023|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||£||£|
|Income|Bank Interest|53.99||9.39||
||Cadet Contributions|3,138.27||3,810.00||
||Donations|4,905.00||1,130.00||
||Grants|1,000.00||0.00||
||Hall Hire Income|19,175.00||9,645.00||
||Marine Society|27.00||37.50||
||Other Income|3,467.00||1,843.01||
||||31,766.26||16,474.90|
|Expenses|Boat Maintenance|0.00||-205.95||
||Building Maintenance|-799.36||-981.07||
||Catering Costs|-600.00||-300.00||
||Course Expenses|-98.00||-1,412.50||
||Depreciation|-2,655.22||-3,414.62||
||Insurance|-2,427.90||-2,019.02||
||Licenses|-180.00||-180.00||
||Miscellaneous Expenses|-926.00||-1,029.65||
||Sailing Costs|-899.00||-819.00||
||Sundry Equipment|-6,355.82||-1,703.70||
||Telecoms|-929.15||-731.84||
||Utilities|-7,387.40||-4,313.51||
||Vehicle Insurance|-1,260.00||-1,451.91||
||Vehicle Lease Payments|-4,394.88||-4,404.88||
||Vehicle Maintenance|-799.65||-388.40||
||Vehicle Fuel|-610.94||-1,564.66||
||||-30,323.32||-24,920.71|
|Net income/(deficit)|||1,442.94||-8,445.81|





Biggleswade Sea Cadets Balance Sheet As at 31 March 2024 

||||2024||2023|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||£|£||
|Fixed assets|Boats|3,441.64||4,588.86||
||Land & Buildings<br>|191,057.49||191,057.49||
||Office Equiipment|659.87||824.83||
||Vehicles|5,372.16||6,715.20||
||||200,531.16||203,186.38|
|Bank|Barclays Current a/c|7,412.01||17,432.84||
||Barclays Deposit a/c|4,084.19||4,035.60||
||CAF Current Account|4,515.39||0.00||
||CAF Gold (Savings)|9,555.01||0.00||
||Petty Cash|100.00||100.00||
||||25,666.60||21,568.44|
|Net assets|||226,197.76||224,754.82|
||||£|£||
|Unrestricted Funds|Brought forward<br>|224,754.82||233,200.63||
||Net income/(deficit)<br>|1,442.94||-8,445.81||
||||226,197.76||224,754.82|
|Total unrestricted funds|||226,197.76||224,754.82|





Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of Bi88leSWdde Sea Cadets
for the year ended 31° March 2024
I have reviewed the financlal ￿pOrts prepared by 8igglesvffide Sea Cadets and made a comparison
with the underlying records.
n the course of my review, no matter has come to my attention that leads me to doubt that:
al Proper records have been maintained
bl The reports show a true view of the financial position of the Biggleswade Sea Cadets ot the
vearend date.
Sl8ned:
Date:
Name:
John Skingsley
Address:
6 Redhoods Way East, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 4DF