2025-01-31-accounts

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Skills for Life Our plan to 2025 South London (Extended from 2023 to 2025 due to the pandemic) Our vision By 2023 we will have seen year on year growth and will be preparing more young people with skills for life. Our scout groups and explorer scout units will be supported by a growing team of amazing leaders who together deliver an inspiring high-quality programme to suitably sized sections. Perception Scouting across South London is clearly understood. more visible, trusted, respected and widely seen as playing a key role in today's society. People More adults and young people joining scouting from every community in South London. Places We provide amazing scout groups and explorer scout units with appropriately sized (but aiming for maximum sized). sections run by larger teams of adults. All our scout groups have a proactive executive committee in place. Executive members understand their role and know where to go for support. Our explorer scout units are governed efficiently within the district. Programme We provide exciting. high quality section programmes across our county, that are engaging, fun and enjoyable and are'benchmarked, and supported by simple (digital) tools. Find out more and see what you can do to help your group or unit achieve our goals at: southlondonscouts.org.uk/ourplan

Our County…

South London Scouts is responsible for supporting and growing scouting in the London Boroughs of Royal Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley, Southwark, Lambeth, Bromley, and Wandsworth.

We have 169 Scout Groups, 75 Explorer Scout Units and 9 District based Scout Networks spread across our 7 Scout Districts which mirror the London Borough boundaries.

Every week over 3,000 adult volunteers give some of their free time to help provide exciting programmes to over 9,800 young people aged between 4 and 25 years. They carry out a variety of roles at County, District, Group, and Unit level and we recognises the important contribution our volunteers make to the ongoing success of Scouting in our local communities.

— wal

As Scouts, we know that amazing things happen when we work as a team.

How our County Team works together

Our county structure consists of five areas of work or functions…

Our organisation function provides strategic leadership, line management, incident management and inspiration to our adults, and ensures our wider county team is fully developed, organised, and focussed on supporting programme delivery.

The function has overall responsibility for ensuring that the needs of our county and districts are met and provides advice on a number of day to day operational key areas and topics. It also monitors and coordinates the work of all of our county functions and has overall responsibility for the implementation of our county strategic plan.

Our places function provides proactive advice and support to our district’s leadership teams. It is also responsible for supporting the provision of safe scouting at all levels.

Places is also home to our South London Scout Centre support team who manage every aspect of running, maintaining and developing the centre.

Our programme function supports the youth programme across the county, enabling all young people to take part and work towards their top awards. The function also aims to plan a programme of county events, activities, trips and expeditions for all sections.

It also provides a network of activity experts and activity support teams.

Our people function ensures that everyone that volunteers within our county teams have a quality volunteering experience.

This function also provides support to our groups and district volunteer development teams. This include tools and resources to help make it easy for people to join, be welcomed, and progress their personal development and learn new skills. The team also supports adult recognition, and appointment review of county team members.

The function is also home to our county youth and young leaders scheme teams.

Our governance function ensures that scouting at county level is run safely and legally and supports this area of work across the county.

The county trustee board is specifically responsible to the county scout council and has a focus on supporting our county strategy; key policy decisions; approval of the county development plan and for acting on matters relating to finance, the county development and volunteer services and the South London Scout Centre.

Each function consists of a number of teams:

Find out more about each team at: - www.southlondonscouts.org.uk/county team ~~a~~

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Our county development service is a central part of our county approach to the growth and development of scouting across our five districts.

The service is steered and monitored by the county leadership team which enables us to work in ‘real time’, identify the projects we provide support to, plan future workstreams and proactively support our District Lead Volunteers, Group Lead Volunteers and section leadership teams as situations arise.

The service works in partnership with new and existing volunteers and in collaboration with our scout districts, scout groups, explorer scout units and local communities to support the growth and development of local scouting to ensure that we continue to provide

life changing adventure to even more young people across the five London Boroughs that we serve.

The strategic aim of the service is to work with the County Lead Volunteer and our District Lead Volunteers to ensure:

• growth

• organisational development

• adult recruitment

• volunteer retention

• membership retention

• sustainability

• volunteer support

Areas of support

The strategic aims are achieved by providing support in the following areas:

Growth

● Adult recruitment:

• Promote the different opportunities and ways adults can get involved as a volunteer at all levels across the county

• promote flexible volunteering

• Attend targeted adult recruitment events

• Support groups and districts with targeted adult recruitment drives

• Assist with parent engagement

• improving the ‘volunteer journey’ including, welcome and induction, early training, support and review

• Management of the county joining system (join.southlondonscouts.org.uk)

● Opening new provision:

• New scout groups (generally starting with beavers and then moving on to cubs and scouts in time)

• New explorer scout units

• New support teams (specialist, group, district and county teams)

• Sections in established groups - helping groups achieve the full family of scouting

• Starting additional sections in groups that have long waiting lists

• Supporting districts and groups with targeted youth recruitment drives

Development

• Facilitate growing stronger together workshops to assist scout groups and explorer scout units to plan for the future to ensure they can continue to provide quality scouting to more young people and work smarter

• Facilitate district development days and assist with prioritising needs and producing a district development plan

• Support others to provide great scout groups and explorer scout units that people want to be part of

Support for line managers

• Support District Lead Volunteers and Group Lead Volunteers with growth and organisational development initiatives

• Provide inductions for newly appointed Group Lead Volunteers

• Support District Lead Volunteers and volunteer development teams to achieve action for growth

• ● Provide resources and advice to District Lead Volunteers to assist them with the appointment of effective Group Lead Volunteers

Resources

Provide:

• Planned and ad-hoc recruitment resources (adult and young people)

• Physical and digital recruitment tools

• Section taster evening activities, equipment and hands on support

• Going for growth tools

• On-line tools and resources

Support to growth facilitators

• Contribute to the induction of growth facilitators at all levels of the county

• Run growth and recruitment workshops (to support the increase of more adult involvement)

• Support volunteers at all levels of the county that have a direct responsibility for growth

Transforming the Volunteer Journey

• Help to plan for and lead the implementation of change locally across the county

• Support the county, our districts, groups and units to embrace and implement the positive changes to the volunteer journey

• Work with key volunteers to help adult volunteers and stakeholders across the county to understand and plan for successful implementation of the changes

• Take the outputs from the Skills for Life Strategy, in the form of national transformation plans, and help make them work in local contexts – considering local issues and readiness to implement change

• Champion and promote change, supporting members in the county, at all levels, to connect the dots about what the changes mean to them

• Coordinate a network of local transformation champions; creating a community of peer-topeer support and collaboration

• Attend meetings and events to help inspire members about the changes to be implemented in their district, group or unit

• Creating momentum to keep going once the changes land; helping to ensure the changes are embedded and we can measure long term success

Our County Volunteer Services is all about our volunteers and the volunteering experience, the service works collaboratively with our volunteers across the county to provide the resources, administrative support, advice and services which drive the day-to-day operation of the county.

Services provided include:

• dealing with youth joining enquiries and maintenance of our enquiry system

• dealing with general enquiries

• ordering county supplies – eg scarves and badges

• general operational administration

• county event support

• county team support

• I.T. systems support

• governance support

• training administration

• details to the treasurer to monitor receipt of payments

• administration for the county shining stars awards scheme

• county-wide communications and emails

• county AGM and Awards night event planning and support

• annual census return

• digital and physical legacy management

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County Leadership Team

As we look back over our last year, we take a moment to reflect on the incredible progress and dedication shown across our County Leadership Team as two Sscout counties became one. It has been a year of growth, change, and renewed energy in our mission to support Scouting across South London.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Wendy Hutcheson and Jennifer McCullough for their outstanding service and unwavering commitment in their roles as District Commissioners for Lambeth and Lewisham respectively. Their leadership has helped shape vibrant, resilient districts and inspired countless volunteers and young people.

This year also marks an exciting new chapter as we welcome Kevin Murphy as the new District Lead for Lewisham, and Konrad Bishop and Remy Thompson-Maxwell, who step into their joint roles as District Leads for Lambeth. We are thrilled to have such passionate and capable individuals join the team, and we look forward to the impact they will make as they help shape the future of Scouting in their areas.

To everyone across the County Leadership Team – thank you for your continued commitment, support, and leadership. Here's to an even stronger year ahead!

County Lead

As your County Lead Volunteer, It’s a privilege to reflect on what has been a transformative and truly historic year for Scouting in South London.

This year marked a significant milestone with the successful unification of two proud and vibrant Scout Counties – Greater London South (GLS) and Greater London South East (GLSE). This process was not without its challenges, but I am incredibly proud of how our volunteers, teams, and districts embraced the change with resilience, cooperation, and a shared commitment to putting young people first.

The formation of South London Scouts was not simply about merging structures; it was about shaping a stronger, more inclusive, and future-ready Scouting community. Through extensive collaboration and dialogue, we’ve built strong foundations and ensured continuity for our members while opening doors for innovation and growth.

One of the most exciting developments has been the beginning of a new Senior Leadership Team. Bringing together passionate and skilled individuals from across our new County, we are already seeing stronger support systems, better communication, and a clearer strategic vision for the years ahead. This team will be vital in shaping our direction and ensuring that all volunteers are empowered to thrive in their roles.

A key part of our transition has been the development and realignment of the District Lead Volunteer roles – central to our county’s success. I want to take a moment to express heartfelt thanks to two exceptional individuals who have given years of selfless service and leadership during this time of change. Jennifer McCullough and Wendy Hutchenson, your dedication to Lewisham and Lambeth Districts respectively has left a lasting legacy. You have led with compassion, determination, and unwavering commitment to young people and volunteers alike. On behalf of South London Scouts – thank you.

As we look ahead, I’m delighted to welcome a new wave of leadership into our County:

• For Lambeth, a warm welcome to Konrad Bishop and Remy MMM. Your energy and vision have already been felt, and I look forward to watching Lambeth continue to thrive under your guidance.

• In Lewisham, we are pleased to have Kevin Murphy and his newly forming team taking the reins. Kevin brings a thoughtful and strategic approach to leadership, and we’re excited to support your journey.

• For Royal Greenwich, I’d like to extend our thanks and welcome to John Sweeny and Terry Wiggins, who bring a wealth of Scouting knowledge and community experience to the table.

Over the past year, we have seen fantastic growth, welcoming new Squirrel Dreys, Beaver Colonies, Cub Packs, Scout Troops, and Explorer Units across our county.

We're also thrilled to have welcomed many new adult volunteers who have stepped into a variety of roles within both county and district structures. This continued expansion reflects the

strength and spirit of Scouting in South London — thank you to everyone who has helped make it happen.

South London Scouts continues to look to the future with energy and purpose. This year, we’ve proudly been represented at the Youth Leads Conference and the National Summit Conference, ensuring our voices are heard on a wider stage. Closer to home, we held a productive Team working day and a vibrant County Conference , bringing together both adult volunteers and young people. These events have been key in developing ideas that will shape our new County Strategy — setting a clear and exciting direction for the future of Scouting in South London.

This is a moment of renewal, but also of continuity. We move forward building on the strengths of the past and the passion of our volunteers. There’s much still to do – expanding opportunities for young people, deepening our inclusivity, and investing in volunteer support – but I have every confidence in our direction.

To all of you who have contributed your time, talent, and care to our County this year – thank you. South London Scouts is a community of over 10,000 people – and every badge earned, every camp run, and every smile shared is thanks to your work.

Here’s to another year of growth, adventure, and scouting that changes lives. Regards

Judy Freeman County Leader Volunteer [e-mail]

County Youth Team

This year has been an exciting and rewarding first year as Youth Lead for South London Scouts. Stepping into a county-wide role after six years as District Youth Lead in Royal Greenwich has been both a challenge and a privilege, and I’ve loved the opportunities it’s brought to champion youth voice across all our districts, bringing together our new county and making sure our young people’s voices are at the heart of every decision.

A real personal highlight of the year was once again attending the National Youth Lead Support Weekend in October. Bringing together Youth Leads from across the country with members of the UK Youth Team, the weekend was packed with energy, new ideas, and brilliant workshops on how to embed youth-shaped Scouting locally. It was also a fantastic opportunity to network with other Youth Leads, share what we’ve been doing in South London, and learn from some inspiring initiatives taking place across the UK. Those connections continue to be a source of support, collaboration, and fresh thinking.

I was also fortunate to attend Summit25, in January, the National Scout Conference, where I had the incredible opportunity to present one of the plenary sessions. My session focused on the national youth consultation — how we engaged with young people across the UK, what strong themes came out and how it’s shaping the next strategy for the movement. It was an honour to represent South London at a national level and help ensure youth voice was front and centre at such a key moment for the future of Scouting.

Another proud moment was running our South London Scouts Youth Forum in February — a fun, engaging day of activities, ideas, and meaningful conversations for our Scouts from across the County. From our snowball fights to Dragon’s Den pitches, young people took the lead in shaping their own experiences, and it was great to see them work together across districts. The forum also gave us valuable input that’s feeding directly into our wider county plans.

In March, I had the honour of leading our South London Scouts contingent to Oxford for the UK Youth Forum day, where we joined other counties from England and Wales to explore how Scouting can tackle national issues like sustainability, inclusion, and community engagement. It was a fantastic day, and the Scouts who attended did South London proud — full of ideas, questions, and passion.

Also in March, I helped host the County's Idea Exchange Day, where I had the opportunity to share what we’ve been up to since the launch of the Skills for Life strategy — both locally and nationally. I led a discussion alongside two of our Youth Leads about their personal journeys through Scouts, highlighting the impact youth leadership has had on their development. I also facilitated a number of programme-based conversations, including one joined by Young Leaders from Southwark, where we explored how we can make Scouting even more youth-shaped at the group level.

Over the past year, I’ve also had the opportunity to meet and connect with Youth Leads from across the UK who have been visiting London. These informal yet purposeful meetups have offered valuable time to share experiences, explore challenges, and exchange ideas. I’ve been fortunate to spend time with Youth Leads from Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Leicester, Staffordshire and many others — each bringing fresh perspectives that have helped inform my work here in South London. These connections continue to strengthen our shared commitment to putting young people at the centre of Scouting, no matter where we’re based.

This year, we’ve also grown our Youth Lead team across the County, welcoming Song as the Youth Lead for Wandsworth and Kellie as the Youth Lead for Royal Greenwich. Our aim is to have a Youth Lead in every district, so we can truly represent and champion the voices of young people at every level of Scouting. With more local Youth Leads in place, we can better connect with groups on the ground and ensure young people are shaping the programmes and decisions that affect them.

It’s also been brilliant to travel around the county throughout the year — whether that’s popping into AGMs, visiting camps, helping out at sleepovers, or celebrating Top Awards. One thing that’s really stood out during these visits has been seeing more and more YouShape Awards proudly worn by young people. It’s a real sign that youth-shaped Scouting is being embedded across sections, and that young people are being recognised for playing an active role in shaping their experiences. Well done to everyone who has delivered the award or supported young people through it — it really does make a difference.

Looking ahead, we’re laying the foundations for some exciting work. Local Voice 2026 will focus on connecting Scouts with local councillors and decision-makers, helping young people influence the communities they live in. We’re also developing media training opportunities to equip young people with the skills to tell their stories — whether that’s for social media, local press, or speaking in public.

There’s still much more to come, and I’m really excited about what the next year will bring. Thank you to everyone who has supported youth-shaped Scouting this year — whether by inviting me to your events, taking on feedback from young people, or simply making space for youth voice in your programmes.

Together, we’re making sure South London Scouts continues to empower, include, and be led by young people.

Joseph Shippam

County Youth Lead [e-mail]

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Programme

South London Scout Top Awards Team

The Top Awards Team has continued to deliver their ambitious and inclusive Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme this year.

The Top Awards Team is here to provide support to Explorer Units in two ways.

First, we provide administrative support. This year we have provided targeted support to ESUs via on-demand DofE surgeries at the units themselves, helping leaders troubleshoot problems on eDofE, and generally helping them to navigate the requirements of the award. Where Explorer Leaders require, our surgeries also provide 1-2-1 support for the Explorers, looking at their modules, and assisting them in uploading evidence, seeking assessors reports, and getting their awards finally signed off.

We also provide support for Chief/King's Scout awards, and guidance to those seeking to achieve their Explorer Belt or other top awards.

Our main activity is our challenging expedition programme. This includes essential training, and canoe journeys along the Stour, Medway, Thames, Severn, Wye, and the Great Glen in Scotland. Each year, approximately 70-100 young people participate in our canoe expeditions, completing the expedition component of their DofE or Chief/Kings Scout awards in an exciting and unusual fashion in the process. In addition, we host a popular paddlesport weekend for Scouts as well as a separate Expedition Challenge event.

Over the past decade, the team has worked to improve our county’s overall DofE performance. Once among the lowest nationally for completed awards, we are now seeing steady improvements and regular attendees at Windsor Castle and Buckingham or St James' Palace. A key focus has been ensuring our programme reflects the diversity of our membership— particularly by encouraging and supporting participation from young people in lower-income households and from Global Majority backgrounds. Operating in an area with significant economic challenges, we are committed to keeping expedition and training costs as accessible as possible to ensure all young people have the opportunity to succeed.

Highlights from the past 12 months include:

• Four Gold Award teams successfully canoeing 100km through Scotland’s Great Glen

• Four Silver Award teams completing their expeditions on the River Severn

• Over 100 young people and leaders attending our annual Scout Paddlesport Weekend

We’re proud of the continued growth in engagement and achievement, and we are always keen to help more Units start or expand their DofE programmes. Please get in touch if you would like support or guidance.

Finally, we warmly invite all participants, families, and supporters to our Annual DofE Presentation Evening on Wednesday 24th July 2025 at 7:00pm , hosted at St Dunstan’s College . It’s a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our young people.

Top Awards Team Governance & Finance

The Top Awards Team is a County Scout Active Support Unit. We are funded by participation fees for the training, trips and expeditions we run, and a small levy added to the county DofE enrollment fee which covers the cost of issuing certificates, and hosting our annual awards evening. We have previously had lots of grant funding, but this has proved increasingly challenging as grant funders find their trusts in increasingly high demand.

Overall, our accounts are in good shape, but we are no longer making regular small surpluses which are reinvested into the upkeep of equipment, and training our latest batch of up and coming canoe instructors. Whilst our core activities are expected to continue as normal, it's this future investment that is proving increasingly tricky.

One of the key ways in which we can improve our outlook and future investment is increase the numbers of young people taking part in our expeditions, allowing us to take advantage of economies of scale.

If you know of an Explorer Unit who isn't currently taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, please encourage them to reach out for a no obligation chat to discover how we might be able to support them. Email [e-mail].

Why include DofE in your Explorer Unit Programme?

All the Top Awards team are current or former Explorer Scout Unit Leaders. We know how tricky and isolating running an Explorer Scout Unit can be. Here are the key benefits we've experienced coming together to tackle DofE together.

• Improved member retainment! Before adding DofE to our programmes we experienced a large number of YPs leaving the unit around 16 years old - now most of our members stay until their 18.

• Better parent engagement - your YP parents become better engaged in the unit, and finally understand that what you're doing is going to benefit their teenager in later life. Far fewer Explorers missing your meetings due to revision, or as punishments. Parents finally "get-it" and may even volunteer too!

• Invested leaders - because those YPs stick around, we're seeing larger numbers come back (even after going to University) to become adult leaders in their home districts.

• Boost your district Young Leader provision - because DofE has a volunteering element, many of your members will begin volunteering at your neighbouring groups. This helps grow your unit as more Scouts become encouraged to become Explorers, and helps your leaders network and collaborate with other groups within your district.

• Network with other ESLs - running a unit can be a lonely role within a district. Getting involved with top awards will give your programme trips and expeditions at very little effort, where you can meet and spend time with other ESLs, and "borrow" all their good ideas for your own unit!

Finally - many Explorer Leadership Teams we speak to hide from DofE because of perceived admin burden. That's why we exist! There is next to no burden to your leadership team, many of our units now find their unit going away twice as often, grow twice the size, whilst spending less time organising trips than they did before!

Walking pathway

Canoeing is not for everyone, we get it. We're working with a number of leaders to develop a more established walking expedition pathway, and support units wanting to run their own DofE walking expeditions. If you're interested in T1 & T2 walking permits, or becoming a DofE expedition assessor, please get in touch! ([e-mail])

People Team

Embracing Change, Building Together

As with any amalgamation of teams, there have naturally been some teething problems along the way. Bringing together different ways of working, experiences, and expectations can be a challenge—but it also opens the door to fresh thinking, new perspectives, and a powerful blend of ideas.

Out of this change, we are already seeing a more unified and innovative County beginning to take shape—bigger, better, and stronger in what we can offer our volunteers and young people. The enthusiasm, resilience, and commitment shown by teams across the County have been nothing short of inspiring.

The wider County can now see the massive impact already taking place, and it’s only just the beginning.

If you’re inspired by the progress and would like to get involved—whether that’s helping with the delivery, administration, or support of County—we’d love to hear from you. Please take a look at the opportunities we have to get involved on the county web site get in touch by emailing [e-mail].

As always, I remain here to support the teams within the People Team, and I look forward with real excitement to what the next 12 months will bring. Together, we’re building something remarkable.

Liz Fricker

People Lead

Training achievements – last 12 months

First Aid

Our First Aid training remains one of the most in-demand offerings, with nearly all sessions fully booked—demonstrating continued high engagement and value. The low rate of non-attendance without good reason reflects a strong commitment from our members. We’ve started to see increased interest from Groups exploring self-funded training options, such as hiring their own trainers and selling spare places, which shows proactive ownership and creative problemsolving. Additionally, there has been a noticeable rise in members bringing in valid external First Aid qualifications and topping them up to meet requirements—further proof that awareness and flexibility around First Aid are growing across the County.

Heritage modules

While demand for heritage modules has tapered off following changes to Wood Badge requirements, we’ve successfully pivoted towards more relevant training. Mental Health and Autism Awareness sessions, led by a leader from 9th Orpington, have received excellent feedback and sparked interest in further sessions—including evening options—demonstrating responsiveness to the evolving needs of our adult volunteers.

Nights Away

We continue to offer training in key areas such as camping skills and Nights Away essentials. While uptake has been slower in some areas, there's clear demand in South London, and our team is actively exploring new venues to meet this need. These efforts will help ensure training is accessible across the entire County. The groundwork being laid now will support a more inclusive and regionally balanced approach to Nights Away training going forward.

Venues & Training Team

Following the merger, we’ve seen a natural shift in trainer availability, with some experienced volunteers stepping back. However, we’ve also identified interest in new venues, which we’ll begin to explore as we shape next year’s training programme. Importantly, the County store for the old SE, which was housed at, Wilberforce has been fully cleared and streamlined, with useful resources relocated to Cudham Shaws and Green Street Green—establishing strong new bases for Nights Away and Young Leader training.

We’re also planning a strategic meeting with our First Aid trainers to coordinate additional courses, review the programme for the coming year, and explore innovative delivery models. While capacity remains tight, the high demand reinforces how essential and valued this training is. We are proud that our model is encouraging Groups to think differently about how they access training.

Our County Youth Lead’s achievements over the last 12 months

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you and congratulations to Joseph Shippam for his incredible hard work, energy, and enthusiasm over the past 12 months in his role as Youth Lead for the County.

Joseph has been instrumental in bringing fresh, youth-led ideas to life, consistently championing the voice of young people across the County. His proactive approach and commitment to empowering our youth members have helped shape a more inclusive and engaging programme for all.

From supporting events to driving forward initiatives that put young people at the heart of what we do, Joseph’s passion has been truly inspiring. His work continues to remind us of the importance and impact of youth leadership within our movement.

Joseph will be providing a full report separately detailing all the fantastic work and developments that have taken place.

Thank you once again, Joseph, for your dedication and for helping to ensure that the voices of our young members are heard, valued, and actioned.

Volunteer development

The continued progress and strength of our Volunteer Development Team wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support and expertise of Matt Butterfield, our Growth, Development and Volunteer Support Services Officer, working as part of the County Development Service. Matt has been a constant force behind the scenes—offering practical support, insight, and tireless dedication to help grow and develop Scouting across South London. His work underpins so much of what we do to support our volunteers, from strengthening existing teams, and ensuring we’re always moving forward.

A massive thank you to Matt for everything he continues to do for the County. His passion and commitment to volunteer development make a real difference every day.

A full report from Matt on his work and the wider development activity will follow separately.

A big hooray for our shining stars!

We’re thrilled to share that between January and June 2025, we’ve had a fantastic 46 Shining Star Awards presented across the County – that’s 25 adult volunteers and 21 youth members recognised for their outstanding dedication, energy, and impact!

A huge congratulations and THANK YOU to every one of our Shining Star recipients – your commitment to Scouting is making a real difference, and your efforts do not go unnoticed. Whether it's behind the scenes or on the front line, the passion you bring continues to inspire others and keep the spirit of Scouting thriving.

Now it’s your turn!

Do you know a youth member who’s gone the extra mile? Or an adult volunteer who’s made a real impact?

Nominate them for a Shining Star Award and help us say a proper thank you for all they do. These moments of recognition go a long way in showing appreciation and celebrating the brilliance within our movement.

Let’s keep the momentum going and continue to shine a light on the incredible contributions being made every day. Head to the County web page to nominate!

Perception Team

Over the past year, our Perception Team has continued to champion the incredible opportunities available to young people across South London Scouts. We’ve placed a strong focus on highlighting the ever-growing range of adventurous activities—such as sailing, caving, canoeing, and flying—that our members are embracing with enthusiasm.

The benefits we're seeing from social media

Social media continues to be a powerful tool in how we connect, engage, and inspire our community. From sharing exciting activities to celebrating individual and group achievements, our platforms have become vibrant spaces for storytelling and discovery.

One of the greatest strengths of social media is its ability to bring people together, enabling us to share ideas effortlessly and connect with like-minded individuals across the county—and beyond. This year, we’ve seen increasing levels of interaction and collaboration across districts, helping to create a more united and informed scouting community.

We’ve also seen how social media can amplify the voices of our subject experts and ‘seasoned volunteers’, giving them space to share knowledge, experiences, and advice. This not only supports the development of others but also builds recognition for the wealth of talent and leadership we have in South London.

Our platforms are showcasing new activities, inspiring adventures, and exciting firsts, encouraging others to step out of their comfort zones and try something different. The impact of this visibility is real: more members are getting involved, more ideas are being shared, and more connections are being made.

Most importantly, social media is opening doors for our members—helping them access opportunities and experiences they may not have thought possible.

To stay connected and see what’s happening across the county, follow and tag us on all platforms using #SouthLondonScouts @SouthLondonScouts

County Development Service

Our County Development Service has had another busy and productive year working alongside new and existing volunteers and in partnership with our scout districts, scout groups, explorer scout units and local communities to support the growth of scouting across our county, ensuring we continue to provide skills for life, challenge and adventure to as many young people as we can.

Throughout the year Matt has continued to assist with successfully driving adult recruitment, promoting the opportunities we have to volunteer. This has been a multilevel approach with him actively working with different promotional channels, networking with local community groups, supporting some targeted campaigns and through providing support and resources, on request, to empower districts, groups, and units to recruit locally.

Our ‘become a scout’ and ‘volunteer with us’ enquiry platform continues to provide an easy to use and effective way of enabling the public to enquire directly with our groups and units about their opportunities for young people, the adventures they offer and for adults to join their teams. Over the last 12 months we have received 1737 youth enquiries to join us and 83 adult enquiries to volunteer with us. Matt is continuing to add groups and units to the system as we work towards integrating the system into Online Scout Manager which will mean the enquiries to join will automatically populate groups and units joining lists. Lots more information will be provide very soon on the steps that groups and units need to take to unable us to make this happen!

Organisational Growth

Over the last year our organisational and development priorities have continued to focus on sustaining our provision and supporting the growth of our membership to pre-pandemic levels. This includes identifying and working towards reducing the number of young people currently on waiting lists to join scouting. Which we will be focussing on with District Leadership Teams over the coming year.

It has also been fantastic to see so many of our groups and district continue to develop and grow with many opening new sections and new groups.

Squirrels Dreys 7 Beavers Colonies 3 Cubs Packs 3 Scouts Troops 3 Explorers Units 3 ~~==~~

We continue to see an exponential growth in Explorer Scouts units across the county and continue to open new units to help meet the growing demand to join the section.

We have also worked with the Regional (National) Growth & Communities Team to build a comprehensive plan of action that has been fed into the national plan for growth.

There are many projects underway to support the opening of new scouting and a list of these and the sections that have recently opened can be views at www.southlondonscouts.org.uk/current-projects-and-workstreams

Transforming the volunteer journey and the way we volunteer

After many years of planning, in November we finally moved to our new ways of volunteer. Matt continues to support the implementation of our new volunteer themes and is currently working on a suite of tools to support the welcome and induction of new volunteers at all levels.

The service has also focused on supporting volunteers across the county with planning and delivering the four pillars that are part of our organisational changes being made by the association within the volunteer journey transformation project.

We are passionate about making sure that volunteering with scouting in South London is ‘hassle free’. To help deliver these changes and ensure that we have a trouble free transition the work that Matt has done in partnership with our districts to support the rollout of our new ways of working continues to be a shining example of best practice across the UK.

This includes:

• Leading the planning, and the implementation of change locally across the county

• Supporting the county, our districts, groups and units to embrace and implement the positive changes to the volunteer journey

• Working with volunteers from across each district to help groups, units and other stakeholders understand and plan for the successful implementation of the changes

• Taking the outputs from the Skills for Life Strategy, in the form of national transformation plans, and helping to make them work in our local contexts taking into consideration local situations and readiness to implement change

• Championing and promoting each of the four areas of change and supporting members across the county, at all levels, to connect the dots about what the changes mean to them

• Coordinating our network of local transformation champions and creating a community of peer-to-peer support and collaboration

• Arranging briefings and support events to help our members understand and plan to rollout the changes in their district, group or unit

• Creating momentum to keep going once the changes land; helping to ensure the changes are embedded and we can measure long term success

Volunteer recruitment

The overwhelming requests from young people to join means that there is a real need, more than ever, to recruit more adults to help provide amazing programmes as part of our leadership teams in our dreys, colonies, packs, troops and units. Weekly section meetings means that there is lots of opportunities for our adults to engage with the families of their members and promote the opportunities available to them to get involved in their teams and help make a difference to the lives of young people in their community.

To support this Matt has developed a wide range of recruitment resources and initiatives. All of which can be found in the ‘volunteer support’ area of our website at, www.southlondonscouts.org.uk/volunteer-support

Looking forward

Matt continues to support our districts and groups with their ad-hoc day-to-day and ongoing needs, identified through meetings with District Leads, and calls from Group Lead Volunteers and section leadership teams and remains committed to providing practical support to anyone in our county that needs it.

He has also continued to maintain, update and develop the areas of our website that the CDS is responsible for, these are to become a scout, volunteer with us and volunteer support area.

Now, as we look to the future, and continue to develop our new county, with a renewed appreciation that scouting, and the development of scouting, has never been more needed, it’s time for us to reflect as we start to develop our new strategy and focus on the next three years.

As you can see, it has been another busy and productive 12 months for our development and volunteer support service and this short report really does just scratch the surface of the work carried out by Matt during the year. This will of course continue as we move forward with our support for the growth, development and support of local scouting as we continue to roll out our new ways of volunteering.

Our development and volunteer support service remains central to our approach to support our adults and prioritising and enabling the growth, organisational development and day to day support of scouting across our seven districts, providing effective, focussed, impactful guidance and support to groups, units and districts and prioritising resources to areas where they can have the most impact, whilst ensuring that all parts of the county receive the support that they need. The service also provides many of the dayto-day support functions we offer our members, many of which would be hard to sustain, in a timely manner, if they were carried out by volunteers. We remain committed to ensuring the longevity of the CDS, so it continues to support scouting throughout South & South East London and provide its low-cost services, support, and resources, to our volunteers at all levels, for many years to come.

You can contact Matt at [e-mail] or on 07766 540 057.

With wonderful facilities and easy access to local transport connections, the South London Scout Centre is such an easy place to experience. We are so pleased that from early this year the centre has continued to return to normal life and a normal routine.

The centre is a 16-minute train journey from central London and is within easy walking distance of Dulwich Picture Gallery, Horniman Museum, and Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

We offer amazing camping facilities and great indoor accommodation all with easy access to central London and all it has to offer.

Our most sincere thanks go to Gordon, as always, for his attention to detail and unfaltering dedication to running the centre throughout the year to ensure that it is available for so many people to use and enjoy.

Centre development

Our plans to development the centre continue to be rolled out and has resulted in a new office adjacent to our new reception, additions to the (new) board room, crew and team bedrooms.

With the centre’s excellent links into the centre of London, our aim is to continue our development plans, as funds become available, to ensure we can provide a versatile facility that can be used all year round. We want to develop the centre’s, now dated, indoor accommodation, and onsite facilities whilst being an exemplar of sustainability techniques and technology which provide an excellent environment for young people to gain skills for life and prepare them to succeed in life!

: Phase One - Laying the foundations – bs ; ’ : 3 Complete : ✓ Da , ; | ¢ a Visitors centre and county services hub – Centre team facilities Vis, VI Na TO EE go. » Pi rs : . Jat ANN De ie MA. Soya Se . Fa We have provided: - a new centralised centre reception and office and county services hub 7 - additional accommodation in our Troop Room offering - service crew and county team accommodation and facilities Fe Ae, nt ‘ Peette owt MgtJl: MEYPs ZF2Mre, i 4 NSMee!A akBe os SN Laed } y Ki 4 9c 2 or! eens Clair Nev - shelter on the camping field (2 of 5 complete) VB bs 3 +f7 A Wi:igreBe aaef Vere a TMA Ny AA ae in any a in i, PreEMA nchy viGf0 ceOB geee 4 Ser 7 ote a Ee PY, 4 hi oe < ; aD ' teakay 2 ayind 4 Lm ‘ ShoreBee“ a Ve; j Ng te (he: $x ; ie oA 02,77 Aye Z othe : % sina? “ / Longer term phases ir f ut , ak lat2 MA Vi ee 3 x4NaWoe piexCte ay“ » ’ i >.OF % en SOi aesive — Here's a high level overview of our development intentions: “ yf ia con “i \ ; pas (# "i N & 1. nhl se * og A, Mais | ty. Da er aft —— J Fre TAT ERESR alts il Tt Bre

3. carry out any appropriate, limited, improvements to site security | Ss — |

demolish the existing Sunley building and construct the new accommodation building PR ee Pee ee, We We cn Phase Four

1. lay new roadways around the site

2. resurface the outside and onsite car park areas which will then have multi use as either parking or hard surface activity areas

3. install new external gates and fencing

4. install traffic management system

Phase five

upgrade the WCs and washroom facilities in the Ismay building to bring them up to a higher standard and to include more facilities with adapted access and gender-neutral needs

Fundraising for The Fort development

This achievement marks an exciting phase in the fort's development, as we embark on enhancing its facilities. With a significant influx of visitors, exceeding 500+ every weekend during the summer months, we are actively seeking centre team crew members to support the centre's operations. If you’re interested, please contact The Fort Team. In hand with this, our focus for the upcoming year will be on promoting The Fort and fundraising for the construction of new buildings and facilities.

Look out for more information on this exciting project, and how you can support our plans and more importantly, get involved in the very near future.

Our Provision (as of 31 Jan. 2025) Scouts EXPLORERS 75 network Districts SEAVEKS 131 Scout Groups Squirrels 169 22 cubs 170 SCOUTS 149

Our County in numbers…

(as of 31[st] January 2025)

Young People 312 2135 3107 2971 1287 77 9889

Total

southlondonscouts.org.uk/countyguide

Young Leaders

390

Adults

Programme facing (Leadership)

Management roles

Governance

Organisational support

1741 133 729 382

Total

3099

Our governance function ensures that scouting at county level is run safely and legally and support this area of work across the county.

The county trustee board is specifically responsible to the county scout council and has a focus on supporting our county strategy; key policy decisions; approval of the county development plan and for acting on matters relating to finance, the county development and volunteer services and the South London Scout Centre.

Our governance is an important part of the day-to-day running of our county and exists to support the County team in meeting its responsibilities.

Our Trustee Board acts in our County’s (the charity’s), best interests, acting with reasonable care and skill and take steps to be confident that:

The county is:

• well managed

• carrying out its purposes for the public benefit

• complying with the policy, organisation, and rules of The Scouts, our charity governing documents, and UK charity law

• managing our resources responsibly

And that the scout county:

1. is operating compliant with the current edition of Policy, Organisation & Rules (POR), including effective management of the key policies listed in chapter 2 - equal opportunities, privacy and data protection, religious, safeguarding, safety, vetting, youth member antibullying policies

2. ensures that young people are meaningfully involved in decision making at all levels

3. plan so that there are sufficient resources (funds, people, property and equipment) available to meet the planned work of each of the county to enable the delivery of highquality programmes and the youth training programme

4. has a positive image in the local community

The trustee board members must themselves collectively:

1. develop and maintain a risk register, including putting in place appropriate mitigations

2. ensure that the county’s finances are properly managed, including development and maintenance of appropriate budgets to support the work of the county

3. maintain and manage:

4. a reserves policy (including a plan for use of reserves outside the ‘minimum’)

5. an investment policy

6. a public benefit statement for the county

7. ensure that people, property and equipment are appropriately insured, and that any property and equipment owned or used by the county is properly protected and maintained

8. promote and support the development of scouting in the local area

9. ensure the appointment and management and operation of any sub-committees, including appointing a chair to lead the sub-committee

10. ensure that effective administration is in place to support the work of the trustee board

11. appoint any administrators, advisers and co-opted members of the trustee board

12. ensure transparency of operation, including:

13. prepare and approve the annual accounts and arrange that they are signed-off by an auditor, independent examiner or scrutineer as appropriate and as appointed by the Scout Council at their Annual General Meeting (AGM)

14. prepare and approve the Trustees’ annual report (which must include the annual accounts)

15. present the approved Trustees’ annual report and annual accounts to the scout council at the AGM

16. following the AGM, ensure that a copy of the trustee annual report and accounts is sent to the District Trustee Board administration and, if a registered charity, is filed with the Charity Commission for England & Wales

17. take responsibility for adherence to data protection legislation (GDPR), recognising that, dependent on circumstances, it will at different times act as a data controller and as a data processor

18. individually and collectively maintain confidentiality regarding appropriate trustee board business

19. where staff are employed:

20. act as a responsible employer in accordance with scouting’s values and relevant legislation

21. ensure that effective line management is in place for each employed staff member and that these are clearly established and communicated

22. ensure that appropriate specific personnel insurance is in place

Governance structure

The members of the county trustee board are appointed in accordance with the current edition of the Policy, Organisation and Rules (P.O.R.) of the scout association. The county chair, county commissioner (county lead volunteer), county treasurer and the county secretary are ex-officio members of the county board of trustees. Other members are elected or appointed at the annual general meeting of the Greater London South County Scout Council. The members of the trustee board, who are its trustees, have met on six occasions since the last AGM in July 2022.

The board currently has one principal sub-committees to assist with its responsibilities, this is the finance sub-committee, and the board receives their reports and then considers their proposals and actions their recommendations as necessary.

Finance Sub Committee

The Finance sub-committee is chaired by the county chair and has devolved operational responsibility for financial management on behalf of the county board of trustees and makes recommendations on appropriate financial management controls to the trustees. The county treasurer is the trustee with day-to-day responsibility for financial management, acting on behalf of the county trustee board.

Membership of the County Trustee Board – County Trustees

The County Trustee Board plays a vital role in ensuring sound governance, compliance, and strategic oversight for Scouting across the County. The composition of the Board reflects a commitment to transparency, diverse perspectives, and skills-based leadership, in line with current guidance from www.scouts.org.uk and POR.

Governance structure

The members of the county trustee board are appointed in accordance with the current edition of the Policy, Organisation, and Rules (P.O.R.) of The Scout Association. The county chair, county lead volunteer, and county treasurer are ex-officio members of the county board of trustees. Other members are elected or appointed at the county annual general meeting. The members of our county trustee board, who are our trustees, met on average six times a year.

The board membership is set-up to ensure that the interests of the County Scout Council are represented, and balanced. It also serves to broaden the membership of the trustee board – possibly to bring in people from other parts of the local community.

Other people deemed appropriate for the County Trustee Board’s current business may be invited to attend a meeting at the chair’s discretion.

The Board consists of the following members:

Ex-officio Trustees

These individuals are members of the County Trustee Board because of the roles they hold within Scouting. They are:

• County Lead Volunteer

• County Youth Lead

• County Chair

• County Treasurer

Elected Trustees

Elected Trustees are voted in by the County Scout Council at the Annual General Meeting. There may be up to eight elected trustees, and they are selected for their ability to support the Board's governance responsibilities and bring external or Scouting experience to the table.

Co-opted Trustees

Co-opted Trustees are appointed by the County Trustee Board to bring in additional skills, experience, or perspectives that may not be represented among the existing members. The number of co-opted trustees must not exceed the number of elected trustees and is subject to the overall maximum of twelve trustees.

This structure ensures that the interests of the County, County Scout Council, and the County Leadership Team are appropriately balanced, while also broadening representation to include individuals from a variety of backgrounds and expertise, both from within and beyond the Scouting community.

Observers and Advisers

From time to time, other individuals may be invited to attend meetings in an advisory or observer capacity, at the discretion of the County Chair, where their presence supports the Board’s current business or discussions.

All members of the County Trustee Board must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in Policy, Organisation and Rules and uphold their legal duties as charity trustees.

From the Trustees

When Greater London South and Greater London South East formed into a larger unified Scout County, the move represented not just a structural reshuffle, but a bold vision for the future of scouting across one of the most diverse and dynamic areas of the UK. Now, with the first year behind us, it’s clear that the transformation was more than administrative. It has laid the groundwork for growth, inclusivity, and reinvigoration at every level of the county.

At the heart of this progress is our County Leadership Team, County Board of Trustees and our “Skills for Life” strategy, which together steers how the county moves forward with purpose. The emphasis is not solely on removing duplication and boosting numbers—although that was an ambition—but on fostering genuine, sustainable growth rooted in community, support for volunteers, and meaningful programme delivery. From the outset, we have had a clear desire to make Scouting more visible, more accessible, and more impactful for young people and adults alike.

Our first year has seen a tangible shift in how we communicate and support our groups, units, and districts. Consistent themes on platforms like our active Facebook community have been celebration, achievement, adventure, and people. From the photos of young people experiencing activities like climbing, camping, and water sports, to the shout-outs for our adults completing learning, gaining awards, or leading events, there’s a real sense of shared momentum. These snapshots represent more than good PR; they speak to our volunteer culture that values recognition, fun, and connection.

We have also taken clear strides in improving our operations and governance. Trustee Boards and Leadership Teams are becoming more focused and capable, buoyed by toolkits and comprehensive guides designed by our development service, aimed at demystifying expectations and maximising effectiveness. Adult learning pathways have become more accessible, with flexible options for completing Wood Badge learning and gaining other skills without compromising other commitments. This attention to volunteer support has started to pay dividends, creating increasingly confident and capable adult teams.

Most importantly, the County has not lost sight of quality. Programme delivery remains a central focus, with renewed emphasis on offering outdoor adventures, youth-led decision-making, and meaningful badge work. Many sections have embraced this, and some have gone further—inviting Explorer Scout Young Leaders into their teams and deepening community partnerships. While there’s always more to do, there’s a clear intent to deliver the kind of Scouting experience that excites young people and meets their evolving needs.

Our first year has also seen us lean into our role as a connector. Our County brings together a rich tapestry of communities—from inner-city neighbourhoods to leafy suburbs—and this diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Our organisational inclusive growth plans subtly acknowledge the different contexts that groups and units operate in, offering a flexible and inclusive approach to growth. It’s not about chasing big numbers for their own sake, but about helping each group and unit thrive in its own way—supporting those at capacity to stay strong, while uplifting those still rebuilding, and providing new opportunities for communities to get involved.

Of course, no transformation is without its challenges. Ensuring that every group and unit feels supported and aligned with our County vision will take time, especially in areas where membership is still recovering or where leadership and support roles remain unfilled. And while youth involvement has increased, we must now ensure that young people are not only engaged, but also empowered—given real voice and influence in shaping the future of our County and the wider Movement.

Nevertheless, the energy and optimism of our first year cannot be overstated. From the consistent presence of the opportunities and support we offer to the vibrant digital storytelling on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, we set a tone of positivity, ambition, and shared ownership. We are a County that knows where we are going—and invite everyone in our communities along on the journey.

In the years ahead, success will depend on deepening this foundation: turning strategy into habit, inclusion into leadership, and participation into lifelong impact. But as first years go, this has been a year of purpose and promise. We have not only grown as an organisation —but we have grown in determination and spirit.

Greater London South County Scout Council

Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts for the period ended 31[st] January 2025

Reference and Administration details

Greater London South County Scout Council (“the Council”) is constituted in accordance with the Rules of The Scout Association and covers the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Royal Greenwich and Wandsworth.

Administrative Details

President Vacant Vice-Presidents Howard B. Strong Peter James Linda Hurford Roger Cooke Gordon Carr Mike Jackson

The County President and Vice-Presidents are not Trustees and have no executive role.

Trustees – County Trustee Board - July 2024 to July 2025

Ex-Officio

County Chair – currently vacant (Alfie Francis – from July to September 2024) County Lead Volunteer – Judy Freeman County Youth Lead – Joseph Shippam County Treasurer – Tim Birse

Trustees :

Martyn Bain, Sydney Codali, Ben Ensom, Bill Gunn, Russell Jones, Cheryl Stonebridge, Russell Zaple

Principal Bankers

Barclays Bank plc CAF Bank Limited

Independent Examiner

Latham Lambourne, Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors. 18 Woodlands Park, Bexley, Kent, DA5 2EL

Registered Offices and County Headquarters

South London Scout Centre, Grange Lane, Dulwich, London, SE21 7LH

General enquiries

[e-mail]. Telephone: [phone]

Structure, Governance and Management

Constitution

Greater London South County Scout Council (“the Council”) is an unincorporated association constituted in accordance with the Rules of The Scout Association (Registered Charity No. 303883) covering the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Royal Greenwich and Wandsworth.

The Council’s governing documents are those of The Scout Association (Registered Charity number 306101). They consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Scout Association and The Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association. The Council is a trust established under The Scout Association’s rules, which are common to all Scouts in the United Kingdom. The Council's role is to offer leadership and support to the Scout Districts and Groups within our geographic administrative area.

The Council supports and encourages the development of scouting in the county. It comprises members of the county team, representatives from the scout network, county scout active support units, and our districts and groups within the county.

The county is led by the lead volunteer for South London Scouts and is governed by the County Trustee Board (“the Board” or “the CTB”). The Board is accountable to the Council for the satisfactory running of the county. The members of the Board are responsible, as Charity Trustees, for all matters concerning property and finance and for ensuring the proper use of the county's resources to support scouting in the county. Members of the Board complete Being a Scouts Trustee learning within the first 6 months of joining the Board. The support of the Boards helps other volunteers run high-quality and safe programmes that gives young people skills for life.

Merger of Counties

On 13[th] July 2024 the Counties of Greater London South (covering the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Royal Greenwich and Wandsworth) and Greater London SouthEast (“GLSE”) (covering the London Boroughs of Bexley and Bromley) voted to merge their activities, both operationally and to create a single registered charity. The merger was effected by Greater London South-East transferring all its assets, liabilities and operations to Greater London South. Greater London South retains its name and Charity Registration Number; Greater London South-East is in the process of being de-registered.

The CTB has considered the various Policies adopted by the predecessor Counties and has decided to adopt the more appropriate for the ongoing organisation. Where this involves a material change for Greater London South, reference is made in the remainder of this report. The Board has decided to adopt the financial period end date of 31[st] January used by GLSE. Accordingly, this report covers the activities of the county for a ten-month period from 1st April 2024 to 31[st] January 2025, and those of GLSE from 13[th] July 2024 to 31[st] January 2025.

Risk and internal control

The county has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss. These include two ‘signatories’ for all payments and comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered. The Trustees have identified the following as the potential key risks that the County could face: Exposure to financial loss from events – mitigated by a robust events approval process Reputational damage from adverse press coverage – mitigated by the use of our perception team and the Scout Association media team.

Reduced income from a fall in membership in our component Districts which generates the major part of our income – mitigated by the support and training of volunteer Scout Leaders to enable a challenging, vigorous and appealing programme for young people.

Safeguarding – The risk of a safeguarding incident involving our members. We mitigate this risk with our appointments process, including DBS searches to vet new adults and a mandatory safeguarding training package.

Safety – The risk to health through unsafe practices. We mitigate the risk through a mandatory safety training package, a system of adventurous activity permits and adherence to the Scout Association Policy, Organisation and Rules.

Major incident at the South London Scout Centre - We mitigate this risk through extensive team training and adherence to regulatory and legislative requirements for health and safety and the maintenance of buildings and equipment and the provision of hazardous activities.

Key Policies

We follow and adhere to The Scout Association’s key policies relating to:

• Equal Opportunities

• Privacy and Data Protection

• Religion

• Safety and Safeguarding

• Vetting

• Youth member Anti-Bullying

These are listed alphabetically rather than in any order of importance or priority. They can be found in the current edition of the Policy, Organisation & Rules of The Scout Association and - www.scouts.org.uk/about us/policy

Our Investment and Reserves Policy

The Board pays close attention to financial controls, particularly in the budgeting of events, activities and building maintenance. the Board also regularly monitors the financial risks to which the County may be exposed. The greater part of the county’s income come indirectly from parents of members through subscriptions, and the Board’s aim is to keep subscriptions as low as possible while providing good quality services necessary to support Scouting throughout the county. There is a tension inherent in this aim: taking on investment risk by investing in equities is likely to improve returns and hence reduce subscriptions over the long term, yet exposes us to short-term value fluctuations. Consequently, the Board has set Investment and Reserve policies as follows:

Investment policy

• The county will only invest in tangible assets to the extent that they are tools and equipment necessary for the provision of County services. Assets that ceased to be used should be disposed of if they have financial value.

• The maximum amount that may be invested in risk investments (shares, bonds and similar) is 20% of the county’s unrestricted net assets as shown in the accounts. Such investment may only be in collective investment schemes with a broad spread of underlying assets. Each scheme used must be approved by the CTB.

• Cash and near-cash funds run by investment managers may be used, but no fund may hold more than 20% of the County’s unrestricted net assets. The underlying investments in such funds must be held in trust.

• Cash held on bank deposit must be in accounts that are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (“FSCS”), and the amount in any account is limited to the protection limit of the FSCS.

At the date of this Report, cash holdings at Barclays Bank plc exceed the maximum specified in this policy. Following the merger of the counties, work is underway to rebalance deposits and open additional bank accounts where necessary.

Reserves Policy

The County will endeavour to maintain available funds, excluding known commitments and funds for planned one-off developments in the next two years, equal to a between one- and two-year’s budgeted revenue expenditure. The subscriptions charged shall be set to achieve compliance with this policy.

Objectives and activities

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 cooperate with others and make friends.

The Scout Method

Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on 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.

Public Benefit Statement

We are part of The Scout Association, the UK's biggest coeducational youth organisation. We help children and young adults reach their full potential and gain skills for life.

We actively engage and support our members in their physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development and to achieve their full potential as individuals, as responsible citizens, and as members of their local, national and international communities.

We operate within a framework of safety to enable young people to take part in adventurous activities safely. Our charitable objectives help young people learn by doing, share in spiritual reflection and take responsibility. Working together, they make choices, take part in new, challenging, and unique experiences, help others and live their Scout Promise.

In partnership with adults, young people take part in fun indoor and outdoor activities. Activities as diverse as kayaking, abseiling, expeditions overseas, photography, climbing and zorbing. We help young people to get jobs, save lives and even change the world by contributing to social change and making a positive contribution to society.

There’s something for every young person. It’s a great way to have fun, make friends, get outdoors, express creativity, and experience the wider world.

We believe that we’ve met the Charity Commission for England and Wales’s public benefit criteria for both the advancement of education, and the advancement of citizenship and community development and being as diverse as the communities we serve.

Review of the Year

Merging the two counties took a great deal of time and effort throughout the year as we worked towards harmonising two different sets of practices. Thanks to the hard work of many we were able to select the more efficient way of dealing with the many practices that needed review, and put appropriate procedures in place. This was achieved which still offering a high standard of service to our Districts and Groups. The first part of this document reviews the activities of our various Teams and the sections for which they are responsible. It makes encouraging reading.

Financial Review

The accounts attached are for a ten-month period and reflect the affairs of the ongoing Charity, Greater London South for that period. The activities of GLSE are only included from the merger date, 13[th] July 2024, and therefore reflect a six-month period. The comparative figures are for a twelve-month period for Greater London South alone.

Our primary source of income is the county subscription charged in respect of each youth member. Scout Groups collect a subscription which covers their own costs as well as the subscriptions charged by the District, County and National Headquarters. Funds are passed up the chain from Groups each march and April. Bothe predecessor Counties set the subscription rate for 2024 with no real knowledge of how costs would emerge in the merged entity.

In the event unrestricted income, excluding that generated by the South London Scout Centre for the period was £84,000 and associated expenditure was £89,000, a very creditable result given the uncertainties.

Major development works were carried out at the Fort, as explained elsewhere. Much of this was funded by operating surpluses, and a grant of £35,000 from the Don Broome Scout Trust, but the Trustees allocated £37,000 of general reserves to the first stage of the projected work. The County membership fee for 2025 has been set at £10 per youth member. This maintained the previous rate for Greater London South. GLSE had been distributing reserves by holding down its membership fee and the £10 was a significant increase, but nevertheless well below the amount charged before the pandemic. County activities are still stabilising into the new structure, so it is difficult to forecast the outcome for 2025 with any certainty at the time of writing in mid-year.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity's financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year (unless the charity is entitled to prepare accounts on the alternative receipts and payments basis). In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently.

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.

• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable organisation will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable it to ensure that the financial statements comply with applicable laws and regulations. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Independent Examiner’s Report

To the Trustees of Greater London South County Scout Council:

I report on the accounts of the Council for the period ended 31 January 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, and related notes.

This report is made solely to the trustees in accordance with Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I may state to the charity’s trustees those matters which I am required to state to them in an Independent Examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees for my examination work.

Respective responsibilities of the trustees and examiners

As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. You consider that the audit requirement of Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act), does not apply. It is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts (under section 145 of the 2011 Act),

• to follow the procedures laid down in the Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act), and

• state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiners report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiners Statement

In connection with my examination, no material matter has come to my attention:

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect:

2. The requirements to keep proper accounting records (in accordance with Section 130 of the 2011 Act); and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the methods and principles of the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015).

3. the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met, or

4. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached,

John Lambourne FCA

For and on behalf of Latham Lambourne Ltd Chartered Accountants 18 Woodlands Park, Bexley, Kent, DA5 2EL

10th July 2025

GREATER LONDON SOUTH COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL

Statement of Financial Activities for the Ten-month Period Ended 31st January 2025

Note Income and Expenditure Income 13 Incoming Resources from Generated Funds Income from donations and legacies Investment Income Incoming Resources from Charitable Activities County activities Greater London South Scout Centre Activities Petchey Fund Third party funds Total Incoming Resources Expenditure 14 Charitable Activities Petchey Fund Development Officers Fund County activities - Support Costs County activities - Programme & Training Greater London South Scout Centre Activities Third party funds (Gains)/losses on investment assets 4 Total Resources Expended Net Movement in Funds Transfers Balances Brought Forward at 1st April 2024 GLSE assets included at 13 July 2024 Balances Carried Forward at 31st January 2025	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2025 £ £ £ 1,151 0 1,151 8,442 0 8,442 82,563 557 83,120 131,193 0 131,193 0 9,283 9,283 0 22,310 22,310 223,349 32,150 255,499 0 12,800 12,800 40,529 0 40,529 27,334 0 27,334 21,283 0 21,283 160,558 0 160,558 0 31,432 31,432 -1,746 0 -1,746 247,958 44,232 292,190 -24,609 -12,082 -36,691 -8,782 8,782 0 430,761 12,990 443,751 157,515 3,843 161,358 554,885 13,533 568,418	12 Months Total Funds 2024 £ 256 4,102 104,643 124,734 18,900 62,961 315,596 18,250 45,463 3,044 6,224 105,960 187,730 -495 366,176 -50,580 0 494,331 0 443,751

The Notes to the Accounts which follow form part of these accounts.

GREATER LONDON SOUTH COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL

Balance Sheet at 31st January 2025

Note Fixed Assets Tangible Fixed Assets 3 Investments 4 Current Assets Debtors 5 Cash at Bank and in Hand Liabilities: amounts falling due within one year 6 Net Current Assets Net Assets Funds Unrestricted 7 Restricted	2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 0 0 39,643 4,725 3,794 0 528,094 654,126 531,888 654,126 3,113 164,520 528,775 489,606 568,418 494,331 554,885 349,455 13,533 144,876 568,418 494,331

The Notes to the Accounts which follow form part of these accounts.

Approved by the Trustees on 9th July 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

(Trustee)

(Treasurer)

GREATER LONDON SOUTH COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL

Notes to the Accounts for the Period Ended 31st January 2025

1 Accounting Policies

a) Basis of accounting These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) ' Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015). The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

b) Income All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably.

c) Expenditure Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to each category.

d) Fixed Assets For a period from 1st April 1996 all fixed asset purchases greater than £1,000 were capitalised and depreciated at various rates. By 31st March 2000 all capitalised items had been fully depreciated amd no subsequent purchased have been capitalised. The Trustees have decided to follow the policy adopted by Greater London South-East of writing off all capital purchases to the Statement of Financial Activities at the point of purchase. The Trustees believe that this policy, which is not in accordance with generally acccepted accounting standards, in appropriate to give readrs of the accounts a clear vies as to the financial affairs of the County.

No change is necessary to prior year figures as a result of this change in accounting policy.

e) Fund accounting Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

• f) Leasing commitments

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the lease period.

g) Pension costs The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the scheme are charged to the Statement of of Financial Activities as paid.

2 Merger of Charities and change in Accounting Period

On 13[th] July 2024 the Counties of Greater London South (covering the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Royal Greenwich and Wandsworth) and Greater London South-East (“GLSE”) (covering the London Boroughs of Bexley and Bromley) voted to merge their activities, both operationally and to create a single registered charity. The merger was effected by Greater London South-East transferring all its assets, liabilities and operations to Greater London South. Greater London South retains its name and Charity Registration Number; Greater London South-East is in the process of being de-registered.

The Trustees have decided to adopt the financial period end date of 31st January used by GLSE. Accordingly, this report covers the activities of the county for a ten month period from 1st April 2024 to 31st January 2025, including the former GLSE from 13th July 2024 to 31st January 2025.

Activities of Greater London South-East prior to the merger are not shown in the Statement of Financial Activities; fund balances transferred on the merger date are separately identified in the Balance Sheet.

3 Membership Subscriptions

The County collects membership subscriptions from the constituent districts which include the subscriptions charged by National Headquarters. These amounts which are passed on to Headquarters are treated as agency income and are therefore not included in the Statement of Financial Activities. Amounts were:

Subscriptions collected Amounts passed on Subscriptions retained	2025 2024 £ £ 217,408 226,190 171,638 159,005 45,770 67,185

GREATER LONDON SOUTH COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL Notes to the Accounts for the Period Ended 31st January 2025

----- Start of picture text -----
4 Fixed Asset Investments
2025 2024
£ £
Quoted Investments
Market Value 1st April 2024 5,220 4,725
Transfer ex GLSE 32,678 0
Net unrealized investment gains/(losses) 1,745 495
Market Value 31st January 2025 39,643 5,220
5 Debtors
2025 2024
£ £
Prepayments 3,794 0
3,794 0
6 Liabilities: Amounts Falling Due Within One Period
2025 2024
£ £
Accruals 1,620 1,354
Subscriptions in advance 0 125,400
Other creditors 1,493 0
3,113 126,754
----- End of picture text -----

7 Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 8 Movement in Funds Unrestricted funds General fund - GLSCS b/f General fund - GLSE General fund - Combined Restricted Funds Petchey CountyTrip 2025 Disney 2025 Poland (ex GLSE) Kenya (ex GLSE) Future events Total Funds

Net Tangible Current Assets Investments Assets Total £ £ £ £ 0 39,643 515,242 554,885 0 0 13,533 13,533 0 39,643 528,775 568,418 At 1.4.24 At 13/7/24 incoming resources at 31.1.25 resources expended transfers £ £ £ £ £ 430,761 223,349 -247,958 -8,782 397,370 157,515 157,515 430,761 157,515 223,349 -247,958 -8,782 554,885 12,650 9,283 -12,800 9,133 0 0 -13,121 13,121 0 340 22,310 -18,311 -4,339 0 0 1,826 1,826 0 2,017 2,017 0 557 0 557 12,990 3,843 32,150 -44,232 8,782 13,533 443,751 161,358 255,499 -292,190 0 568,418

GREATER LONDON SOUTH COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL Notes to the Accounts for the Period Ended 31st January 2025

9 Employees Remuneration

Salary Social Security Costs Pension Costs	2025 £ 34,376 0 867 35,243	2024 £ 41,085 0 973 42,058

At 31 January 2025 there was 1 employee (31 March 2024 - 1)

10 Trustees Remuneration and Expenses

Trustees Remuneration and Expenses
Remuneration paid to Trustees	2025 2024 £ £ 0 0
Expenses Reimbursed to Trustees	1,497 1,180
Number of Trustees Reimbursed	5 1

Trustees were reimbursed for necessary out of pocket expenses spent on Council business at agreed rates, and for expenditure made by them on behalf of the Council..

11 Independent Examination Fees

Independent Examination fee Fees for other services	2025 £ 1,360 260 1,620	2024 £ 1,200 240 1,440

13 Detailed Incoming Resources

Investment Income CAF Bank Interest County Income Voluntary Income, Donations & Grants Membership Levy Fees, Grants etc Fort Caving DOE Youth event South London Scout Centre Income South London Scout Centre Third Party Funds Jamboree County Trip 2024 Disney 2025 Jack Petchey Funds Awards and expenses County Development Funds County Development Grants Total Income	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2025 £ £ £ 104 0 104 8,338 0 8,338 8,442 0 8,442 1,151 0 1,151 45,770 0 45,770 0 0 0 1,602 0 1,602 0 0 4,744 0 4,744 447 557 1,004 53,714 557 54,271 131,193 0 131,193 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22,310 22,310 0 22,310 22,310 0 9,283 9,283 30,000 0 30,000 223,349 32,150 255,499	Total Funds 2024 £ 117 3,985 4,102 256 67,185 7,685 0 443 2,966 2,330 80,865 124,734 31,264 21,266 7,465 59,995 18,900 27,000 315,596

GREATER LONDON SOUTH COUNTY SCOUT COUNCIL

Notes to the Accounts for the Period Ended 31st January 2025

14 Detailed Resources Expenditure County Operating Costs Governance Costs Office costs including stationery & printing Office Holders Expenses Professional Fees & Licences Training Bank & card Charges Programme & Training Courses OSM Gold plus Sailing Fort event County events Youth event Badges DOE awards Conferences/AGM Website Awards South London Scout Centre Operating Costs South London Scout Centre Third Party Funds Jamboree County Trip Disney 2025 Jack Petchey Funds Awards and expenses County Development Funds County Development costs Total Resources Expended	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds Funds 2025 £ £ £ 19,320 0 19,320 3,247 0 3,247 2,040 0 2,040 2,401 0 2,401 326 0 326 1,726 0 1,726 3,870 0 3,870 4,265 0 4,265 3,628 0 3,628 1,303 0 1,303 515 0 515 420 0 420 3,514 0 3,514 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,042 0 2,042 48,617 0 48,617 160,558 0 160,558 0 0 0 0 13,121 13,121 0 18,311 18,311 0 31,432 31,432 0 12,800 12,800 40,529 0 40,529 249,704 44,232 293,936	Total Funds 2024 £ 322 1,180 1,440 0 102 0 0 0 0 1,435 2,180 0 3,447 291 2,318 0 12,715 105,960 36,445 140,713 7,125 184,283 18,250 45,463 366,671

Charity Registration No: 303883

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