2022-03-31-accounts

Fenland Scouts Association

st

Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2022

Charity’s Principal Address: Scout Headquarters, Oldfield Lane, Wisbech PE13 2RJ Correspondent Address: 4 Virginia Way, St Ives PE27 6SQ

– Section A Reference & Administration Details

Names of the Charity Trustees who manage the charity

----- Start of picture text -----
Dates acted if not Elected
Trustee NameOffice (if any)
for whole year unless
Otherwise
t t d
Ian Bullard District Commissioner Ex-Officio
Anne Appleby
Grant Barlow From 20 [th] May 2021 toCo-Opted
29 [th] September 2021.
Grant Barlow Treasurer From 29 [th] SeptemberEx-Officio
2021 until 9 [th] February
2022
David Driver
Linda Edwards Secretary Ex-Officio
Clinton Elkin Nominated
Norman Flatt Nominated
Andy Fox District Explorer Scout Ex-Officio
Commissioner
Jonathan Chairman Nominated
Harwood
Katie Leach
Graham Martin
Caroline Nominated
Spaxman
Richard District Scout Network Ex-Officio
Wingfield Commissioner
Richard Fuller From 27 [th] October 2021 Co-Opted
----- End of picture text -----

Principal Bankers

Barclays Bank PLC – Wisbech Branch, Cambridgeshire. Due to close in September 2022.

Fenland Scouts Association

Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 31[st ] March 2022 (continued)

– Section B Structure, Governance & Management

The District is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts. The District's governing documents are those of 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.

Trustees :

All Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules (“POR”) of The Scout Association.

District Executive Committee

The District is managed by the District Executive Committee, the members of which are the Charity Trustees of the Scout District, 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 District Executive Committee consists of 13 representatives comprising, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary together with nominated, elected, co-opted and ex-officio members and normally meets bi-monthly. The Executive Committee exists to support the District Commissioner in meeting the responsibilities of the appointments and is responsible for:

• The maintenance of District property;

• The raising of funds and the administration of the District’s finances;

• The insurance of persons, property and equipment;

• District public occasions;

• Appointing any sub committees that may be required.

Risk and Internal Control

The District Executive Committee has identified the major risks to which they believe the District 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 District would seek the use of buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations. The District has adequate buildings and contents insurance in place to mitigate against permanent loss.

• Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members. The District, through the membership fees, contributes to the Scout Association’s national accident insurance policy. Risk assessments are undertaken before all activities.

• Reduced income from fund raising Fenland Scouts . The District is primarily reliant upon income from Association

• subscriptions, fundraising and rental income. The District does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Committee could raise the value of subscriptions to increase the income to the District on an ongoing basis, either temporarily or permanently.

st Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

• Reduction in number or loss of leaders. The District is totally reliant upon volunteers to run and administer the activities of the Scout Groups within the District. 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 concerned.

The District 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 policy to ensure that insurable risks are covered.

– Section C Objectives & Activities

The objective of the District is to oversee the Groups, District Explorer Scout Units and District Scout Network Units within the District. The District meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community development headings.

PURPOSE, VALUES & METHOD from POR

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

Fenland Scouts Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on Association 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

Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 31[st ] March 2022 (continued)

Fenland Scouts Association oversees Scouting in Fenland .

The following Scout Groups were active in the District at 31st March 2022:

st st st nd nd rd 1 Doddington, 1 March, 1 Whittlesey, 2 Chatteris, 2 March, 3 Wisbech (St Augustine’s), 12th Wisbech (Upwell & Outwell), 14th Wisbech, 15th Wisbech (North Level Parishes) and 47th Peterborough, Thorney Abbey.

Explorer Units: Whittlesey Unit (Whittlesey), Stonecross (March) and Alpha Unit (Wisbech St Mary).

The January 2022 census showed that the number of young people regularly involved in Scouting activities across the District numbered 472 (2021 359).

A subscription is levied for membership which supports Scouting at National, County & District levels. For 2022 the amount levied on young people was £40.50 (2021 - £42.00) of which £Nil (2021 - £Nil) is retained by District. The District owns land and buildings comprising a camp site at Gaul Road, March and its headquarters at Oldfield Lane, Wisbech. Whilst their prime purpose is for Scouting within the District, these properties are available for private hire, the income from which is used to offset the costs associated with the sites’ maintenance and helps to maintain reasonable levels of membership subscriptions.

– Section D Achievements & Performance

Trustees Update

2021/22 saw the long awaited return of face to face Trustee meetings and met eight times excluding the 2020/21 AGM in September 2021.

During the year, the Trustees were given an overview of the new District website that it agreed to provide finances for in 2020/21 and are keen to see it develop further.

The District campsite received its risk assessment sign off from County and became useable to Scouting as an outdoor venue to ensure Scouting could continue unabated through the Covid pandemic and was used by four Groups from across the District.

Fenland Scouts Association An Appointments Chair and Secretary were appointed and the District is now holding regular meetings to ensure that its volunteers are fit and proper persons to be involved with Scouting.

The Trustees agreed to support the District Commissioner in releasing funds to support adult recruitment and this is being run through various hard copy media outlets and through online media.

The Trustees released the funding set aside at the start of the Covid pandemic for a District event whereby leaders from across the District were able to meet, undertake activities and network with the remaining funds to be made available to a fuller activity throughout 2022.

The Trustees have also implemented GDPR and Privacy Policies to cover its activities as is suggested within Policy, Organisation and Rules.

Following a Health and Safety incident, Scout Headquarters implemented asbestos checks across the Country.

Asbestos was identified in the properties owned by Fenland Scouts and action was taken to remove asbestos that was unsafe and is being reviewed and managed by the Executive’s Health and Safety Sub-Committee.

It was identified that the oil tank at Oldfield Lane was not up to the minimum safety standards due to it not having any ‘bund’. Following advice taken, it was deemed imperative that a replacement oil tank was purchased and installed to safeguard the District.

It was also identified that the Three Fishes Scout Campsite, Gaul Road, March was still registered to ‘March and District Scout Council’ and this has now been transferred to the ‘Fenland District Scout Council’.

It has also been identified that there is going to be substantial housing development around the campsite at Gaul Road. The Trustees objected to the planning proposals and we await further updates. We are expecting the housing development to be given approval and this will mean the Trustees will need to review how the site at Gaul Road will need to be updated.

A District Development Plan has been started by the District Commissioner and in March 2022, the Trustees were invited to review the Executive function of the plan. This highlighted several areas that we could improve, including identifying a new District Treasurer as the position is currently vacant and other areas in regards to increasing income to offset the deficit that the District is currently running.

It was decided that rental income would be increased for the financial year 2022/23 and that the Trustees have reduced the amount of hours the caretaker now spends at Oldfield Lane to reflect the lack of tenancy and usage of the facility.

Uniformed Update

Fenland Scouts This year has been particularly challenging, in many ways more challenging than when we were in full lockdown, coming out of lockdown 1, a partial return, back into lockdown 2 and finally a Association full return to Scouting.

Coming out of lockdown 1 required the support of district to help Groups manage the return to scouting while implementing required restrictions. The majority of groups concentrated on the fun aspects of Scouting during this period.

A huge challenge groups faced was the, sometimes, significant change to the demographics of the group. Beavers were now Cubs, Cubs were Scouts, Scouts Explorers some Explorers were arriving with full beards and a lot larger than the last time we met. This meant some section numbers had significantly increased while others had fallen to very low levels requiring a great deal of flexibility from our adult volunteers, which has been challenging to say the least.

Our all-important adult volunteers, without whom Scouting could not exist, have also had to rebalance home – work – volunteering, which for many has been particularly challenging. I am sure some have thought long and hard whether volunteering is still an option.

The District team has needed to concentrate on being fully aware of the mental wellbeing of its volunteers and has worked hard to keep moral and enthusiasm levels as high as possible. Volunteers at all levels have seen greater demands being placed upon them by The Scout Association requirements. Adjusting to this has for many not been easy raising anxiety levels and placing pressure on the home, work, volunteering balance.

The District team has also had to adjust support levels to meet these demands, in particular the new compulsory training requirements and reduced timescales for earning wood badges. 5 years reduced to 3 years regardless of lockdown all placing greater demands on training advisers time commitments.

Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 31[st ] March 2022 (continued)

During 2021 a serious HSE incident occurred involving Scouting premises asbestos. This resulted in a major response being required from District and all Groups often to very tight timescales under close scrutiny. The response was amazing with volunteers putting in an exceptional amount of time and effort to meet the timescales and ensure compliance. The District leadership team and executive also contributed a considerable amount of time and effort into achieving a successful outcome.

Prior to lockdown 2, maximum advantage was taken of the easing of restrictions. Groups wherever possible returned to some form of face-to-face Scouting. This took a momentous effort from our volunteers to achieve this. Continuously adapting and flexing to suit the Covid situation.

District, where possible, made the campsite at Gaul Road available for section meetings and several Groups were able to facilitate camping activities.

During 2021 the District team facilitated our first all leaders camp. This was a great opportunity for all leaders in the District to spend time together sharing ideas, experience and skills in a relaxed environment. It proved to be highly successful and will certainly continue. This sharing of skills will undoubtedly improve the quality and scope of programs delivered across the district as a whole.

Scouting toward the end of 2021 was once again plunged into full lockdown. It must be said that for many this resulted in putting Scouting on hold over the Christmas period.

Fenland Scouts 2022 saw, thankfully, the end of lockdown and associated restrictions. Association

This has for many been more difficult than first expected. Following two years of restrictions getting back to normal, rekindling the enthusiasm and skill is a challenge, all leaders are understandably a little rusty. Young people numbers recorded on census have almost returned to pre-Covid levels which is a massive achievement and reflects the fantastic effort our volunteers have put in to maintaining Scouting provision within the district.

It is of concern however that adult volunteer numbers continue to fall. District is responding to this by implementing a recruitment drive, investing in promotional material and advertising across the whole District to support individual Groups. The recruitment of volunteers at all levels, leaders, managers, executive members, helpers has to remain the primary issue facing scouting if it is to survive.

Throughout the year a huge amount of work has been put into improving the adult appointment process. We have a well manned appointments panel but need more volunteers for this important role. The process is coordinated/administered highly efficiently.

Fenland opened its first Squirrel Drey which is proving very popular and successful. Further Drey’s are planned. These will open as the District team develops using the first Drey as the model. This is to ensure that the section can be well supported and can develop in a controlled and coordinated fashion across the groups.

During 2022 we are concentrating on improving District support to sections. This initially is concentrating on Beavers, Explorers and Young Leaders.

During early 2022 a Beaver section within the district came under threat of closure due to lack of leaders.

Through effective co-ordination this was avoided by volunteer Beaver leaders from across the district supporting program delivery on a rota basis. This facilitated the continuation of program delivery while a new leadership team could be formed. In addition to this it has demonstrated a growing ability of the district to be able to co-ordinate leaders across the district as a whole and for Groups to proactively assist one another.

The district team is actively promoting and supporting an increase in volunteers holding activity permits and developing

Trustees' Annual Report for the year ended 31[st ] March 2022 (continued)

the facilities to provide these activities to all young people across the district.

In 2022 we will be holding our first District Camp for many years. Open to all across the district with an emphasis on activities.

The biggest challenge we have in the coming years is reversing the falling numbers of adult volunteers. Scouting will not and cannot survive without adult volunteers. For adults to volunteer Scouting needs to create an environment adults want to be part of.

– Section E Financial Review

Reserves Policy

Fenland Scouts The District's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the District should income and fundraising activities fall short for a period of three Association years. The District’s unrestricted carried forward balance (including debtors for membership fees from Fenland Scout Groups) amounted to approximately £165,000. This has increased from the previous year, due to Covid -19 related grants being received. The Executive believe that £30,000 is considered necessary to be held as a general reserve

– Section F Other

Nothing to report.

– Section G Declaration

The Trustees declare that they approved this report at the Executive Meeting held on 13[th] July 2022 and authorised the Chairman to sign on its behalf.

Jonathan Harwood – Chairman

Sco ts on ccount Receipts Fortrp To Recei arKI X￿￿21 Recelxs C)rbalofv4 1￿cl￿sand &mlar Ptsmber5hipsubscnpb0￿ 2021 iU20 mbet5h1p5ub5cnpl0￿ Z022 Less fvmber5hipsutscnw5 paid Coun 2021 Netmember5hipsub5£riNor6 retyined D¢nblons 17M4 17x454 Sale ofbad￿5 &knt caM￿liEs a(D44e5 D15knctE%Ents Mi5cellaTE(X sthtlal Grnnls s￿neC￿Ss Gfènt OthergraN5-LLKal ￿4￿0￿￿C¢￿&19 FurKlrdl4ry Other￿Ddraising actiutse5 Ban Inreost 77 Building 5ocietyifits￿t ThoScoutAs5ociatonS￿rtTe[rn InstrMentSepAce PropetyRentincotne Otherln¥esDrertirK¢me

Sco ts on ccount Receipts Forthpp To Recei JW21 Grants b 5coutG(DUP5 within outh F￿￿rnme andathMDt5 Camp51tseWendi￿re ennantrentretund caretskeratHeadQuaT￿ Headqua￿￿ wnDing e>peD5e5 Improlefflents ￿ he3c￿￿&m￿ 4137 677 747 Equipmentpurch35es PurchaSe0fba￿es 14 U76 DiSthctE%en PDintrnentewE(￿es Pthsce113neoi 518 ￿penS Otherfundra151ng costs Ca furls la5tyend Cash fund5 thi5 y￿eThI

Sco ts on 31 2022 31 Ptrrth 2021 Bank CUTfEntaccount BankdepD51taccount Building 50cietyaccount FixedTetm (pDSltwth 5ha4ybtllok Bank CashFloats Toki 93.ty18 Rent Debts due frumthe In5UtancecLiim Sub1￿1 InbtStrnentOro¢ety- deiail In￿Str￿ents Other In¥estrrents-detsil Subtulal Land &BuildiTr OldfEld Lane.Wl5￿h Gaul Road. March Other. Rent SLttdal LL4IIIUes counts not5￿t￿Id EPpe￿e5 ITKUtred butnotinwiced subsc￿p￿0TrS p￿paid Loan. detsil SL*t

Fenland Scouts LT700006 - Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees (July 2019) Association

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Fenland District Scout Association.

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Fenland District Scout Association for the year ended 31[st ] March 2022

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Fenland District Scout Association, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the Fenland District Scout Association accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Name: Nigel Mark Poulter Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies (if any): Chartered Accountant

Address:32 West Street, Over, Cambridge CB24 5PL

Date.•24[th ] June 2022