Synthonia Scout Group AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Scouts
Photo: Easter Online Sleepover 2021
Contents
Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 7 Page 8 Page 10 Page 12 Page 14 Page 16 Page 19
Introduction Page 3 The Team Page 4 Group Chairman's Report Page 5 Building Extension Page 7 Group Scout Leader’s Report Page 8 Beaver Section Report Page 10 Cub Section Reports Page 12 Scout Section Report Page 14 Group Annual Accounts (for period 1st Jan 20-31st Dec 20) Page 16 Minutes of 2021 AGM Page 19
Scouts
Synthonia Scout Group
Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Page 2
Introduction
This years Annual Meeting of the Group Council is going to be different. Why? Well the HQ isn’t quite big enough to hold every one who wants to come along and see our show. Mark and I are conceited enough to think you just want to see him and I but of course that’s not the case. As ever you want to see the children put in some great performances on stage and receive some recognition for their efforts in scouting.
This year we are going for comfort so we are going to try and do two shows so we can all have a tad more legroom.
Show One will start at 1.30pm on Sunday 15th May and Show 2 will start at 4pm. We will share the kids awards across both shows but inevitably the logistics may mean that some of us might miss our child’s award. We are going to video and post all the awards on facebook so you can all have a record.
Scouts Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group
Registered Charity No. 505233
It makes it a bit difficult for us to do the business too. The Group Council (all parents, leaders and interested parties) have to review and accept this report, accept nominations to the Executive and approve the finances for us to accord with the rules of the Scout association and the Charity Commission. So it is important for you to read and digest everything before you come to our afternoon. We don’t think there is anything controversial in the report. However please talk to us early about anything you aren’t sure about or need more clarification on. We will then ask for a show of hands to accept the report and its contents at each start before we move on with the show.
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Mark Anderson, Group Scout Leader Allan Neal, Group Chairman
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Group Officials
Mark Anderson Andrew Scrimshaw
Group Scout Leader:
Deputy Group Scout Leader: Chairman: Group President: Treasurer:
Allan Neal John Taylor Neil Martin
Michelle Malkin
Secretary
Tony Anderson, Brian Capes, Michael Keilding, Linda Ransom, Stephen Hope, Karren Towning, Paula Pekovic, Tony Anderson
Nominated Group Executive members:
Jaqueline Bradburn.
Auditor:
Beaver Scout Leaders
Megan Lund, Dorothy Harris Dylan Hayes, Chris Scrimshaw, Anne-Marie Clarkson, Karren Towning Leon Hobson, Hermione Clarkson, Charlie Towning, Gaelle Baucherel, Phoebe McCabe, Ameila Iddon
Beaver Leader: Assistant Beaver Leader: Helpers: Young Leaders:
Cub Scout Leaders
Cub Leaders: Assistant Cub Leader: Helpers:
Mike Atkinson
Andrew Woods, Kevin McCabe, Gee Barlow, Faye Capes, James Atkinson Brian Capes
Scouts Leaders
Scott Hutchinson
Scout Leader: Assistant Scout Leader: Scout Helpers: Young Leaders:
Jordan McGrogan, Elliott Bradburn, Chris Whelan, Amy Dixon, Logan Ransom Colin Davies, Tony Anderson Charlie Towning, Liam Thompson, Tyler Blenkinsop, Sam Iddon, Poppy Fearns, Gaelle Baucherel
Scouts Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group
Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Page 4
Chairman's Report
It does look a little like things are returning to normal….. and then they aren’t. Suddenly COVID has another go and we are leaders or children short at meetings as people look out for each other and stay away until they are not infectious. How on earth does everyone cope? Synthonia is managing very well it seems to me. The kitchen extension and new store has been completed without detriment or disruption to any of our section meetings. It looked impossible to me, watching Ando, Akela, Jordan and just about everyone else putting up wallboard, painting and decorating, plumbing and wiring, mopping cleaning and sweeping, building shelves, loading shelves. Wow just an amazing effort from everyone. We need not to just thank the doers who did the work but also thank everyone left sat at their homes. They have seen the quality of life at home suffer while all the stuff that needed to be done at the headquarters got done. Thank you for sharing your folk and their time with us. It has been a truly phenomenally busy time at the group and looking at that kitchen, was it worth it? Oh Yes!!
I hope everyone enjoyed our new Mother’s Day afternoon tea. A great fun idea and something a little different. Roll on Fathers Day and our all day breakfast - Wahoo!! Dads
So looking at the money and the balances we look to be in a very healthy situation. We are except we still have the cost of the extension to come out of the accounts. Costs are rising significantly. The larger building replacement value is nearly 4 times our present insured value. Our fee’s to headquarters are significantly higher and we all know and understand the impact of inflation is having on costs. We are about to do a little financial exercise of stripping out the gratefully received one off grants and donations for the kitchen project from the accounts. Then we can check whether our regular income is meeting our regular expenditure and make any necessary adjustments.
So even with the extension the scout group is growing and fit to burst. Over 100 young children on the books. So would we benefit from more grown ups having fun with us and helping manage the load? Of course we would. Have a chat with Ando to see what you can do to help our kids develop into better adults.
So finally another great year. Have a read to see what has gone on. The exec team make it easy for me to see the group administered well. Thank you to Mark, Akela, Scott, Megan and their leaders do a superb job to see your children receive the very best that scouting has to offer Thank you to them
Allan Neal
Scouts
Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group
Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Page 5
Mission Accomplished The Building Extension
For well over 9 years now we have been talking about extending our building. At last that aim has been completed. We now have a larger and better equipped Kitchen. We can use the new facilities to help our young members with their cookery skills. We have also made it much easier for ourselves when catering for camps, sleepovers and fundraising events. We have recently completed moving all the equipment stored in the old Storeroom into the new extension. Now we can turn our attention to converting the old Storeroom into more useable space for our growing sections and hopefully attract the local community to use the building too.. It has been a long and tiring job. Working most weekend and evenings for the last 4 months to achieve this fantastic result. Many thanks need to be passed on to all the Leaders, helpers and young
leaders who gave up their spare time to help create our new facilities. Thanks to you all.
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Scouts Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020
Group Scout Leader’s Report
Another strange but uplifting year for the Group. Numbers of young people haven’t fallen throughout the pandemic if fact they have Increased. There are no places available throughout the whole Group, with waiting list starting to grow for all sections. We have Increased our Beaver Scout Cohort slightly, but due to the limited adult Support, we have been unable to fill up to our max with Beaver Scouts into the Group. Please have a think about Volunteering and join the Synthonia Leader Team. We run a Volunteering 4 week challenge, the information for which is on the next page, please have a go. You could help us to Provide Scouting to more young people in Billingham.
Last year’s AGM and show again didn’t happen due to the covid regulations, but rest assured our show will happen this year “Synners on stage” in 2022 will take a different Shape this year, as we have so many young people in the group now we are going to move the AGM to a Sunday afternoon and we are going to do 2 shows so that we can make sure parents get the chance to see there Beaver, cub and Scout take part in the Show.
We have not been able to run a normal camps since the start of the pandemic so it was great to get back to our normal busy Camps in November, with Both the Cubs and the Scouts enjoying weekends away. With both sections away n the same weekend we had a total of 78 Members of the group away on camp over the weekend. Both the CUBs and Scouts all so had a camp in the new year, with the cubs going to Thornthwaite and the Scouts visiting Kettleness both were full, busy camps as usual. Well done to all the leaders for the time in planning and running the events.
Unfortunately due to the increasing numbers of Covid cases we took the decision to cancel the Christmas party, a decision that was not taken lightly but which we had to make to keep as many people safe as possible over the christmas period.
Again as i did last year, I would like to thank a number of people who have worked on our building over the year, especially as we worked on our building project. Akela, Scott, Tony, Jordan, Elliot and the Young Leaders, leaders and helpers. Together we have worked to create a fantastic facility with our new kitchen and store room. The builders handed the structure over to us in November and with lots of weekends and evening works we are just about done, Thank you all, a fab team effort.
I am pleased to announce that Allan Neil our Group Chairman who has been working in Scouting all his life at various Scout group & districts and has been the Chair here at Synthonia for 10 years has been awarded the Silver Acorn by the Scout Association, for distinguished service to Scouting. A well deserved award and i look forward to seeing Allan being presented with the award at the Meeting.
Finally a huge thank you to all our Leaders, Helpers, Young Leaders and Parent Support members for all their hard work and support in the last year. Our young people are amazing, as long as they keep enjoying the Scouting experience we provide, we will all continue to have fun and love Synthonia for what it is, our big Scouting Family.
Scouts
Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group
Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Mark Anderson Group Scout Leader
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Adult Volunteers 4 week Challenge
If “You” think you would like to become part of a fantastic team of adults who support the young people of the Synthonia Scout Group, please come and chat about how you think you can help us.
You might be interested in helping with the Beaver Scouts, or have skills or experience that would be useful to help the Scout Section. You might like counting money. There will always be something you can help us with.
We have a wide range of jobs that need doing. Working with the young people, managing the Group, maintaining our Headquarters. We have a great team that you will enjoy being part of. So please come and talk to us, we need you help now.
Many Thanks
Mark Anderson Group Scout Leader
Scouts
Synthonia Scout Group
Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM
Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Beaver's Report
What a busy time the beavers have had this year. With over 300 badges given out and 6 bronze awards as you can see on the right of the page, we also had 3 beavers achieved all the activity badges too, a massive achievement. We have also introduced lodge leaders choosing 5 of the more senior beavers who took on their roles very impressively and wore their badges with pride.
We started the year off in May with our outdoor challenge badge. The beavers took part in a nature walk around Belasis business park and we completed the outdoor challenge badge where we cooked s’mores on campfires and learnt some new campfire songs. We had some great fun erecting tents and pretending we were at camp. Sona came down and helped to build some bug hotels to finish the badge, With the warm weather looking to hang around we moved into the gardens in July where the beavers made campfire blankets and each sewn on their badge, next we built outdoor shelters, using staves, rope and tarpaulin. Each lodge had a different approach to this, and each was successful. The experimental badge was next and was a huge success with 3 experiments, oobleck, skittles and making sorbet using ice and salt. We had planned our annual sandcastle competition at Seaton Carew but the weather put a stop to this, so we improvised and held a sandcastle drawing competition instead. With many fabulous drawings of unique sandcastles, it was a very difficult task to pick just one winner. Our last night before breaking up for summer we put on our camp blankets and had a wonderful campfire and sang so many camp songs.
We returned in September ready and raring to go and start another badge. This time the collector’s badge. The beavers all brought in something they collect and showed them to the other members. We made some wonderful leaf printing pictures and learnt how to sign our own names using sign language. In October our young leaders planned our Halloween night, the beavers all looked spooktacular in their costumes. November was a busy month the beavers designed a superhero and then made a shield that their superhero would use. We had the honour of taking part in the Billingham remembrance day service. None of the beavers had taken part in this before and were all amazing, especially our flag bearer Rory. We were fortunate enough to have a visit from Cleveland fire brigade, they gave us a talk on fire safety & let us see ourselves using the thermal imaging camera, we then moved outside to see the fire engine. To finish off our creative activity badge the beavers in their lodges wrote a short play then designed sock puppets before putting on a puppet show for us all.
With Christmas just around the corner we made Christmas eve boxes, after decorating the boxes whilst having a dance to Christmas songs we made hot chocolate cones, reindeer dust, reindeer bauble and a Christmas card. For our last night of the year we had a night at ‘go climb’ at Billingham forum. We all had a go on the vertical walls with many beavers conquering their fears. Unfortunately, we decided it was safer to cancel the Christmas party due to the high volumes of covid cases. Santa wasn’t able to give out the Beavers gifts so entrusted them to ko and chip to deliver. The beavers learnt new skills for the skills challenge badge we lit candles safely, learnt how to tie shoelaces and decorated biscuits that were very yummy.
Moving onto the health and fitness badge in February the beavers enjoyed making fruit kebabs with fruit they had cut and prepared themselves. With lots of games and sports it was a tiring month. March, we moved onto money skills, the beavers had great fun designing their pound notes, learnt the history of money through a quiz and looked at some old coins. We also welcomed Cath to the colony as an assistant beaver leader. We were fortunate enough to have Andy (NAG) come down over two weeks to do some air rifle shooting with the beavers which was a great few nights. As march drew to a end we finished off with making some beautiful mother’s day cards. April was easter themed. Making easter cards. We had easter bunny scavenger hunt. The beavers decorated cups and planted flower seed bombs. We ended the night with chocolate eggs and chocolate cornflake cakes made by Kim.
Massive Well Done to Rory, for his personal challenge he set himself the target of no game consoles for two weeks. However, Rory didn’t stop there he wanted to do something to help the people in Ukraine, so with his mams help he came up with the idea that people could sponsor him to complete his personal challenge and donate the money to the red cross appeal. On the last count he was close to £200. Well Done Rory we are all very proud of you!
Scouts Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Well done to all the Beavers who have taken part into these activities.
I would like to say a big thank you to all the leaders, young leaders, and parent helpers.
Special thanks to ko who has been amazing at planning the programme and keeping the beavers so busy.
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*1 Scouts Synthonia Scout Group Registered Charity No. 505233 AGM AnnuaL Reports & Accounts 2022 Page 9
Cub's Report
So, another difficult scouting year, due to Covid restraints, has passed and Its time to look back at what we have achieved. 2021 did allow us to do more face-to-face scouting but severely limited the camping opportunities and visits away from the Scout Hut. Yet again another year with no County events and only one District event, St Georges Day Parade, to which 11 cubs attended.
Summer camp was cancelled again due to Covid guidance, but we have managed to hold two pack holiday weekend camps. The first of these was a Magic themed weekend at Carlton. 30 cubs attended and had a magical weekend completing many Harry Potter themed activities and crafts. Unlike the books, Slytherin triumphed and managed to win the house cup. In the spring our second camp was a media themed camp at Thornthwaite, the cubs were challenged to make an advertisement video to promote cub scouting. The videos you have all seen, are proof of how hard the cubs worked that weekend to make some great films.
Regarding pack visits, we managed to participate in Ice Skating in November, swimming in March and a visit to MIMA last September. We also had a great visit to St Cuthbert’s Church, last Autumn. It’s amazing that we have a building that’s over a thousand years old on our doorstep. The cubs also really enjoyed our Fire Station visit which was short but highly enjoyable.
Although Covid has given us challenges, the cubs have taken on all that I have asked them, we have at last stopped the zoom pack meetings and we met each week outdoors on the field at the rear of our building and we still continue to complete many badges. Ten cubs have completed their Chief Scouts Silver Awards presented to them during the last year and Rory will receive his Silver this during the AGM. Otherwise, a massive 474 other badges have been awarded since September. Well done to all the cubs.
My grateful thanks must go to all my leaders, Young Leaders and Helpers for all their help and support over the last year.
Akela
Scouts
Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts
2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
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Scout’s Report
What a year of Scouting we have had, lock down, no lock down, masks on, masks off, but week in week out we turned up and pushed on forward to grown the Troop to 42 Scouts amazing work, so first, I would like to thank every Leaders and young leaders for the time put into programs, camps, learning and adapting as fast as we did, not a backward step was taken and for that I am proud, well done everyone.
This year I am sure everyone has a favourite memory but a few of mine have been our first camp, after the lockdown, which was held at Ratlingate, near Carlisle. Summer camp was cancelled again due to the Covid guidance, so we ran a few summer events, paintballing, Aqua Park, paddle boarding, and wakeboarding, then up on the hills for some hiking.
One of our Young Leaders Poppy Fearns, is going to the world Scout jamboree in Korea next year, which will keep the tradition of someone from Synthonia attending the world Jamboree, which is in South Korea, in 2023. We also have Amelia Iddon, Megan Lowe, Sam Green, Lilly Baker, Matilda McCartie and Young Leader in the Cub Section Aiden Cairnie all been selected to go along to the Haarlem Jamborette near Amsterdam at the same time, well done to all of you for being selected by the county to attend the events, we hope you have an amazing time..
At this time, we have handed out near 370 badges from the world Challenge, Teamwork Challenge, level 5 Swimming and first aid, to name a few, right up to awarding 2 Chief Scout Gold Badges to Amelia and Ashley a massive well done on reaching this milestone in scouting,
We have had 2 camps since restrictions were lifted, the second camp was held at Kettleness near whitby which was a chilly and wet weekend but one we all enjoyed, we have plenty more booked in with our first summer camp for 3 Years booked, we are off to Walesby Forest for 7 days, with loads of activities planned.
We held our very first Boxing day dip in December and Raised a massive £2000 for the group, an idea put forward and planned by the Scouts themselfs, for the fundraising badge, it was a freezing morning with 38 brave Polar bears & Penguins up to their waist in the north sea, smiling and enjoying life. Well done again every one, who’s up for it next year too?!.
As always, I will finish this report with a quote
“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible
is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” ― Arthur C. Clarke
Scouts
Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Scott Hutchinson
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Synthonia Scout Leader
Scouts's Report ¥v. Scouts Synthonia Scout Group Registered Charity No. 505233 Ir AGM AnnuaL Reports & Accounts 2022 pj Tl!.IlJl Page 14
Sections Accounts, Group Accounts and financial Statement for 2021
Scouts Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group Registered Charity No. 505233
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
Page 15
Section Accounts 2021 Income Expense Camping Equipment Events- Beavers Events- Beavers Events- Cubs 119.IX) 87.50 2,132.(K) 3,933.(K) 383.20 Events- Scouts Events- Cub5 1,564.95 4.692.37 562.27 Joining fees Membership fees- Beavers Membership fees- Cubs Membership fees- Scouts Membership fees-young Leaders Events- Scouts Group Camp/Sleepover Meetings- Beavers Meetings- Cub5 Meetings- Scouts OSM/Go Cardless Fees Scout Shop- Beavers Scout Shop- Cubs Scout Shop- Scouts Subs To Group 2,076.IXI 5,040.(K) 4,680.(K) 149.95 137.92 Scouts 370.29 608.52 Synthonia Scout Group 241.39 598.44 316.41 Registered Charity No. 505233 9.120. Account balances Sections Bank book 2.756.61 AGM AnnuaL Reports & Accounts 2022 Summary Account balance brought forward Total income Total expenditure Net income Account balance carried forward 2.343.42 18.963.20 18,550.01 413.19 2.756.61 Page 16
Iir ASAT 31.112•21 Group Audited Accounts 2021 INCOMING t10.n&1S £18,31521 £9.120.0) £5.. £740.(K) BIJSINESS SUPPCRTGRATr¥rs SUBSCRIPTICNS DONATI( HQ HIRE MINIBUS HIRE KIIKE KILDING SPC4SORSHV TIWISFER TO &AVS ACCO1 £22,OJ).iX) CAPITATI¢JY FEE £3.277.70 UTILtTIES & RATES E2.&%1.58 INSLIRANCE £1,W.C MINIBUS WENSES £1.4¥2.58 ) lNTENthCE £1.241.05 EWIPMENT FOR HQ £895.68 £332.94 £2.( £103. £10.034.42 .127.15 £34178 PARTY EXPENSES EXTENSIC4 Scouts Synthonia Scout Group INCOMING £39251.61 E67.37 £22.1W. INTEREST TRANSFER FROM GROUP Registered Charity No. 505233 £61.31&98 TATEIIENr 8VILDINGS INSUR1 VhLUE GAMPWG EQUIPUENT tr4SWNCE VALL £221.223.(XI FiLLY DEPRECIATED .234.LYI FIXLY OEPRECiATED AGM AnnuaL Reports & Accounts 2022 previw5 )tars Page 17 AixxfoR
2021 AGM Minutes
The Synthonia Scout Group did not record Minutes as an attended Meeting did not take place. Annual Reports and Accounts were delivered to every parent, member and supporter of the Group and copies were issued to the County Commissioner, District Commissioner and District Chairman.
Group Officials were asked to remain in post for the pursuing year and everyone who received the document were asked get in touch if this arrangement was not acceptable, No Comments were received.
Scouts Synthonia Scout Registered Charity No. 505233 Group
Registered Charity No. 505233
We also ask everyone who received the document to return comments or queries with regards the Annual Reports and Accounts with 14 days of receipt. No such comments or queries were received within the 14 day period, from distribution of the document, so the Annual Reports and Accounts were accepted as read on the 16th June 2021.
AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2020 AGM Annual Reports & Accounts 2022
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