ANGLESEY DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL
District Commissioners Report
I was appointed as DC for the island nearly five years ago, July 2018 and I am retiring from this role (not Scouting)! in the next month or two – I will be 65 and I am a great believer in not having old people hanging round, getting in the way!
Beth (Area Commissioner) will be starting the search for a new District Lead Volunteer (as the role will be called) and if you are interested, I would encourage you to seriously consider applying. Have a chat with Beth or me and we will tell you what’s involved, warts and all!
I am pleased to report that I will be leaving the district in good shape. When I started, youth membership was 227, its now 310 and overall membership has increased from 317 to 430. (Which a great result of either dedicated teamwork or better counting during the census!)
Seriously, it is mostly due the efforts of the team! Noel looking after the finances, Dave as Secretary and Carol and Malcolm on Appointments and Training compliance which has become almost a small industry. Not to mention the support given by the members of the District Trustee Board, The Appointments Panel, and people like Adrian on Nights Away.
We are a small District, but we do our best to provide our members with good Scouting and we are fortunate in having a great group of GSL’s who manage each of our six Scout Groups. Group membership wax and wane over the years but the credit for keeping these groups active and successful goes to those GSLs and their teams of dedicated volunteers. And let’s not forget our Explorers in Menai Bridge and Holyhead – Alys, Clare, and Tony.
Membership recovered and grew after the pandemic with all groups except Valley reopening. (We all miss our friend Egryn who was a great supporter).
Highlights of 2022, we had District events (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts) which were the first for many years. We open two Squirrel Drays. We ran a SOWA Discovery Weekend – first in Wales and we have helped people through their awards. We have had quite a few CSA and our first KSA is in the process and people have earned their Wood Badge which is great.
We have secured several grants for important things like supporting families with low incomes take part in Scouting. And, to help develop our wonderful campsite. Thanks, must be recorded to Adrian and the whole team who have continued to develop the site into a fantastic asset. If you have visited our composting toilets, you are in for treat but please use them responsibly.
I only have one regret – despite our best efforts – we have still not managed to secure a long-term lease for the site, but we are not giving up! On behalf of myself and more importantly all the kids you provide Scouting for, thank you once again for all your support.
Stephen P Buckley District Commissioner
Annual Statement of Accounts and Commentary
The District Treasurer presented the accounts and made the following comments:
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Last year through 31st March 2023 was a rather average year with many of the usual incomes and expenditures taking place
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The major expense was once again on the infrastructure of the Talwyn Campsite. In previous years we built the timber shelter
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This year we continued to kit it out and started the build of the composting toilets and composting bins. This included buying the toilets, bins, digging drainage and providing a hard standing
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Hopefully this will allow us to remove the need for hiring Porta loos
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We also added, benches, tables, security cameras, signage, etc. to the general site
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We paid for general mowing, cutting and bailing, trimming, pothole filling and a tree site survey of the site. The tree survey is important from a H&S and insurance perspective.
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Hopefully, all the above will add to the attractiveness and useability of the campsite and allow us to gain increased revenue.
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We have continued to maintain a website and other management software. This year we started to use a professional to manage the website. We have continued to provide other on-line scout management software for the District and Groups.
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We provided First Aid training, Woodland Skills training and some specialist watercraft training for individuals. I understand the tomahawk throwing went down well!
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We made small grants for rucksacs, an Oven for Holyhead, etc.
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We also contributed to the costs of sending Scouts to the World Scout Jamboree in Korea.
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After several years of lapse, due to COVID, we re-joined the National Trust with Educational Group membership status.
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Rhiannon handed over the Badge Account this year, which has been absorbed back into the District Current account.
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Through the efforts of Annie Simmonite, we received a major grant from Tesco's towards the campsite.
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We also received an Anglesey Community grant for Welsh language courses, translations, printing etc
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Other fund raising has resulted in donations from Hanwell Health Centre and others, whom Adrian seems adept at steering towards us.
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The latest Annual Capitation has now been paid, post March 2023 and all except Amlwch Capitation has been received. (This awaiting change of bank account signatures, SPB)
The Campsite has raised funds by hosting campers from:
- 1st Beaumaris
Page 2 of 5 pages
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1st Amlwch
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1st Llanfairpwll
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2nd Monkspath
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16th Wyre Forest
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Cambridge Group
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Penyffordd Cubs
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Adult Learning Wales
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Llangollen Dragon Explorers.
Page 3 of 5 pages
Accounts summary Isle of An lese DislTiCt Scout Council Period fro P•rfjod t 011041202 311031202 nin Balan¢e$ Cash Account Current Account MM Account uals otsl £25 £11.009. £51.005.1 £962 £62 113.8 ncome D15tricl Mernber5hi Fe8S £4,100.0 n Talwrn Carn I Visit fe8S £1.377.5 Other Income Granls Oonations £8.056.4 £2.729.7 ransfer fron7 MM Acc £13.010.7 Bad e Account £1,634.2 Bank Interest MM Acc £151.5 otal Income £31 060.1 end rea Ca Ilation fee5 £13.250.0 n Talwrn Cam Maintenance rnenl £5.522.6 £2.5715 £5.274.01 £642.5 £204 0 Com ostin Firewood oilel servicin Toilets ult External Trainin £1.818.8 Bad e Account £2.659.6 Clothin Neckersluniforms £288.0 Room hir8 £16.0 Insuranco Hel ers Person81 Accident andE mefli £274.3 Page 4 of 5 pages
Ex Stallone Printin Posta Mileè a Parkin Books ment ns•s Id £403.2 £37.11 £42.9 £201.6 £136.7 Other Bank Char uals Cards es £72.8 £2.000.0 National Twst Educational Grou Membershi £106.8 Grants Jèmboree rant 2ihl Hol head Oven £1.000.0 £500.0 8b site and hostiTr Mana ement Software £698.3 £1.828.8 Onltne Scout Mana frr otal S £39 549.9 Excess Incorne v Spend -£8.489.83 Closin Balan¢e$ Cash Account Current Account ReSee Account uals otal £2.5 £2.368 5 £38, 145. £200.5 £40 717.5 Debltors 11 Amlwch Scouis Beaumans Se8 Scouts 151 LlanfaifpwII Scout5 J Hol hea¢J Scouts 111 Menai Bridge Scouts Demon Explorers Holyhead Explorers £3,141.5 £1,287.5 E3,193.0 EI,802.5 E4.686.5 £927.0 £360.5 Creditors rea Capitation fo•8 £15.4.0 Closlng Balances Cash Account Current Account Ros¢Th Account uals otal £2.367.0 £38, 145. £200.5 £40 716.0 Page 5 of 5 pages