Trustee Annual Report Form
This template is to provide guidance to units who are completing a Trustee Annual Report for the NI Charity Commission. If you do not wish to use this form please ensure that the headings in this guidance are followed when completing a Trustee Annual Report.
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
Girlguiding Londonderry County
NI Charity Commission Number
Charity no. 106574
The principal address of the Charity‐ this should be the address that was used at the time of registration with the Charity Commission
The Guide Association, 30 Station Road, Holywood, BT18 0BP
The names of all Charity Trustees on the date the report was approved and all individuals who served as Charity Trustees during the year
Mrs Noelleen Fails, Mrs Wendy Leighton, Miss Fiona McFadden, Mrs Rae McGowan, Miss C Steele, Mrs C Brown, Mrs Jill Finlay, Mr Victor Fails, Mrs Diana Rudd, Mrs Rozzy Skuce, Miss Holly Leighton
Trustees who left during this reporting year: Mrs Stephanie McGarry, Mrs Cheryl Love, Mrs Julie‐Ann McGurk, Mrs Jane Fyvie
The financial year the report relates to – for example, 1[st] April 2016 to 31[st] March 2017
19[th] July 2020 ‐ 18[th] July 2021
A summary of the Charity’s main activities to further its purposes for the public benefit and the main achievements in the year
-
Trainings – The County continues to support and encourage volunteers to complete their Safe Space and 1st response trainings. These trainings have all been run by Girlguiding Ulster virtually. The County was able to host 2 practical sessions (2nd part) of the 1st Response trainings at Coleraine and Portstewart Guide Halls.
-
County f2f Events – In June the County was able to have 15 Rangers and Guides who were moving up to Rangers taking part in a surf lesson with The Surf Project in Portrush. On 1st‐3rd July we arranged a Holiday Guiding event at our campsite at Benone. In the morning we had Rainbows and Brownies, afternoon was the Guides and one evening we hosted a BBQ for Rangers. An Education Authority grant of £2,242 went towards this event and outside providers helped with some workshops which included tennis coaching, circus skills and dance and drama. County DofE training has continued virtually and f2f where possible
-
County Virtual Events ‐ With the help of Making Things Happen funding by Public Health Agency in conjunction with CRUN we were able to have a virtual ‘Welcome Back to Girlguiding’ activity day in September. Activities included a virtual drumming and laughter yoga workshop as well lots of outdoor activities using the letters of Welcome. The grant also included an activity day at Lorne for Guides/Rangers but due to Covid‐19 we were unable to go; instead the County hosted a virtual Art and Photo Competition (open to everyone within the County). In December the County hosted a virtual pantomime of Jack in the Beanstalk by Panto Online. We hosted 2 showings and had 60 sign up for this event. On 22[nd] February Thinking Day, the County hosted sectional zoom meetings and everyone who attended received a World Thinking Day 2021 badge. The Rainbows made peace doves, Brownies a pizza in a mug and the Guides/Rangers made pancakes in shape of the Continents. The County also hosted a leaders’ virtual quiz and get together. In March, and for all our members including Trefoil, the County encouraged everyone to be a Star Baker. Lists of ingredients and zoom invites were emailed out to participants. All participants received a Star Baker badge.
-
County Virtual Unit Meetings ‐ From November onwards the County hosted monthly Rainbow, Brownie and Ranger zoom meetings to help support girls and leaders. Some of the meetings included celebrating Chinese New Year and Earth Day. Some girls also completed some interest badges – Rainbow Helper and Family tree and Brownie Zero Waste. Some Rainbows also made their promise.
-
Presentation of Awards – The County hosted a virtual presentation of 10 Bronze and 6 Gold DofE awards at the Welcome Back to Guiding activity day. . A celebration of Long Service Awards was also included in the activity day. Due to Covid 19, the County continued to post out Long Service Awards to our volunteers. At our Zoom County Executive meeting in September we asked our Ulster Chief Commissioner to attend and present the Girlguiding Ulster Young members award to a former leader of Kilrea Rainbows. In May at our virtual County Executive meeting we were
delighted that our new incoming Ulster Chief Commissioner joined our zoom call and presented a Queen’s Guide Award to one our leaders.
The County has supported Londonderry City for the past year. In September a meeting was held with Londonderry City to discuss its future. At this meeting, it was decided that Londonderry City would merge with Londonderry County thus becoming a division of Londonderry County under the new name of North West Division. It was also agreed that North West Division and Londonderry County would each have 50% ownership of Benone Camp site, relevant paperwork has been signed off to this effect. Londonderry County constitution was updated to add a Divisional Commissioner and to add that a virtual AGM could be held. This was signed off by Ulster Executive in October. The County held an AGM virtually in November.
The County was pleased to accept the donation of an events shelter from Londonderry City Trefoil for use to help with outdoor meetings, especially in light of Covid‐19 restrictions.
- Covid‐19 ‐ Covid 19 has continued to have an impact on our recruitment plans, face to face Guiding at unit level and County events that had been organised.
There was no harm flowing from the Charities purposes and that there was no private benefit.
A statement that the Trustees have had regard to the Commission’s Public Benefit requirement statutory guidance
All trustees are aware of the Commission’s Public Benefit requirement.
A review of the Charity’s financial position at the end of the year
The County had 3 bank accounts at the start of the year– County Committee account, DofE (Badge) account and Benone account (½ of the Benone account is held jointly with Girlguiding Londonderry City CCN 104130). During this reporting period the DofE (Badge) account was closed to save on bank fees and the balance of funds was transferred to the County Committee account.
The total opening balance of the County Committee account, Badge account and cash was £5,153.92; the closing balance of the County Committee account and cash was £5 476.00.
The principal source of income for the County’s running costs is the County levy element of membership subscriptions from the County’s members and is paid through Girlguiding UK to the County. In 2020/20221 this was £493.30 which is the nett amount from £667.80 paid from Girlguiding UK offset by the subscriptions payment of £174.50 for members in the County whose principal role is a County role.
Despite Coronavirus‐related restrictions, a number of special events were run during the year. Principally this was the Holiday Guiding programme which comprised two parts, the first in July of this reporting period and the second planned for August of the next reporting period. A total income of £4,637.00 was received including grant support and £3,737.18 was spent, leaving around £655 carried forward in to the next reporting period for the August part of the programme. Expenditure included around £190 for miscellaneous equipment.
Other expenditure came to around £514 covering badges and certificates for awards to members and volunteers along with the purchase of a mobile hotspot to facilitate training in using Girlguiding’s online records systems for training leaders in rural locations with poor broadband coverage.
The County has shared responsibility with Londonderry City County CCNI Nr 104130 for the Benone Guide campsite. The County’s share of the financial responsibility for Benone in this reporting year was
-
£2,038.83 received from an insurance claim on water damage to the cabin
-
A grant was received for disability access costing £290.59 but due to the timeframe in receiving this grant the cost of the disability access was £309.04
-
A grant was received from Education Authority of £1,460.07 for inescapable costs (£364.90 is to be returned, initially some of the money was against a replacement of the fire canopy but on inspection by the manufacturers it only required painting).
-
Insurance costs were £374.63 and indemnity insurance £142.07
-
Other costs plumber £42.50, electrical repairs and checks £64.10
-
Repairs to windows and door locks £153.00
-
Repainting/repair of the fire canopy £142.50
-
Extra keys cut £8.85 and Covid requisites £2.75
The closing balance attributed to the County Committee for Benone is £5,706.92
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
The charity holds no funds which are materially in deficit.
One or more of the Charity Trustees must sign and date the box below.
Signed Noelleen Fails Date 09/04/2022