## **ANNUAL REPORT** 

**For the Period:** 1[st] April 23 to 31[st] March 2024 

**Charity Name:** South East Antrim District Scout Council 

**Registered Charity Number:** NIC103731 

## **Governing Document:** 

The District’s governing documents are those of the Scout Association. 

They consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Association and The Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association. 

## **Constitution:** 

The District is a Trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts. 

## **Trustee selection Methods:** 

The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association. 

## **Trustees:** 

Mr. Allister Law Dr. Ron Cole Mrs Kathryn Edwards, Mrs Carmen Irvine Mrs. Linda Cross Mr. Geoffrey Hegarty Mrs Linda Cherry Mr Lee Walker Rev. David Lockhart Miss Emilie Irvine Mr Taylor Black 

## **Risk and Internal Control:** 

The District Executive ensures that all activities are undertaken in accordance with the Scout Association Policy, Organisation and Rules. 

All leaders are members of the Scout Association and as such have a valid AccessNI check and are covered by the Scout Association national accident insurance policy. Risk assessments are undertaken for all activities. 

## **Objectives:** 

The objectives of the District are as a unit of the Scout Association. 

The Aim of the Scout Association is to promote the development of the young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. 

The method of achieving the Aim of the Association is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and Law and guided by adult leadership. 



Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together 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. 

The District meets the Charity Commission’s public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizen or community development headings. 

## **South East Antrim Scout Council - 2023 to 2024:** 

In 2022/23, after consultation with all involved in Scouting in Northern Ireland it was agreed by the Northern Ireland Scout Council that there should be a restructuring of the County and District Structure for Scouting. 

The results from the consultation will result in formation of 4 Northern Ireland Regions to replace the Scout Counties in September 2024. 

South East Antrim District is presently part of County Antrim but will become part of the Northern Region within Northern Ireland Scouting. 

During the 2023/24 year the District partnered with County Antrim Scouts and the Northern Ireland Scout Council providing adult and youth resources. 

There are sixteen Scout Groups in the South East Antrim Scout District with a total of 162 leaders providing a scouting programme for 854 young people. 

|**Squirrels**|<br>**Beavers**|**Cubs**|**Scouts**|**Explorer**<br>**Scouts**|**Network**<br>**Scouts**|**Total Youth**<br>**Memberships**|**Leader**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|118|210|245|209|70|2|854|162|



These numbers show that there has been a positive growth of 12% across the District when compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

## **The Programme:** 

All age groups within Scouting joined together in age appropriate activities. These included the District Carol Service and the District St Georges day Parade. 

## _**Squirrels (4-6 years of age)**_ 

The Squirrel programme for 2023/24 was centered on the individual Dreys with the Districts supporting the leaders with their programme development and individual training requirements. 

## _**Beavers (6-8 years of age)**_ 

May 2023 saw the first District beaver sleepover from before covid with 40 Beaver Scouts enjoying a fun filled day at Crawfordsburn. 



The weather was perfect, the day was filled with games and activities in the outdoors, new friends were made as all the groups socialised together.  We then spent the night under canvas after songs and smores round the campfire. 

A lot of exhausted Beavers went home on Saturday having made new friends after a fun filled weekend. In November 30 young people enjoyed an evening of tenpin at the Glengormley Sportsbowl and in December the Beavers joined with all the scouts of the District for the Carol Service. 

## _**Cubs (8-10[1] /2 years of age)**_ 

The Cub Scouts came together for a wide range of activities: 

Sports Day. An Airsoft Competition. The Northern Ireland Cub Quiz. 

The Northern Ireland Uni-hoc competition 

These activities enabled the young people to join together, to make new friends and take part in a range of activities not readily available on the weekly Pack meetings. 

## _**Scouts (10[1] /2 - 14 years of age)**_ 

The Scouts of the District came together for activities that included the District Football, District Unihoc, District First Aid competion and quiz. 

## _**Explorer Scouts (14-18 years of age)**_ 

During the year the District Explorer Scouts from the various Units joined together for a District camp in October, the District Explorer Quiz in December and Northern Ireland Youth Shaped Programme. 

## _**Network Scouts (18-25 years of age)**_ 

Members of the Network were joined by some leaders and were involved with the celebration of King Charles 3 Coronation. 

. 

## **Adult Support (Leader Training):** 

Training is a fundamental part of being a leader and everyone is expected to complete training and have it validated within a three year period. 

The training equips the leader with essential skills and provides the necessary knowledge to provide a challenging and safe programme. 

Leaders continued to undertake training to enhance the quality of the programmes undertaken by the young people. 

Over recent years the Scout Association has transferring a significant amount of training to Computer Based Learning. 

Safeguarding, Safety and First Aid Training for leaders are key areas of training that have to be regularly reviewed and renewed. 

The District was able to support the leaders who were required to undertake this training and with this support the District can record that virtually all the necessary training has been completed. 

## **Financial Review:** 

The District is funded by the fees received from each of its youth members. 



The District still holds sufficient funds to ensure future advancement, strengthening and expansion of
scoutin8 in South East Antrim but does not hold suff icient funds to invest in longer-terffl financial
investments and so all funds are held in normal accounts using mainstream banks.
The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees, Report above
Signed on behalf of the Charity'5 trustees
Rev. David Lockhart (Chair of Trustees)
Full Name
Slgnature
Date:
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