34[th] Reigate (Meadvale) Scout Group
Annual General Mee�ng
14 May 2025
Group Trustee Board Chair’s Report
I will be brief in my report for the year, as the reports of the treasurer, the GSL and the sec�on leaders cover much of what the 34[th] has been up to over the past twelve months.
This mee�ng sees the 34[th] in good health. We now have 88 children in our four sec�ons, and a solid wai�ng list for our Beavers sec�on, which brings fresh blood to the group. Our membership has grown over 10% the past year in spite of the rival a�rac�ons of football, swimming, and even GCSEs. The success of the 34th is a tribute to the commitment and hard work of our Sec�on Leaders – Ben Cornish, Robert Walker, Kate Milton and Mark Warner – their assistants, and all of our parent volunteers. Robert Walker – Baggy – deserves par�cularly recogni�on in 2025, as this is his Silver Jubilee year with the 34[th] – he has been with us for 25 years.
I also want to pay tribute to my fellow trustees, who work �relessly – and o�en invisibly – to support the work of the 34[th] . James King, our GSL; Ewa Townsend, our secretary; Leonard Stevens, our head of fundraising; and last but absolutely not least, Gill Harley, who stepped into the breach in early 2024, and who works so hard to look a�er our cash and make sure that it goes where it should. Gill leaves the 34[th] this year, and I want to thank her for her many years of service.
The 34[th] is an important ins�tu�on in the Meadvale community. Our summer fete is, I dare say, a highlight of Meadvale summers, and we are looking forward to this year’s edi�on on 5 July. Our Christmas tree sale is – for those prepared to brave the weather – a wonderful chance to choose your own tree and then walk home with it. Our mee�ngs support that Meadvale ins�tu�on, the Old Oak. And of course many many people living in Meadvale and beyond have done some of their growing up here, learning responsibility and making friends, spending winter evenings in this hut and summer evenings venturing forth.
This year is one of change. The St John’s PCC formally announced a few months ago that it was looking to sell the Meadvale Hall site. For the trustees of the 34[th] , it is a priority that
considering this sale, and have also held two public mee�ngs to gauge local support for keeping the site in community hands. Unfortunately, the Community Ownership Fund, which we had thought would help us to buy the site, has been suspended.
Right now, we are working to raise money from other sources, and con�nue to talk with the PCC. Ul�mately, we as trustees want to focus on suppor�ng scou�ng in Meadvale. We’d prefer not to manage the broader Meadvale site, and we want to get the broader community involved in the site’s future. We are also considering other op�ons, such as opera�ng from another site, but our preference is to stay put on Somerset Road. We will keep you informed of our progress.
34[th] . We have cash in the bank, but we will likely have to use a lot of those funds to secure the future of the 34[th] . Meanwhile, our subs of £32 a term are the lowest in the district. Noone at the 34[th] can remember when we had the last increase. With reluctance, the trustees have decided that subs will increase to £120 a year, payable by monthly standing order, with effect from September. We will s�ll endeavour to support those who cannot pay, but costs have risen a lot in recent years and we need to take note of that.
A final word on what you – the members of the 34[th] - can do to support our work. The lifeblood of the scouts is volunteering. I have already paid tribute to our sec�on leaders, their assistants, their volunteers, and to our trustees. They give a great deal to make scou�ng in Meadvale possible.
treasurer, we cannot operate. Thankfully, Liz Boadella-Burton has stepped up, and I believe that we have some volunteers to share her du�es. But you can always do with a bit more help. So please consider giving up an hour or two to support the work of the 34[th] – to help run a stall at the fete, or help coun�ng cash, or selling Christmas trees, or helping at your child’s weekly mee�ng. A li�le of your �me can make a huge difference. Don’t be shy.
With that, I would like to thank District and County for their con�nuing support, and once again pay tribute to all of our volunteers – uniformed and ‘civilian’ – without whom none of this would be possible.
Thank you.
Simon Kitchen
Chair, 34[th] Reigate (Meadvale) Scouts
Annexes
Group Scout Leader report
“As you will see from the individual sec�on reports, the group has been very ac�ve pu�ng on ac�vi�es from regular weekly mee�ngs, weekend events, and camps for your children. Under the leadership of Bat, and his incredible leader recruitment drive, Beavers has been able to put on a jam packed i�nerary for our children over the last 3 terms, and many have, or will imminently get their Chief Scout Bronze award. Two new Young Leaders from Explorers have supplemented the leadership team”
“5 Cubs have got their Chief Scout Silver award over the last year. In Scouts, our sec�on leader, Kate, has now qualified as a Duke of Edinburgh Award leader. This will enable us to not only work in conjunc�on with schools to help your children a�ain the Duke of Edinburgh Award, but mean we can do it fully in house (Across all age levels for the DofE award) ,offering further opportuni�es for personal development for our children. 5 Scouts have a�ained their Chief Scout Gold award over the last year, 2 also ge�ng the Duke of Edinburgh silver award.”
“We have Explorers imminently doing their Diamond and Pla�num hikes, with three currently looking to achieve the Kings Scout Award (Equivalent to Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award). We also have one Explorer - the first in district - who has achieved the Senior Explorer Scout Young Leader Award, and a BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Teamwork and Personal Development in the Community, through this Scout Group.”
“Finally, on the scout hut - you will appreciate the complexity of the situa�on with the church looking to sell this site. We are in regular communica�on with the church, and retain an interest in trying to ensure the whole site remains in community use. These discussions, of course, have poten�al to be commercially sensi�ve. As soon as we can, we will share more informa�on.”
Group Treasurer Report
Gill presented her report as follows:
“Approved” by the Group Execu�ve Commi�ee and now must be presented for
“Adop�on” by the 34th Reigate (Meadvale) Group Scout at the AGM. The receipts and payments accounts based on the Group’s accoun�ng records as at 31st March 2025 are available for review and will be independently examined post AGM The Receipts and Payments accounts are presented to you using the Scout Associa�on recommended mul� fund template for groups, districts and coun�es/areas, where annual income is equal to or less than £249,999 in England, Wales and Scotland.
On the income side:
● Gi� Aid contributed £1888 from Subscrip�ons, £9,030 of subscrip�ons were received. We paid the full Group subscrip�on to the district at a cost of £4,176.00 in April 2024 for 2024/25 and £4,664 for 2025/26 in March 2025.
● Fundraising contributed an addi�onal £3,940 raised from the Meadvale Village Fayre and Xmas tree sales. We also received £1,017 from dona�ons and £751 bank interest.
●
On the expenditure side:
● Sec�on ac�vity/event costs are usually expected to balance income and expenditure as much as
possible. This year there is a shor�all of approximately £3,341 and the group covered this with subsidies for some ac�vi�es.
and deposits and payments received for the 2025 Barcelona camp.
● Facili�es & other expenditure is down on last year at £4,377,
● The group made payments of £3,300 in rela�on to saving the Meadvale Village Hall and scout hut site to try to ensure the group has a home going forward
The closing accumulated cash funds have decreased from last year £67,901 (2024) to £67,821 (2025).
The cash funds are held in two Group accounts:
● £51,367 is held in the Group Savings account which is primarily reserved for
capital investment in buildings or vehicles.
● £16454 is held in the Group account which is the primary account for Group and sec�on income and expenditure.
● As announced at the previous AGM the Cub account was closed in April 2024 and it’s balance of
£2,421was transferred to the group account.
This really is my last AGM and I am very grateful to Liz Boadella Burton who has agreed to be treasurer and Sarah Goodson who has agreed to support her it will be good to leave knowing that the group is in safe hands and can con�nue to provide the wonderful experiences it does to its members I have said I will be happy to support Liz and Sarah while the transi�on takes place.
34th Relgate (Meadvale) Scout Group Recelpts and Payments Account For th• ymr 0111)412024 To 3110312026 2024R6 EndQn•nt tund• R•8Cl•d lund• fund• Total lund• Tot•1 fvnd• Donlllrn l•g•cl•• and rnIr ao 4.921 190 4.•2 21 8)21 8,081 8ub trAal 11. 11,721 14841 sub lot•1 20J•8 12.60 Sub totsl 24,141 11.491 InTrtthnt Incom• 701 701 761 rot•l Gro•• In¢om• 17.1 17.1 JJ,•2• Tot•1 rK•lpts 17,1
-_2023124 fvnO• nd• nth Tol•l fvnd• Totsl fvnd• Ivy 492 J1 247 •1 12• 8ub lothl 12. 711 711 37200 36M1 17.901 C••h fund• thls y••r WKI •7.021
statement of assets and Ilabllltles at the end of the year 31st March 2024 31•t March 20LS ' Unrn•trl¢t•d fund• fvndB fund• Totsl fvnd• 14 Total c••h fvnd• Oth•r mon•tary •M•ts Sub totsl Sub t¢J¢•l Non mon•tsry aM•ts for ¢h•rfty• 1.717 10• 10.41• 779 Llabllltl•• p*J sub tot•1 Contlng•nt Il•bllttlM and futurn obllgatlon• Th• •bov• rK•lpt• and p•ym•fits iccount and •tst•m•nt of ••s•ts and Il•bllM•s w•r• approv•d by th• Tru•t•M on 14th M•y 2024(th• d•t• ol th• Annual G•n•r•l IA••tlng th•1 •pprov•d th• •CGounts) •nd •lgn•d on th•lr b•h•lf by Prfnt Name Chai Trnasur•r
Unqualified report for a non-company charlty prèparing receipts and payments accounts with a gross income of £250.000 or less in the relevant financial year Independent emamlner's reportto th¢ trnstees tst 34th Reig•te Imeadvaiel Scout Council I reporttothe trustees on rny examin•tsn ofthe •cnts of the 34th Relgots Imgadvaio) Seout Group forthe year ended 31 March 2025. Responslblutles and bas15 of report A5 tho ch4ritytrustees of the 34th Relgwts IMeadv•Lel kout Group you are fespDn$ibtefor the preparation ofthe 4¢¢ounts In accordance with the rtquirements olthe Choritie5 Art 20111.the Act'l. I roportin respect of my exarnlna0n ufthe34th Relgatè IMoadvbLel Scout Group accounts C8rried out under 5eeUon 145 01 the 2011 Artand in Carrying Out my examination I have followed all the appticabie DireetFons GFv•n by the Charity Comm5$5ion under secbon 14515llbl of the ACL Independent exgmlnèr'5 Statsment I have completed my examination. l eonflrm that no material matter$ have come to my attention In connection with the examination giving m• cause to believe that in any materi81 re$pert' accountyng recerds were nrt kept in resp•rtof th• 34th Rgigats IMeadvai•l Scout Group as required by sertion 130 of the Art or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come aeresg no other matters In connecbon with the ex4rnin4ticn to whlch attention shDuld be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understandin9 of the atcounts to be reached. Signed.. Name.. G+_OFF@@Y MPrf1 Relevant profes5itrnal qU3rication or membership of professional bodie$ Irf 4nvl'. NJof•J Address.. 6& MeAS@T Atr(¥&), ÉLT 30/., /zDZ Date..