**Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
## **19[th] Durham Scouts Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
**Accounts, Minutes and Trustee Report**
## **4[th] November 2025**
**www.19nx.org.uk**
**19[th] Durham Scouts**
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**Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
## **19[th] Durham (Neville’s Cross) SCOUT COUNCIL**
Annual General Meeting
4[th] November 2025, 19:30
Moor House Adventure Centre
## **AGENDA**
## **1. Introduction and welcome**
- a. Appoint a Chair for this meeting of the Group Scout Council
## **2. Apologies for absence**
## **3. Governance topics**
- a. Approve the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 6[th] November 2024
- b. Adopt the model constitution from Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR)
- c. Note the Group’s financial year
- d. Approve appointed and community members of the Group Scout Council
- e. Agree the number of members that may be appointed to the Trustee Board
- f. Agree the quorum for future meetings of the Group Scout Council (excluding this AGM)
## **4.**
## **Review of the previous year**
- a. The Group Lead Volunteer’s review of the 19[th] Durham (Neville’s Cross) Scout Group
- b. Receive and consider the Annual Report of the Group Trustee Board, including the annual Statement of the Accounts
## **5.**
## **Making appointments**
- a. Appoint the Group Chair, following recommendation from the open selection process initiated by the Group Trustee Board
- b. Appoint the Group Treasurer, following recommendation from the open selection process initiated by the Group Trustee Board
- c. Appoint members of the Group Trustee Board, following recommendations from the open selection process initiated by the Group Trustee Board
- d. Appoint the Independent Examiner
## **Closing remarks**
**19[th] Durham Scouts**
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**Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
## **Trustee Annual Report**
|**For the period**|**From:**01/04/2024|**From:**01/04/2024|**To:**|**To:**31/03/2025|**To:**31/03/2025||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Charity Name:**|19th Durham Scout Group (Neville’s Cross)||||||
|**Charity No:**|516680||||||
||36 Claude Road||||||
|**Charity’s Principal**|Merrington Park|Merrington Park|||||
|**Address:**|Spennymoor||||||
||DL16 7GR||||||
||||||||
|**Trustee Name**||**Office**||||**Dates Acted**|
|Will Greeves||Chair|||Whole Year||
|Dawn Brown||Treasurer|||Whole Year||
|Jonathan Tones||Group Lead Volunteer (ex-officio)|||Whole Year||
|Darren Melroy||Trustee|||Whole Year||
|Richard Leckenby||Trustee|||Whole Year||
|Amy Beierholm||Trustee|||Whole Year||
|Ulrik Beierholm||Trustee|||Whole Year||
|Nicky Hayes||Trustee|||Whole Year||
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|**Structure, Governance and Management**|**Structure, Governance and Management**|
|---|---|
|**Type of Governing**
**Document:**|The Group's governing documents are those of The Scout Association. They consist of a
Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Association and The
Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.|
|**How the charity is**
**constituted:**|The Group is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts.|
|**Trustee Selection**
**Methods:**|The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of
The Scout Association.|
|**Additional Governance**
**Information:**|The Group is managed by the Group Trustee Board, the members of which are the
‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout Group which is an educational charity. As charity
trustees they are responsible for complying with legislation applicable to charities. This
includes the registration, keeping proper accounts and making returns to the Charity
Commission as appropriate.|
**19[th] Durham Scouts**
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||The Trustee Board consists of 9 Trustees, including the Group Lead Volunteer in an ex-
officio capacity, a Chair, Treasurer, and 6 additional Trustees. The Trustee Board meets
regularly throughout the year.
Members of the Trustee Board complete Being a Scouts Trustee learning within the
first 6 months of joining the Board.
This Group Trustee Board exists to make sure the charity is well-managed, risks are
assessed and mitigated, buildings and equipment are in good working order, and
everyone follows legal requirements and the organisation's policies and rules. Their
support helps other volunteers run high-quality and safe programmes that gives young
people skills for life.
**Risk and Internal Control**
The Trustee Board has identified the major risks to which they believe the Group is
exposed, these have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate
against them. The main areas of concern that have been identified are:
Damage to the building, property and equipment. The Group would request the use of
buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations such as the
church, community centre and other Scout Groups. The Group is similarly open to
supporting these organisations with reciprocal arrangements. The Group has sufficient
buildings and contents insurance in place to mitigate against permanent loss.
Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members. The Group through the national
membership fee contributes to the Scout Associations national accident insurance
policy. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities.
Reduced income from fund raising. The Group is primarily reliant upon income from
subscriptions and fundraising. The group does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity
of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Trustees could raise the
value of subscriptions to increase the income to the group on an ongoing basis, either
temporarily or permanently.
Reduction or loss of leaders. The group is totally reliant upon volunteers to run and
administer the activities of the group. If there was a reduction in the number of leaders
to an unacceptable level in a particular section or the group as a whole then there
would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst-case
scenario this could lead to the complete closure of the Group.
Reduction or loss of members. The Group provides activities for all young people aged
6 to 18. If there was a reduction in membership in a particular section or the group as
whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section.
In the worst case scenario this could lead to the complete closure of the Group.|
|---|---|
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## **Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
|**Objectives and Activities**|**Objectives and Activities**|
|---|---|
|**Summary of the**
**charities objectives as**
**outlined in our**
**governing document:**|**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 co-operate 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.|
|**Summary of the main**
**activities:**|Scouting activities primarily seek to develop young people through learning by doing -
and typically sees weekly meetings being led for young people aged 6-8, 8-10.5, and
10.5-14. Through a Partnership Agreement with Durham City & District Scouts, the
Group also supports activities for 14-18 year olds.|
|**Public Benefit**
**Statement:**|The Group meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the
advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community
development headings.|
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**Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
|**Achievements and Performance**|**Achievements and Performance**|
|---|---|
|**Summary of our main**
**achievements over the**
**year:**|The Group has continued with a normal programme, with all sections running
successful nights away - including many young people having their first night away from
home. All sections have also participated in a rich programme consisting of both locally
organised activities, external visits, and District/County events.
Young people continue to work towards the top awards in each section, and the Group
has welcomed a number of new volunteers.|
|**Financial Review**|**Financial Review**|
|---|---|
|**Statement on reserves:**|The Group's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable
activities of the group should income and fundraising activities fall short. The Group
Trustee Board considers that the Group should hold a sum equivalent to 12 months
running costs, circa £25,000.
The Group is actively planning for the long-term replacement of Nelson Hall, which will
therefore see our cash-in-hand grow each year as we build a fund to support this.|
|**Further financial**
**information:**|The Group's funds are held in cash, held with a bank that is a member of the Financial
Services Compensation Scheme. The Group does not hold any investments.
Income is primarily obtained from membership subscriptions paid by the
parents/guardians of young people who attend the Group.
The Group designates funds each year in the following ways:
Headquarters’ Membership Fee ('Capitation'): £4,500
Adult training: £2,000
Hardship fund: £1,500|
|**Planning for the future:**|Additional work is ongoing to identify the level of maintenance and capital works
required in future with regards to the group's primary asset, Nelson Hall. This is likely
to require significant levels of funding and as a result, the trustees have no concerns
about the current level of reserves being in excess of our annual running costs.|
**19[th] Durham Scouts**
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## **Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
**19[th] Durham Scouts**
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## **Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
|**Declaration**
|**Declaration**
|**Declaration**
|
|---|---|---|
|The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report.
~~a~~|||
|**Name:**
~~a~~|Jonathan Tones
~~a~~|Darren Melroy
~~a~~|
|**Position:**|Group Lead Volunteer|Trustee|
|**Signed:**||email = Darren@/ 9nx.org.uk
~~C=GBO-=~~
19th
~~Durha~~
DN: CN = Darren Melroy
email = Darren@19nx.org.uk
~~C = GB O = 19th Durham~~|
|**Date:**|01-11-2025|~~C= GBO-=~~
19th
~~Durha~~
(Neville's Cross) Scout
Group
Date: 2025.11.03 11:34:30 Z
~~C = GB O = 19th Durham~~
(Neville's Cross) Scout
Group
Date: 2025.11.03 11:34:30 Z|
~~|~~ **P a g e | 8 19[th] Durham Scouts**
## **Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
## **Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the 19[th] Durham (Neville’s Cross) Scout Group**
## **Held at Moor House Adventure Centre, 1930 on 6[th] November 2024**
## 1. **Introduction and welcome**
_Jonathan Tones opened the meeting and provided an overview of the year, including events and achievements by the group._
_Jonathan Tones confirmed that in the absence of the Group Chair, Darren Melroy would chair the remainder of the meeting on behalf of the Trustee Board._
_Darren Melroy confirmed that the meeting was quorate through a show of hands from members of the Group Scout Council._
## 2. **Apologies for absence**
_Apologies were received from William Greeves._
## 3. **Governance topics**
- a. Approve the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 7[th] November 2023
_The minutes of_ the _Annual General Meeting held on 7th November 2023 were APPROVED by a show of hands._
## b. Adopt the model constitution from Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR)
_The model constitution from POR was APPROVED by a show of hands._
## c. Note the Group’s financial year
_The group’s financial year was NOTED as 1[st] April through 31[st] March by a show of hands._
## d. Approve appointed and community members of the Group Scout Council
_No appointed or community members were proposed or approved._
- e. Agree the number of members that may be appointed to the Trustee Board
_The recommendation from the Group Trustee Board that total membership of the Group Trustee Board be 9 members was APPROVED by a show of hands._
## f. Agree the quorum for future meetings of the Group Scout Council (excluding this AGM)
_The recommendation from the Group Trustee Board that quorum of the Group Scout Council be 10 members was APPROVED by a show of hands._
**19[th] Durham Scouts**
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## **Group Campfire, BBQ & AGM**
## 4. **Review of the previous year**
- a. The Group Lead Volunteer’s review of Scouts in the 19[th] Durham (Neville’s Cross) Scout Group
_This point was covered under Agenda Point #1._
- b. Receive and consider the Annual Report of the Group Trustee Board, including the annual Statement of the Accounts
_The Annual Report of the Group Trustee Board, including the annual Statement of the Accounts, was RECEIVED and CONSIDERED by a show of hands._
## 5. **Making appointments**
- a. Appoint the Group Chair, following recommendation from the open selection process initiated by the Group Trustee Board
- b. Appoint the Group Treasurer, following recommendation from the open selection process initiated by the Group Trustee Board
- c. Appoint members of the Group Trustee Board, following recommendations from the open selection process initiated by the Group Trustee Board
_Items 5a, 5b and 5c were taken as one action, with the below recommendation from the Group Trustee Board APPROVED by a show of hands._
|**Role**|**Name**|**Duration**|
|---|---|---|
|Chair|Will Greeves|2 yrs|
|Treasurer|Dawn Brown|3 yrs|
|Trustee|Amy Beierholm|3 yrs|
|Trustee|Richard Leckenby|3 yrs|
|Trustee|Nicky Hayes|2 yrs|
|Trustee|Darren Melroy|1 yr|
|Trustee|Ulrik Beierholm|1 yr|
## d. Appoint the Independent Examiner
_John Cowey was APPROVED as the Independent Examiner by a show of hands._
**Closing remarks**
**19[th] Durham Scouts**
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