# 26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Se ae oe eeee BeareSee ee jpeg sive:See seaes ee: ESA Scout Group EEBotaae Se ,eer oeeeee aie:ao Serae ARS ee Spee On op OF reese **Annual Report 2024** se Seefe eponoeSooe>>SonIESo I eSseesSi,aePeataeiLeSeSas= Beesneeee >oe
Scouts
## Contents
Page 1 ......................Chairman’s Comments Page 2 ......................GLV Report Page 3 ......................Financial Report Page 5 ......................Beavers Page 7 ......................Cubs Page 8 ......................Scouts Page 9 ......................Explorers Page 10 ...................Hut Report Page 11 ...................Supporters
## Chairman’s Comments.
Welcome to the 2024 Annual Report for 26th Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group. This year has been a year of change for the Group, and I have to pay tribute to and say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been involved not only in the changes but in running the Sections while things have been going on in the background. As you will see from their reports the sections have all had an eventful and successful year, and it is a privilege to be able to support their work.
In terms of Leadership, Jane Young stood down as Group Scout Leader (GSL) at the last AGM and Mark Chamberlain succeeded her as GSL and subsequently became Group Lead Volunteer (GLV) following the changes from headquarters during the year. Mason Chapman took on the Assistant GSL role previously filled by Mark. Additionally, Ashley Bown stepped down as Chair of the Group Executive Committee at the last AGM and have to thank all four of these dedicated people for enabling me to step into the role of Chair so easily.
This year The Scout Association has aligned itself more closely with the Charity Commission guidelines (we are a charity after all). This has meant that the Executive Committee has been split into two teams, the Board of Trustees who focus on the Charity Trustee-ship roles (including the AGM) and the Operational Team who focus on areas such as the Scout Hut, Equipment etc. The third, and arguably the most important, Leadership team has remained unchanged apart from role name changes through this process. A number of these changes are reflected in changes you will see at the AGM and over the coming year.
This year, as you will see from the Group accounts, we have started to invest heavily in the Group as various bits of equipment reach the end of life, and, with the help of external grants, we have started to make improvements to the heating system to improve the efficiency and hence reduce our electricity costs. This has led to a significant decrease in funds over the last year and we expect this to continue in a controlled manner over the next 12 to 18 months. My thanks to Peter Holdridge, our Group Treasurer for keeping us on the straight and narrow.
Finally, I need to say a huge thank you to everyone who volunteers to help with the Group – from those of you who have formal Leadership, Trustee or Operational Team roles to those of you who come down to help run the sections and events and those of you who perform support roles like cutting the grass and cooking on camp. We are all here for one thing – to enable the Young People in our care to be the best they can be. Without you the Group would not be as successful, and the young people would not have the fun they do. Thank you for all that you have done and for all that you do, this Group would not exist without you.
## **Neil Roberts**
Chair - Board of trustees
1
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
## Group lead Volunteers Report.
Greetings Scouts, Scouters, and esteemed members of the 26th Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group! Another year has whizzed by since we gathered for our Annual General Meeting (AGM). It is a privilege to present this report on the progress and achievements of our Scout group over the past year: under my leadership, after succeeding Jane Young.
After their Covid Review and other events which have required changes to the way in which we work in Scouting, The National Association finally gave us some more details on what these changes may be. Over the next few months, you will start to notice adjustments to the terminology we use and some tweaks in the way we deliver the fantastic programme of activities offered to your young people by the amazing band of volunteer programme leadership team. If you would like the opportunity to join us, please see the recruitment section of our web site.
As you will see from the sectional teams’ reports, we’ve organized a diverse array of activities, camps, and initiatives aimed at providing our young people with valuable skills, memorable experiences, and opportunities for personal growth.
To support our operational activities and enhance the scouting experience, we have another fantastic team of volunteers which was formally known as the group Executive Committee but now is the group’s Board of Trustees.
They have made significant investments in infrastructure and replaced our outdated heating system.
There have been a couple of adjustments in leadership, Since I have took over as Lead Volunteer & we have welcomed Rebecca Slattery to our Cub team.
The Explorer Scout provision, provided in partnership with us (Dynamic Explorers), moved over to District administration to correct an historical inaccuracy and now are correct to the rules of the association.
Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the volunteers, parents, and supporters who have contributed their time, effort, and resources to the success of our Scout group. Your dedication, passion, and commitment are truly inspiring and serve as the driving force behind our collective achievements.
## **Mark Chamberlain**
Group Lead Volunteer
2
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
## Finance Report. Financial Summary for the Year: 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
## Income
## Donations, legacies and similar income
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2023/2024 2022/2023
£ £
Subscriptions 11,847 13,234
Less: Membership -4,412 -4,343
subscriptions paid on
Net membership subs retained 7,435 8,891
Donations 1,453 3,603
- -
Legacies
Gift Aid 0 0
Other similar income camps 8,168 7,076
Sub total 17,056 19,570
Fundraising (gross)
2023/2024 2022/2023
£ £
Other fundraising activities 525 60
Sub total 525 60
Investment income
2023/2024 2022/2023
£ £
Bank interest 49 32
The Scout Association Short 43 39
Term Investment Service
Property Rent income 11,232 10,828
Other investment income - -
Sub total 11,324 10,899
**----- End of picture text -----**
2023/2024 2022/2023 Total Gross Income: £28,905 £30,529
3
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
## Payments Charitable Payments
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2023/2024 2022/2023
£ £
Youth programme and 20,686 11,817
activities, uniforms and kit
Training - 325
Rent
Water and Sewerage 230 243
Electricity 4,886 1,893
Insurance 1,599 1,426
Cleaning, Repairs and 7,316 7,068
Renewals
Broadband 330 323
Printing and photocopying - -
Contribution to camp costs - -
Licences 377 980
AGM and trustee expenses 25 110
Minibus costs 1,976 1,072
Other costs detail COVID-19 - -
Costs
Bank charges and Go-Cardless 819 832
fees
Sub total 38,244 26,089
**----- End of picture text -----**
## Total Gross Expenditure
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2023/2024 2022/2023
£ £
Total Gross Expenditure 38,244 26,089
Total Payments 38,244 26,089
Net of receipts 9,339 4,440
**----- End of picture text -----**
## Cash Funds
2023/2024 2022/2023 £21,517 £30,856
4
**26th Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
This past year has been quite the adventure for our colony! We’ve bid farewell to lots of our Beavers as they crossed the river to Cubs, while warmly welcoming many new faces into the group too.
Our primary focus throughout the year is around earning our challenge badges. Beavers have worked hard at mastering these, especially the Camp Craft badge, which involved everything from knot-tying to indoor den building. Of course, no camp themed session would be complete without a good old campfire, s’mores and a joyful sing-along too!
In January we welcomed the addition of a new leader, Badger, whose expertise as a qualified Karate instructor has brought an exciting dimension to our programme. The Beavers had a blast learning high kicks and punches under her guidance, and have since done other fitness activities earning them both their Sports Badge and their Health and Fitness Activity badge.
The highlight of March was undoubtedly the South Leicester Beaveree; an exciting event featuring a multitude of activities including crafts, dancing, magic shows, inflatables, go-karting, caving experiences, and even bouldering. The day was themed around reality TV shows and enabled us to meet, and connect, with others from the wider scouting community.a
In April, nine of our lovely Beavers went to a special ceremony at the Town Hall in Leicester City centre where they received their Chief Scout’s Bronze Award, presented by the Lord Mayor. This is the highest award Beaver’s can achieve and was a moment of great pride for everyone.
night hosted by Fox, with an immersive cultural experience complete with authentic Greek cuisine; and learnt what to do in an emergency and how to administer basic first aid as part of our work towards the Emergency Aid badge.
In May we had an amazing sleepover at Conkers activity centre as part of another district wide scouting event. We were paired with the 84th Leicester Beaver Colony from Littlethorpe and had a wonderful day together exploring, playing and learning in the outdoors. The Beavers loved the variety of activities available to them, and while the many climbing experiences and train ride were firm favourites, the movie before bed was the perfect way to relax after an energetic, fun-filled day. We made some great new scouting friends in the 84th colony and have plans to get our two groups together for some joint activities in the future.
As the nights grew warmer and longer, we embraced more outdoor activities. We took the opportunity for some leisurely rambles through some of Blaby’s parks and open spaces, providing us with an opportunity to connect with nature and learn about our local area.
Reflecting on the past year, it’s clear that our adventures with Blaby Beavers have been a true testament to the spirit of scouting and the development of our young people, and hopefully giving them some wonderful memorable experiences to cherish. We are now starting to gear-up ready for our Autumn programme - so here’s to many more fun and exciting times ahead with our incredible Blaby Beavers colony!
Our calendar has been brimming with an exciting programme of other activities too. We’ve had our annual Saint George’s Day celebrations, which was a great hit, with dragons, flags, and biscuit decorating adding to the fun and festivities; A Greek-themed
5
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
Il
[IP..
Lèicester (Blabyl Scout Group
The Pack currently has 26 Cubs, 1 Young Leader and 5 Leaders. We’ve enjoyed many amazing activities this past year and are already looking forward to what we have planned for the coming year.
We’ve had a successful parent rota running for 2 terms now, which has allowed us to do keep up our exciting programme even when low on leaders or just when we need a little extra help.
We went on a day trip to the Black Country Museum, where it was noted how well behaved our cubs were. We learnt a lot and enjoyed trying out things.
Despite the weather being terrible just before we arrived at the campsite, the rain cleared up
we enjoyed a lovely day at the woods to practice our scouting skills such as navigation, fire lighting and shelter building.
We’ve had 2 sleepovers - in November it was a board games theme, and in May we used our navigation skills on an evening hike before watching a movie.
In December we had xmas crafts and a Christmas party.
In February we celebrated Pancake Day, and tried out circus skills for the Venetian Carnival.
We had an extremely interesting evening in March - with special guests coming in to talk about their disabilities with us.
April saw us renew our promise during our St George’s Day evening.
We’ve completed our Astronomer, Fire Safety and Hobbies badges; and our Communicator, Navigator and Gardening badgework is ongoing.
Other activities have included archery and climbing, home help skills, deafening ourselves learning about the science behind musical instruments, getting messy with plaster-of-paris hallowe’en and bonfire crafts, maypole dancing, sending messages through semaphore and morse code.
We have been working towards our You Shape awards, part of which will be the Cubs’ presentation at the AGM.
At the time of writing this - we are excited about our upcoming summer camp at the end of June at Fox Coverts campsite, where we have some amazing activities planned. I’m sure the cubs will tell you all about it.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody (Parents, Guests, the wider Scout Group and all our connections) who supports our Cub Pack to make all the above things happen.
**7**
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
We have welcomed new Scouts both from Cubs and from outside of Scouting, they have blended into the Troop, becoming valued members. Scouts have reached the magic age of 14 and moved on to the challenges of Explorer Scouts and we wish them, and those who have made the break from Scouting, well in their new endeavours.
This year we have had a week long Summer Camp at Gradbach Scout Campsite which belongs to Derbyshire Scouts. It was a camp of mixed weather with sunshine and showers when scouts were continually swapping from trousers to shorts and back again. Our activities included rock climbing at the Roaches, Kayaking and Stand Up Paddleboarding, hiking from the campsite and in Dovedale and of course Master Chef competition which is a highlight of every Summer Camp. It’s a busy week for the Scouts, with activities and cooking all their own meals as patrols - putting everything that we do on Troop nights into practice.
Sadly not enough Scouts wanted to brave the elements in January and Frostie camp was not financially viable, so had to be cancelled.
Our programme has also seen the scouts partying for Christmas and B.P.’s Birthday; cooking up a storm with Shrove Friday, Friday Kitchen and fruity BBQ skewers on fires; brushing up their First Aid skills; celebrating their wonderful mums and St David’s Day with all things Welsh; doing their bit for World Earth Day with a litter pick; sleepovers, hikes and pioneering projects where they raced Sedan Chairs! All in all, an enjoyable time with opportunities to develop and grow as part of a team.
Thanks go to all the Troop volunteers for their help in making the programme happen, (and especially to Alex our Young Leader who has been much missed during this exam period), to the Scouts for keeping us wanting to do it and to parents for their support throughout the year.
## **Shaun and Helen**
**8**
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
As we reflect on the past 12 months at Blaby Explorers, it’s been a year of transition, growth and unforgettable experiences. We’ve welcomed new faces into our unit while bidding farewell to older Explorers as they embark on new adventures in the world of work and university.
One highlight of our year was our unforgettable Summer Camp in Tintern, Cornwall. Despite the weather throwing us a curveball, we embraced every moment and had an incredible time. From surfing and cycling to aqua-park adventures, we indulged in fantastic food and shared many laughs, returning home exhausted but with memories to last a lifetime.
Throughout the year, we’ve engaged in a wide range of activities, including Hello Fresh cooking nights, pioneering challenges, hikes and even a wet and damp “Frosty” camp in March. Laser Tag battles, quiz nights, games and fires at Johns Lee Wood all added to the fun.
Looking ahead, we’re eagerly anticipating this year’s summer camp near Hunstanton, where we’ll embark on a week filled with exciting activities and new adventures.
On a bittersweet note, we must share that myself, Max, and Andy have made the difficult decision to step down as leaders at the end of the year. Increasing work commitments and other scouting responsibilities necessitate this. However, we remain committed to supporting the upcoming Explorer Belt trip to Canada in 2025.
As we prepare for the future, we’re actively seeking a new team of volunteers to lead our unit in 2025. If you’re passionate about scouting and interested in joining our team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to either myself or Mark (Group Lead Volunteer).
## **Chris Worth Explorer Scout Team Lead**
**9**
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
## Hut Report.
The Scout Group continues to earn extra funding by hiring out both the main hall and the upstairs meeting room to a wide variety of local groups, societies, charities and small businesses.
We have provided a regular venue for baby signing, messy play, 2 different dog training groups, yoga classes, exercise and tai chi classes for seniors, driver training tests, counselling sessions and a range of local society meetings. We have hosted craft fairs, antique valuation days, NHS staff away-days and local council-funded exercise classes.
In the past year there have also been 17 birthday parties and celebrations for local families at the hut. Many bookers come to us after enjoying someone else’s party here.
Our users say they appreciate the space available, including the kitchen and the garden, the use of our equipment such as tables/chairs/tea and coffee making facilities, the WiFi and the convenient, free parking.
In a bid to be more energy efficient, the heating in the main hall has been changed to a newer aircon system which holds the room at a comfortable temperature.
Better insulation is to follow, which should ensure lower energy bills in the years to come.
## **Finally some thanks!**
**Thanks** to all our wonderful bookers who appreciate our hut and help keep it in good condition
**Thanks** to Fanta who cleans and tidies twice a week and ensures all supplies are replenished
**Thanks** to Jane our Quartermaster and Cliff, for the huge amount they do in and around the building, especially keeping the garden in such good order
**Thanks** to the solid group of leaders, exec members and parents who volunteer to open and close the hut for parties!
Please get in touch or check out our website if you want to know more about our rooms, how to book them, or details of any of the regular classes that use the hut. We currently have some daytime slots available during the week.
**Email:** bookings@blabyscouts.org **Website:** www.blabyscouts.org/hut-hire/
## **Liz**
## **Blaby Scout Hut Bookings Secretary**
10
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
**If you want to become involved in our amazing Scout Group please contact our Group lead volunteer (mark.chamberlain@blabyscouts.org) or Deputy group lead volunteer (mason.chapman@blabyscouts.org)**
## Brochure created and printed by
## Whatever creativity it takes.
> : : **Branding / Design / Web / Marketing**
www.mintcarcreative.co.uk
_ « gw **Need a helping hand** i } **with your printing projects?** j —— Pa "ae A **1000 Flyers from £45** Pats “Soy ey > “Aes **250 Business Cards from £30 5 NCR Invoice Pads from £50** 2 «a es : ae; blaby printcompany **E. info@blabyprint.co.uk W. blabyprint.co.uk**
**26[th] Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group**
ll
## **Receipts and Payments Account**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Year start date Year end date
For the year
01-Apr-23 To 31-Mar-24
from
Receipts and payments
2023/2024 2022/2023
Unrestricted
Unrestricted funds
funds
£ £
Receipts
Donations, legacies and similar income
Membership subscriptions
11,847 13,234
Less:Membership subscriptions paid on (National/County/Area/District)
4,412 4,343
Net membership subscriptions retained
7,435 8,891
Donations
1,453 3,603
Legacies
Gift Aid
0 0
Other similar income Camps
8,168 7,076
Sub total 17,056 19,570
Grants
Other grants 0 0
Sub total 0 0
Fundraising (gross)
Other fundraising activities 525 60
Sub total 525 60
Investment income
Bank interest
49 32
The Scout Association Short Term Investment Service
43 39
Property Rent income
11,232 10,828
Other investment income
Sub total 11,324 10,899
Total Gross Income 28,905 30,529
Asset and investment sales, etc.
Total receipts 28,905 30,529
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **26th Leicester (Blaby)Scout Group Receipts and Payments Account**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Year start date Year end date
For the year
01-Apr-23 To 31-Mar-24
from
Receipts and payments
2023/2024 2022/2023
Unrestricted
Unrestricted funds
funds
£ £
Payments
Charitable Payments
Youth programme and activities, uniforms and kit
20,686 11,817
Training - 325
Rent
Water and Sewerage 230 243
Electricity
4,886 1,893
Insurance
1,599 1,426
Cleaning, Repairs and Renewals
7,316 7,068
Broadband
330 323
Printing and photocopying - -
Contribution to camp costs - -
Licences
377 980
AGM and trustee expenses 25 110
Minibus costs
1,976 1,072
Other costs detail COVID-19 Costs
- -
Bank charges and Go-Cardless fees 819 832
Sub total
38,244 26,089
Fundraising expenses
Other fundraising costs
Sub total
- -
Total Gross Expenditure 38,244 26,089
Total payments 38,244 26,089
Net of receipts/(payments) - 9,339 4,440
Cash funds last year end 30,856 26,416
Cash funds this year end 21,517 30,856
**----- End of picture text -----**
Template for the scrutineer's report
to the trustees
Scrutineer's Report to the Trustees of
tm
26 Leicester (Blaby) Scout Group
I report on the accounts of the GrouplDistrictfor the year ended 31" March 2024.
As the Group'slDistrict's trustees you are responsibLe for the preparation of the accounts.. you consider that neither
the audrc nor independent examination requirements of the Charities Act 2011 appty. It is my responsibility wtthout
carrying out an audit or independentexamination to scrutinise the accounts and to reportto you.
In accordance with the directions given in the Group'slDi5trict's constitution. I have scrutinised the records and the
accounts set out on pages ............ to ............
In my opinion the accounts are in accordance with the records produced to me and comply with the constttubon.
Name:.
Address: ......... .
Date".