The Scout Association Northern Ireland Scout Council
Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2024
1
Letter from the President
Northern Ireland Scout Council 2 - 6 Chief Volunteer’s Report 7 - 8 Programme 9 - 10 People 11 Perception 12 Crawfordsburn Scout Centre 13 Membership 14 Youth Awards 15 - 17 Adult Awards for Good Service 17 - 18 Fundamentals of Scouting 19 Structure, Governance and Management 20 Financial Review 21 Chair of the Trustee Board 22 Financial Statements 23 - 41
Letter from the President
Scouts NI has had another very busy year and I am encouraged to see that it continues to be a youth movement, adapting, improving on, and introducing something new to meet the needs of our young people, today and tomorrow.
At Northern Ireland level you will find that things are moving on, with the streamlining of the essential support structures for Scout Groups and their Sections, to help make them more effective. I am confident that, as Scouting makes these changes, everyone will do their best to give them their backing.
Looking back on my time as a Leader I am so appreciative of all those who gave of their time and talents to help me on my journey along the Scouting trail. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the dedication and commitment of all those involved in Scouts NI who ensure that the young people of today are still getting a happy and enjoyable Scouting experience. It was therefore a great pleasure, to hear of all those adults who received their well-earned Scouting awards this year.
My thanks to all those who have stepped down from various roles during the year, especially those who have led and served on the Scout County Councils and Teams. Of course, as Scouts NI moves on, I wish every success to those who have taken up new posts and responsibilities in the new support structures.
All this progress does not just happen without careful planning, commitment, dedication and much hard work and I would pay tribute to Stephen Donaldson, Chief Volunteer of Northern Ireland, and all his Teams, along with the Chair of the Trustee Board, the Sub-Committees and Sub-Groups, all supported so professionally by our Chief Executive and the NI staff team.
continue to be encouraged by the support Scouts NI receives from the Northern Ireland community in so many ways. The financial support through donations, legacies and grants enables Scouts NI to provide new facilities, programmes, training, and activities, so I would like to thank everyone who has supported Scouts NI in any way.
Scouting has always prided itself on being a family so, on behalf of the Northern Ireland Scout Council, I would offer my sympathy to all the relatives and friends of members of our Scouting family who have passed away during the year.
Stephen Donaldson will be standing down in September 2024 after eight years as our Chief Commissioner and now Chief Volunteer of Northern Ireland.
I would thank him for his leadership, friendship, and determination to see Scouting move forward and also for how he met the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic in such a positive way. He will now be able to spend more time with his family and of course his farm, but Scouts NI will remember him as being ‘outstanding in his field’, …. the Scouting field!
In closing, I look forward to the year ahead, to see Scouting in action and say a big THANK YOU to all who give of their best for the good of Scouting as we move forward together.
Philip Scott President
1
Northern Ireland Scout Council
The Scout Association (Incorporated by Royal Charter)
Founder: The Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB, LLD
Patron: His Majesty King Charles III
Chief Scout: Bear Grylls
President: Phillip Scott BEM
Vice Presidents: Ian Coates David Fawcett DL Kenneth Gillespie BEM Colin Lammey DL Wilfred Mulryne OBE George Purdy CBE
Chief Volunteer of Northern Ireland: Stephen Donaldson Chair: Henry Brown
Hon Treasurer: Gary Proctor Secretary: Jonathan Gracey
Chair of Finance and General Purposes Sub-Committee: Rosemary Forde
Chair of Strategy & Delivery Sub-Committee: Stephen Bell
Bankers: Ulster Bank Ltd 11-16 Donegall Square East Belfast BT1 5UB
Northern Ireland Registration Number with the Scout Association: 30000
Charity Commission Registration No. NIC103542
Contact: Jonathan Gracey Chief Executive The Scout Association The Northern Ireland Scout Council 109 Old Milltown Road Belfast, BT8 7SP
2
Northern Ireland Scout Council Membership
Northern Ireland Commissioners
Tracey Ogg, Squirrels Rachel Gilliland, Beavers Kiara Kennedy, Cubs Trevor Hendren, Scouts Michael Morrison, Explorers Emma Webster, Network Vic Wootton, Crawfordsburn Andrew Stacey, Activities & Activity Permits Ciaran McGrath, Adult Support Danielle Markwell, Deputy Adult Support Caroline Brown, International Kayleigh Finlay, Youth (18-24)
Chairs
Henry Brown, Trustee Board Rosemary Forde, Finance & General Purposes Stephen Bell, Strategy & Delivery William Humphrey MBE, Crawfordsburn Barbara Edgar, People David Scott, Programme Peter Wilson, Perception
County Commissioners
Len Hall, Antrim
Rodney Watson BEM, Armagh & Down Scott Robinson, Belfast Rosemary Forde, Fermanagh Stephanie Meikle, Londonderry Nigel Collins, Tyrone
Regional Lead Volunteers
Stephen Bell, North Scott Robinson, South Julie Wilson, East Stephen Mallet, West
Nominees of Chief Volunteer
Chris Thompson Roger Thompson
3
County Representation
County Antrim
Leslie Carswell Aaron Coates Mark McKeag Andrew Kennedy (18-24) Finn Hewitt (18-24) Andrew Robb (18-24)
County Armagh
Richard Gilpin Simon Kelly Timothy Neill Joanne Stewart Tom McCann (18-24) Patrick Hammond (18-24)
Belfast County
Maureen Campbell Wilson Lambe Sasha Barrett-Ferris (18-24) Scott Robinson (18-24)
County Down
Evan Fleming Adrian Hale Stephanie Potter Leanne McGrath Oliver Ferguson (18-24) Megan Hunter (18-24)
County Tyrone
Freddie Graham Don Morrow Ruth Carroll Raymond Gillespie
County Londonderry
Trevor Blair Jean Major Carol Mooney David Peden James Greer (18-24) Joshua Dripps (18-24)
County Fermanagh
Alan Armstrong Richard McBride Jackson Armstrong (18-24)
4
District Representation
Slemish District
Steven Millar, DC Angela Sims Declan Larkin (18-24)
Lisburn District
Colin Hewitt, DC Paul Clydesdale Cameron Ringland
South East Antrim District
Stephen Bell, DC Taylor Black (18-24) Eidann Coles (18-24)
Armagh District
Joy Minish, DC Caroline Dawson Jack Somerville (18-24)
East Belfast District
Jeanette Allen, DC Victoria Gammon Gareth McAuley
North West Belfast District
Scott Hamilton, DC William Humphrey MBE Danni Chambers (18-24)
North Down District
Pamela Dunseath, DC Chris MacArtney Mark Hennessy (18-24)
South Down District
John Bradshaw Thomas Dean (18-24)
Strangford District
Danielle Markwell, DC Maureen Smyth Adam McCracken (18-24)
Fermanagh District
Kenny Reilly Estrella Sanchez Barahona (18-24)
Londonderry District
North Belfast District
Agnes Colgan, DC Valerie Gibson
Lagan District
Norman McKee, DC Ian Stewart
Adam Meikle Paul Meikle Grace Owens (18-24)
Tyrone District
Neal Linnegan
5
NISC Board & Committees, Membership Meetings and Attendance
Finance and General Purposes Sub-Committee
Strategy and Delivery Sub-Committee
Trustee Board
Meetings held on: 15th June 2023 11th Sept 2023 30th November 2023 6th March 2024 Chair: Henry Brown, 4/4 Stephen Donaldson, 3/4 Gary Proctor, 3/4 Stephen Bell, 4/4 Rosemary Forde, 3/4 Chris Thompson, 3/4 Colin Lammey DL, 3/4 Danni Chambers, 2/2 (new Sept 23) Joshua Dripps, 2/2 (new Sept 23) Stephen Mallett, 2/2 (new Sept 23 Grace Owens, 1/2 (new Sept 23) Sasha Barrett-Ferris, 2/4 Becca Buchanan, 1/4 Jean Major, 4/4 Norman McKee, 4/4 Barbara Edgar, 3/4 Danielle Markwell, 3/4 Ciaran McGrath, 2/4 Scott Robinson, 4/4 Kayleigh Finlay, 3/4
Meetings held on: 24th May 2023 28th November 2023 22nd February 2024
Meetings held on: 18th May 2023 11th Sept 2023 16th November 2023 7th February 2024
Chair: Stephen Bell, 3/3 David Scott 2/3 Barbara Edgar 2/3 Peter Wilson 2/3 Nigel Collins, 1/3 Kayleigh Finlay, 3/3 Stephen Mallett, 2/2 (new Sept 23)
Chair: Rosemary Forde, 3/4 Gary Proctor, 4/4 Roger Thompson, 4/4 Colin Lammey DL, 3/4 Chris Thompson, 2/4 Joshua Dripps, 2/2 (new Sept 23) Jean Major, 4/4 William Humphrey MBE, 0/4
Executive
Meetings held on: 19th April 2023 11th May 2023 6th November 2023 5th March 2024
Chair: Henry Brown, 3/4 Rosemary Forde, 4/4 Stephen Bell, 4/4 Stephen Donaldson, 3/4 Gary Proctor, 3/4 Chris Thompson, 4/4 Colin Lammey DL, 3/4 Kayleigh Finlay, 3/4
6
Chief Volunteer
As I look back on another busy and successful year for Scouts NI, I want to start by thanking everyone who has made this possible. As I have said many times, Scouting is a team game where everyone has a part to play if Scouting is to provide the level of support required to enable so many young people realise their potential, and have fun doing so.
We were able to grow the movement in Northern Ireland by a very small amount this year (as recorded in the 2024 census), giving us food for thought as to how Scouts NI might reach out to more young people across Northern Ireland to enable them to join the adventure. The first step is to grow the Leader base and to develop Scouting in new areas, while still supporting those Groups who have struggled to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, and with the support of finance from London, Scouts NI was able to employ a Development Officer and Paul Meikle, who will be known to many of you, was appointed to this role. Paul has been busy during the year and has at the last count opened nine new Sections with more at an early stage, recruiting 26 Leaders and over 150 young people.
This work is fully supported by Vicky Flanagan, Strategy and Engagement Manager and Pamela Emerson, Growth and Engagement Officer and I am extremely grateful to everyone in this staff team for their dedication to Scouts NI. While mentioning staff roles it was disappointing to lose Emma Stevenson during the year and we wish her well in her new career, but it has been great to be able to welcome Phoebe McDowell as the Communications Officer for Scouts NI, a role which she has filled very successfully. Just after the end of the reporting year we said goodbye to Stephen Leckey, Admin Assistant, from the Office. Stephen was known to everyone by being the voice on the end of the phone when you called the Scout Office, but more than that he gave many years of dedicated service to Scouts and he will be greatly missed, thank you Stephen.
During the year Scouts NI continued to work on completing our restructuring of support for our Leaders alongside transformation of the whole leadership structure across the UK, with changes to roles, a Team based structure and a new digital system. This has not always been easy and setbacks nationally have delayed the progress that was hoped for, however in the new year Scouts NI was able to appoint our first ever Regional Lead Volunteers - you will have noted the change in title as part of the UK transformation as the term Commissioner is no longer in use.
Congratulations to Stephen Bell (North), Scott Robinson (South) and Julie Wilson (East). Scouts NI hopes to appoint someone for West soon, but thanks are due to Stephen Mallet for covering the West Region temporarily. We are now in a position to go live with the regional structure after the AGM in September. Thanks are due to all of our County Commissioners who have done so much to facilitate change and will continue to tidy up the affairs of Counties after September.
The fallout from the inquest into the death of Ben Leonard at Great Orme has caused everyone in Scouting to consider how Members can continue to run camps and adventurous activities safely. While this is not the place to consider this, I must record thanks to everyone in Scouts NI who has stepped up to review our processes and take part in the Rapid Assurance Project. This has been extremely time consuming but entirely necessary in order to allow Scouting to continue safely and help to avoid any further tragedies. Compliance with mandatory training is an ongoing challenge but thanks to the hard work of many, especially Stephen Mallett who represents Scouts NI on the National Compliance Team, Scouts NI is in a good position. There is no room for complacency as non-compliance is not acceptable.
In the summer of 2023, the “Wee Buns” NI Contingent headed off to South Korea for the World Scout Jamboree full of excitement for the events ahead.
7
Little did we all know that the reality would not to be as expected and that due to weather and site conditions the Jamboree would be over almost before it had begun. This was an extremely disappointing and emotionally distressing time for the Contingent, both Leaders and young people, and I must pay tribute to Richard Morrow and his Team for the manner in which they coped with the setbacks. The months of training beforehand and the Team spirit built up resulted in the Unit being much better prepared than some and able to cope with the disappointment, and in the end deliver an event which provided the young people involved with the best possible outcome and memories to last a lifetime. Thanks also to those who attended as a Jamboree Leader or as a member of the International Service Team for their hard work and support.
The NI Leadership Team continued to develop and Tracey Ogg was welcomed to lead the Squirrel Team, Georgie Houston to lead the Cub Team and Vic Wootton to lead the Wardens’ Team at Crawfordsburn. After a short break Becca Buchanan returned as the Community Impact Lead.
In November our first NI Leaders’ conference for many years was held and the day turned out to be a huge success.Gratitude is recorded to Barbara Edgar and the members of the People Sub-Group for their work in preparing for the event.
We were once again able to hold a very successful Youth Awards presentation in Belfast City Hall and to welcome Ayesha Karim the UK Youth Lead to Scouts NI. Congratulations to all the Scouts and Explorers who gained awards and thank you to Ayesha for her very inspiring address. The following day Kayleigh Finlay and the Youth Team held a very well attended event which was joined by a youth rep from Scouting Ireland and by Ayesha. It was truly inspiring to see and hear the enthusiasm coming from this event, the future is in good hands.
supporting with complaints, and managing long term plans for Crawfordsburn. Whilst recognising support, I must pay tribute to Pamela Hale and the staff in the Scout Office and Peter Harrison (Sid) and the staff at Crawfordsburn whose contribution to the successful management of Scouts NI cannot be overstated, thank you all. The Chief Executive, Jonathan Gracey, oversees all of the work that goes on and makes himself available at all times when help is needed to deal with issues that invariably arise outside of the day to day running of Scouting, indeed I seem to be chatting to him most days about one thing or another, thank you Jonathan for all that you do.
As I conclude this report I want to take the opportunity to congratulate Stephen Bell who will take over from me as Chief after the AGM. I have worked with Stephen over the past few years, most recently as Chair of the Strategy and Delivery Sub-Committee and I have found him to be someone of integrity and balance who will be an excellent Chief Volunteer, Stephen I wish you every success in the role.
There are too many people I would like to thank for their help and support over the past eight years to mention individually, however to all those who are, or have been members of Team NI, members of the Trustee Board, members of staff, County and District Lead Volunteers, or volunteers at Group level I extend my heartfelt gratitude. In this role I have had the privilege to work with the most special people from Northern Ireland and across the UK and I am truly indebted to you all for your friendship and advice.
Stephen Donaldson Chief Volunteer
My thanks are due to Dr Henry Brown and members of the Trustee Board for their unstinting support. There is much that goes on that they deal with quietly and efficiently, including dealing with financial matters,
8
Programme
Aim: to provide a fun, enjoyable, high-quality programme consistently delivered and supported by simple (digital) tools.
After a very productive first year, this second year of the Programme Sub-Group has been more challenging. Attendance at meetings was less consistent so the Chair developed alternative strategies to ensure that NI Leads brought their programme of activities to the Sub-Group for quality assurance and to receive support from other members. The Sub-Group continued to focus on providing better Scouting for more young people and preparing young people with Skills for Life.
The year began with the launch of the ‘Step Forward’ resource to support Sections to achieve the Community Impact Staged Activity badges, in partnership with the local charity Habitat for Humanity Ireland. Later in the year, the Ulster Scots Agency supported Scouts NI to develop a resource pack that can be used in different Sections to obtain several badges.
The Sub-Group discussed the draft NI Strategy and continued to examine the latest developments including the 14-24 Redesign, Top Awards, UK Transformation and NI Restructuring of Support Structures. The launch of new national initiatives such as ‘Outdoor in 24’ and ‘Earth Tribe’ will provide many new opportunities for adult and youth members.
The Chair, David Scott and Growth and Engagement Officer, Pamela Emerson, attended the ‘Progfest’ UK Programme conference in Manchester in October subsequently providing a programme session at the NI Leaders’ conference held in November.
Unfortunately, some of the NI Leads had to step down from their roles during the year resulting in interim measures to ensure high quality programme events were still provided. The Squirrel Team offered Makaton training to Leaders in September. The Beaver Team, organised several well-supported events - Beaver Rally Day, a Leader ‘Have A Go’ Day, and an ‘Out of this World’ outing to Armagh Planetarium. An Interim Cub Core Team comprising the Chair, the Growth and Engagement Officer, the Strategy & Engagement Manager and former Leads, Jean Major and Paul Meikle, put together a programme for the year. There were strong attendances and a fun atmosphere at the Table Quiz final in Magherafelt, winners 4th Bangor, and at the Unihoc final in Antrim, winners 74th Belfast.
9
New Scout Lead, Trevor Hendren, formed a Core Team that put together a programme of activities including an Archery and Tomahawk Throwing competition in Lisburn and a Patrol Leader and Assistant Patrol Leader training weekend at Crawfordsburn Scout Centre. Well done to 74th Belfast (Archery competition winners) and 1st Hilden (Tomahawk Throwing competition winners). The Explorer Team ran a successful Survival Skills weekend, in partnership with the British Army, and Young Leader Training in Strangford District. For Network the Scouts of the World Award Discovery Weekend was postponed, however the £16,500 donated by the Malawi 2022 Team, whose trip had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, led to the building of four homes for 19 people.
Activities Lead, Andrew Stacey, reported that the 2023 NIEX expeditions were completed successfully. He also launched a programme of Chief Scout’s Diamond and King’s Scout Award expeditions for 2024.
The thanks of the Sub-Group go to those who stepped down from their roles, those who took over and the hardworking staff members who support the work of providing high quality programme to the young people of Scouts NI.
10
People
Aim: more well trained, better supported and motivated adult volunteers and young people from diverse backgrounds.
This year has been one of significant growth and transformation for Scouts NI. The People Sub-Group, under the leadership of the Chair, Barbara Edgar, has focused on emphasizing Recruitment, Retention, and Reward, and has laid the groundwork for future success.
Scouts NI has made great strides in supporting Leaders and members through various initiatives and events. Under the guidance of the Sub-Group, Scouts NI hosted a successful NI Leaders’ conference, delivered enhanced training programmes, and focused on adult recruitment and retention.
The Sub-Group continued to look at the People Strategy based on the 3 R’s:
Recruit: revising our welcoming process to ensure new members are supported in line with the transformation process.
Retain: focus on improving training delivery and content, addressing the retention of individuals post-18, and emphasising Leader recognition. Reward:[focus on improving training delivery and content, addressing the] retention of individuals post-18, and emphasising Leader recognition.
Events and Initiatives
Leaders’ conference: The highlight of the year, held in November at the Dunadry Hotel, providing a platform for Leaders to network, share ideas, and receive support. The positive feedback has encouraged Scouts NI to make this an annual event with varying topics and sessions.
Train the Trainer and Media training: Held in April to enhance our training programmes.
Adult recruitment events: Conducted throughout the Counties to strengthen our volunteer base.
Train the Trainer and Media training: Training needs and satisfaction surveys returned with over 80% satisfaction in most areas, exceeding the threshold set by the Education Authority. This feedback will shape Scouts NI’s training calendar for 2024-25.
We extend our thanks to all our members and volunteers for their dedication and effort. To our amazing Leaders for their commitment and excellence in delivering quality programmes to our young people and to our Trustee Board members for their strategic guidance and leadership
11
Perception
Aim: Scouts is understood, more visible, trusted, respected, and widely seen as playing a key role in society today.
The Perception Sub-Group continued to be busy under the leadership of the Chair, Peter Wilson, with a lot of work being done to develop and strengthen the support that can be given to the Scouts NI team and the wider Scout membership throughout Northern Ireland. This Sub-Group has collaborated with both the Programme and People Sub-Groups to ensure a joined-up approach that delivers great results.
The Youth Team continued to grow and became more visible throughout Scouts NI. The Team has been working very closely with the UK and National Youth Teams to develop collaborative working. With this expansion and focus, young people have been very visible at Scouts NI events, training and the conference.
The Inclusion Team has been working to develop more events for Scouts NI including planning for the Overture conference that will take place in Crawfordsburn Scout Centre in June. Scouts NI attended Belfast Pride during the year with the Youth Team taking the lead.
Other initiatives within the Sub-Group’s remit have included looking at disability needs within Scouts NI and the support provided for Leaders; the provision of additional resources for Leaders to help them work with young people with additional needs; a review of the issue of period poverty and the accessibility of products at Scouting activities.
The Perception Sub-Group also supported the work of the Arrowhead Club which is open to all current and retired Scout Leaders and meets between September and June on the first Monday of the month for a lunch. The Club also enjoys outings to the theatre and various places of interest in Northern Ireland.
Becca Buchanan has stepped into the Community Impact Lead role and is looking to develop more resources for all Sections. She is also examining our relationships with our excellent partner organisations to increase the benefit they can bring to Scouts NI. A really important part of her work is the interaction with the Programme Sub-Group to ensure activities and resources meet the requirements for badges and top awards. Scouts UK has also launched the ‘Earth Tribe’ award to promote Scouts helping to clean up our world and help the environment.
After helping to design and implement a communications policy, Scouts NI now employs a Communications Officer, Phoebe McDowell. Phoebe has taken over the social media postings for Scouts NI and Crawfordsburn Scout Centre, along with capturing and creating content to ensure Scouts NI remains on brand.
Nisha Patel and Adam Jollans from the UK Perception Team joined the Sub-Group and continue to support the Team members. Perception Leads from all over the UK are continuing to meet to discuss and support ongoing innovation.
12
Crawfordsburn Scout Centre
20 Bridge Road South, Helen’s Bay, Bangor, BT19 1JT
Crawfordsburn Scout Centre was founded in 1948 and is the flagship Activity Centre for Scouting in Northern Ireland. The Centre has welcomed Scouts from all over the world during this time and it has also provided services and facilities for many organisations and individuals outside of Scouting. Whilst it started as a camp site, Crawfordsburn now provides a full range of outdoor activities, with indoor and outdoor accommodation.
Over the last 20 years there has been significant investment of time and finance in the site and facilities and as a result it is now an excellent asset. There is a strong customer base and a loyalty which has been built on the iconic status of Crawfordsburn for Scouting in Northern Ireland. However, it has become clear over recent years that the Centre is not delivering to its full potential, with a series of recurring issues and independent reports reinforcing this view.
Accordingly, the Trustee Board of Scouts NI believes that it is time to take a more proactive, strategic approach to Crawfordsburn to address these issues. The strategy aims to set a vision, a set of values, under five priority focus areas – Activities and Programme, Staff and Volunteers, Site and Facilities, Marketing and Customers, and Management and Administration. The Executive believes that this strategy will allow Scouts NI to make a significant change in the performance of Crawfordsburn and will make the Centre a facility of which Scouts NI can continue to be proud of.
Crawfordsburn has a small staff team which is supported by teams of volunteer wardens. These teams are especially important at the weekends as the site would not be able to run if they were not available to support the running of the site, welcome users and run activities. Thanks are recorded to both the staff and the wardens for their work during the year.
13
Membership
A summary as at 31 January 2024 is as follows:
Squirrels Beavers Cubs Scouts Explorers Network Total Youth Membership Leaders, Commissioners and other adults Total Membership
1004 1917 2407 2073 810 273 8484 2546 11030
Squirrel Dreys Beaver Colonies Cub Packs Scout Troops Explorer Units Scout Network Scout Active Support Units Young Leader Units
Total number of Groups Districts Counties/Areas
83 132 137 127 78 16 13 16
154 13 6
14
Youth Awards
Presentation of Chief Scout’s Gold Awards and King’s Scout Awards held on Friday 5th January 2024 in Belfast City Hall. Awards presented by Chief Volunteer of Northern Ireland Stephen Donaldson and UK Youth Lead, Ayesha Karim
Chief Scout’s Gold Award Certificates
County Antrim Lisburn District 1st Derriaghy
Ethan Abbott Robert Browne Evie Burns Alfie Devonshire Aaron Moore
1st Hillsborough
Ben Gracey Eli Graham Grace Griffin Finlay Hawkins Charly Huston Euan Kennedy Noah McCaw Daniel McLean Charlie Tallon Will Vance Sophie Watson
Slemish District 3rd Ballymena
Kurtis McFall Alex Steede
5th Ballymena
Alexander Courtney
7th Ballymena
Isabella Cooper Luke Cooper Emma Gribben Amelia Mosoczy
County Down North Down District 2nd Bangor
Oran Canning Thomas Rice Charlie Stewart
9th Bangor
Cara Allsop Eoin Thornton
12th Bangor
Tom Burke Dylan Flannigan Cameron Grant Peter Kelly Gareth Lusty Jonathan Lusty Kitty McClements Joshua McLarnon Felix Niblock-Hamill Sophia Wilson Hollie Wright
Kraken Explorers
Blair Dunseath Lauren GrahamHollywood
Strangford District 1st Newtownards
Isla Finlay Kyle Gibson Harvey Lowry Ben Ritchie
1st Saintfield
Rowan Campbell Freya Carnew Harry Neill
2nd Newtownards
Benjamin Bell Daniel Bell Jon Crothers Jack Crowe Lewis Ferguson Fintan McDonald Joshua Rogers Emma Ross
15
3rd Newtownards
Jacob Beaney Logan Brown Oliver Carmichael Thomas Finlay Rory Kerr Ethan Lappin Iris McCalmont-Walker Conor McClements Harry Montgomery
County Tyrone 1st Ballygawley
Zach Keys Tommy Kyle Joe Lockhart Ethan Lynd Reuben Lynd Alex McCrea Luke McLaren
County Londonderry 1st Castlerock
Benjamin Cameron Christopher Cardwell Scot Fleming Amelie Holden Celia Kerr Aphaia Murphy
1st Strabane
Noa Jay Conwell Tom Egelund-Jenkins Conrad Gallen Zorawar Guram Harvey McGillian
16
Scouts of the World Award Certificates
James Corscadan
Adam McCambridge
Gold Dragan Award Certificate
Jack Denvir
King’s Scout Award Certificates
Belfast County
County Tyrone
Ross McKee
Molly Buchanan Jack Latimer Jason King Amy McCollum Sarah McKeag Alexandra Monteith Luke O’Donnell
County Fermanagh
Jackson Armstrong Mark Crawford
County Down
Connor Black Aaron Fry Daniel Griffin Jonathan Houston Bryn Moore Finn Neely Sam Thompson
Adult Awards for Good Service
Chief Scout’s Commendation for Good Service
County Antrim
Belfast County
Roy Donald
Janine Ellen Bowen Thomas Carney Stephen Alexander Haveron Callum Sean McCloskey Tracey Elaine McRoberts
County Londonderry
Julie-Anne Peden
17
Award for Merit
County Antrim
Belfast County
County Down
James Kenneth Campbell David Charles George Hanna Donald Joseph David King Justine Samantha Mahood Stephen Thomas John Mallett Jonathan Clifford Martin Melissa Marie Morgan Karen Hazel Patterson
Steven David Dickson David Edward Dunseath Peter Jeffery Hugh Law Gillian Sarah McEvoy Alexander Neill McRoberts Alan David Poots
Martin David Adams Stephen Harris Bell Kathryn Anne Edwards Fiona Louise Grange Harriet Patricia Law Ciara Frances Lunn Jordan Gary John McCullough Michael Morrison Stephen William Stanley Philip Thomas Trimble
Bar to the Award for Merit
Belfast County
County Antrim
County Londonderry
Kathleen Carney Michael Forsythe
Victor Stanley Wootton
Adam Edward Thomas Hayes Stephanie Meikle
Silver Acorn
County Antrim
Belfast County
Ronan Gerard Clancy
David Ian Garland
County Fermanagh
William Alan Armstrong
Bar to the Silver Acorn
County Antrim
Belfast County
County Down
William Joseph Humphrey MBE Carol Anne Majury Henry Laurence Majury Mary Morrison
Silver Wolf
County Antrim
Charles Mark Dick
Andrea Patricia McClean
Belfast County
Alexander Wilson Lambe MBE
William James McAlpine MBE
18
Fundamentals of Scouting
The Purpose of Scouting
Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
The Values of Scouting
As Scouts we are guided by these values:
Integrity - We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal. Respect - We have self-respect and respect for others. Care - We support others and take care of the world in which we live. Belief - We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes. Co-operation - We make a positive difference; we co-operate with others and make friends.
The Scout Method
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.
Key Policies
The Key Policies of The Scout Association are:
Equal Opportunities Policy Privacy and Data Protection Policy Religious Policy Safeguarding Policy Safety Policy Vetting Policy Youth Member Anti Bullying Policy
Further information on the Fundaments of Scouting and Key Policies is available at The Scout Association website – www.scouts.org.uk
19
Structure Governance and
Management
The Scout Association was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1912. Its powers include the appointment of local bodies for the management of its affairs in any particular part of the United Kingdom; under these powers its affairs in Northern Ireland are delegated to the Northern Ireland Scout Council with a Trustee Board for the management of its business. The Northern Ireland Scout Council is an autonomous Charity affiliated to The Scout Association and is recognised by the Inland Revenue as a Charity.
The Trustee Board of the Council are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland requires the Trustee Board of the Council to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustee Board of the Council are required to:
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustee Board of the Council is responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. The Trustee Board of the Council are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The management of the business of the Council is vested in the Trustee Board of the Council. The Trustee Board is responsible for policy making, but delegates certain operational decisions to its Executive and Sub-Committees (Finance and General Purposes and Strategy and Delivery).
The Trustee Board keeps under review a business risk management analysis that identifies potential risks to the key functions of the Association. The Trustee Board delegates the day-to-day operation of the business to the Senior Management Team of the following: Chief Executive Jonathan Gracey, Strategy and Engagement Manager Vicky Flanagan, Administration Manager Pamela Hale, Crawfordsburn Scout Centre Manager Peter Harrison.
20
Financial Review
The charity is non-profit making organisation. The results are set out in the Financial Statements.
The charity had net income for the year of £57,780 (2023 – net income £23,848)
The Trustee Board of Council have examined the charity’s requirements for reserves in light of the main risks to the funding of the organisation. Unrestricted free reserves are £868,838 as detailed in Note 22 and this level of reserves would be sufficient to fund the organisation’s running costs for a period of six months at current levels of spending and cover redundancy payments for the current staff. The Trustee Board of Council consider this level of reserves to be adequate to meet the needs of the Charity.
21
Chair of the Trustee Board
As the Chief Commissioner has reported a lot of time has been spent progressing the changes to our support structures which we believe will lead to better Scouting for Young People. This has involved changes to our Constitution and changes to where various responsibilities lie, with more now sitting with the Scouts NI Board and the senior Scouts NI volunteers. We have worked closely with the Governance Department at TSA (Gilwell) to ensure all the correct changes are made. We are continuing to review our governance structures to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
The Executive and the Board made some major decisions about Crawfordsburn with the establishment of a Strategic Plan and the appointment of Gary Robb as Interim Operations Director. Early signs are indicating a positive impact of these decisions. The Project Board for Crawfordsburn is carefully monitoring the work and will make a proposal to the Scouts NI Board within the next few months. The work of the Board included the regular review of safety and safeguarding reports from TSA, monitoring reports on compliance with mandatory training, reports from sub-committees and review of our risk register.
The Coroner’s Inquest into the death of a young Explorer Scout on the Great Orme and the subsequent Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) notice to The Scout Association has prompted review by the Board of safety measures in Northern Ireland. Decisions taken by the TSA Board in response to the PFD notice have resulted in a significant amount of additional work being undertaken by key volunteers and HQ staff. The Board are currently satisfied that Scouts NI is moving forward to a better position.
The Board would like to see Scouting expand further into areas and communities where Scouts NI has not previously operated and also to support traditional areas that are experiencing difficulties maintaining their Scouting base.
The appointment of an additional member to the Development team is leading to the establishment of new Groups and Sections and hopefully sustainable growth in the youth and adult membership.
The appointment of an additional member to the Development team is leading to the establishment of new Groups and Sections and hopefully sustainable growth in the youth and adult membership.
The Board greatly values the work and expertise of our Chief Executive and Honorary Treasurer, along with the Finance and General Purposes Sub-Committee, in ensuring that Scouts NI remains in good financial health and that we make good use of our assets. Once again this is evident in the accompanying accounts and financial statements. The Board continues to work to improve the governance arrangements within Scouts NI and is keen to promote good practice within Groups, Districts and Counties.
The Chief Commissioner, The Chief Executive and the Chair greatly appreciate the support and wise counsel of the Board throughout the past year as we have to deal with a number of very challenging issues. I would like to thank members of the Board, Executive, F&GP and S&D SubCommittees for all their hard work and support. I would also like to thank all those Leaders who bring Scouting to young people, the County and District teams and our Northern Ireland Commissioners. I would particularly like to thank our County Commissioners and their teams for the way they have approached winding up their Counties. Finally, I would like to say a big “Thank you” to our professional staff, both in the Ardnavally Office and at Crawfordsburn, for all their hard work in what has been yet another tough year.
Finally, I would like to say a special personal “Thank You” to Stephen Donaldson as he comes to the end of his term as Chief Commissioner/Chief Volunteer. Stephen has been a fantastic leader as we have navigated some difficult challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and who has personified the Scouting Values as he has undertaken this important role.
I would like to commend the Annual Report of Scouts NI 2023-2024.
22
Henry Brown
Chair