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2025-12-31-accounts

SCARBOROUGH & DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL

Charity Commission Number: 524690

Receipts and Payments Account

for the year ended

31 December 2025

2025 2024

Receipts
Birch Hall Camp
Birch Hall Grants
Activities
Explorers
Explorers and young leaders subscriptions
Membership fees received (net)
Explorer Camp
Donations and Gift Aid
Bank Interest
Training Income
Uniform and Badges
Robin Hood's Bay
Total Gross Income
Asset and Investment Sales
Robin Hood's Bay Sale of Building
Total Receipts		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
Total Funds
£29,110
£29,110
£27,712
£5,000
£5,000
£500
£9,857
£9,857
£4,584
£6,931
£6,931
£3,477
£6,043
£6,043
£5,414
£2,328
£2,328
£2,388
£634
£634
£1,346
£3,008
£3,008
£2,271
£2,020
£2,020
£1,458
£60
£60
£90
£613
£613
£274
£0
£0
£500
£65,604
£0
£65,604
£50,014
£0
£0
£15,000
£65,604
£0
£65,604
£65,014

SCARBOROUGH & DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL

Charity Commission Number: 524690

Receipts and Payments Account

for the year ended

31 December 2025

Payments
Birch Hall Camp
Activities
Explorers
Explorer Camp
St George's Day
Administration
Uniform and Badges
Training
Robin Hood's Bay
Total Gross Expenditure
Asset and Investment Purchases
Scouting Equipment
Birch Hall Development
Total Payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
Cash Funds Last year End
Transfers between Funds
Cash Funds this Year End		 2025
2024
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
Total Funds
£17,766
£17,766
£17,592
£10,047
£10,047
£4,839
£10,904
£10,904
£8,310
£2,127
£2,127
£1,921
£0
£0
£30
£884
£884
£67
£408
£408
£1,675
£959
£959
£225
£0
£0
£531
£43,095
£0
£43,095
£35,190
£0
£0
£0
£7,587
£7,587
£10,764
£50,682
£0
£50,682
£45,954
£14,922
£0
£14,922
£19,060
£97,150
£97,150
£78,090
£0
£0
£0
£0
£112,072
£0
£112,072
£97,150

SCARBOROUGH & DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL

Charity Commission Number: 524690

Receipts and Payments Account

for the year ended

31 December 2025

Cash Funds
Cash at Bank
Cash on Hand
Total Cash Funds
Non-monetary Assets
Scouting Equipment
Birch Hall Development
Total Payments
Liabilities
Liabilities due now
Payable in the future		 2025
2024
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total Funds
Total Funds
£111,872
£111,872
£96,951
£200
£200
£199
£112,072
£0
£112,072
£97,150
£0
£0
£0
£267,339
£267,339
£259,752
£267,339
£0
£267,339
£259,752
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0
£0

The above receipts and payments account and statement of assests and liabilities were apporved by the Trustees on 1st April 2026 and signed on their behalf by

Signature

David Ruston Chair
Graeme Jeffrey Treasurer

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ SCARBOROUGH & DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL members of

On accounts for the year ended[31st December 2025] Charity no (if any)[524690]

Set out on pages 1-3

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2025 .

Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date: 16/04/2026 Signed: Name: Lee Jones Relevant professional Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) (2004) qualification(s) or body Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) (2009) (if any): Address: 17 Sea View Close Scarborough, YO11 3JB

Oct 2018

1

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

2

IER

SCARBOROUGH & DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 12[th] May 2026 7.30pm Scarborough Cricket Club

ANNUAL REPORT

SCARBOROUGH & DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

12[TH] May 2026

Scarborough Cricket Club, 7.30PM

AGENDA

1. Introduction, welcome and opening devotion

2. Apologies for absence

3. Governance topics

4. Review of the previous year

5. Making appointments

6. Any other business

7. Closing remarks

8. Presentations

DISTRICT LEAD VOLUNTEER’S REPORT

As Scouting celebrates several national milestones this year — 110 years of Cub Scouts, 40 years of Beavers and 5 years of Squirrels — we in Scarborough & District have plenty of our own achievements to celebrate too. Most notably, this has been the biggest our District has ever been.

It is no secret that we are celebrating our highest ever youth membership, with significantly increased numbers across every section, particularly Squirrels and Explorers. Groups across the District have shared in this success, with 2nd ELO and 42nd St Mark’s recording phenomenal numbers alongside strong growth across many of our other groups.

We have also been fortunate to have the support of Liz Till, our Growth Officer from HQ, who has been focusing her work on Filey and Whitby as a national priority area. Without Liz’s support, establishing two new groups would have been extremely difficult simply from a volunteer time perspective. She has been supported by many volunteers from across the District who have all played their part in making this possible, and I thank everyone who has been involved.

We are incredibly proud to have Whitby and Filey as part of our District. Tiffany and Ian at Filey have put in astonishing amounts of work to develop their group, and it has been a privilege to work alongside them and see it grow into a thriving Scout group.

Growth does not happen by accident. The success we are seeing in Filey, Whitby and across our existing groups is the direct result of the dedication shown by our volunteers over the past year. Without safe, exciting and enjoyable programmes, we simply would not be welcoming so many new young people into Scouting. So I would like to offer a huge and sincere thank you to every volunteer, trustee, young person and parent who helps keep the Scouting world turning in Scarborough & District.

I’m proud to say that this year we held our first ever Youth Forum, bringing together representatives from across our groups to share their views on Scouting in the District. These young people are the future of Scouting and their voices matter. Maisy McLean has been a fantastic pioneer of the District’s Youth Lead role and has also been a huge support to me personally throughout the year.

We also relaunched our Young Leader training support with regular monthly sessions that are active, engaging and well attended. It has been brilliant to hear feedback from these Young Leaders who say that, thanks to Andy Eames and his guidance, they feel more confident and empowered than ever to lead activities within their sections.

Simon “Butcher” has been a huge support to me this year and has willingly taken on his fair share of challenges as new ideas inevitably pop into my head. From helping introduce tomahawk throwing at Birch Hall to supporting the shooting, archery and water activity teams, he has been instrumental in developing opportunities for our young people. He has also stepped into the role of District Activity Permit Delegate and is working with County to support the development of the permit scheme.

Alongside all of this, and stepping up to support the planning of Yedjam 27, Butcher also played a pivotal role in my ambitious idea to revitalise St George’s Day for 2026. Unfortunately, despite 14 months of planning, we encountered hurdle after hurdle and eventually had to accept that it would not be possible this time. I cannot begin to emphasise how much work Butcher put into this project, and the fact it didn’t happen was certainly not through lack of effort. Thank you, Butcher, for everything you have done this year.

Birch Hall and its development team continue to go from strength to strength and remain an incredible asset for our District. Being the only Scout-owned, volunteer-led campsite in the County that is fully self-sufficient and able to generate funds to reinvest into its own development is an astonishing achievement. The fact that bookings now stretch well into 2027 speaks volumes. Thank you to everyone involved in keeping Birch Hall such a safe, welcoming and inspiring place for Scouting adventures.

It is with great regret that Lesley will be stepping down as Squirrel Programme Team Leader as we move into the summer term of 2026. As the District’s first ADC Squirrels, Lesley has played a pivotal role in establishing and developing the section across the District, embracing the challenge with enthusiasm and dedication. Over the past year she has also been instrumental in welcoming the new dreys in Filey and Whitby into what is now a thriving District section.

Our Squirrels have already enjoyed some fantastic experiences to begin their Scouting journey, including beach fun days, Teddy Bears’ Picnics and sports days. These young people are already thriving and ready for even bigger adventures ahead thanks to Lesley and the brilliant Squirrel leadership teams across the District. In Lesley’s own words — “Go, Squirrels!”

“Just one more year,” Queen Beaver has often been heard saying while planning yet another Christmas craft or day out. Beryl, forever known as “Queen Beaver”, celebrated her exceptional service as ADC Beavers at Birch Hall with her swan-song event, the Beaver Christmas Extravaganza, bringing Beavers from across the District together to celebrate the festive season.

Beavers across the District have had a fantastic year of activities, outings and growth. Beryl and her team have supported the opening of three new colonies since the start of 2025 — a phenomenal achievement. I would personally like to thank Beryl for the support she has given me over the years we have worked together in Scouting, and I know the Beaver section would join me in saying a huge thank you to “QB”. There are very few who work harder than Queen Beaver.

Cubs continue to be one of the most active sections in the District. With ten packs and 186 Cub Scouts, Ian, Colin and the team continue to deliver fantastic opportunities for young people. From the District Quiz and Sixer and Seconder Day in Hull to the much-loved Cub Cooking Competition, there truly is something for every Cub Scout.

We are also thrilled that almost half of the District’s Cubs will be attending North Yorkshire’s CubJam this year — an experience that will undoubtedly create memories to last a lifetime.

It has also been a busy year for the Scout section, with activities including shooting, archery, Inchipist, the Christmas Party and the Incident Hike. However, the highlight for me has to be Kontiki — one of those iconic Scouting events that is respected not only locally but across the County and beyond.

After being let down by Peasholm Park, where the event had traditionally been held, Jamie “Jamo” Broadbent worked incredibly hard to secure an alternative venue. North Yorkshire Water Park proved to be a fantastic location and ensured the event could continue its proud tradition.

The Scout section has also welcomed Filey Troop back into the District, and Jamo has been a huge support to Tim and Sara as they establish their new troop. He has also been a tremendous support to me personally and continues to play a huge role in developing the Scout section.

Explorers have also had another fantastic year, with the highest numbers we have ever seen across our seven units. Their District events have been hugely popular, including Hunted, Rounders, King Canute and the highlight of the Explorer calendar — DONUT and the Results Quiz.

For me, DONUT represents the very essence of Scouting. In many ways, it is what those Squirrels joining at age four are ultimately working towards — that infamous mounted boot. It is an event that Explorers remember and talk about for years afterwards.

Tony Barlow, as the latest of the 46th leaders to take on this challenge, deserves enormous credit and my sincere thanks for the work involved in organising such a huge event. As he passes the baton on to the next volunteer, there is no doubt that Westborough have played a huge part in maintaining this incredible tradition.

The Explorer section would also be lost without the leadership of Chris Blogg. One of our longest-serving ADCs, Chris continues to support his leaders tirelessly, and it is no coincidence that the Explorer section continues to thrive under his guidance.

It has also been a busy year for the Volunteer Development Team. With the transition to the new membership system and the addition of two new groups, there has inevitably been a backlog of Welcome Conversations, First Aid renewals and Good Service Awards to work through.

Despite this, Andy, Alan, Paula, Sar and Keith have been working incredibly hard to get things back on track. Their proactive approach and dedication to supporting our volunteers deserves enormous recognition.

Scout Active Support — sorry, District’s Event Support Team — continue to go from strength to strength. Following their success in receiving the District Commissioner’s Award in 2025, they have continued to provide invaluable support to events across the District.

This year they took on the organisation of the District Swimming Gala for the first time, which proved to be a fantastic success. They have also supported sections directly, including Westborough Squirrels and Filey Beavers. Without their help, many of our events simply would not be possible, and I extend my sincere thanks to Gill and her team.

To add to an already celebratory year, we also have Scouting ambassadors representing our District in remarkable ways. Three of our volunteers — Lyn Pottage, Mike Streets and Paul Deighton — were invited to represent Scarborough & District at the annual Scout and Girlguiding Celebration Service at Westminster Abbey earlier this year.

In addition, two of our Scouts, Isaac and Fliss, have been selected to attend the World Scout Jamboree in Poland in 2027. We look forward to hearing about their adventures when they return and thank them for representing our District on the world stage.

I would also like to take a moment to recognise the Group Lead Volunteers across the District. It is one of the busiest and most demanding roles in Scouting, often happening quietly behind the scenes, but it is absolutely vital to the success of our groups. Their leadership, commitment and willingness to keep things moving ensures that our groups continue to thrive and provide fantastic opportunities for young people. Thank you to each of you for everything you do.

Ultimately, the biggest cause for celebration, as it is every year, is the incredible volunteers who make Scouting happen. Week in and week out, they give their time to provide safe, enjoyable and life-changing opportunities for over 600 young people across Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.

Scouting in our District is clearly in a strong position — growing, thriving and full of dedicated people who believe in what we do. As we look ahead to another year of adventure, challenge and opportunity, I am incredibly proud to be part of a District that continues to give so many young people the chance to discover just how much they are capable of.

Thank you to every one of you who makes that possible.

Here’s to another year of adventure, friendship, celebration and achievement - together, we make Scouting in Scarborough and District truly extraordinary!

Steven Broadbent

District Lead Volunteer

DISTRICT YOUTH LEAD VOLUNTEER’S REPORT

It has now been a full year since I took on the new District Youth Lead role. During this time, we have successfully held multiple Youth Forums, bringing together members from across different groups. These forums have provided young people

with a platform to share their ideas, opinions, and perspectives, ensuring that Scouting remains truly youth-led.

The outcomes of these discussions have been taken forward to District Team meetings, where they are considered and help shape decision-making.

We currently have around eight young people who attend the Youth Forum regularly. The only groups without representation are Whitby, Filey, and 37th. However, Explorer numbers in these areas are low, and both Filey and Whitby currently do not have Explorer sections, which explains their absence.

Looking ahead, we have some exciting and engaging activities planned, including a Bake Off during one of our upcoming meetings.

It is encouraging to see that all young people who participate are enthusiastic, engaged, and keen to be involved in shaping the future of Scouting.

Maisy Mclean

District Youth Lead

FINANCE REPORT 2025

I am pleased to present the Treasurer’s Report for the period ending December 2025.

The annual accounts have been published and approved. They have been inspected by Lee Jones in accordance with the requirements of P.O.R. and the Charity Commission.

Overall, the District Trustee Board continues to manage the organisation’s finances very well and 2025 was another positive year with a healthy surplus in the accounts.

The continued commitment and support from our members, volunteers, and the wider community have ensured that we are able to maintain stability while continuing to invest in Scouting activities across the District.

Expenditure has been carefully managed, with funds directed towards supporting groups, maintaining resources, and delivering activities that enhance the experience of our members. The District has continued to take a prudent approach to financial management, ensuring that spending is aligned with priorities and that reserves are maintained at an appropriate level.

The District’s reserves remain at a level that provides a degree of financial security, allowing us to plan for future activities and respond to any unforeseen challenges.

This balanced approach ensures both sustainability and the ability to support growth and development where needed.

In closing, I am confident that the District is in a strong financial position and wellplaced to continue supporting Scouting for the benefit of young people in the coming year.

Summary

Graeme Jeffrey District Treasurer

SQUIRREL PROGRAMME TEAM LEADER’S REPORT

There are currently 7 Squirrel dreys in the Scarborough District (First, 2[nd] ELO, 42[nd] St Marks, 46[th] Westborough, Derwent Valley, 1[st] Filey and Whitby). We are absolutely delighted that, with some support from various Scarborough Squirrel leaders and Liz Till from County, Filey and Whitby Groups now have Squirrels dreys. We have welcomed 1[st] Filey leaders to the District meetings and have kept in touch with the Whitby leader via WhatsApp and emails.

All dreys are running well with most upholding their numbers from last year – there are a couple with lower numbers but there are expectations that these will rise soon. Most dreys are happy with their leaders and Young Leaders ratios but again a couple of dreys need more adult leaders.

District Leaders meetings have been very well attended and are a relaxed, informal time when leaders swap ideas, eat biscuits, discuss any issues and celebrate the achievements and enthusiasm of the Squirrels.

Some Squirrels attended the District Carol Service at Westborough and will be attending the St George’s Day Service also at Westborough.

District Squirrel events have been very well attended. A beach event with lots of digging – sandcastles and holes! Finishing off with hot dogs just before the rain started. A sports event at the Rugby Club with a round robin of activities. A Teddy Bears Picnic held at the Indoor Market Hall with musical activities provided by Harminis. Many thanks to SAS for their help with road marshalling for this event.

Programmes are well planned and have a great variety of indoor, outdoor, adventurous and exciting activities suitable for the Squirrels age range. The Squirrels have enjoyed visits to lifeboat stations, the beach, North Bay Railway and water chute, farms, the woods, The Street Community garden, litter picking, decorating pottery, star gazing, dinosaurs at the Rotunda museum, the library, chocolate making and the Pantomime. They have learnt lots from visitors including the police, Whitby Wildlife and of course Santa. Indoor meetings have included badge work, indoor caving, World Book Day activities, indoor den making, archery, Lego challenges, lots of crafts and biscuits and cakes! They love being outdoors especially building campfires and singing songs, bug hunting and making dens.

There have been some very excited Squirrels at sleepovers and at Group camps.

There have been a number of Chief Scout’s Acorn Awards presented to some very hard working and enthusiastic Squirrels.

A big thank you to all who have taken on Squirrel leadership.

This will be my last report as I am standing down at the AGM but it has been a privilege to be part of the Squirrels Team of leaders and I wish whoever takes over all the very best – it’s been a blast!! Go Squirrels!

Lesley Usher Squirrel Programme Team Leader

BEAVER PROGRAMME TEAM LEADER’S REPORT

I have recently read through last year’s report and I note that I said it was my last year as Queen Beaver and that I had experienced 40 years of wonderful memories with the Beaver section.

Here I am now still enjoying 41 years of Beaver Scouting!!!!

Last year we had a wonderful day at 49[th] Eastfield at our “People Who Help Us” activity. The activity was sponsored by SALT and we are always indebted to them for all the sponsorship they give throughout the District.

The “People Who Help us Day” was a great success with bases covered by the Police, St John’s Ambulance, Water safety experts, a school cook and the Fire Brigade. It's a good job it was a fine day as all the Beavers enjoyed spraying the water hoses all over Loaders Green, in fact the fire engine ran out of water and had to find a water hydrant quickly to let all the Beavers have a go. It was good publicity for Scarborough Scouting as there was a great crowd of people in the end watching on.

November was our “Christmas Extravaganza” at Birch Hall. The leaders had a little get together in the new lounge in Langdale Lodge on Friday night ready for more than 80 Beavers to arrive on Saturday morning. The weekend was full of activities and surprises and the snow on the ground made it even more magical. All the leaders wore Christmas neckers, the Beavers all had Christmas stockings to decorate with their name and we had a pride of alpacas to visit us (well two alpacas!) Thanks again to SALT for funding the visit for us. All the Beavers made Christmas lanterns out of jam jars and placed a battery operated tea light inside which they took on the evening walk to light their way. When they returned from the walk, Birch Hall was lit up by 14 Christmas trees made by the Tuesday maintenance crew and Langdale Hall was lit by candle light and fairy lights. The SAS (sorry activities support team!) did a sterling job preparing and serving over 150 Christmas dinners. Thanks as ever to a great achievement by the support team. Just as they were finishing their meal the “Man in Red” arrived on a decorated golf buggy and promised them if they all went to bed and straight to sleep he would make sure their stockings were filled with presents in the morning when they woke. We said cheerio to the day visitors after a very busy day. Personally I think that they really enjoyed themselves and wished that they were staying for the full weekend.

Sunday was again full of activities and games. The Beavers made Christmas elves, Christmas cards to give to the retirement homes in Scarborough, Christmas tree ornaments and played Christmas board games.

I was overcome at the end of the proceedings when I was presented with some wonderful gifts and cards to celebrate my 40 years in Beaver Scouting.

This year’s Cub Link Day was a little different as the Beavers were invited to sleepover on Friday night. They played board games and got to know each other on a very free and easy night. Breakfast was waiting after they had had an early morning hike (yes they were up and dressed early!) A wonderful selection of activities were arranged by the Cub leaders and thanks as always to them and Colin and Ian for arranging the Saturday for us.

In May the Scarborough and District Beavers are planning a trip to “The Forbidden Corner” at Leyburn.

Thank you to all the leaders for their continued support.

Beryl M. Lewis

Beaver Programme Team Leader

CUB PROGRAMME TEAM LEADER’S REPORT

We are pleased to present the report for the Cub Scout section of the District to the Annual General Meeting.

There are now ten active Packs in the District. We are sorry that there is still no Whitby Pack but nevertheless an increasingly strong and active Pack at Sleights is part of the same Eskmouth Group. We are delighted that a new Pack was opened during the year when the 1[st] . Filey Group was reformed after several years of closure, in the previous year. It was great to share in an evening with the Filey Pack when the first twelve Cubs were invested. All the other Packs are doing well, although there continues to be a great range in the numbers in the Packs. There have been leadership changes at 37[th] . Wheatcroft and 49[th] . Eastfield during the year. We continue to be thankful for the valued work done by all the Leaders in all the Packs.

The Hilda Smith Trophy for 2024/25 was jointly won by 46[th] . Westborough (Panthers) with First Scarborough and 2[nd] . E.L.O. as joint runners-up.

This last year has again seen a full programme of District Competitions and Events.

The Sand Sculpting competition was held in June on the North Bay beach, with the theme of “building a vehicle large enough to seat four people” (the team). There were fifteen teams from eight Packs, with the winners being First Scarborough and joint runners-up 42[nd] . St. Mark’s, Derwent Valley and Sleights Seekers. Grateful thanks to District President, Mrs. Bonnie Purchon, M.B.E. for judging the competition.

In July, the Sports were held at the new and more suitable venue of Scarborough Rugby Club. Grateful thanks to the Club for specially marking out a running track for our use. Traditional sports events took place. Seven packs entered, with the winners being 46[th] . Westborough (Cobras) with Sleights Seekers as runners-up.

The Cooking Competition was held at Derwent Valley Headquarters in October. A record number, in recent years, of eight Packs entered and cooked a meal of slicing sausage, boiled potatoes (mashed) and spaghetti hoops; swiss roll and custard

(made with milk) and a drink of tea or coffee. The winners were First Scarborough and the runners-up were 42[nd] . St. Mark’s. The Irton Garden Centre Trophy, awarded to the Cub Scout who made the best individual effort was won by Eleanor from 42[nd] . St. Mark’s. The competition was judged by Mr. Richard and Mrs. Karen Johnson from S.A.S.

The next event was the Quiz held at First Scarborough in November, when six teams from seven Packs participated. The winners were 46[th] . Westborough (Panthers), with 42[nd] . St. Mark’s as runners-up. There were questions on Scouting, General Knowledge, Science & Nature, Sport and History & Geography.

This was closely followed by the Swimming Gala, held on a Saturday evening in November at the Sports Village Pool. Another record for recent years of nine Packs participated. The overall winner for the individual events was 46[th] . Westborough (Cobras) with First Scarborough as runners-up, the 4 x 25 metres freestyle relay by 46[th] . Westborough (Cobras) with First Scarborough as runners-up, the 3 x 25 metres medley relay for the Jim Ironside Trophy by 46[th] . Westborough (Cobras) with Sleights Seekers as runners-up and the 4 x 25 metres freestyle relay for the Combined Trophy by 46[th] . Westborough (Cobras) with First Scarborough as runnersup.

The Sixer and Seconder Christmas event at the end of November was a variety of games, making crackers, followed by a three-course traditional Christmas Dinner served to forty-three older Cub Scouts and fifteen leaders from seven Packs.

The Carol Service was held at Westborough Methodist Church, and a separate report is given by the A.D.C. (Faiths & Beliefs).

Each uniformed member was invited to contribute a toiletry gift in advance of the Carol Service and then the following day a loyal group of Cubs and Leaders took the gifts to four nursing and care homes in the South Cliff area. There was a greatly reduced number of gifts received and this meant that not as many homes could be visited. Grateful thanks to the District President, Mrs. Bonnie Purchon, M.B.E. for again organising this good turn event which was the forty-first year visiting homes on South Cliff. There was also a Christmas card competition across the sections with an average number of entries and a card going with each gift. Everyone is reminded that this is a District event not just a Cub Scout section one.

The New Year saw the Five-A-Side Football competition at the Hawkes Fitness Centre. Seven Packs participated with 46[th] . Westborough (Cobras) again as winners and 42[nd] . St. Mark’s as runners-up. Grateful thanks to Mr. Jamie Broadbent who was the referee.

The Beaver Link Day organised by the Cub Scout section for the older Beaver Scouts was held in February. A much smaller number of twenty-seven Beaver

Scouts from only four Colonies participated in crafts, Kelly kettles, problem solving, team building, a physical challenge, tent pitching and tracking.

Immediately following the above event there was a Cub Link event, organised by the Scout section in which thirty-two Cub Scouts participated, supported by eleven leaders. There was a hike, a campfire, bases incorporating Scout section skills and backwoods cooking. Grateful thanks to A.D.C. Scouts, Jamie Broadbent and his team of Leaders and Scouts for the event.

The Sixer and Seconder Activity Day, in March, saw thirty-six Cub Scouts and ten leaders from six Packs travel by coach to The Deep in Hull, followed by a visit to the Museum for Transport. This was the first visit to these venues and the day was very interesting and most enjoyable and worth repeating as there are other museums in the area.

The Cross-Country competition was held in April at Scarborough Rugby Union Football Club. Seven Packs entered and was won by Sleights Seekers with 2[nd] . E.L.O. as runners-up. There were twenty-two runners and the individual winner was Tayla Koekemoer from 37[th] . Wheatcroft. Grateful thanks to Mr. Steven Broadbent for presenting the “Bridget (Biddy) Daniel” trophy and the certificates.

All Packs have good programmes with a wide range of activities both indoor and outdoor, about which reports are received at the bi-monthly meetings.

Grateful thanks are expressed to the District Commissioner Steven Broadbent, members of the District Team, Scout Active Support for all their interest and support, to the Cub Scout Leaders, the Assistant Cub Scout Leaders, Young Leaders, Pack Helpers and all Cub Scouts for their involvement and participation during the year.

Ian C. Marshall Cub Programme Team Leader

Colin T. Adamson

Cub Programme Team Member

SCOUT PROGRAMME TEAM LEADER’S REPORT

As of 2026, the Scout section operates with eight troops across the District, an increase of one from last year. Over the past 12 months, we have successfully welcomed Filey Scouts, thanks to the hard work of Tim, Sara, and Matt. All troops are performing well, with most experiencing steady growth. Leader involvement remains strong, and those who took on roles last year have continued to develop their troops effectively.

There are currently 166 young people in the Scout section, representing a 7% increase. Personally, the past year has allowed me to further shape the section in my role, something I take great pride in. Working closely with leaders, we have introduced positive changes, and their continued support has been vital to the section’s development.

Several new activities were introduced this year based on leader feedback. In June, Scouts attended the Junior Warrior event at Bramham Park, a Tough Mudder-style challenge which proved highly popular. Due to its success, it has already been rebooked with increased numbers.

We also made significant changes to Kontiki, relocating it from Peasholm Park to Wykeham Lakes due to limited support at the original venue. While challenging, this decision proved successful, with improved participation and accessibility. Thanks go to Oli Haire for supporting this transition. First Scarborough won the competition with an excellent display of pioneering skills.

Another new addition was the District Quiz, hosted by First Scarborough. It received very positive feedback and will continue in future years. The event was won by 42nd St Mark’s.

Alongside new initiatives, established events remained strong. The year began with the Camp Craft Competition at Birch Hall, replacing the previous Inchipist format with a greater focus on core Scouting skills. This change was well received, with 42nd St Mark’s taking the win.

The Cooking Competition at Eastfield HQ followed, supported by SAS as judges. Five sections attended, and the event ran smoothly, with Eastfield taking first place for their impressive three-course meal.

In 2026, the programme continued with the 5-a-side Football Competition, organised by Ian Marshall and Colin Adamson. Six sections took part in one of the most consistently popular events, with 46th Westborough emerging as winners.

March saw the Shooting and Archery Competitions held at First Scarborough and Derwent Valley. Standards improved significantly, with 46th Westborough winning Archery and 42nd St Mark’s taking Shooting. Thanks go to Chris Tolley for his continued support.

In response to feedback requesting more social opportunities, we introduced the first District Scouts Christmas Party Night. Hosted at First Scarborough, the event included a DJ, games, and competitions. It was a great success and widely praised. Special thanks go to Simon Butcher for his efforts in delivering the event.

This year has seen continued progress and increased effort across the section. I would like to recognise several individuals for their contributions. Simon Butcher, now an Explorer Leader, has continued to provide invaluable support in organising

activities. Maisy Mclean, our District Youth Lead, received a Caring Volunteer award at the County Awards Night and has played a key role in ensuring young people remain at the centre of our work. Finally, Steven Broadbent’s support in launching Filey Scouts and his wider contributions across the District have been outstanding.

Jamie Broadbent

Scouts Programme Team Leader

14-24 TEAM LEADER’S REPORT

At last year’s AGM the Thailand Jamboree Trophy was presented to the Osprey Unit who had a good year increasing their numbers.

An all-unit games evening was held on Friday 13th June.

The following Friday 20[th] June, a District King Canute sand castle building competition was held. A great turnout from units enjoyed watching the tide demolishing the huge sand castles which had been built. The last flag standing and winners of the competition came from the Osprey Unit. Thanks to Gill and Angela from the SAS for preparing the hot dogs.

Four units entered the Kontiki raft race on Saturday 27[th] September. The winning team came from the Hawks Unit.

On Thursday 13[th] November units took part in a “Hunted” competition. Thanks to Gail for organising the event.

Explorers and leaders joined in the festive celebrations at the Carol Service in December.

On March 6[th] on a beautiful mild and clear night, DONUT was held. This was a successful and well attended event with eight teams competing. The winners of the event were from the Extreme Unit. Thanks go to Tony Barlow for organising the event and to all the leaders and Scout Active Support for running the checkpoints and catering.

The following Friday 13[th] March, there was an excellent turnout again for the DONUT presentation and Explorer Quiz held in the foyer of Westborough Church. We had 15 teams competing. Trophies were presented to Extreme who won DONUT and Phoenix who won the Quiz. Thanks to our hosts Westborough Scout Group and Gail and Simon for organising the quiz and not forgetting Tony, special thanks for once again organising the DONUT competition and the fantastic presentation on the big TV screen, making the way the DONUT results were announced so exciting.

All units are running quality programmes with lots of outdoor activities.

There are currently 84 Explorers within the District, which is an increase of 5 on last year.

I would like to thank the leaders for their continued hard work in supporting their units.

Chris Blogg 14-24 Team Leader

EVENT SUPPORT TEAM (PREVIOUSLY SCOUT ACTIVE SUPPORT) LEADER’S REPORT

Here we are again. We may have a new name but we have the same aim, to provide support to Sections in Groups and to the District events.

We have helped at the usual District events including the Cub Scout Cooking Competition, Scout Cooking Competition, Cub Scout Quiz, District Swimming Gala, District Carol Service, and Explorers DONUT providing the soup stop.

In addition to the usual events we were pleased to be asked to help at the Cub Scout Sports Day and the District Beaver Christmas Event at Birch Hall. We are also due to help again at the Scout District Incident Hike.

I’m very pleased with the number of requests for help that we have received from Sections/Groups in the last twelve months, our busiest year ever I think. We were particularly happy to help at Filey when they were starting up and at Whitby with their recruitment event. This is what we are here for and we enjoy being asked to help. Please don’t ever think it’s too late to ask us, some of our requests have been within a few hours of the meeting time and we have often still been able to send someone to help.

We continue to help at Birch Hall as and when needed for cleaning etc.

When we help, especially at Groups, it tends to be one or two of us at a time. So we hold social events where we all have a chance to meet up. In the last year we have enjoyed a couple of quiz nights, a Treasure Hunt and a trip to Pickering to Beck Isle Museum. In November 2025 we had our annual weekend at Birch Hall, we had a day at York Castle Museum on the Saturday and on Sunday we attended the Remembrance Day Service at Hackness. Most recently we had another meal out at the The Forge Valley Inn in February 2026.

Please remember if you have any leaders who are leaving your Group but who may still want to be involved in ‘active’ Scouting, please point them in my direction. Although we enjoy our social activities our main priority is to support Groups and the District and with more members this would be easier.

I would like to thank everyone who continues to volunteer, often at short notice, to enable us to support Groups and the District.

Gill MacCallaugh Event Support Team Lead Volunteer

ADVENTUROUS ACTIVITIES REPORT

It’s been another fantastic year of Activities in Scarborough and District for our young people. It’s great seeing all the things groups have done throughout the District and I’ve enjoyed offering advice and supporting where I have been able to. Unfortunately for various reasons, I have stood down as the District Adventurous Activities Lead, but I’m sure the team will continue to improve and grow on the hard work already done.

The biggest thanks goes to Chris Tolley for Archery, Jamie Broadbent for Shooting and Oli Haire for Water Activities. This has been our first year having Kayaking and Canoeing run by Oli at North Yorkshire Water Park, having over 100 Cubs, Scouts and Explorers taking part last year and even moving the Scout Kontiki competition to NYWP. Chris has also had another fantastic year, now supported by Charlotte Guy, who gained her permit after attending a weekend of training at Thornthwaite Scout Camp near Harrogate. Chris has also upgraded the District’s equipment and has arranged equipment for Birch Hall. The same can be said for Jamie and shooting, with high numbers of young people taking part and high quality equipment for the District.

We now have Tomahawk equipment at Birch Hall, being able to offer 4 ranges, along with Throwing Angels and Tomahawks. Thanks to the Birch Hall team for supporting this and building the targets. This is another great activity on offer to add to the many things groups can do whilst staying at Birch Hall.

Simon Butcher

Former Adventurous Activities Team Leader

FAITHS AND BELIEFS REPORT

The two main areas to oversee and deliver continue to be the District Christmas Celebration Service and the District St. George’s Day Service.

The 2025 Christmas event was held at Westborough. There was no uniform, other than neckers, and no flags. Christmas jumpers and hats were encouraged. It was a celebration of Christmas both sacred and secular. A service of readings and carols with a medley of songs to conclude. All sections were represented, together with members of the District Team, the District Trustees and the Scout Active Support.

The service was led by the A.D.C. (Faiths and Beliefs) and the talk given by Mr. Tom Clayton, the Methodist Lay Community Worker. An offering was taken and £257.66 given to the Wave Project, delivering surf therapy in partnership with Scarborough Surf School. The District Good Turn of toiletry gifts and the Christmas Card competition were part of the event, with a gathering of uniformed members visiting care and nursing homes on the South Cliff the following day. The number of gifts was disappointing, and this element will be reviewed before next year.

There was a desire to have a changed format for the St. George’s event and the aim was to have a parade, a short service with the renewal of promises and a focus on St. George, followed by various activities. Various attempts were made to find a suitable location which would enable this to take place but unfortunately, appropriate permissions were not granted and there was also opposition from some Groups to proposals that were put forward. Grateful thanks to Simon Butcher and Steven Broadbent who worked tirelessly to achieve this aim but ultimately it was not possible. With Queen Street Methodist Central Hall not available, a service took place at Westborough, when flags were paraded, Promises renewed and through prayers, readings and presentation, St. George remembered. An offering was taken for Martin House Children’s Hospice.

In addition to these two celebrations, there are elements of the My Faith Activity Badges and the place of the Promise within the movement and I will be pleased to meet with sections and/or Groups if they wish to pursue these elements further.

Colin T. Adamson

Leadership Team Member (Faiths and Beliefs)

VOLUNTEERING DEVELOPMENT TEAM LEADER’S REPORT

My Membership and Disclosure systems

Other than the odd glitch here and there, Groups and District Sections are generally operating fine on the current online systems, for which well done!

If we all ‘log in’ regularly to My Membership, check and undertake any ‘Actions’, and complete our ‘required’ learning in My Learning and respond to any e-mails about upcoming due dates, we can save a lot of unnecessary hassle for other volunteers in following up reports of non-compliance, which increasingly lead to suspension.

If you get stuck and cannot find your way, there are video and ‘step by step’ transcript user guides on www.scouts.org.uk which you can access easily at the top of the page when logged in to My Membership. If those do not help you, please get in touch.

Welcoming new volunteers

Several Groups are ‘on top’ of Welcome Conversations, which are required for all new volunteers around 3 – 6 weeks into role and are led by the person responsible

for appointing them, which in most cases will be the Group Lead Volunteer or District Team Leader (Non-Section).

Another volunteer who is independent (i.e. not from the same Group or team as the new volunteer) is also required to participate in the welcome conversation, and one of the two should ideally have experience of the relevant Section, if for a Section role. Each of these must first have completed the short Welcome Conversation e- Learning and have the Welcome Conversation Volunteer accreditation, which I can give once informed by those who have completed the learning.

Details of those with the required Welcome Conversation Volunteer accreditation are on the District Directory on Dropbox or a report can be run on Data Explorer which also gives you their contact details.

The Group Lead Volunteer or District Team Leader can arrange the other Welcome Conversation Volunteer direct or via Paula Tyrer, Welcome Team Leader, who is also available to advise or assist, for which many thanks! – paula@paulatyrer.plus.com

Learning

Please ‘log in’ regularly to My Learning and complete your ‘required’ learning and respond to any e-mails about upcoming due dates.

If you want to continue or start additional learning towards a Wood Badge or have completed some of this learning and are ready to be assessed/accredited, please talk to Alan Burnham, Learning Team Leader who is available to advise or assist on all things Learning – ltmscarborough@gmail.com

The First Response first aid e-learning is now on My Learning with face to face practical validation sessions arranged by Alan with Keith Underwood and Sar Malia, District Learning Team Members with County accreditations as First Response Trainers.

If you have done an external First Aid certificate there is a form to complete on Dropbox and forward to Alan, so the team can work out what other support you will need to validate.

Many thanks to Alan, Keith and Sar!

Accredited Learning Assessors able to assess/validate and input to learning records. Again a list of those with each accreditation is on the District Directory on Dropbox or a report can be run on Data Explorer.

Awards & Recognition

In the last year we have caught up the backlog and more of nominations for awards for Good Service, with 11 Chief Scouts Commendations for Good Service, 4 Awards for Merit, 4 Silver Acorns, 1 Bar to the Silver Acorn and a Silver Wolf awarded and 6 further nominations in process or submitted.

Any adult member can nominate any other adult member or associate member for a Good Service Award on My Membership, subject to the recipient meeting the award criteria.

So going forward I will be supporting Groups to draft their own nominations, as it is not realistic for one individual to draft all or most of the nominations due to time and/or knowledge of the individual nominees.

And finally…

As ever, if you get stuck or need advice, just ask.

With thanks.

Andy Jennings

Volunteering Development Team Leader

M : 07777 667232 | E : adcgs.scarborough@btinternet.com