Providing Support for Scouts & Guides
CONTACT US FOR ALL YOUR SCOUTING AND GUIDING REQUIREMENTS
By Visit - 60 - 68 Trippet Lane
Monday to Saturday 10.00 - 4.00
By Phone - 0114 - 2701752
By E-Mail - orderonline@scout-and-guide-shop.co.uk
or
By our fully illustrated fully commercial Website
www.scout-and-guide-shop.co.uk Visit our Face Book page at The Scout and Guide Shop
SHEFFIELD SCOUT
RESOURCES CHARITY
ANNUAL REPORT 2024—2025
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SHEFFIELD SCOUT RESOURCES CHARITY (Charity Registration No. 524796)
OFFICERS
Chairman J.C. Lashmar, 1 Prospect Place, S17 4HZ 262 0033 Hon. Secretary A.S. Cull, 10 Chorley Avenue, S10 3RP 230 5837 Hon. Treasurer VACANT Asst. Hon. Tres. VACANT
SHEFFIELD SCOUT RESOURCES CHARITY
Scout Headquarters, 60 - 68 Trippet Lane, S1 4EL Telephone 0114 273 7922 Administrator D. L.. Worth
Are you aged between 18 and 100 ?
Do you want to have fun and see others enjoying themselves ? Can you spare some time during the year to help out ?
If you answered all the above in the affirmative then some Sheffield kids need you !
THE SCOUT AND GUIDE SHOP LIMITED (Company Registration No 3324674)
Company Secretary A S Cull
Contact Scout Office for ideas on where YOU can help
SHEFFIELD SCOUTS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED (Company Registration No. 623191)
Company Secretary A.S. Cull
THE SCOUT AND GUIDE SHOP
Scout Headquarters, 60 - 68 Trippet Lane, S1 4EL Telephone - 0114 272 4018 Orders - 0114 270 1752
Telephone - 0114 273 7922 or E-mail - sheff.scouts@btconnect.com
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SHEFFIELD SCOUT RESOURCES CHARITY
ANNUAL REPORT 2024—2025
. Report of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee met on five occasions during the year.
Mr Alan Cull has continued as Honorary Secretary, and all members of the committee are grateful for his work. Mr David Worth has continued as Administrator and has ensured that the Committee has been kept up to date with the financial positions of the Charity and other accounts.
The Office in the Trippet Lane building has continued to support the Scout Movement within the City by implementing decisions of the Executive. The Honorary Secretary and the Administrator have continued to provide supportive advice to Groups for Headquarters building schemes and lease renewals, including a small part in the scheme which has resulted in a brand new state-of-the art Scout HQ for 105[th] Sheffield (High Green) Scout Group. Whilst it is very pleasing to see this new development there are some Scout Groups with difficult and complicated issues around leases etc that we are seeking to help resolve. In appropriate cases the Charity will make available financial resources to Groups for Headquarters building schemes.
The committee has continued to receive reports on work that has been undertaken at the Trippet Lane premises. The committee also receives reports from the Archive Team, the team are thanked for all their work.
The Charity, together with the four Sheffield Scout Districts, has continued to coordinate with local charities and Sheffield City Council as appropriate.
The Charity has continued to operate the Alec Oates Fund which assists members of the Movement, who may otherwise miss out on an activity, to attend camps and holidays. Mr Brian Hall who has overseen the Alec Oates Fund and our investments that are managed by Rathbones/Investec as well as playing a leading role in seeking grants for young people attending Jamborees, retired at our annual meeting in November 2024. Brian was thanked for his many years of work on behalf of Sheffield Scouting.
The Charity's investment service has continued to offer the best rates we can obtain to Sheffield Districts and Groups. Details of this service are highlighted in
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the financial review found elsewhere in this report.
The Executive Committee has continued to receive regular reports on the performance of the Charity and The Scout & Guide Shop, the trading arm of the Charity. The very challenging trading environment resulted in a disappointing result with a deficit of £14.5K. A major task for the shop was the development of a new website powered by Shopify which went live on 30[th] March 2025. The Committee expressed their thanks to the whole shop team and especially Ian Siddons for all their work in developing and changing over to the new website.
Overall, the Charity had a net surplus of £1788 and remains in a financially sound position. More detailed financial information is given elsewhere in this report.
The Charity's associated Trust Company, Sheffield Scout (Holdings) Limited has continued to act as trustee for both the Charity and the majority of Groups and Districts in the City. The Executive Committee monitors the Company's work.
The Executive Committee would especially wish to thank all members of the staff and all voluntary helpers for their unstinting support during the last year.
J C Lashmar Chairman
The Scout and Guide Shop
FDL
Lisa Brearly Retail Operations Manager
Scout Archives
The Archive provides a safe home for not only Sheffield, but also any Scouting connected item, and the team welcomes and provides a safe home for any donations. The Archivists can be contacted through Scout Headquarters and items can be left with the Scout Shop. Collection of items can be
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arranged if required.
The Archives website, which contains information on all Sheffield Groups, remains live but has some features which are not operational at present. This can be viewed at http://www.sheffieldscoutarchives.org.uk. Basic group information can be found under the “ Groups” link on the home screen navigation and in more detail, up to the 1980's, in the Annual Reports which can be located from the “ Archives” link on the home page. The site also contains hundreds of images, press cuttings and films.
The team is much reduced and would welcome anyone who would like to spend a Monday (or any other) morning in pleasant company sorting out the history of Scouting in the city. Previous knowledge of Scouting would be useful but actual knowledge of Sheffield Scouting is not required!
David Worth
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SHEFFIELD SCOUTING ACTIVITIES
2024–2025
DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
Don J Mellor (Acting)
Norfolk M Hardman (Acting)
Hallam H Clayton
Sheaf M Hardman (Acting)
GRANTS 2024
The Alec Oates Scout Fund
The fund was established in 1943 in memory of the two sons of Alec Oates killed while on active service in the RAF. The Fund permits the Trustees to “apply the income arising from the fund towards the provision of financial assistance for camping for Scouts in poor circumstances”. Since the fund was set up, additional legacies and donations have been received in the memory of former Scouts and the value of the fund at March 31[st] 2025 was £ 42,528.
7 applications were received during the year to 31[st] March 2025 and grants totalling £ 950 were made towards camp costs.
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MEMBERSHIP
The Annual Census taken as at 31st January 2025 showed total Membership of the Scout Association in the City of Sheffield
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
The Income and Expenditure Account of the Charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 and the Balance Sheet as at that date follow this review. The activities of the Charity now fall into three sectors and these are dealt with individually below.
Administrative Services and Trippet Lane Premises
Income for the year was close to both the budget and the previous year at £84.4k. The slight reduction in the use of the building was balanced by an increase in interest receipts. All establishment expenses were also in line with budget with the exception of a minor increase in repairs. The Charity had a surplus of £16.3k in line with budget. An increase of £1.5k over the previous year. Our direct financial support for Scouting activities reduced by £1.5k to £13.5k due to applications for support.
The Charity’s budget for 2025/26 indicates a surplus of £ 17.2k. This is after providing direct support to the 4 Sheffield Scout Districts and Sheffield Guides.
The Charity expresses its sincere thanks its lay advisors for the considerable time and effort they expend in providing advice, encouragement and support for the Scout Movement within the City of Sheffield.
Consolidated Investment Service and Group Loan Scheme
At 31st March 2025 46 Districts and Groups had active accounts in the scheme, although 6 of these held zero balances. Deposits with the Charity totalled £721,295, a net decrease (including capitalised interest) during the year of £36,414.
Interest of £16,371.59 was paid to investors during the year. The Scheme’s earnings during the year were less than the interest paid by £1,229 and this increased the accumulated deficit to £7,746. This is not expected to reduce during the current year due to static interest rates and the Charity’s agreement to maintain interest rates at the current level.
The average rate of interest paid during the year to all investors was 2.296%, a rate greater than available commercially in the High Street for relatively small, short term deposit balances.
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The standard rate of interest, introduced at 1[st] April 2022 of 2.25% has been maintained. The continuing difficulties in the financial markets indicates that the re-introduction of the interest rate supplements will continue to be delayed.
The Charity continues to offer provide financial support in the form of lowinterest rate loans to Sheffield Scout headquarters building and repair projects. At present there no active loans.
The Scout and Guide Shop
During the year product sales reduced by 9.1% to £1,182 m. The overall gross trading margin increased by 11.12% % due to increased sales owing to a reduction in sales via Amazon.
Sales volume related Operating and Administration expenses, excluding staffing costs, reduced significantly due to reduced volume especially on Amazon sales. Salary costs increased by 9.9% due to further strengthening the shop management team. Due to the improved gross margin and the other factors mentioned the shop operations improved by 58.5 % to a loss of £16.7k.
Stocks of products have decreased significantly by £291.7k to £695.6k. This reduction has enabled us to reduce trade creditors by £345.9k to £226.3k. To achieve that reduction the shop has been financed by additional shortterm support from our own, SSRC, reserves. Interest is paid to the Charity on this borrowing.
A new website was launched at the beginning of the new financial year and, with that and our continuing close relationship with Scout Shops, sales are budgeted to increase by 8.56% to £ 1.481m in 2025/26. Despite this volume increase significant reductions in sales margins have enforced by both of our major suppliers, Scout Shop and Girl Guie Trading, and this means that we still expect to incur a loss of £25.8k for the year. This however is based on a very cautious sales budget due to the difficulty of estimating the benefit brought by the new, up to date, sales website.
The comments received by the staff indicates that the shop continues to provides a very positive service to both movements locally and across the country. Our thanks go to the staff for all their efforts in maximising sales and managing the continued challenging trading conditions.
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FDL Supplies
Due to a combination of low sales demand and the commissioning of our new Shopify website at 31[st] March 2025, which could handle both retail and wholesale sales, the decision was taken to wind up the separate FDL operation. All the stocks and financial balances were transferred to The Scout and Guide Shop at March 30[th] and therefore no separate accounts for the 12 months to March 31[st] 2025 have been produced. The Shop will continue to produce its own range of products for members of both movements and, with the new website, we can provide a better service to other District Scout and Guide shops.
Donations and Subscriptions
SHEFFIELD SCOUT RESOURCES CHARITY
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
Contents Page
Accountants' Report 12 Income and Expenditure Account 13 Balance Sheet 14 Notes to the Financial Statements 15—17
The Charity would like to thank all donors and subscribers for their continued support for the Charity and its work in supporting the Scout movement in the City of Sheffield
Overall Position
The operation of the Charity developed a loss of £343, a reduction of £23,688 over the previous year. The overall budget for the year 2025/26 is for a loss of £ 8.7k to be achieved. That loss is after the application of noncash depreciation of £7.63 k and the Charity providing positive direct financial support to the Scout and Guide movement of £14.1 k.
David Worth Administrator
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