LEES WOOD CAMPSITE: REPORTS AGM 2021LEES WOOD CAMPSITE: ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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Is a charity which operates as “Lees Wood Scout and Guide Activity Centre” situated on land known as “Lees Wood” at Fir Tree Hill, Chandler’s Cross, near Rickmansworth in the county of Hertfordshire. The land comprises 17.34 hectares (47 Acres) of woodland and is freehold property jointly owned by the District Scout Councils of Watford North and Watford South, the adjoining field purchased in 2010 is owned by the charity ‘Lees Wood Campsite’ and brings the total freehold area of the whole site to approximately 70 acres.
The charity operates according to the Policy, Organisation and Rules of both ‘The Scout Association’ and ‘The Guide Association’.
SECRETARY: Mrs. B. Newlan, 5 Cowper Court, The Harebreaks, Watford, WD24 6NW BOOKING SECRETARY: Mrs. S. Leach, 21 Denmark Street, Watford WD17 4YA
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (2020)
G. RAVEN (Camp Warden)
G. FARTHING (Chairman)
Mrs. B. NEWLAN/ J WRIGHT (Minute Secretary) Miss A. SMALL (Treasurer)
R. NEWLAN Replaced by S Mawhinney
(following WN AGM) nominated by Watford North I. RANCE nominated by Watford North
Vacant - nominated by Watford South
J. WRIGHT nominated by Watford South
J. BANKS nominated by Girlguiding South West Herts
L. TOWNLEY nominated by Girlguiding South West Herts
CO-OPT MEMBERS
Ian Leach, Roger Sands and Erin Walsh
CHARITY TRUSTEES
The two District Commissioners and District Chairmen of Watford North, and Watford South Scout Districts and the Girlguiding South West Herts Division Commissioner are the Charity Trustees and as such are ex-officio members of the Lees Wood Campsite Management Committee.
CUSTODIAN TRUSTEES
The Scout Association Trust Corporation, Gilwell Park Chingford London E4 7QW
BANKERS
CAF Bank Limited
25 Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
TaxAssist Accountants
117 High Street, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1DE
http://www.leeswood.org.uk
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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2020.
Aims and Organisation.
The aim of Lees Wood Campsite is to help the aims of both Scouting and Guiding to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities.
This is achieved by providing a well-managed, secure and attractive woodland environment enabling the campers (our customers) to obtain maximum benefit from their visits, and by creating a welcoming atmosphere to which they wish to return.
Review of Progress and Achievements for 2020.
This is my first report as Chairman having taken over the Chair in March 2020 (the month scheduled for the AGM although deferred to the Autumn). It was our intention to publicly thank my predecessor David Sands for the long years of service given to Lees Wood however, this did not prove possible due the unfolding of events gripping the world.
This is certainly NOT the report I anticipated writing, whilst the year 2020 did not start with the water issues of 2019 it certainly did bring its own challenges with the arrival of COVID 19. Effectively the first thing we had to do was to close the Woods. This was hoped to be for a short time hence originally deferring last year’s AGM.
Following governmental national instructions and those of Scouting England, the Woods was closed to all comers including crews, activity instructors and the committee (I am yet to hold a meeting within the Woods, with all meetings being online). We have had to turn down regular offers of help to maintain the Woods from users/crews for which we are grateful, but we have been unable to accept these and stay within regulations.
We have been blessed in the commitment of our Warden Graham and his small core team (in compliance with Covid regulations) who have been on site to carry out maintenance and provide security 24/7, effectively for a year now. In some respects, a year of not using the site has allowed our popular camp pitches and heavily used areas a chance to recover. The efforts of the team are very much appreciated by the Management Committee and I am sure all users. I also would like to thank those in an administrative role who have continued to volunteer their time to support the Woods.
I can assure you all that your contributions into the review to create our strategy for the forthcoming years has not been forgotten. Although deferred to a greater extent while in lockdown. Early 2020 before lockdown we were actively looking at the booking process, information we provide to you to simplify the process, although we will not lose the personal touch. You will be able to speak to someone not just an automated response. Proof of concept trials of allowing card payment in the Provider were under way. We
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will now need to see what the new “normal” is before committing to capital improvement but staying within our ethos of a greenfield low-key user-friendly site.
As a team we were pleased and proud as a site to be able to make three Covid safe areas of green space available to you in the Autumn. To help, to get your members outside again. Thank you for your feedback, we did make changes e.g., putting in extra lighting raising the tree canopy in some areas. Regrettably, we had to close again as the second wave hit. Next time we are able to reopen in this limited way the nights should be drawing out giving you more scope for your activities. As far as I am aware Lees Wood is the only site in the County that has been able to open to offer this facility in 2020.
Lees Wood was approached by an animal sanctuary at the end of the year to see if we would consider being a release site for animals e.g., wild birds, deer etc post medical treatment, to which we have agreed. Fitting in with Lees Wood and I believe Guiding and Scouting ethos. At the time of writing, we are awaiting the first tranche of animals for rehabilitation. This will not interfere with the operation of Lees Wood as a campsite. So next time you visit you may see some new birds, different types of deer etc. Providing they have not taken themselves off outside of our boundaries.
Rest assured we will to everything within our power throughout the virus and its control to ensure there is Campsite and Activities ready and waiting for to come back to.
Hope to see you all soon in better times at Lees Wood.
Graham Farthing Chairman.
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Wardens Report 2020
Where do we begin to report on a year that nearly everyone wishes to forget ? 2020 started just as every other year has , with lots of bookings coming in and my team and I looking forward another great year welcoming old and new customers and helping them to create great experiences and forge great memories for themselves and their young people . Sadly, this was not to be , the Pandemic took over our lives and forced us into a new way of living , without the ability to mix and socialise on the scale that we had done before , so Lees Wood along with many others was forced to close and temporarily forego its primary function in providing a safe outdoor space for youngsters and adults alike .
Luckily for Lees Wood we have very dedicated core team of volunteers ,to whom I am greatly indebted , who, during the Lockdown were able to continue working within the acceptable framework of the legislation and continued to provide the all important on site security and early warning system necessary to keep the Lees Wood site safe from intruders and to continue the heavy maintenance schedule which doesn’t stop just because the site is closed .
With the likelihood that the site would remain without paying visitors for some time , we had to face the fact that our revenue stream would be severely disrupted for the whole year, so our planned expenditure was cancelled and our budgets realigned to meet the obvious threat and our spend restricted to projects already underway and to emergency or essential outlay only .
As the year progressed , it was clear that at some stage the restrictions would be lifted enabling us some limited reopening , so the team started working early on a plan for just such an event, without knowing when or what restrictions might be lifted . By starting the planning early we were able to “cut and paste” the developing plan together when it became clearer how we would be able to operate and this enabled us to get ahead of the curve and reopen the site safely for short periods from the 28[th] of September . Sadly this was to prove short lived as the next Lockdown came into force some few weeks later , since which time the site has remained closed .
Although 2020 has not gone to plan, it has been a positive year of fundamental change and reinvention. Whatever we considered normal activity is no longer such and as so many people have had to change the way they live and operate in their daily lives so have we, we have had to learn to adapt and overcome , to see opportunity in the face of adversity , to find those strengths in our people that we didn’t previously know about and to have the strength of character to carry on regardless .
2021 has already started and hopefully we are starting to see light at the end of a long tunnel . Our plans are already in place and reopening is already starting to happen. Our visitors are starting to book their time with us again and hopefully by the middle of the Summer we should see some people camping and staying overnight . What you can be sure of, is that when the time comes for them to return , we will be ready to receive them , just as we did before this all began and hopefully everyone can look forward to a much more positive and fulfilling year.
Graham Raven Warden
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TREASURERS REPORT 2020
The Accounts have been drawn up on a 'receipts and payments' basis consistent with previous years. The Trustees of the Charity as at the 31[st] December 2020 are the Chairmen and District Commissioners of the Watford North and Watford South Scout Districts and the Girlguiding South West Herts Division Commissioner. “Lees Wood Camp Site” will be referred to as "the Charity" in these notes. The trading name of the Charity is "Lees Wood Scout and Guide Activity Centre".
The property is owned jointly by the Watford North and Watford South districts and not the charity. The value of the freehold site will therefore be an asset in each district’s own accounts. However, the field does belong to the Charity and is included in our assets at purchase price.
2020 was a year that no one was expecting, and all of our lives have been very different.
The Charity’s main income is normally raised by fees paid by Scout/Guide campers for outdoor and indoor accommodation however this was very small as the site was closed for most of the year. Fortunately, we did qualify for a Government Covid grant of £25,000.
The Charity’s outgoings are kept to a minimum consistent with the maintenance of a good and safe campsite. Running costs including utilities, insurance and admin were mostly covered by the Government Covid grant that we received.
On a personal note I would like to express my sincere thanks to Shirley Leach for the great job that she does and to the Management Committee and other volunteers for their continued help and support. This site and its success is due to the hard work of volunteers, thanks to all of them.
Amanda Small - Treasurer
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| Lees Wood - Management Accounts at 31/12/2020 | Lees Wood - Management Accounts at 31/12/2020 | Lees Wood - Management Accounts at 31/12/2020 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||
| 2019 | 2020 | budget 2020 | per centage | |||
| Income | £65,582.35 | £30,962.40 | £62,325.00 | 50% | ||
| Expenditure | -£69,013.59 | -£35,791.62 | -£67,430.00 | 53% | ||
| Trading | -£3,421.24 | -£4,829.22 | -£5,105.00 | 95% | ||
| Corner Field | £0.00 | £0.00 | ||||
| Capital Expenditure & Major Repair | -£13,243.64 | -£3,770.00 | -£3,000.00 | 126% | ||
| Excess/(deficit) | -£16,674.88 | -£8,599.22 | -£8,105.00 | 106% | ||
| B fwd | £90,470.23 | £73,795.35 | ||||
| total | £73,795.35 | £65,196.13 | ||||
| Represented by | 2019 | 2019 | ||||
| CafBank(Site Account) | £1,200.00 | -£1,810.38 | ||||
| CafBank(Providore Account) | £0.00 | £0.00 | ||||
| CafBank(Gold Account) | £69,901.26 | £64,168.49 | ||||
| Cash in Hand re site | £433.94 | £46.35 | ||||
| Cash in Hand re Provi | £52.00 | £83.50 | ||||
| Cash in Hand re Active Support | £0.00 | £0.00 | ||||
| Providore Stock | £2,208.15 | £2,708.17 | ||||
| Accrual re water | £0.00 | £0.00 | ||||
| £73,795.35 | £65,196.13 | |||||
| Income Details | ||||||
| 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020 | budget 2020 | per centage | |
| Facility Usage | ||||||
| CampingFees | £26,766.00 | £1,852.25 | £20,825.00 | 9% | ||
| Deposits | £1,694.00 | |||||
| Flight Oaks | £7,205.00 | £1,280.00 | £9,500.00 | 13% | ||
| Deposits | £900.00 | |||||
| Beeches | £5,520.00 | £270.00 | £9,000.00 | 3% | ||
| Deposits | £1,250.00 | |||||
| Cabin | £700.00 | £65.00 | £1,300.00 | 5% | ||
| ArcheryRange | £2,045.00 | £210.00 | £2,750.00 | 8% | ||
| BoulderingWall | £1,640.00 | £110.00 | £2,200.00 | 5% | ||
| Car track rental | £300.00 | £500.00 | £500.00 | 100% | ||
| ClimbingWall | £1,440.00 | £55.00 | £2,200.00 | 3% | ||
| Crossbows | £202.50 | £300.00 | 0% | |||
| Equipment Hire | £200.00 | |||||
| ShootingRange | £2,410.00 | £110.00 | £2,750.00 | 4% | ||
| Slackline | £45.00 | £10.00 | £100.00 | 10% | ||
| Games | £110.00 | |||||
| Go Karts | £1,125.00 | £55.00 | £1,100.00 | 5% | ||
| Misc | £1,111.50 | |||||
| Total | £54,664.00 | £4,517.25 | ||||
| Vending | ||||||
| Providore Takings | £6,140.80 | £576.82 | £7,000.00 | 8% | ||
| Providore Stock Increase | £583.91 | |||||
| Total | £6,140.80 | £1,160.73 | ||||
| Utility Usage | ||||||
| Electricitycoin meter | £506.00 | £5.00 | £500.00 | 1% | ||
| Total | £506.00 | £5.00 | ||||
| Events | ||||||
| Carols Round the Campfire | £46.32 | |||||
| Fireworks | £1,365.33 | |||||
| ActivityDay | £2,590.00 | £2,000.00 | 0% | |||
| Total | £4,001.65 | £0.00 | ||||
| Grants & Donations | ||||||
| SundryDonations | £167.50 | £201.99 | ||||
| Total | £167.50 | £201.99 | ||||
| Investment Income | ||||||
| Gold High Interest A/C | £102.40 | £57.15 | ||||
| Total | £102.40 | £57.15 | £100.00 | 57% | ||
| Miscellaneous | ||||||
| Crew Dinner | ||||||
| Herts Scout Lottery | £20.28 | |||||
| Three River DC Covid Grant | £25,000.00 | |||||
| Sundries | £200.00 | 0% | ||||
| Total | £0.00 | £25,020.28 | ||||
| TOTAL INCOME | £65,582.35 | £30,962.40 | £62,325.00 | 50% |
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| Expenditure Details | Expenditure Details | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020 | budget 2020 | % of Budget | |
| Site | ||||||
| Archery | £725.75 | £159.85 | £500.00 | 32% | ||
| Climbingwall | £1,000.00 | 0% | ||||
| Consumables | £2,838.45 | £954.93 | £2,500.00 | 38% | ||
| General Maintainance | £4,089.97 | £3,626.00 | £5,000.00 | 73% | ||
| Shootingrange | £560.00 | £500.00 | 112% | |||
| Staff expenses | £2,587.77 | £1,403.19 | £3,500.00 | 40% | ||
| Veolia ES(UK)Ltd(skip) | £2,382.97 | £830.69 | £2,500.00 | 33% | ||
| Washing& Cleaning | £2,259.35 | £370.37 | £2,500.00 | 15% | ||
| Hygiene Services | £1,188.00 | £297.00 | £1,500.00 | 20% | ||
| Go Karts | £250.00 | 0% | ||||
| BoulderingWall | £250.00 | 0% | ||||
| Slackline | £100.00 | 0% | ||||
| Nature Trail | ||||||
| Total | £16,072.26 | £8,202.03 | ||||
| Utilities | ||||||
| Gas | £1,540.27 | £2,303.28 | £2,200.00 | 105% | ||
| Electricity | £8,509.84 | £9,133.98 | £8,500.00 | 107% | ||
| Telephone | £989.61 | £688.53 | £850.00 | 81% | ||
| Water | £16,566.81 | £3,094.32 | £10,620.00 | 29% | ||
| Rates | £1,810.43 | £2,000.00 | 0% | |||
| Total | £29,416.96 | £15,220.11 | ||||
| Insurances | ||||||
| Buildings & contents | £8,818.78 | £9,090.07 | ||||
| Motor vehicles | £515.20 | £758.42 | ||||
| Personal Acc & Medical | £50.40 | £50.40 | ||||
| Public Liability | £504.00 | £524.00 | ||||
| Total | £9,888.38 | £10,422.89 | £11,000.00 | 95% | ||
| Administration | ||||||
| AccountancyFees | £600.00 | £600.00 | £650.00 | 92% | ||
| Advertising | ||||||
| Bank Interest and Charges | £70.00 | £80.00 | ||||
| Sum Upcharges | £22.80 | |||||
| Ass of Scout & Guide Activity | £50.00 | |||||
| Postage | £179.76 | £30.36 | £200.00 | 15% | ||
| ShootingLicence(NRSA) | ||||||
| Stationery | £50.84 | £275.96 | £400.00 | 69% | ||
| TV Licence | £154.50 | £157.50 | £160.00 | 98% | ||
| Website hosting& maint | £166.69 | £250.00 | 67% | |||
| Total | £1,105.10 | £1,333.31 | ||||
| Events | ||||||
| ActivityDay | £1,722.56 | £2,500.00 | 0% | |||
| Fireworks Display | £3,575.05 | |||||
| Carols Round the Campfire | £77.14 | |||||
| Green Beret | £2,493.71 | |||||
| Total | £7,868.46 | £0.00 | ||||
| Vending | ||||||
| Providorepurchases | £3,689.12 | £529.39 | £7,000.00 | 8% | ||
| Providore stock used | £870.62 | £83.89 | ||||
| Total | £4,559.74 | £613.28 | ||||
| Miscellaneous | ||||||
| ID cardprinter | ||||||
| Crew Dinner | £102.69 | |||||
| Active Support Expenditure | ||||||
| Training | £1,000.00 | 0% | ||||
| Total | £102.69 | £0.00 | ||||
| Total Payments | £69,013.59 | £35,791.62 | £67,430.00 | 53% | ||
| Capital Expenditure & Major Repair | ||||||
| Fire Detection & Alarm Syste | m £1,300.33 |
|||||
| CCTV | £3,000.00 | 0% | ||||
| Mower replacement | £3,770.00 | |||||
| Water to Les Willis | £2,660.00 | |||||
| Providore refurb | £7,508.36 | |||||
| Website | £582.75 | |||||
| Defib | £1,192.20 | |||||
| Total | £13,243.64 | £3,770.00 | £3,000.00 | 126% | ||
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | £82,257.23 | £39,561.62 | £70,430.00 | 56% |
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FLx•d Asset5 QS ot th¢ 31¥1 r)tcuther, 2020 &JidaDr¢ figrts for the follcwiw ho btrn assessed as follo. l. Pr4m the Insured wlues. which wtre re-s1 profe101 in 2CV2 oDd th¢ fi9urts are ireX linked 2. The krd 1$ owned jointty by the Warford North (s1 Wthord South E)i$trict ScouF¢othtils dnd is asset of L¢¢¥ Wwd Site. 3. Th¢ n¢w fiekl is bd at the pur¢Fwprice in 2010and is the pr•yrty of Lees Wood Cary Site Value ¢oneKts & Equipment Frtehold loperty known 0$ thÈ field £75,lJQJ Buiklings aTh4 ¢quipnnt. office Crew qwters Fli9ht Odks, a back hd9E Tcil¢t blo¢k store hutord worksh Pr¢wdare & staff qwrt¢r¥ lextluding Stock) Stondin9 ii¥hbÈr Climbing wall 6afiwÈ excludin9 vehicl¢s Be¢ch Wtsod Building 1 Beech wo1 8uildin9 2 Toilet block 2 (Wcent to etr wkl W111is Jlrt Beh W9od &Jilding 3 (Toitetl Boulderin9 Bo¥ Bea Fort New SloragÈ CLYttaifiers Motor vehicles ISIt¢ iL%t Lty)..- Pordsom Tractor reg FJH9C we$0d Minl Tractor McAlister Mvwtr Sit on John Deve fflower Siron A3C 304 Tractur Fir¢ Safety Egyipment £75.462 £254.700 e113.196 £47.162 £15.088 £29.188 £7.543 £9.429 £75.462 £18.86Q £17.747 £12.OCiI £3.494 £2.1X)O £2.CW)O £4308 £8.479 £12.114 £1.407 £8.479 £6.340 £0 £0 £6298 £6.661 £0 £0 £3.CQO £0 £scK) £500 i.ots) £250 £1.2(X) £3.770 £13.214 £2.LYJO £75.212 £762.639 tsabllltles w+thjn yearl Thtre ore no lthilities dw within om yedr. Liabillli¢3 thon yw eontlrwt IlobilLis. Thve are no lory trm or ¢ontln9ent liobilities. This Report cnd Ac¢¢uns ¥Rre approved by th¢ mO9t¢t Comfflittu. 6j¢¢t to IndepeThaent EXtIOn. at Wood the 10th r¢h 2021 and Sigm¢d on their be]1 by 6rahum P•rthity. Crn
Independent examlner's report to thetYUSteesof Lees Waod (ampslte IRCN: 8103141 I report on the accounts of Lees Wood Campsite for the yeaf ended 31 December 2020. whl¢h are set out on page5 7 to 9. Re5pe(Ilve iesp0nslbll1eSof trustee$and examiner The charity's trustees are responssble for the preparatlon of the account5. Thè tharity'5 trustees consider that an audit is not required for thls year undersettion 144121 ol the Chartiies Act 2011 Ithe 2011 Acr) and that an independent examinotion 15 needed. It is my responslbllltyto-. examinethe accounts under 5ertion 145 of the 2011 kt.. io followthe prD£edures laid down in the 8enE¥al Direttions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act.. and to State whether particular matter5 have rne to my attention. B1$ of Indopenderrt eJtamhrf5 fElXIrt My examinatlon was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given bythe Charity Cornmi5510n. An examination includes a review of the accountlng records kept b¥ the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with thosÈ records. It a150 include5 considEiation ol any unusual items oréisclosures in the accounts. ènd seeklng explanètlons from you as trustees concernlngèfty such rnatters. The proce(luies undertaken do not provide all the eviden£e that would be required in an audit and consequently no op4nion Is givÈn as to whetherthe accounts presenta'true and falr ¥lew' and thÈ report 15 limited to those matters Set ut in the statement below. IndÈpendentexamlner's statement In connect¢on wilh my examination. no rnatter hascorne to rny attention.. 111 vknith Bives me reasonable cause to bÈlleve that in any mateiial respert the requirernEnts.' to keep accounting records in accordance wth section 130 of the 2011 Act,. and to prepare accounts which accord with the accountin¥ records and comply with the accounting requirements ol the 2011 Act have not been met,. or 121 to which. In my oplnlon. attentlon should be drawn In orderto enable a proper understandin8 of the accounts to be reached. Amlt J05hi FCCA 12 April 2021 O TaxAsfA5tAcrDuniants 117 HvJh Slretl, Chesh8m. O T?¥Assist Accountsn 25 Lsn?. Hpnlpj HEthPYtèad. HP3H A T£AssiAccoJrtaTrt5 Fche Owned and Coerated¥thrlwe by TCAVenwres 0 01094 778 0 01442 258 L O arnilp)5hi th$1.COUk Q UV4momalhempsieJd N•nil JDshi FCCA Unllod Kwdom. ! CL¥npany No.08671$50 VAT Rog No.12301Q6a3 O vpWw.gS.co.uets9hBM 101 Page