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2025-03-31-accounts

swSh6ES V£TJL& Annual Report 202412025 15th Sevenoaks (Otford) Scout Group

Meet the Team

Trustee Board 2024/25

The Scout Group is run and managed on behalf of the Trustees by the Trustee Board. This consists of the following people:

Ex Officio Members:-

The Trustee Board also included all Section Leaders willing to join the Trustee Board as Group Trustee’s:

Elected Members:-

Appointed of Independent Examiner:

Meet the Team 2024/25

Group Lead Volunteer - Jan Padgett

Beavers

Beaver Team Leader - Jan Padgett Beaver Team Members - Nicola Blain, Anthony Holmes

Waingunga Cub Pack Cub Team Leader - Jo Toogood Cub Team Member - Glen Nunes Regular helper - Jon Barrett

Scouts

Scout Team Leader - Richard Snook

Scout Team Members - Richard Ellis, Mirisa Du Toit, Nathan Holmes

Group Team Members - Jonathan Booth, Mark Whittock, Richard Bell

15th (Otford) Sevenoaks Scout Group – July 2025. Chairman’s Report

Hello everyone!

What a fantastic year we’ve had together, again! Looking back, it’s clear that our Beavers, Cubs and Scouts have packed in more adventures, new experiences and badge-earning moments than ever before. From first-time sleepouts and axe throwing to climbing walls, scarecrow building and walking on the walls like astronauts - there’s never a dull moment at Otford Scouts Group!

One big highlight ahead is our Scouts and Cubs heading off to the Kent International Jamboree this summer - joining thousands of Scouts and Guides from all over the world. These kinds of adventures truly sum up what Scouting is all about: having fun together, trying something new, making memories and picking up real skills for life along the way.

We’re lucky to have fantastic young leaders helping out too - many of whom have grown up through our group and now give back their time as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. It’s brilliant to see that circle of Scouting continue!

Of course, none of this happens without our amazing team of volunteers, leaders, trustees and parent helpers - you all make such a difference by giving your time, your skills and your energy. Whether you’re helping run a camp, cooking up sausages at a BBQ or planning another adventure - you keep the spirit of Scouting alive in Otford.

Like every year, we’ve had a few challenges to navigate. The Seeonee Cub Pack closing was a big change for us, but seeing how our leaders and helpers made sure every young person still had a place reminds me why this community is so special. I know Jo, Glen and the whole Cubs team are working hard to grow again - and I’m confident we’ll see a second pack up and running in the future.

I’d also like to thank everyone who’s helped keep our Scout Hut safe and our finances healthy this year - from our Treasurer Graham’s watchful eye, to parents who supported our fundraising events and the wider Otford village for backing us when we needed it most.

As ever, we’d love to see more parents join in - whether it’s lending a hand at a meeting, helping out behind the scenes or even becoming a leader. It really does make all the difference - and I promise, it’s great fun too!

Here’s to another year of adventures, laughter and muddy boots. I can’t wait to see what our young people and leaders get up to next.

Thank you all for your amazing support - and see you soon around the campfire!

Florian Pixner (Chairman) 15[th ] Sevenoaks (Otford) Scout Group

Group Lead Volunteer’s Report

Joining Otford Scouts is in high demand and currently all three of our sections are full with waiting lists for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. Unfortunately, following the closure of the Seeonee Cub Pack in 2024, we are down to only one pack of cubs so places are likely to be limited to only those young people who are moving up from being members of beaver colony.

The graph below shows the ages of our members by age.

This year has seen an increase in the activities and nights away across our sections and we couldn’t run these events without the extra commitment from our leadership teams and the support of parent helpers - we thank you all as many of these experiences are unique to Scouts and I provide our young people with real skills for life.

We are currently in the privileged position to have the services of six young leaders who are currently Explorer Scouts in Sevenoaks and have been volunteering with our beavers and cubs section for their Duke of Edinburgh volunteering and the several have stayed on beyond what is required as they are enjoying helping out. This is extremely pleasing as all of these young people have graduated up through younger sections and are now giving back to the next generation.

Adults are always needed to help support the group. We have great teams in place and it makes a real difference if we can share the load. We welcome anyone who would like to join the leadership teams of beavers, cubs or scouts - this could be as a programme or activity planner, admin, adhoc helper or full-time leader!

This summer we are joining with the Kemsing group to take 30+ scouts to the Kent International Jamboree. This is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to spend a week at a camp packed with activities with 8,000 other members of scouts and guides from around the world.

If you feel you have any skills or opportunities that you can share for the benefit of our young people we would love to hear from you.

Please enjoy your summer, don’t forget to upload your achievements via ‘Badges at Home’ on OSM and we look forward to seeing you in September.

Jan Padgett (Group Lead Volunteer) 15th Sevenoaks (Otford) Scout Group

Beaver Scout Report

This past year has seen Beavers engaging in a variety of activities, earning more than 170 badges, and achieving remarkable milestones. They have had both big and small achievements, for some it is just getting through the door to meet new people, trying different foods, having a go at something new or staying away from home for the first time.

Among the significant achievements, eight Chief Scout Bronze Awards were earned, showcasing the dedication and hard work of our young Scouts.

We started the year with a campout which for many of the beavers was their first experience sleeping outside in tents.

During regular meetings we have enjoyed many different activities that included team-building exercises, modelling clay faces, cooking sessions, money skills, building hedgehog homes and junk modelling machines.

The beavers have pushed themselves with adventurous activities like fire-lighting, hiking, archery, axe-throwing and climbing.

We have also learnt about the world through the International badge and looking at Australia Day and closer to home by visiting the village churches, meeting our new vicar, the librarian and even had a visit from a paramedic to learn about emergency aid.

A special thank you goes out to our leaders and young leaders, particularly Nicki, who has been doing this with me for around 7 years and I without her support I would certainly drink a lot more wine! When back from university Anthony has been great support and the young leaders who have been doing the D of E volunteering but have stuck around for fun have done a fabulous job of creating an environment where children can learn and enjoy themselves.

Lastly, I'd like to extend my gratitude to the young people for their enthusiasm and the many funny stories I hear - I only wish I could remember them all.

Jan Padgett (Skylark)

Beaver Scout Leader

Nicola Blain (Robin)

Waingunga Cub Scout Report

BASICS

Waingunga meets on Thursday during term time. Since the last report and up until September this year we have been running with an average of 20 Cubs. We have 6 over 10s, 6 over 9s and a further 8 over 8yrs. Since the last report we have issued 121 badges. Including Challenge badges, Hikes, Athletics, Chef, Night’s Away.

LEADERSHIP

We have lost Sahi this year to the Scout Troop. We still have Glen Nunes, our Shere Khan. I also have Jon Barret as a regular parent helper with completed training. Ideally I would like to recruit 2 more uniformed leaders and handover some programme responsibility to allow me more time for organisng camps and away days.

PROGRAMME

We enjoyed a very successful overnight stay on HMS Cavalier, with museum visit the next day, down at Chatham Historic Docks. The Cubs had a brilliant tour of the ship and learned about life aboard a destroyer on the Atlantic convoys during WW2 as well as some tales of life in the Georgian Navy. We continue to enjoy our usual varied program which includes all the Scouting basics of maps, knots, hikes, fires, cooking, international festivals, national and holy days such as St George and Burns Night. We just celebrated Swedish Midsummer with flower crowns, a decorated maypole and a picnic of smoked salmon and strawberries.

Other notable meetings included, a moon walk where we rigged a harness to allow Cubs to walk on the walls of the hut to simulate reduced gravity; Scarecrow night where we joined in the local tradition of making and displaying several scarecrows by the hut gates; Sahi’s Christmas charity night where we helped the local food bank put together orders for their clients; we got in an evening on the climbing wall at Lower Grange Farm; borrowed the district fencing kit for a night of dueling and centred ourselves with some Tai Chi on another.

We also went to the town Christmas Pantomime together as a group. Another rip roaring production from Silly Billy and the gang! Snow White this year.

CAMPS

This year we will not be undertaking a group Summer Camp as the Kent International Jamboree will be taking place at Detling. We will attend with Scouts and some Cubs who are over 10yrs of age in collaboration with the Kemsing Scout Group.

With regard for aims for next year. These would be to hold a Winter Camp in February at the Wilberforce Scout Centre near Keston, recruit 1 to 2 new uniformed leaders for Cubs, hold a group Summer Camp and an early May mini camp either at our grounds or at another local group’s HQ. Be better at offering our group the County organised away days when they are advertised in IScout.

Jo Toogood – (Hathi) Glen Nunes – Shere Khan

15th Otford Scout Group – Waingunga Cub Pack

Scout Leader Report

Throughout this year the troop has had a full compliment of 24 scouts.

We have had a varied programme of activities this year including climbing at Grange Farm, hikes (including the popular chip hike!) and competing in the District Plender hike and overnight camps at the hut. We celebrated Australia Day in February by completing an eating bushtucker trial (including crickets) and creating aboriginal art. The artistic theme continued with the Scouts creating posters and decorating the games for the village fete.

In April the Scouts were invited by Bromley Scouts to participate in the game of Pirates which they thoroughly enjoyed.

More recently the Scouts had great fun building catapults and having a water fight in the hot weather as well as baking bread on the campfire. Other food based activities included a pancake cooking feast in March for Pancake Day.

Also in March five of the Scouts completed their Expedition badge which included a night hike and covering 26km from Hildenborough back to Otford. A great achievement.

Scouts have also been out helping in the community at St Michaels summer celebrations and at the Hope Church food bank, and building bat boxes for the local wildlife.

The Scouts also thoroughly enjoyed the Group night out at the Pantomime, particularly trying to beat Tonbridge Scouts as the noisiest Scout pack and egging Skylark on in the Strictly Come Dancing competition when she got pulled up on stage!

Continuing the upward trend over the last few years we are extremely proud to have awarded 5 Chief Scout Gold Awards this year - this is notable achievement of scouts to commit both inside and outside weekly meetings.

Thanks to Richard and Mirisa for their support at the meetings.

Rik Snook (15th Otford Scout Leaders) Mirisa Du Toit - Sahi

Annual Accounts FY24125 1 5th S8v•noaks (Otlord) Scout Group R8cglpts and Paymonts Account For Th• P•rlod 01104r2024 to 31103r2025 4(Koipts and pJyThonts 7.197 lJQ3.72 Ta￿ I.￿5.81 J7Éth I￿10. lo.￿*1 oo 357 W5 10. aril Sundri i.AÉo ij JO.138. 24.4ML

15th S•v•no•ks (Olfonl) Scout Group R•c•lpt$ and Paym•nts Account For Th• P•rlod 011W2024 to 31103r2025 fut aVTrnnt% 5.015 •.sJ2. iu•z.n 231 IJ6S21 knF• t.4S137 n•.iJ •IU1 J2.7VK>. J Slalemenl of assels and Iiabilil*S al the end ol Ihe per iod J21th1 TJ x•x

15th S•v•noaks Iorford) Scout Group RecelDls and Pavm•nts Account For The Pèrlod 0110412024 to 31103r2025 ¥4 ¢Ou ni% apd Scou 4.4Jl XI 112tt71 IIM7.71 4 Fuff+kn• 1,4.45 I T2T J• Ig•13 14Jl•J5 FrJvG lati ?• 3)1.21 1XX+ 1••.•• 1() 107 ¥i.•• P•J J2 &43 i).•• 1.14192 1.4237 7M.•• 4711A•

15th Sevenoaks (Otford) Scout Group Recelpts and Payments Account For The Period 0110412024 to 3110312025 XIY24 I•IWIJ lo >IAiJr2o41 CW• In N•1 T(rtal 2.707 015 2411 ft￿Tal 1.70J 1.70J 4.651 •.561 750 4261 S.S89 901 44$ 122Y3 Z14 44Jl 7491 1.72 313 ¢761 561 I.•YT 3641 1ffj241 133 .178 A)Jel rt •1 RocolPtwipaym¢ntsi tor tho porioo Cash funds ai start of •nod Cash funds at ènd ol period 1)9 1 147 zJ.ry21 2J91 J21 E33927 IU.TBO f 7 141 Comparlng Accounts £39.763 £31. £32.T80

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of th 15 Sevenoaks (Otford) Scout Group On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 Charity no (if any) 303443 Set out on pages 14 (remember to include the page numbers of addrtionaF sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 31 March 2025. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, 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 Trust's 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records- or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requiréments concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the CharÈties (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 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: Date: 1010912025 Name: Wendy Everett Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 29 Lyndhurst Road Dymchurch Kent TN29 OTE IER Oct 2018

Section B "fDisclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose_ IER Oct 2018