## 5[th] Belfast Scout Group Trustees Annual Report  2018 

The 5th Belfast Scout group are a group based in 168 Church Road Newtownabbey in the centre of Glengormley were children are drawn from the local area and various other areas of North Belfast. As a group we take children from all society groups including sexes, religions, learning difficulties and nationalities with an impartial view on equality and diversity. The objective of the group is to teach children life skills in all areas of social understanding and to promote them from six years of age too early adulthood on the guidelines of Scouting U.K. Also we aim to maintain a safe structured environment free from bullying and to maintain respect at all times. 

This year the Cub group participated in one major camp away from home with the younger of the Group Beavers joining Cubs in a district camp to Crawfordsburn Scout Centre. Twenty six participated on the last weekend in May brought a total of over 100 children from the Belfast district which was a large learning curve for the group which promoted good social bonding within the children of the same age, in an outside camping activity were a lot of life skill activities and fun took place. By covering a lot of wood skills badge work and camping the aim was to bring the children into an area for them to learn responsibility for themselves and others and abide by the Scout Law. 

The older Scouts participated in a camp on the 2[nd] weekend in June 2019 in Ardnavalley Scout Centre were canoeing and other water sports took place. The weekend was wet but it did not stop the fun and learning going on 17 participated in this camp. 

All practical awareness of receipts went through Group Scout leader John Seaward and reported in same to trustees and committee chairman, treasurer and secretary. 

As the 5[th] Group is a standalone hall we are granted aided by the education board for the maintenance with the likes of water rates electricity and insurance as with grants we are maintained by our numbers and activities produced in a yearly basis, this year we have increased are new leader numbers again which is benefiting with the higher numbers of new intakes for all sections within the group with new leaders a lot of training in modern scouting is also an on-going process which is benefiting to all. 

Insurance for children is paid every year by parents this is accounted and receipted and paid to scouting UK on a yearly basis to maintain the high level of cover required by law to cover a child against accidents. The children pay a small weekly charge of two pounds per week to cover sundries spent on extra items these are all accounted for and returned on yearly accounts and checked and accounted for between the three groups. All accounts are maintained checked and signed independently. 



The trustees are Mr Brian O’Hara and Mr Eric Mitchell who have overall Governance of the hall with the assistance of a hall committee consisting of Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary which maintains the overall guidance and compliance of all working practices and policy’s to maintain a well-structured charity. 

Signed Mr Brian O’Hara Trustee 5[th] Belfast Scout group ……………………………………………… Dated……Monday 28[th] October, 2019