## **1[st] Ardrossan 15[th] Ayrshire Scout Group Annual Report and Financial Statements For The Period 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024** Charity Number SC011044 ## **1[st] Ardrossan 15[th] Ayrshire Scout Group Report of the Trustees For the Period 1 Sep 2023 to 31 Aug 2024** The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the above period. **Reference and Administrative Details Charity Number** SC011044 **Principal Office** Scout Hut, Kilmeny Terrace Ardrossan **Trustees** Following the AGM held 6 Feb 2024 are: Lead Volunteer Chairman Treasurer Elected member Elected member Elected member Group Secretary: ## **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. ## **Organisation Structure and Management** The Group is an educational charity managed by a Trustee Board. The Trustee Board consists of independent representatives, Chairman, Treasurer, Lead Volunteer and elected and co-opted members. They meet quarterly or as required either in person or using digital on-line systems such as WhatsApp and Zoom. Board members are all volunteers who work together to make sure the Scout Group is run safely and legally. The Board is responsible for: - safeguarding, - GDPR, - charity registration, - keeping proper accounts, - making returns to the Charity Commission - maintenance of Group property, - raising funds and the administration of the Group finances, - the insurance of persons, property and equipment, - Group public occasions All trustees must be registered with the Scout Association and must complete relevant Scout Association training modules. ## **Risk Management** The Group has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss; these include dual authorisation for all significant payments and a comprehensive insurance policy to ensure that insurable risks are covered. ## **Aim and Method** The aim of the Group aligns with the aim of the Scout Association, which is to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and 2 international communities. The method of achieving the Aim is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and Law and guided by adult leadership. ## **Achievements and Performance** Once again our section leaders worked hard to provide a balanced Scouting programme. The group operates three separate age based sections for boys and girls. We also have a very close affiliation with the Saltcoats, Ardrossan and Stevenston Explorer Scout Unit (SAS) and provide our premises for their meetings and activities. |**Section**|**Age**
**Range**|**Members**
**2022**|**Members**
**Jan 2023**|**Members**
**Jan 2024**|**Target**
**2025**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Beavers|6 - 8|23|23|25|23| |Cubs|8 - 10½|15|13|24|23| |Scouts|10½ - 14|16|17|15|20| Our Beaver and Cub sections are at capacity and we have a waiting list in place. We anticipate an increase in Scout section numbers in 2024/25 with young people moving up from the Cub section. It is encouraging to report that we were able to register 21 adult volunteers this year. ## **Community Usage of Our Premises** In addition to scout related activities, our premises continue to be used by a number of community groups. Over the period covered by this report there were 8 community groups regularly (mostly weekly) conducting their activities in our hall. It is our aim to increase this number over the coming years. 3 SEhVE&S Some of the things Beavers leam about through their badge worf( include disabilty awareness, road safety. gardening. helping in the home. first ald. fath, building things, books, baking and awareness of other cul￿re$. They often work tsJether in groups fcy activltses. All section activities are planned with a purpose in mind, r￿miallY wot*ing towards an award in the form of Scout Badges. Beaver badges all have broader leaming outcomes. such as Creat"ve Skills, Farth & Communty. Teamwork. Rdiability and Responsibilty. et¢_ cubs Our Cub Scouts take many of the skills leamed in Beavers to a higher level. Examples of this would be first aid. cTh)kinglhome help. the phonetic Iphabet, how lo understand disabilty. home safety, teamwork and leadership. Activities include archery. leaming abcmjt local history, beach games, hiking. camping and lighting fires (Safe￿). The Secmjt section is, in tum, a prOgressic￿ from Cubs. The same ethos applies. but actNitses are a brt more wide ranging, a0￿entUrouS arKI challer¥Jing. EXPLORERS Explorer Scouts are aged tetsveen 14 and 18 Yea￿ of age are the next progression for our Seout section members. The S.A.S {Sarteoats, Ardrossan, Stevenstonl Explorer Seout Unf( was fonned in 2002 wf(h members coming from Scout Groups based in the three towns of Sattcoats. Ardrossan and Stevenston {the info.als frcffi the three towns forming the name for the unrtl. The unrt is based in Ardrossan S(xxrt Group premises. Financial Review The financial 5tstements are presented ￿ pages 6 to 9 of thi5 reporL The Group's main asset is the Seout Hut at ￿lmenY Terrace along with the ground on which it is buitt. The group also owns camping equipment and other equipment activities. Unrestricted Reserve Policy It is the policy of the charity to maintain unrestrcted fvnds at a level to meet 6 months operational costs of the Group. Grant Funding Over the past year. and indeed over previous years. considerable grant fvnding towards the refurbishment of our premises has been received by the Grow). We are indebted to many fvnding bodies, including.. The Moffat Trust The Hugh Fraser Foundation The Robertson Trust Garfield Weston The Robert Barr Trust The Leslie Sell Charitable Trust Cunninghame Housing Association North Ayrshire Council ASDA Scottish Landfill SE Nel Zero Fund Group Plans for the Future Period The group is continuing its effort to In￿eaSe ytyjth membership across the sections and grow the leadership team. We have embarked on phase 1 of our refvrbishment project to rercof, insulate and install eco-friendly heating and lighting in the east wing of our Premises. The project has been delayed, largely due to drfficulty engaging surlable contractors, however, progress is being made and we estimate that phase 1 will be completed by May 2025. The pwr physical state of our building is a constraint on our abiltty to fijlly utilise the premises for the maximum possible benefft to ourselves and our communtty. Our aim is to retrofft as dose as possible to the EnerPHit standard {the new PassNhaus refijrbishment stsndard from the Passivhaus Inslitutel. This will provide a safe, warm and cornfortable faality for our 5COUt group and our community. It will also help us move towards a Net Zero goal. Signed Trustee Board Chairperson Date 13 Jan 2025 tst Ardr05¥a￿ 15th Ay3hlre *o¥t Group I￿lePendent Examihers Report Forthe Year Ended 3tst A￿8￿t 2024 Inde ndent Examlhers Re A hlre sto￿ Giou I reporton the financialstatement of the 1st Ardf055an 15th Ayrshire knut Group for the Period Ended 3J5t Auwst 2024 whth are Set out ￿ the pa8es thai fdlow. to theTru •éthe IstArdrossan 15th nsl)ilff4ie5 OIT and Exèmlner The charity'5 tru5tee5 are resPg1)sibk loi the preparailon of ihe accounts In ￿CordanCe with the terms of the Charitie5 and Trusiee In¥estment l*otlandl21M)5 Art and the charttie5 Accounts Ikotlandl Re6ulai0Tr5 2006. The charity trustee5 con5iderihat the audt req￿remellt Of Regulation 10111 lal to O of the AcCoU￿t5 Regulations Ljoes not appw. It is Iny fesponsibilily to examine the aicounu as requlred uTrJer sectlon 441110 ol the Act and to stale whether particular [￿are￿ have cometo my attenzion. BJs15 of Inde ndent examlner's statement My examindriorb t5 carried out In accordance wtth Re8ulation 11 otthe CharttE5 Accounts 15cotlandl Regulations 2(th. An examlnationiThclude5 a review ol the accounting records kept by the charttyand a comparlson Df the Kcounts presented wth the r￿ords. It also Includei tonsideratlon of any unusual Items c* dwlosures in the accounts and seeks explanadon fromthe trustees cancwning any5uch matters. The PT¢cedure5 undertaken do not pr(Nide all the evidence that woul¢J be requwe