9[th] Bangor (St Gall’s) Scout Group Annual Report 2023 For the period 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 NI Charity Number: 104985 ||Board of Trustees| |---|---| |Group Chairman|Alastair Hamilton| |Group Secretary|Mary Breen-Denvir| |Group Treasurer|Gavan Duffy| |Board Member|Aaron Gilles| |Board Member|Jess Brown| |Board Member|Chris Millar| |Board Member|Daphne Haslett| |Board Member|Paul Dalzell| |Board Member|Diana Boyd (from 15thOctober 2023)| |Group Scout Leader|Simon Brown| |Squirrel Scout Leader|| |Beaver Scout Leader|Tara Greenfield (from 1stJanuary 2024)| |Cub Scout Leader|Emma Orr| |Scout Leader|Jack Denvir| ## **Governance** - The Group'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. - The Group is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts. - The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association. - The Group is managed by the Group Executive Committee, the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout Group 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. - The Committee consists of 3 independent representatives, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary together with the Group Scout Leader, individual section leaders (if opted to take on the responsibility) and parent’s representation and meets every 4 months. - Members of the Executive Committee complete 'Essential Information for Executive Committee' training within the first 5 months of joining the committee. This Group Executive Committee exists to support the Group Scout Leader in meeting the responsibilities of the appointments and is responsible for: - The maintenance of Group property; - The raising of funds and the administration of Group finance; - The insurance of persons, property and equipment; - Group public occasions; - Assisting in the recruitment of leaders and other adult support; - Appointing any sub committees that may be required; - Appointing Group Administrators and Advisors other than those who are elected. ## **Public Benefit** The Group meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community development headings. ## **Reserves Policy** The Group's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the group should income and fundraising activities fall short. The Group Executive Committee considers that the group should hold a sum equivalent to 12 months running costs, circa £3500. ## **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 payments and a comprehensive insurance policy to ensure that insurable risks are covered. ## **Investment Policy** The Group does not have sufficient funds to invest in longer term investments. The Group has therefore adopted a risk averse strategy to the investment of its funds. All funds are held in cash using only mainstream banks or building societies ## **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 Squirrels have a fantastic year filled with fun laughter and learning new things. They have played many new games and tried new things. The Squirrels showed how wonderful they were when learning about giving Emergency Aid with the help of a Pilot. Baloo (from Cubs) came to chat about our Local heroes as she told them the stories about how scouting started and the early days of scouting. This is only possible with the continued support of the team of adults who help the Squirrels on a weekly basis |Chief Scout Acorn Awards|4| |---|---| |Challenge Badges|21| |Activity badges|100| |Staged activity badges|41| It has been very busy for our Cubs, with new Sixers and Seconders being appointed, celebrating Chinese New Year and starting their Cyclist Activity Badge. Will exciting crafts for Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day, the Cubs have starting to learn some basic first aid and their local surroundings. The Cubs also attended Boom Studios to complete parts of their Artist Activity Badge. As well as going camping and roasting marshmallows over the fire, the Cubs are well on their way to their Chief Scout Silver! |Chief Scout Silver Awards|2| |---|---| |Challenge Badges|42| |Activity badges|91| |Staged activity badges|51| |You Shape badges|0| ## **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. The Beavers have been very active year with our weekly meeting packed with activities, games, with a number of them completing their Personal Challenge Award, their Skills Challenge Award and their World Challenge Award. All of this goes toward their Chief Scout Bronze! We took part in national events and recently celebrated Chinese New Year (with prawn crackers and fortune cookies). The Beavers took part on the Group Sponsored Walk and attended the Northern Ireland Beaver Rally Day at Crawfordsburn. |Chief Scout Bronze Awards|10| |---|---| |Challenge Badges|62| |Activity badges|125| |Staged activity badges|35| |You Shape badges|36| Scouts have been very busy in and out of the hall! There have been visits to Bangor Carnegie Library (Librarian Activity Badge), Crawfordsburn Scout Centre (JOTA / JOTI) and a number of the Scout completed their Navigation (Stage 3) Activity Badge after a session in the Café Bar in the church! In addition, some of Scouts have awarded their Emergency Aid (Stage 5) Activity Badge. Members of the Troop represented North Down District at the NI Dodgeball Competition coming 1[st] overall – fantastic achievement! |Chief Scout Gold Awards|3| |---|---| |Challenge Badges|45| |Activity badges|17| |Staged activity badges|75| |You Shape badges|17| The weekly programmes are action packed, with every event or activity There has been rocket making, celebrating the Chinese New Year, celebrating Baden-Powell’s birthday, making cakes, playing with icing, lighting fires, pitching tents, ……the list goes on! Make sure you keep up to date with what we all our adventures on our social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) A huge ‘Thank you’ to all the Leaders and members of the Group Trustee Board who give up their ‘free’ time to help deliver the exciting, challenging and fun programmes across all the sections. It is not just the ‘hour a week’ when they are at Sectional Meetings but the various planning meetings, text messages, phone calls and the training that happens in the background that keep them busy! Each year on 31 January, we do our Annual Census to ‘count’ the number of Young People and Adult Volunteer, and you can see, the Scout Group has been growing steadily after our 18-month hiatus! We want to be able to provide as a many young people the opportunity to experience scouting but we are limited due to size of the Community Hall and Adult Volunteers to keep the Young People safe on an activity or providing support through management of the Group. As such there are always volunteering opportunities across the various sections in the Scout Group - whether you want to help out and be one of the Leaders Team at a sectional meeting, have a hobby or a skill that you can share with the Beaver Colony or Scout Troop, be part of the Group Management Team or have few free night a month to help manage the equipment, please get in touch with Simon Brown (Group Scout Leader) at **gsl9thbangor@countydownscouts.org.uk** The leadership of the Group is what makes us so wonderful, and the long service given by the volunteers in the group especially those who have been awarded Chief Scouts Long Service awards and are listed in this report ## **Adult Long Service Awards** - Kate Reilly - Sarah Thompson - George Brandwood ## **Wood-badge** (Adult Leader Training Award) - Marie Denvir-Breen • Rachel Smyth • Emma Orr **- Group Membership (2019 2024)** The above report was approved by the Trustee Board on 20[th] October 2024 and signed on their behalf by **Signatures** **Full names Alastair Hamilton Position Group Chairman** **Gavan Duffy Group Treasurer**