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2025-03-31-accounts

Gravesham District Scout Council Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025

Registered Charity No. 303399

Trustees who have served at any point in the year

Keith Jones Chair Susan Livett Treasurer Fraser Patrick District Lead Volunteer Jack Reeves District Youth Lead Pat Duncumb Alan Skelton Myles Sullivan Richard Ruddick Richard Painting Chris Austin * Chris Wallis * Tanya Beattie * Dave Moesli # Janet Jones # Henson Appleby # Rob Viner # Marion Weston # Darren Stanford # Terry Duncumb # Hannah Booth # Lucy Stanford # James Treadwell # (* = from 20[th] September 2024; # = until 20[th] September 2024)

Custodian Trustee: The Scout Association Trust Corporation Contact address: Hopehill

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Gravesham District 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. The District is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts. The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association and the constitution of the District. The District adopted the new model constitution at its’ AGM on 20[th] September 2024.

Risk and internal controls

The District has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include dual approval for payments, regular reports to the trustees including emerging issues and comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that relevant insurable risks are covered.

Trustees need to be alerted to possible conflicts of interest which may arise. Trustees are required to identify and declare any conflict of interest; trustees are removed from any decision making process where a conflict of interest is declared or identified; details of discussions and decisions made when a conflict has been identified are recorded and care is given to managing the conflict of interest once a decision has been made.

Gravesham District Scouts Annual Report 2025

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Objectives, activities and achievements

Objectives

The objectives of the District are as a unit of The Scout Association. Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. As Scouts we are guided by these values:

Activities and achievements

The District operates four Explorer Scout units for 14-18 year olds and a Network Scout unit for young people aged 18-25 and supports 13 groups across Gravesham which provide Scouting to 4-14 year old girls and boys. It also operates a campsite (Hopehill in Meopham).

The District has run a full programme of activities for all sections which have been well attended and are documented in the blog on the website. It also actively supports Duke of Edinburgh awards and the Young Leader scheme.

Hopehill remains busy and has benefitted new containers for storage, the recommissioning of the climbing tower and the ordering of a 100’ inflatable assault course. Planning for the extension and renewal of the toilet block has continued, with build planned next year.

The annual census at 31[st] January showed an 4% increase in youth membership with a new cub pack and scout troop opening.

Scouting in the District is entirely dependent on the volunteer Scouters and other adults who give their time and energy to plan and run activities and provide support for the benefit of the young people. Lack of volunteers is the most significant risk to Scout in Gravesham.

Public benefit

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. The trustees have regard to the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission when exercising any powers to which the guidance may be relevant.

Gravesham District Scouts Annual Report 2025

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Financial review

Performance in the year

The accounts show a deficit due to expenditure on projects, largely planning and fees for the toilet block. We received grant funding for certain groups at Hopehill, two thirds of which was passed on to the groups. Operating returns on a comparable basis are similar to last year.

The Clifford Allen Memorial Trust (which is included in the accounts) has shown a modest increase in value of investments held.

Reserves and investments

The District continues to maintain sufficient reserves to provide for the ongoing operation of its activities, including future capital requirements for its properties in the short and long term. Cash is held in various current and deposit accounts. Investments are managed under a low to moderate investment risk and balanced income & capital growth investment objective and made in accordance with the recommendations of our advisors, Brewin Dolphin.

Plans for the future

The District will continue to provide activities for Scouts in Gravesham (including hill walking, water activities, camps, clay pigeon shooting, archery and many more). At Hopehill, the project to refurbish the Madeline Allen toilet block is expected to be built during winter 2025/26.

The trustees declare that they approved this report on 8[th] September 2025

.

Signed on their behalf by:

Fraser Patrick

Gravesham District Scouts Annual Report 2025

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Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 March 2025

Receipts
This year
£
Note
Membership subscriptions
51,107
Less paid over
(46,539)
4,568
Adult training
1,097
Donations and grants
22,157
Interest
784
Investment income
10,880
11,664
District activities
24,257
Explorer activities
18,068
42,325
Property receipts
58,708
Transfer from closed Scout Groups
2,086
Sub total
142,605
Sale of investment assets
211,534
Total receipts
354,139
Total payments
(453,365)
Net receipts / (payments)
(99,226)		 Payments
Last year
This year
£
£
Note
50,297
(39,062)
11,235
Administration
1,008
580
Adult training
2,141
331
Grants to groups
15,256
Purchase of equipment
463
514
13,935
Investment management costs
2
5,554
14,449
26,751
District activities
25,132
11,433
Explorer activities
18,254
38,184
43,386
57,707
Property running costs
55,791
Insurance replacements
-
Property improvements
46,262
102,053
-
122,486
Sub total
169,861
81,204
Purchase of investment assets
283,504
203,690
Total payments
453,365
(169,084)
34,606		 Last year
£
1,583
334
-
422
4,793
28,650
15,811
44,461
51,441
95
56,555
108,091
159,684
9,400
169,084

Gravesham District Scouts Annual Report 2025

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Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at 31 March 2025

Note
Monetary assets
Cash held
Bank current accounts
Bank deposit accounts
Clifford Allen cash held
2
Investments
Quoted securities at market value
2
Debtors
Due from Scout Groups
Gift Aid from HMRC
Non monetary assets held for charity use
Stock for resale at cost
Land at cost
3
Buildings and equipment at insurance value
3		 This year
£
656
23,552
28,465
31,338
84,011
520,452
2,640
1,547
4,187
2,238
75,000
1,573,621
1,650,859		 Last year
£
1,481
28,229
48,246
97,983
175,939
434,821
-
1,480
1,480
1,423
75,000
1,500,964
1,577,387

Signed on behalf of all the trustees on 8th September 2025:

Susan Livett

Fraser Patrick

Gravesham District Scouts Annual Report 2025

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Notes to the accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2025

1 - Basis of preparation

These accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis. The statement of Assets and Liabilities includes cash and investments at market value, land and stock for resale at historic purchase price and other assets at insurance / replacement value.

They include all the activities of Gravesham District, including Hopehill Scout Campsite, four Explorer Scout units, a Network Scout and Active Support units and the Clifford Allen Memorial Trust. The thirteen Scout Groups in the District are separate charities and are not included.

2 - Clifford Allen Memorial Trust
Market value at 1 April
Grants to District
Investment management fees
Net investment returns
Market value at 31 March		 This year
£
532,804
-
(5,554)
24,540
551,790		 Last year
£
502,082
-
(4,793)
35,515
532,804

This comprises Quoted Securities of £520,451 (last year £434,821) and cash of £31,338 (last year £97,983)

3 - Property

The District owns the land and buildings at Hopehill Campsite and the land at Istead Rise Scout Hut.

4 - Hopehill campsite
Camp fees
Building hire
Site activities
.
Tuck shop
Other
Ongoing expenditure
Utilities
Insurance
Running costs
Activity maintenance
Tuck shop
Cleaning
Maintenance
Ongoing equipment replacements
Insurance replacements
Projects
Security upgrade
Toilet and Shower block
Electrical upgrade for activities
Field Kitchen replacement
Shipping containers for storage
Inflatable assault course
Tomahawk range
Climbing tower refurbishment
Income		 This year
£
33,178
16,735
5,965
2,815
15
58,708
(19,647)
(9,648)
(395)
(695)
(2,608)
(4,174)
(9,959)
(1,366)
-
(48,492)
-
(10,267)
(9,261)
(8,288)
(6,298)
(6,114)
(3,110)
(2,925)
(46,262)
(36,045)		 Last year
£
36,503
14,599
4,253
2,253
99
57,707
(23,340)
(9,853)
(1,121)
(2,444)
(1,309)
(3,507)
(9,690)
(177)
(95)
(51,536)
(12,616)
(43,372)
-
-
-
-
(567)
-
(56,555)
(50,384)

Gravesham District Scouts Annual Report 2025

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Independent Examiner's Report

to the Trustees of Gravesham District Scout Council (Registered Charity No, 303399)

on accounts for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 set out on pages 5 to 7

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the District”) for the year ended 31st March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the District’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 which gives 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.

Name: Luke Anderson Professional qualification: ACA Address: 21 Goodall Close, Parkwood, Gillingham, Medway, ME8 9NG Date: 29 November 2025