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 2024 – 30[th] June 2025
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 24 Guides in the unit. We worked towards the “Skills for my future” and “Express myself” theme awards, completing the Stage 3 Live Smart and Innovate skills builder badges, the Investigating and Confectionery interest badges and various unit meeting activities. A favourite was learning to cook an Italian pasta sauce on the trangias as well as making Christmas themed shortbread and mocktails. The girls also made macrame keyrings and had fun practising their performing skills in a range of drama activities. Six Guides were awarded their Bronze award and seven their Silver award.
At the start of the year, some Guides participated in an Adventure Agents Activity Day at Lorne. The activities included the zipline, abseiling and bushcraft.
The Guides always enjoy outdoor activities and this year we headed to Hillsborough Forest Park for a wide game and our promise ceremony. On our last night (due to popular demand) we had some water-based relay games. It’s safe to say that no-one was dry at the end of the evening!
Other activities included an Easter flower arranging workshop and a visit from a local magician which had all the girls amazed. We also organised a football skills workshop which was a great success and joined with the Rangers for a Zumba evening.
For our Christmas outing this year we headed to High Rise in Lisburn where the girls had an enjoyable evening on the climbing walls. We also had a great trip to Lisburn Police Station where we had an interesting tour and got to take everyone’s fingerprints.
In June we headed to Benone Guide Campsite for a fantastic action-packed weekend away. The theme of the camp was “Mayday! Mayday!” which was the challenge badge produced in partnership with Girlguiding Ulster and the RNLI and highlighted important water safety messages to the girls. We spent a day in Portrush and enjoyed a visit to the lifeboat station as well as a surfing lesson. There was also time for a trip to Currys Amusements! The girls also loved the torch lit walks to the nearby beach. Of course no camp was complete without a campfire and s’mores on our last evening! Many of the girls also completed their Stage 3 Camp skills builder badge during camp.
Prior to camp we organised a fundraising sponsored walk up Divis Mountain and raised over £800 for the RNLI. At Harvest time we decorated the church porch and the girls were very generous bringing many non-perishable food items which afterwards were donated to Storehouse.
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 £6489.78 01/07/23; Closing Balance £6595.82 30/06/24 Opening Balance £6595.82 01/07/24; Closing Balance £8526.52 30/06/25
The significant increase in this financial year’s closing balance is mainly due to uncashed cheques.
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.
10/01/2026