Wolverhampton Scouts Joint Management Committee Annual General Meeting Wednesday 3[rd] May 2023
Wolverhampton Scouts (t/a Patshull Activity Centre), registered charity number 518018
Charity overview
Wolverhampton Scouts, trading as Patshull Activity Centre is a 100% volunteer-led charity that runs an outdoor activity centre for children, young people and adults.
We engage with any youth-based organisation (such as scouts, guides, cadets, etc.), educational institutions (such as schools, colleges, universities, etc.) along with our wider community/and other businesses.
We provide both residential and non-residential outdoor learning experiences in order for children and young people to reach their true potential.
We occupy 16 acres of woodland/parkland within the Patshull estate on the Shropshire and Staffordshire border (just outside Wolverhampton) and boast a rich history being part of the estate since 1912!
Our aims and objectives
Patshull Activity Centre is a volunteer-led outdoor activity centre working with children and young people from all backgrounds of our communities and welcome any organisation that work with children and young people to enjoy what we have to offer.
We specialise in being a fantastic venue for outdoor learning experiences which enable children and young people to develop in so many different ways.
We’re passionate about ensuring that we are accessible to all, regardless of budget as we service some of the most deprived neighbourhoods across the Midlands region and because of this our prices start at only £3.75 per person to camp overnight.
We are run by solely by volunteers from the local scouting community, the aims of The Scout Association, of which we are part, is to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential as individuals, responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. Through adventure we challenge individuals so that they learn and experience new things that enrich their lives.
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Deputy Site Manager Report (Warden’s report)
What a pleasure it is to be writing this report for what has been another EXCEPTIONAL year for us at Patshull!
Writing this year’s report has made me reflect on how privileged we all are. Being able to be part of something so special in such wonderful surroundings and seeing how so many people all work hard to ensure it is presented in the best possible way for the hundreds of children, young people and adults that visit us each year.
Enabling each of those visitors to no doubt make their own special memories at Patshull, like so many of us did when we were just young children (some a few more years ago than others!?).
Together, we have all achieved so much over the last 12 months - the site is looking better than ever and has benefitted from several improvements.
As ever, I would like to make a special mention for all the friendship, help and support from my fellow members of the management team consisting of our chairman Bob and manager Richard. You both dedicate so much to Patshull, at our site and behind the scenes that many people won’t even realise – it is with thanks to you both that we are in the healthy position we find ourselves today. On behalf of Wolverhampton Scouts and everyone here, I would like to say a heartfelt THANK YOU.
I would also like to thank our wider committee and saving the best until last, our ABSOLUTELY AMAZING group of volunteers who make everything we do possible – from the activity instructors, duty wardens, service team members and, for who is pretty much our full-time resident handyman, Tom! You should all be extremely proud of everything you contribute.
In the next section you’ll read about the level of activities that we have delivered – a huge thank you Mick for being our resident activities expert and a special note of thanks to all our instructors and especially those who always seem to be out there, Rob, Nick, Matt and Ron to name a few! Also, a huge welcome to the 20+ new volunteer instructors we have recently signed up!
Finally, which has become somewhat of a tradition, a special mention to our most experienced, loyal, veteran Scouter, Bill Leighton! Thank you for everything you continue to do for us!
Bookings & Activity Report
Well, where do I start, the 2022/23 financial year has literally been our best year EVER! With a whopping 94% increase on the previous year, amassing a huge £21,331.45 worth of bookings.
£13,455.95 of those relating to camp fees (roughly equating to 4271 nights) and £7,686.50 of those for activities (resulting in 176 activity sessions being delivered, benefiting 2,112 children and young people!).
As we look forward to the next twelve months, we already have almost £12k worth of bookings scheduled, which is right where we want to be in the first six weeks of the new financial year!
Thank you once again to everyone who makes these bookings possible!
Providore Report
We’ve had another brilliant year in the Providore, with a huge 110% increase of turnover on our previous year, totalling almost £4k (£3,923.24) with a profit of £1,545.88.
A special thank you to our top salesperson, Nick! You clinched top for 9 of out of the 12 months! Watch out though, Matt and myself were close behind you across the other 3 months! Quite seriously though, a huge thank
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you to everyone who has opened the shop which is another part of our fantastic offer – it’s one of the highlights of each young person’s weekend – in fact, probably the leaders too!
Fundraising and Development Report
We have secured several grants over the past 12 months which have totalled around £15,000. Ranging from supporting the development of carbon savings as part of our insulation and LED lighting works, sports equipment, and a defibrillator. There could have been a range of other opportunities over the year that could have increased this, however, we made a conscious effort to ensure that we invested in business development and the range of significant improvement projects which have taken a significant amount of time for both Richard and myself. Looking back now, the 94% increase of bookings and 110% increase in providore income has been testament that this was the right approach.
You will have seen that we have continued to drive forward developments at Patshull which have seen the following improvements:
Golf House - involving modernising the electrics, addition of insulation, LED lighting, carpets, bunk beds along with a general makeover
Barn – involving the addition of insulation on the ceiling, LED lighting, central heating (especially a hit as it services the Wardens Den too!) along with a general makeover
Mains power – running mains power to the Field Kitchen and with cables laid to service the Paddock Toilet Block, High Ropes Activity Area, Lakeside Activity Building and even Monkey Island! Addition of formalised parking area for Golf House Landscaped areas across the site to make our space more user friendly Addition of fencing, gates and hedgerows Plus much more!
We have commenced the first phase of our Lakeside Activity Building that will house our water-based activity equipment, indoor axe throwing range and traverse wall which is due to be constructed later this month. This building will be dedicated in memory of Pauline Paley, a long-term supporter of Patshull who was responsible for raising thousands of pounds worth of income via the Scout and Guide Depot in Hordern Road. Pauline was a remarkable lady who I’m sure you will agree will always have a special place in our hearts.
As ever, these developments will only continue with our ambition to create: Additional toilet facilities next to the Field Kitchen
The construction of our new Yurt accommodation
Improvements to the Wardens Den Scoping the expansion of our volunteer/visitor indoor accommodation offer Siting the climbing wall on the newly installed base in the activity area To name a few!
Once again, I’m proud of what we have achieved and look forward to what we continue to do over the next year – thank you once again for all your support along this journey!
Yours in Scouting,
Joe Trusselle BEM Trustee/Assistant Site Manager
Service Team Report
“The best laid plans of Mice and Men” Is appropriate to start with because I haven’t actually been on Team for the best part of 12 months due to family circumstances. We have also held less teams in the last year due to
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accommodation bookings and the teams’ other commitments which has meant some of the planned projects have not been completed yet.
That said, Tom, Rob and Co have done sterling work as always with site maintenance etc and we should thank them for their continued support.
Projects taken on so far in the last 12 months have included fitting splash backs in the field Kitchen and cladding, general maintenance and plumbing works, painting the new Climbing Tower and dismantling of the old Climbing Tower. More recently, we removed the bunks from the Golf house in preparation for painting and fitting of the new beds.
We have also been fortunate to get Panther Explorer Unit interested in join us on Team and they have done one weekend so far.
We have still to finish the Yurt bases and I am sure the list of works goes on. We will do what we can.
Thanks to the team for their help and support this year
Yours in Scouting,
John Treagust Service Team Leader
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Wolverhampton & District Boy Scouts Local Association T/A Patshull Activity Centre
I, Nick Barry, hereby present the accounts for the year to 31 March 2023 for “Patshull Activity Centre”.
Profit and Loss Year end 31/03/2023
The 2022-23 year has been our best year on record for income received £27.6k with over 8K coming from activity fees which is a marked increase on previous years and justifies our investment in the site and the additional activities we are able to now offer.
We have continued to invest in the maintenance and improvement of the site with £32.6k of new FF&E capitalised on the balance sheet and another £13.5k spent on repairs and maintenance.
We were able to secure a number of grants during the year which Joe will be able to update us on in his report.
Depreciation for the year has increased again this year to reflect the increase in fixed assets on site.
An operating loss of 10.1k for the year is an improvement on last year but again has been driven by the increased repair and maintenance costs which have been higher than we would expect to get the site to the standard it now is.
Total profit after donations, however, was £6.6k.
Balance sheet as at 31/03/2023
As mentioned above we were able to secure a grant which has been used to improve the energy efficiency of the building on site, this included new boilers, radiators, LED Lighting and insulation,
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In addition to this we have also replaced all the beds and mattresses in the golf house as well as laying carpets to improve the quality of the experience our guests have when staying.
The bank balance remains healthy and again we have broken it down in to its individual elements of protected pots of money which have been allocated.
We have the remainder of Dons donation £7.7k, remaining donations received in the year of £13k with and additional £6.3k remaining from the sale of the camping equipment. The equipment replacement fund stands at £20.5K. Given the commitment from the new landlord we have also set up a restricted rent fund of £15k representing three years rent to ensure we can always meet our commitment to them. Leaving the site with free operating cash of £12k.
Net assets of the year stand at £178k up from £172k last year. which I think is an excellent result and reflects the investment we have made in the site which we feel stands us in a very good place at a very exciting time for the campsite.
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Manager’s Report
I would like to start by saying a big thank you to the Rob & Sally and the rest of the Mercer family for all of their support over the last three years since acquiring the estate, you will have witnessed the investment they have put into area and their genuine interest in what we do is refreshing, especially after all the years under the previous ownership.
As you will have already read from the reports above what an excellent year we have had out at Patshull, the site has been busy with people enjoying our fantastic surroundings and activities, the team have been busy making improvements to the site and we have been trying to promote our amazing facilities to build on all of this for the future.
We have continued to invest a considerable amount of money into the site and I hope you can see the fruits of that and all the hard work of the volunteers that give their time to undertake some of the improvements, I often wonder what some of our past users and volunteers would make of the place and all the changes, I have no doubt they are looking down and smiling.
Without our, now 50+, group of volunteers we would not be able to do the things we do, it is outstanding that so many of you give your time freely for the benefit of others and I thank you for all your efforts and look forward to the years to come and the happy smiling faces of the many people we will see through the gate every year.
A little update on our two sites:-
Current Site – Our current lease was entered into on the 24th June 2021 and is a fixed term to the 31st December 2025 but allows for the landlord to break, at 6 months’ notice, on the 31st December 2023. During the year the Mercer family asked to amend the area of the Paddock to allow some space for the Lakeside Lodge and offered to halve the rent which we gratefully accepted, so we now pay £5,000 per annum.
New Site – as you know we own c12a of woodland to the north of Burnhill Green, this has an extant (useable forever) planning permission to develop a campsite and activity centre, however we hope not to need that fallback any time soon. We plan to harvest some of the trees during the year to generate revenue to invest in our current site.
I would like to say a massive thank you to Joe, it feels like he is working non-stop on the site and we talk, text, message and email multiple times a day and much more often than I ever do with my wife!! He could do with some support on the bookings and activity management so if anyone out there fancies helping please let us know.
Finally another thank you to all the team that supports us here at Patshull and for everything you’ve done in the last year, however with bookings going through the roof we have another busy twelve months ahead, in addition to all the improvements and extra facilities we have planned, so keep at it!!
Yours in Scouting,
Richard Shackleton Trustee/Manager
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