Scouts Worcester Annual Report 2024-2025 ## Introduction from the District Youth Lead Hey all, Before we get into the full report, I would like to take this opportunity to look at the continued Scouting spirit displayed by our young people this year. It is always an amazing time when I am able to head along to our events and see people from across the city having fun and taking part together. Whether it’s a water day at top barn or an international trip, the young people within Worcester District are always making the most of every opportunity we have been able to create for them. It has also been great to see young people putting in the effort and helping these events happen themselves. I’ve experienced this firsthand at forums this year with the Cubs and Scouts where they have been full of ideas, both wacky and wonderful. We have also been supporting the new Explorers Youth Council as they take on more responsibility for the district program and our amazing young leaders in giving all our 4-14 members role models of what youth shaped Scouting can be. Whether you're a young person turning up and taking part, a leader running meetings and camps galore or a parent running up the mileage giving lifts, thank you so much for being part of the amazing family that is Scouts Worcester. Here’s to another brilliant year! Callum Walters District Youth Lead ## Contents Page **Report from the District Lead Volunteer-------------------------------------------------- 4 Report from the District Events Team----------------------------------------------------- 5 Report from the Volunteer Development Team------------------------------------------- 5 Report from the Explorers Team---------------------------------------------------------- 5 Report from the Network Team----------------------------------------------------------- 5 Report from the Trustee Board------------------------------------------------------------ 6 Constitution and Charitable Aims--------------------------------------------------------- 7 Financial Report from the Treasurer-------------------------------------------------------8** ## Report from the District Lead Volunteer _Brian Jenkins - District Lead Volunteer_ ## Leadership Changes There have been many changes during 2024/2025, notably the transition from a District Team Lead structure to a single District Lead. Additionally, the district has undergone a period of transformation. ## Recognition of Service Ryan and Lucy stepped down from their roles in December to focus on other commitments within the district. Thanks are extended to both for their dedication and hard work over the past few years. ## Membership Overview The number of young members has increased by 1.5%, while adult volunteers have increased by some 29.1%, in line with the district plan. This positive trend reflects ongoing recruitment efforts and the welcoming environment fostered throughout the district. The addition of new adult volunteers has brought fresh energy and ideas, enhancing the support available to youth members and enabling the district to offer a broader range of activities and opportunities. ## District Team The district team has grown significantly, now covering many aspects of the district day to day operation. A big thank you for all their hard work during the year. ## Looking Ahead With a strong foundation in place, the district is well-positioned for continued growth and innovation in the coming year. Plans are underway to further develop youth opportunities, strengthen community partnerships, and continue supporting both new and existing members on their journeys. ## Report from the District Events Team _Meg Larner - District Events Lead_ Over the past year, Scout Worcester has delivered a fantastic programme of events that brought together fun, learning, and adventure for young people of all ages. We kicked off in September 2024 with a lively Beaver Sports Day, encouraging teamwork and active play, followed closely by a late Water Day for Scouts, setting the tone for a year full of energy and excitement. October saw the first Bonfire Night, where Squirrels and Beavers came together for an evening of backwoods cooking, lots of things that glow in the dark, and campfire songs around the campfire. Cubs also enjoyed a Board Games Day, promoting teamwork and social skills, while Explorers took part in a laid-back Chill Camp, providing a space to bond and recharge. As we moved into 2025, events continued to build momentum. Scouts participated in the international Jambowlree bowling challenge in February, strengthening cross District teamwork in a fun and competitive setting. In April, Cubs travelled to Kinver for a day of outdoor adventure, tackling activities like climbing and archery. The summer term was packed with highlights, including Water Days for Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts, featuring games, obstacle courses, and plenty of splashing fun. Explorers had an especially active July, taking on Stand-Up Paddleboarding, an epic Water Fight, and a Youth led Challenge Hike that tested their navigation and endurance. They concluded their year in August with a meaningful Service Camp at Kinver, giving back to the movement by supporting campsite maintenance and improvement. These events reflect the diversity and spirit of Scouting in Worcester, where young people continue to build skills for life in safe, inclusive, and adventurous settings. A major highlight of the year was the international trip to Belgium, where a group of Scouts and Explorers spent a week immersed in culture, history, and international friendship. The trip included visits to war memorials in Ypres, time exploring Brussels, and taking part in the moving Menin Gate Last Post Ceremony. It has been a fantastic year of fun, learning, and growth across Scouts Worcester. Every event – from small section meetings to large-scale activities – has contributed to building confidence, resilience, and friendships among our young people. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to all volunteers, leaders, helpers, parents, and supporters who made these events possible. Your time, passion, and commitment are what keep Scouting in Worcester thriving. We look forward to an even more exciting year ahead! ## Report from the Volunteer Development Team _Nicki Richardson-Jack - District Volunteering Development Lead_ ## Report from the Explorers Team ## _Allison Haines - District Explorers Lead_ I am part of the team for District Lead for Explorers, and hope to work to engage all units across the District to strengthen the amazing programme they already deliver. The plan is to consolidate a programme with a wide variety of opportunities for our young people, across the whole district. We would like to have all explorers offered the same opportunities, to allow them to build on their interests and personal growth. Each unit will always have their own identity, but by coming together we can reduce the workload to all our leaders. We held a chill camp last October, supported by 3 units, which went well. It would be great to offer more of these events to everyone. Even if unit leaders cannot attend, we need all young people to be invited. Summer term was finished with a water fight, slip and slide and powder paint battle at Ridgeway. This proved to be popular, and hopefully can be repeated. I would urge all leaders to start to think about opening events to all district explorers. Paddleboarding and gliding last term was popular, and there is a lot to be said for economy of scale, offering our young people wide choices and keeping it affordable. ## Report from the Network Team _Steven Eddies- District Network Lead_ Black Pear Network have had another adventure-filled year. From the Roverway international jamboree in Norway, to a self-led Explorer Belt expedition across five countries, top awards expeditions closer to home in Yorkshire and Cumbria, and a Summer Camp to the Isle of Man - it's been busy! Not forgetting the more everyday events two to three times a week. They've achieved an incredible 6 King's Scout Awards, 3 Chief Scout's Diamonds, 1 DofE Gold and 3 Explorer Belt awards, also laying the groundwork for more next year. Along with Scouts HW, they hosted the first ever local Scouts of the World Award Discovery event. Now we are in 2025/26, there's plenty more going on as well, from the Scouts HW Costa Rica trip, Summer Camp in Scotland, two more Explorer Belt expeditions, paddleboard expeditions, and World Scout Moot, alongside the usual everyday adventure, and building links with Explorers. ## Report from the Trustee Board As you have hopefully seen from the rest of this report, 2024-25 has been another successful year for Worcester District. As a trustee board, we have done our best to be responsive to the needs of the wider district. In particular, more resources have been committed to the volunteer development team in line with the district goals of increasing volunteer recruitment. We have also supported the growth in adventurous activities offering by focussing the budget on equipment purchase and storage as well as improving our inventory system. The volunteers within the District have shown resilience and adaptability as we continued working towards the transformation goals laid out by headquarters. We have effectively adopted the new team based volunteering structure and the vast majority of volunteers successfully completed their With the unfortunate departure of our chair and administrator during the year, the trustee board has had to adapt our processes to ensure proper record keeping and progress during this time, with the two roles responsibilities successfully dished out between the remaining trustees. We have also put time into ensuring that both our past and present records have been collated through updates to our digital systems. With the incredible residential and international Scouting provision on offer from within the District alongside County and HQ events, we have pledged support to a number of young people in attending these events over the past year. We are also in the process of reworking our grants policy to help make these events even more accessible than before. Thank you for your continued support of Scouting in Worcester. Yours gratefully, Callum Walters On Behalf of the Worcester District Trustee Board ## Constitution and Charitable Aims The full name of the charity is ‘Worcester District Scout Council’ and the charity registration number is 524644. The charity is an educational charity established in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) of The Scout Association. The District Scout Council has adopted the standard constitution recommended in chapter 5 of POR and adopted the necessary associated resolutions, e.g. quorum for meetings. Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. As defined in POR, 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. This 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 give young people skills for life. ## Trustees - 2024-2025 ## Ex-Officio Brian Jenkins - District Lead Volunteer Charles Schofield - District Youth Lead ## Appointed Stuart Bowen - Treasurer Andy Hopkins Callum Walters Carol Silvester Owen Williams Sue Ranscombe ## Financial Report from the Treasurer ## For the Financial Year Ended 31st March 2025 ## Introduction This report provides an overview of the financial activities and position of the Worcester District Scouts for the financial year 2024/2025, covering the period from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025. The aim is to present a clear and concise summary of our financial health, highlighting key income and expenditure streams, and our overall financial stability. ## Key Highlights The Worcester District Scouts has maintained a sound financial position throughout the 2024/2025 financial year, allowing us to continue supporting our groups and providing high-quality Scouting experiences. We saw a flatline in our membership subscriptions. We have a surplus this year due to our international trip planning. To spread the cost for young people most deposits and payment plans had started before the trips that happen in this financial year, Denmark and Belgium respectively. We will likely see a deficit this coming year due to the expenditure of these trips as they approach. ## Income Summary Our income for the year was primarily derived from the following sources: - **Membership Subscriptions:** The primary source of income, reflecting the strength of our membership across the District. - **Grants and Donations:** We were fortunate to receive two local grants from the Masons and an individual. **Income Source Amount (£)** Membership Subscriptions 14,465 Grants and Donations 1,500 **Total Income 15,965** ## Expenditure Summary Expenditure for the year was carefully managed to ensure maximum benefit for our young people. Covering essential operational costs and maintaining our cost neutral approach to District-level activities: - **District Activities & Events:** Costs associated with District camp as well as district events for Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers. - **Equipment & Resources:** Purchase and maintenance of District equipment. - **Container ground rent** : For storing the district equipment safely and securely - **Administration & Insurance:** Essential costs for District administration. **Expenditure Category Amount (£)** Equipment & Resources 4,196 Container Ground Rent 2,904 Administration & Insurance 9,389 **Total Income 16,488** ## Financial Position (Balance Sheet Summary as at 31[st] March 2025) Our financial position remains robust, with healthy reserves providing stability and security for future operations. We are able to fulfil our reserve policy which is fixed at 15k minimum for the year. - **Current Assets:** - Bank Balances: £81,133 across our accounts - Total Current Assets: **£81,133** - **Total Assets: £81,133** - **Current Liabilities:** (e.g., outstanding invoices) - Total Current Liabilities: **CAF Current account £4.98** - **Net Assets (Funds)** ## Acknowledgements I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all District leaders, group treasurers, parents, and supporters whose dedication and contributions have been instrumental in maintaining the financial health of Worcester District Scouts. Your efforts enable us to continue providing invaluable opportunities for young people in our community. ## _Prepared by:_ Stuart Bowen Former District Treasurer Worcester District Scouts **Date:** 15th July 2025 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Ind•p•ndent examlnerfs r•port on the accounts Sedion A lrndepèndent EXam1r￿r'4 Report (11 2011 fth• Iw 145 2011 ••* wty •x*r**￿. I Klw 1445Xbl th•Ad Worcester District Scout Council, also referred to as Scouts Worcester, is a registered charity with the registration number 524644. The recognised address for the charity is Scout Association, Norton Road, Worcester, WR5 3BB. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity Name No (if any)
Worcester District Scout Group
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period Period start date Period end date
To
from 01/04/2024 31/03/2025
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Net Membership subscriptions 14,465 - - 14,465 13,839
Sundry Income 49 - - 49 15
Grants & Donations 1,500 - - 1,500 2,000
Club Income 78,960 - - 78,960 35,425
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) [ 94,974 ] - - 94,974 51,279
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
Bank interest 3 - - 3 102
Sub total 3 - - 3 102
Total receipts 94,977 - - 94,977 51,381
A3 Payments
District Expenses 22,415 - - 22,415 16,912
Direct Expenses 2,179 - - 2,179 3,649
Trip & Parade Expenses 41,435 - - 41,435 10,454
Equipment 4,195 - - 4,195 1,844
Other Support and Services 1,036 - - 1,036 612
Software 1,082 - - 1,082 602
Insurance 414 - - 414 3,030
Rent and Hire 3,036 - - 3,036 2,218
Training 2,797 - - 2,797 1,482
Travel 83 - - 83 115
Donations 1,213 - - 1,213 297
Secretarial 2,959 - - 2,959 2,438
Stationery 245 - - 245 -
Bank Charges 885 - - 885 171
Sub total [ 83,974 ] - - 83,974 43,824
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments [ 83,974 ] - - 83,974 43,824
Net of receipts/(payments) 11,003 - - 11,003 7,557
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 70,127 - - 70,127 62,570
Cash funds this year end 81,130 - - 81,130 70,127
**----- End of picture text -----**
CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 29/08/2025 1 |**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|| |---|---|---|---| |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**Details**
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Bank
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OSM
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**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**80,264**
**-**
**185**
**-**
**681**
**-**
**81,130**
**-**
OK
OK
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**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
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Print Name|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
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Date of
approval| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 29/08/2025 2 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examlnerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Roport to Iru$teesl membor8 of WoTCgSter District Scout Councll On account$ for the year onded 319t March 2025 Charlty no (If any) 524644 Set out on pagès R￿lpt and Payments Accounts I report to the Irustees on my examination of the accounts of the abov8 charfty (tthe TrusV> for the yèar ended 3110312025. Responsibllhles and As the charity trusts85 of th8 Trust. you are responsibla for tho preparetion basls of r•port of the accounts in accordance wlth the requirements of thè Charibès Ar 2011 ('the Acl"). I report In respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out und8r sèction 145 of the 2011 Act and In carying out my examination. I hav8 followed the applicable Dlrectk)ns glven by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)Ib) of the Act. I have completed my éxaminatlon. I wnfirm that no materlal matt8rs hav8 come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') In connection with th8 8xamination which gives me cause to believe that in. any rnaterial Independent examlnerfs statem•nt ac¢ounting records were not kept in accordance wSth sectlon 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accA)rd with the accounting records I have no concems and have comè across no other matters in connectlon wtlh the examinallon to which attentron should be drawn in order to 8nabl8 a proper understanding of tho accounts trj be reached. ' Please ete the words In the brackets rfthey do nol apply. Signod: Date: 2910812025 Namo: rancis Wood MAAT Relevant professlonal qualm¢atlonl8) or body {If any): AAT Address.. SAS Accountant Ltd Va OJW As$oclates 16 H8nnals Avenue. Redditch. Worcestorshire, B97 5FIX Section B Oisclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examination of ¢harty accounts.. directions and guldance for examinars). None to b8 discbs8d Givo here brlef deta116 of any hems that the examlner wlshes to disclose.