Trustee Annual Report Form
All Girlguiding Ulster Charities are governed by the Royal Charter and Bye-laws.
The Purpose of each of these Charities is to educate girls and young women to help them develop emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually so that they can make a positive contribution to their Community and the wider world.
Name of Charity as it appears on the Register and any other names it may be known by
1[st] Hillsborough Guides
NI Charity Commission Number
NIC105039
The principal address of the Charity
Downshire Centre, Hillsborough Parish Church Main Street, Hillsborough, BT26 6AE United Kingdom
The names of all Charity Trustees on the date the report was approved and all individuals who served as Charity Trustees during the year
Miss Jenny Lindsay
Mrs Emma Mathers
The financial year the report relates to
1[st] July 2022 – 30[th] June 2023
A summary of the Charity’s main activities to further its purposes for the public benefit and the main achievements in the year
This year we had 25 Guides in the unit, as always eager and enthusiastic to learn new skills, have fun and adventures. Our first activity was when King Charles visited Hillsborough in September 2022 and some of our Guides and leaders had the privilege of meeting with the King and Queen. Over the year the Guides completed a number of badges including Stage 3 Camp and Stage 5 First Aid skills builder badges. These provided the girls with useful skills for camping and dealing with first aid emergencies, though thankfully we’ve not had to put the latter into action! The girls undertook various activities to complete their Girlguiding Ulster Centenary badge with the centenary bake off challenge proving popular. The Backwoods Cooking interest badge kept us well fed in the summer with the girls using firepits to cook a cake in a can, dampers and waffle cone smores. There was even some homemade butter to go with the dampers. Overall it was a successful year for badges with Guides receiving theme awards for the Have Adventures, Be Well and Skills for my Future themes. Four girls were awarded their bronze award. We had outings throughout the year including a Christmas outing to Lisburn Bowl. We attended the Army Skills Builder Day where the girls learned how to change a wheel and build shelters. The Guides Take Over W5 event was enjoyable for all with highlights including the science roadshow and climbit climbing structure. The latter two events were organised by Girlguiding Ulster and an opportunity to meet girls from other units. The Guides always enjoy outdoor activities and this year was no exception. We had a night hike up Slieve Croob and an outing to Tyrella beach where the girls made their promise, had a sand sculpture competition and enjoyed a BBQ. Other activities included cooking an Italian meal on trangias, a yoga night, human hungry hippos and a chariot race where the girls put their newly learned skills of knots and lashings into practice. This is the first time since COVID we have taken the Guides camping. The girls enjoyed a weekend camp at Lorne where they experienced some of the outdoor activities on offer including the crate stacking challenge, Gladiator vertical assault course, Flintstones challenge and bushcraft. We also teamed up with our camp neighbours Dromore for an evening of fun around the campfire. There was no harm flowing from the Charity’s purposes and there was no private benefit.
A statement that the Trustees have had regard to the Commission’s Public Benefit requirement statutory guidance
Trustees are familiar with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit and have ensured that when planning activities they help achieve the charity’s purposes and make a difference to the lives of the girls within the unit.
A review of the Charity’s financial position at the end of the year
Opening Balance £6480.42 01/07/21; Closing Balance £6398.93 30/06/22 Opening Balance £6398.93 01/07/22; Closing Balance £6489.78 30/06/23
Details of any fund held by the Charity that was materially in deficit at the end of the year and steps taken by the Charity Trustees to eliminate the deficit
1[st] Hillsborough Guides have no material deficit.
One or more of the Charity Trustees must sign and date the box below.
24/04/2024