Wantage Scout Group Financial report 2024-2025
This report covers the period from April 2024 through to end of March 2025 for our 1[st] and 4[th] KA Beaver, Cub & Scout groups, and Challow Beaver & Cub groups. We also manage the finances for the Ridgeway Explorer group.
2024-25 accounts
Overall summary : Our finances are in good health there are no major issues … We started the year with £28,850 in our various accounts. We had income of £58,826 versus expenditure of £57,578. So, we close the year with an increased balance of £30,098.
Income : Subs income of £24,485 is higher than to 2024. We have a slightly higher headcount and good recovery of subs from all sections. All subs are collected via Online Scout Manager (OSM).
We received Gift Aid of £4,417 (up to end Feb 2025), in addition to a similar payment for the previous year that missed the year end deadline last year so shows up here, and largely explains the increase in our balance for the year. Gift Aid is a great way to boost our income, refunded from HMRC - if we can get Gift Aid mandates completed for all eligible parents then we could claim even more.
Fundraising this year … Our Dickensian Evening burger stall was not so successful, but still raised £884 - largely due to the appalling weather on the night. Scout Post was successful - our share (with Grove Scouts) earned £1,300.
We held a sponsored hike in May, linked to Sobell House OxTrail. This raised an amazing £3471, of which we donated £1,300 to Sobell House hospice (£200 in previous financial year).
Expenditure : We paid £13,855 in fees to District/County/UK Scouting; Rent of £7000 for the DHQ building (n.b. we do not own it); £880 for the lodge (Explorers); and £1140 to hire Challow Village Hall.
Activity spend across all sections came to £26,266. This was offset by parental contributions for specific activities of £17,961. These figures are higher this year, in part due to early invoices and payments for the Kent International Jamboree (held every 3 years). All groups participated in successful camping trips and other fun activities.
We also spent £2,523 on badges (this remains high and is further evidence of our focus on badge work and doing great stuff); £796 on equipment; and £205 on OSM system support.
Our insurance bill for the year was £2,965. Our existing ‘contents’ policy was £608, slightly higher as the insurance world continued to rise post pandemic. We also paid £2237 for building insurance just before the year end. This is because we were taking ownership of the building from 1[st] April.
Explorers : Our Explorer group is ‘owned’ by King Alfred District Scouts, but financially are in with Wantage Scout Group. If we separate out their spend, then £8,531 was raised … by subs (£3,083), Gift Aid (£863), parental contributions (£4,124) and an allocation of group income/fundraising (461) … versus spend of £7,351 split by rent (£880), fees (£1,767), badges (£61) and activities (£4,147) and
allocation of group spend (£392). So, a surplus for the year - we can see that Explorers are selfsufficient, not a financial burden on WSG.
Looking Forward : As mentioned above, we took ‘ownership’ of the DHQ building from District Scouts on April 1[st] . This has significantly changed our financial landscape for the current financial year. We no longer pay rent but have taken on the costs of utilities and maintenance. We do not currently have a lot of income from sub-letting the hall to other groups, but we hope to find a tenant for the ‘office’ space in the lodge.
Thanks : Many thanks to Tessa Blake and Kay Williams for assisting me in managing the group finances, paying bills and expenses; and to Laura Legate and group leaders for managing membership and subscriptions.
Many thanks too to Darshana Patel for reviewing and completing a formal independent examination of these accounts.
John Bales
Wantage Scout Group Treasurer
October 2025
Wantage Scout Group (1st/4th KA, Challow & Ridgeway Explorers)
| Balance Sheet as at 31 March Receipts: Membership / Subscriptions Subs Bank Acc Subs OSM GoCardless Explorers Subs OSM GoCardless Donations / Grants Donations Sponsorship District Scouts for DHQ Shelter District Explorers Start Up Activities Group Activities and Camps Scout Activities and Camps Cub Activities and Camps Beaver Activities and Camps Explorers Activities and Camps Events via GoCardless Kayak Activities Fundraising Dickensian Evening Takings Christmas Post Gift Aid Amazon Commission 150 Club Equipment Sale Other Interest Deposit Accounts Total Receipts Payments: Premises DHQ Rent Explorers DHQ Lodge Rent Challow Village Hall DHQ Shelter Activities Group Activities and Camps Scout Activities & Camps Cub Activities & Camps Beaver Activities & Camps Explorers Activities & Camps Challow Cubs/Beavers Activities Kayak Activities Fundraising Expenses Dickensian Fee and Food 150 Club Other Admin and Other Costs Capitation Fee Explorers Capitation Fee Contribution to District DHQ Repair Fund Badges, Neckers & Woggles Explorers Badges etc |
2025 Total £ 21,401.75 3,082.87 3,471.19 332.43 11,546.96 1,279.75 678.43 4,123.85 1,648.65 1,300.00 8,628.01 861.11 471.29 58,826.29 7,000.00 880.00 1,140.00 1,036.46 14,963.95 2,817.04 3,300.94 4,147.26 764.85 12,087.99 1,767.25 2,462.08 60.91 |
2024 Total £ 574.00 19,152.68 2,785.12 2,380.30 2,874.25 2,009.84 42.03 45.04 335.04 2275.57 1,125.00 47.50 224.00 949.15 56.42 34,875.94 7,000.00 1,100.00 855.00 1,190.83 4,916.09 2,432.92 1,137.84 807.79 473.87 1,156.17 45.00 11,485.47 929.46 2,130.68 99.81 |
2023 Total £ 2,726.00 16,588.19 1,851.47 150.00 398.76 500.00 5,461.90 1,579.81 511.44 1,693.94 1,100.00 3,067.70 13.43 508.00 468.90 14.22 36,633.76 4,600.00 1,000.00 720.00 1,100.00 9,090.74 4,316.88 1,365.11 1,533.42 339.29 535.00 10,321.56 1,086.48 1,392.47 149.73 |
2022 Total £ 6,758.00 10,069.62 702.20 2,057.01 1,645.60 415.00 272.50 4,116.33 1,984.48 5,749.38 40.05 702.00 880.00 220.00 3.65 35,615.82 4,600.00 480.00 1,645.60 495.47 5,345.72 1,042.15 1,847.17 529.64 330.60 194.00 776.01 145.00 7,565.16 926.69 |
2021 Total £ 12,536.00 371.03 2,120.00 120.00 4,174.47 3,357.00 48.73 566.00 16.01 20.73 23,329.97 4,600.00 4,161.97 656.23 957.79 14.08 214.77 102.12 289.00 8,306.10 2,653.00 689.20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment Online Scout Manager Insurance Cleaning Donations Misc Total Payments EXCESS OF RECEIPTS OVER PAYMENTS CURRENT ASSETS: 1st KA - Barclays Community Account 4th KA - Barclays Community Account 1st KA - Barclays Business Premium Account 4th KA - Barclays 4Deposit Account 1st KA - Scout Assoc Short Term Investment Account Wantage Scout Group - Barclays Community Account UTB Fixed Rate Charity Deposit Account PayPal Monetary Assets FINANCED BY: Balance brought forward Less excess of payments over receipts Total |
796.94 205.00 2,965.49 1,100.00 81.55 57,577.71 1,248.58 Total £ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 19,627.15 10,471.29 30,098.44 28,849.86 1,248.58 30,098.44 |
513.68 215.09 592.24 1,450.00 79.45 38,611.39 -3,735.45 Total £ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 18,673.39 10,000.00 176.47 28,849.86 32,585.31 -3,735.45 28,849.86 |
1,143.99 198.75 515.75 49.98 39,459.15 -2,825.39 Total £ 0.00 480.54 0.00 1,509.93 3,122.57 27,469.66 2.61 32,585.31 35,410.70 -2,825.39 32,585.31 |
3,172.15 183.98 485.52 1,020.00 47.24 30,832.10 4,783.72 Total £ 11,819.31 1,154.54 100.50 1,506.65 3,111.73 17,715.36 2.61 35,410.70 30,626.98 4,783.72 35,410.70 |
108.60 470.91 23,223.77 106.20 Total £ 7,315.47 1,942.24 100.50 1,506.49 3,108.24 16,654.04 30,626.98 30,520.78 106.20 30,626.98 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wantage Scout Group (Ridgeway Explorers)
| Explorers Subs OSM GoCardless Explorers Activities and Camps Gift Aid Allocation of Group Activity income Allocation of Fundraising income Explorers DHQ Lodge Rent Explorers Activities & Camps Explorers Capitation Fee Explorers Badges etc Allocation of Group Activity spend Allocation of Fundraising spend Allocation of OSM/Insurance spend |
3,082.87 4,123.85 863 33 428 8,530.87 880.00 4,147.26 1,767.25 60.91 104 95 297 7,350.72 |
2785.12 335.04 250 315 3,685.20 |
|---|---|---|
| 1,100.00 807.79 929.46 99.81 103 101 70 3,211.23 |
20 182 0.10
Wantage Scout Group Accounts 2024-25
Independent Examination carried out by Darshana Patel in August 2025