2025-08-31-accounts - 15th Ayrshire (1st Ardrossan) Scout Group

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1[st] Ardrossan 15[th] Ayrshire Scout Group Annual Report and Financial Statements For The Period 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025

Charity Number SC011044

1[st] Ardrossan 15[th] Ayrshire Scout Group Report of the Trustees For the Period 1 Sep 2024 to 31 Aug 2025

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 Ardrossan Scout HQ, Kilmeny Terrace Ardrossan Trustees Following the AGM held 18 Feb 2025 are: David Howie Lead Volunteer Alan Donaldson Chairman Grae Allan Treasurer Tracey Yuille Elected member Alastair Dodds Elected member Finlay MacFarlane Elected member Jane Waller Elected member

Group Secretary: Jennifer Smith

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 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 Jan 2023	Members Jan 2024	Members Jan 2025	Target 2026
Beavers	6 - 8	23	25	23	23
Cubs	8 - 10½	13	24	24	23
Scouts	10½ - 14	17	15	22	23

Our Beaver and Cub sections were at capacity and a waiting list was in place. Our Scout section numbers in 2024/25 increased with young people moving up from the Cub section attracted by the exciting and adventurous programme. Our adult volunteer team was 20 strong 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 5 community groups regularly (mostly weekly) conducting their activities in our hall, a slight reduction from the previous period. This could partly be due to disruption resulting from our refurbishment work, however we believe demand for our premises will increase when Stage 1 of the work is complete and we can re-open the east wind of the building.

BEAVERSBt

Some of the things Beavers learn about through their badge work include disability awareness, road safety, gardening, helping in the home, first aid, faith, building things, books,

baking and awareness of other cultures. They often work together in groups for activities.

All section activities are planned with a purpose in mind, normally working towards an award in the form of Scout Badges. Beaver badges all have broader learning outcomes, such as Creative Skills, Faith & Community, Teamwork, Reliability and Responsibility, etc.

Our Cub Scouts take many of the skills learned in Beavers to a higher level. Examples of this would be first aid, cooking/home help, the phonetic alphabet, how to understand disability, home safety, teamwork and leadership.

Activities include archery, learning about local history, beach games, hiking, camping and lighting fires (safely).

The Scout section is, in turn, a progression from Cubs. The same ethos applies, but activities are a bit more wide ranging, adventurous and challenging.

EXPLORERS

Explorer Scouts are aged between 14 and 18 years of age and are the next progression for our Scout section members. The S.A.S (Saltcoats, Ardrossan, Stevenston) Explorer Scout Unit was formed in 2002 with members coming from Scout Groups based in the three towns of Saltcoats, Ardrossan and Stevenston (the initials from the three towns forming the name for the unit). The unit is based in Ardrossan Scout Group premises.

Financial Review

The financial statements are presented on pages 6 and 7 of this report.

The Group’s main asset is the Scout Hut at Kilmeny Terrace along with the ground on which it is built. The group also owns camping equipment and other equipment for activities.

Unrestricted Reserve Policy

It is the policy of the charity to maintain unrestricted funds 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 funding towards the refurbishment of our premises has been received by the Group. We are indebted to many funding 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 SP Energy Net Zero Fund

Group Plans for the Future Period

The group is continuing its effort to grow the leadership team to help expand our adventure activities and allow us to increase youth membership across the sections.

Premises

During the year we were busy working on Stage 1 of the refurbishment and retrofit of our premises (the east wing). This involved stripping out all asbestos containing material, strengthening and “beefing up” the building frame, replacing the old roof with an insulated single ply membrane roof, building new toilets and kitchen, internal and external wall insulation and renewing electric, plumbing, lighting and heating. We have funds to complete Stage 1 in the next period and make a start on Stage 2.

We anticipate a gradual increase in use of the premises by community groups as soon as Stage 1 is complete.

Our aim is to retrofit as close as possible to the EnerPHit standard (the new Passivhaus refurbishment standard from the Passivhaus Institute). This will provide a safe, warm and comfortable facility for our scout group and our community. It will also make us a lot less wasteful in our use of energy.

Signed

Trustee Board Chairperson

Date 3 Dec 2025