## Trustees' Annual Report ## For the period |For the period|od||||||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |From (start date)
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Other names the charity is known by
Registered charity number (if any)
HQ registration number
Charity’s principal address|||Slemish District Scout Council
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22|**Trustee Name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**| |---|---|---|---| |||District Chair|| ||Steven Millar|District Commissioner|| ||Alex Chestnutt|District Treasurer|| ||Bill McCullough|DeputyDistrict Commm|| ||Leslie Carswell|DeputyDistrict Commm|| |||District Secretary|| ||Eugene Neeson|Nominated|| ||Sam Wilson|Nominated|| ||Edwin Mitchell|Nominated|| ||Ellie Hughes|Nominated(under 25)|| ||David McConkey|Elected|| ||Aaron Coates|Elected|| ||DannyBryson|Elected|| ||Victoria Walker|Elected|| ||Adam Bond|Elected|| ||Paul Houston|Elected|| ||Helen Weir|ADC Beavers|| ||Heather Clarke|ADC Cubs|| ||Mark Dick|ADC Scouts|| ||Michel Balmer|ADC Exploters|| ||Adam Gault|ADC Activities|| ||AndyClarke|ADC PR|| Names and addresses of advisers (optional information but encouraged as best practice) Type of advisor Name Address 1 LT700001 (1st February 2017) |**Section B**||**Structure, governance and management**|**Structure, governance and management**|| |---|---|---|---|---| |Description of the charity’s trusts||||| |Type of governing document||||| |||The District's governing documents are those of the 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.||| |(e.g. trust deed, constitution)||||| |||||| |How the charity is constituted||The District is a trust established under its rules which are||| |||common to all Scouts.||| |(e.g. trust, association, company)||||| |||||| |Trustee selection methods||The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy,||| |(e.g. appointed by, elected by)||Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.||| |Additional governance issues (optional|information but encouraged as best practice)|||| |You may choose to include additional||The District is managed by the District Executive Committee,||| |information, where relevant, about:||the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout||| |||District which is an educational charity. As charity trustees||| |||they are responsible for complying with legislation applicable||| |||to charities. This includes the registration, keeping proper||| |||accounts and making returns to the Charity Commission as||| |||appropriate.||| |Policies and procedures adopted for:||The Committee consists of 3 independent representatives,
Chair, Treasurer and Secretary (Chair & Secretary currently||| |a) the induction and training of trustees;||vacant) together with the Group Scout Leaders, individual||| |b) trustee' consideration of major risks||section leaders (if opted to take on the responsibility) and||| |and the systems and procedures to||others with required skills / knowledge, and meets every four||| |manage them||months.||| |||Members of the Executive Committee complete_'Essential_||| |||_Information for Executive Committee'_training within the first 5||| |||months of joining the committee.||| |||This District Executive Committee exists to support the||| |||Groups in meeting the responsibilities of the appointments||| |||and is responsible for:||| |||The maintenance of District property;||| |||The raising of funds and the administration of District finance;||| |||The insurance of persons, property and equipment;||| |||District public occasions;||| |||Assisting in the recruitment of leaders and other adult||| |||support;||| |||Appointing any sub committees that may be required;||| |||Appointing District Administrators and Advisors other than||| |||those who are elected.||| |||||| 2 LT700001 (1st February 2017) |**Section B**
**Structure, governance and management (continued)**|**Section B**
**Structure, governance and management (continued)**| |---|---| ||**Risk and Internal Control**
The District Executive Committee has identified the major
risks to which they believe the District is exposed, these have
been reviewed and systems have been established to
mitigate against them. The main areas of concern that have
been identified are:
Damage to the building, property and equipment. The District
would request the use of buildings, property and equipment
from neighbouring organisations such as the church,
community centre and other Scout Groups. Similar reciprocal
arrangements exist with these organisations. The District has
sufficient buildings and contents insurance in place to
mitigate against permanent loss.
Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members. The
District through the capitation fees contributes to the Scout
Associations national accident insurance policy. Additional
accident insurance is provided at District level for Occasional
Helpers not covered by the Scout Association policy.
Risk Assessments are undertaken before all
activities.
Reduced income from fund raising. The District is primarily
reliant upon income from subscriptions and fundraising. The
District does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity of
activities should there be a major reduction in income. The
Committee could raise the value of subscriptions to increase
the income to the group on an ongoing basis, either
temporarily or permanently.
Reduction or loss of leaders. The District is totally reliant
upon volunteers to run and administer the activities of the
District. If there was a reduction in the number of leaders to
an unacceptable level in a particular section Group or the
District as a whole then there would have to be a contraction,
consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst case
scenario the complete closure of the Group in the District.
Reduction or loss of members. Groups provide activities for
all young people aged 4 to 18. If there was a reduction in
membership in a particular section or the group as whole then
there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure
of a section. In the worst case scenario the complete closure
of the Group.
**Risk and Internal Control**
The group has in place systems of internal controls that are
designed to provide reasonable assurance against material
mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories for all
cheques and a comprehensive insurance policies to ensure
that insurable risks are covered.| 3 LT700001 (1st February 2017) |**Section C**||**Objectives and activities**|**Objectives and activities**|| |---|---|---|---|---| |Summary of the objects of the charity set||||| |out in its governing document||**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.||| |||||| |Summary of the main activities in relation||||| |to these objects||Slemish District has 13 Groups within the District with a total||| |||membership of 764 including 542 members are under 18.||| |||This represents a 7% increase on last year following the||| |||severe dip caused by Covid 19. While there was a limited||| |||District programme of activities and events due further waves||| |||of Covid 19 in Spring and Autumn 2021, Scouting began||| |||returning to normality with 'face to face' Scouting. Each of the||| |||Groups within the District were active within the restrictions||| |||placed on them, and many young people were able to gain||| |||the top awards across the Sections||| |Additional details of the objectives and activities (optional information but encouraged as best practice)||||| |You**may choose**to include further||||| |statements, where relevant, about:||||| |• policy on grantmaking;||||| |• contribution made by volunteers;||||| |• policy on investments.||The District supported Groups in the development of leaders||| |||to facilitate programmes for the development of their||| |||members byfundingall trainingcosts.||| |||||| 4 LT700001 (1st February 2017) Public benefit statement The District meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community development headings. |**Section D**|**Achievements and performance**|**Achievements and performance**|| |---|---|---|---| |Summary of the main achievements of
the charity during the year
The 12 months in this reporting period have continued to be
challenging for everyone. All Groups resumed ‘face to face’
Scouting in the Spring / Summer of 2021, but many had to
stop again due to the lockdowns and further waves of Covid
19 in the Autumn and Winter. In addition, ongoing financial
pressures at Group level, and some adult Leaders not
returning have added to the challenge. The District and
most of the Groups in it availed of the very generous financial
support made available from the Education Authority to ‘kick
start’ youth programmes by purchasing equipment, holding
summer camps, and organising activity days or other events
for members. Many of these took place at Crawfordsburn
Scout Centre and Brackenhill Activity Centre. At District level,
a very successful and enjoyable canoe expedition through
the Great Glen in Scotland was attended by 21 Explorers and
a team of adult leaders in August. Four young people from
the District have been selected to represent Scouts NI at the
2023 World Jamboree in South Korea, along with 6 adult
leaders who will also attend as part of the International
Service Team. The Squirrel Section officially join the Scout
Association in September 2021, and there are 4 thriving
Drey’s enjoying exciting and fun programmes within Slemish
District.|||

| |**Section E**|**Financial Review**||| |Brief statement of the charity’s policy on|||| |reserves|**Reserves Policy**||| ||The District's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources||| ||to continue the charitable activities of the District should||| ||income and fundraising activities fall short or there would be||| ||an unexpected financial demand. Work is ongoing to identify||| ||needs and utilise restricted funds in the spirit of which they||| ||were originally donanted.||| |Quantify and explain any designations|||| ||||| |Details of any funds materially in deficit|||| |(circumstances plus steps to eliminate)|||| 5 LT700001 (1st February 2017) Further financial review details (optional information) - You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: - • the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising); - • how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; • investment policy and objectives The District Executive regularly monitors the levels of bank balances, interest rates received and returns from investments to ensure the District obtains maximum value and income from its investment arrangements. ## **Section F Other Optional Information** Plans for future periods (details of any significant activities planned to achieve them) ## **Section G Declaration** The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees |Signature(s)|||||||||||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Full name(s)|Steven Millar||||||||||||||Leslie Carswell||| ||||||||||||||||||| |Position (eg Secretary, Chair)|District Commissioner||||||||||||||DeputyDistrict Commissioner||| ||||||||||||||||||| |Date||0||8||0||2||2||3|||||| ||||||||||||||||||| 6 LT700001 (1st February 2017)