Public Benefft Report Iloth Belfast St Bernadettes Scout Group (NIC 103995) Trustees, Annual Report 1st Aprll 2023 - 3tst March 2024 Address The Scout Hall, St Bernard's Primary School. Wynchurch Walk, BT6 OJS Our purposes The purpose of Scouting is to actively engage and support young people in their personal developrnent as individuals and as responsible citizens, empowering them to make a positive contribution to societv. Our beneficiaries Our principal beneficiaries are children and young people, mainly, but not restricted to those who are resident in the Rosetta area of BeWa5t. but the benefit can extend to society more generally through the Scout Group's positive contribution to our local community. The Scout Group has a current youth membership of approximately 75, spanning Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts and Explorer Scouts, supported by an adult volunteer leadership of 15. Public benefft arising from activities Each of our Sections have continued to meet on a weekly basis throughout the year and have engaged in an age-appropriate, varied and balanced programme to support the physical, intellectual, Social and spiritual development of our young people. In addition to their own sectional programme, our Explorer Scouts are encouraged and empowered to make a positive contribution to society through their adive participation as valued members of the leadershlp teams working with the younger sections of the scout group. Our programme has included physical actlvities {forexample athletics, martlal arts and basketball workshops), health promotlon IQUB healthy minds, healthy bodies workshop, fitness challenge), creative activitles. All sections of the Group have actively participated in events and competitions organised at District, County and Northern Ireidnd level. These have included football, unihoc, volleyball, swlmkning, canoein& table qulzzes and scout craft competitions. Such activities not only support the personal development of our members but have also provided opportunities for them to Interact with young people from other parts of Belfast and throughout Northern Ireland. Across the sections, more than 400 Scout activity and challenge badges were earned by our members in 2016, and a number of members in each section achieved the highest award, the Chief ScouY5 Award for their respective section. Many of these badges have helped to equip our membership to enable them to play a positive part in their local community, appropriate to their age and stage of development, for example through completion of first aid, disability awareness, home and fire safety training with a551Stance from appropriate trained tutors. Mitigation from harm There is no harm arising from our purposes. Scouting operates within a framework of safety to enable young people to take part in adventurous activities safely. Risk assessments are carried out for all programmed activitie5. Adventurous activities are undertaken only under strict supeNision by those with appropriate qualifications and authorisation. All of our adult volunteers have undergone ACCES5NI advanced vetting and complete mandatory induction, safe*uarding and first aid training. Private benefft The only private benefit from our purpose is that adult volunteers are trained to deliver the programme but this is incidental and necessary because It is needed to operate in todaws society
working with young people. Regard to the Commission's Guidance In settlng our objectives and planning our actNities during the year to March 2023 at all tlmes the trustees have had due gard and careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charitrfs purposes and provide a benefrt to the beneficiaries. Financial position at 31 March 2024 During the current financial year income exceeded expenditu by £4,955. How the charlty Is constituted and governed The Scout Group is governed under the terms of the Royal Charter issued to, and the policies, organisation and rules pertaining to the Scout Association in the United Kingdom. Locally, the Iloth Belfast St Bernadettes Scout Group Is represented on and responslble to the Northern Ireland Scout Council which ratifies appointment of adult of leaders and oversees provislon of leadertraining. Under the rules of the Scout Association, a properly constituted Group Executive Committee has been established. and meets fomially at least twice per year, in addition to the Group's Annual General Meeting. The above report will be approved by the Group Executive Committee. ratified at the Annual General as soon as we are able to meet given the current Covid Situation. Liam Mcsorley