1st Insch Scout Group
Annual Report & Accounts
for the
Year ended 31 March 2026
Charity No SC036336
1st Insch Scout Group Trustees Annual Report Year ended 31 March 2026
The Committee have pleasure in presenting their report together with the accounts and the independent examiner's report for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Name & Address
The Group's Name is the 1st Insch Scout Group and it may be contacted at; Wardhead,Sunnyside of Folla, Rothienorman,Inverurie AB51 8UL
Constitution & Purpose
The 1st Insch Scout Group is constituted in terms of the Rules of The Scout Association, which is a charitable body incorporated by Royal Charter. The Group is a registered Scottish Charity - No SC036336.
Scouts actively engages and supports young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
In partnership with adults, young people take part in fun indoor and outdoor activities. They learn by doing, by sharing in spiritual reflection and by taking responsibility. They make choices, undertake new and challenging activities, and they live their Scout Promise.
Trustees
| Trustees | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Chairman | Thomas Laurenson | Trustee | Adrian Peter |
| Group Treasurer | Nicholas Glover | Trustee | Greig Robertson |
| Group Lead | Stewart Moore | Trustee | Carol May |
| Trustee | Julie Smart | Trustee | Sarah Horton |
Trustees are recruited and appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation & Rules ("POR") of the Scout Association.
Activities & Achievements Scouts
This year has demonstrated the strength of our Scout group through a series of engaging meetings and adventurous events. The summer term kicked off last year with the competition camp at Daviot, Adventure camp at Strathallan Castle and a weekend camp at Spean Bridge with a hike up Ben Nevis. The main highlight of the summer was however the Kent International Scout Jamboree, which spanned seven days and provided a remarkable experience for all participants from our group. Moving into autumn we attended the Gordon Gathering, where Scouts (as well as Cubs and Beavers) came together for a weekend of activities, mixing with Scouts from across the District. After the October holidays the Leith Hall Halloween camp added a seasonal touch to our programme with a ghost tour of the Hall adding to the atmosphere. The Carol Service brought everyone together in a festive spirit, allowing our Scouts to showcase their talents and reinforce community ties.
Throughout the year, our meetings have been both varied and challenging, enhancing the skills and character of the Scouts involved. From ice breakers and team-building exercises to first aid training, science and crafts, we have ensured a busy programme that (hopefully) appeals to a wide range of interests. Activities such as scavenger hunts and navigation games have encouraged teamwork and problem-solving skills, while cooking sessions added practical experience in a fun environment. We also had a presentation from Joe Meanen who was a survivor from the Piper Alpha disaster that was both interesting and sobering.
During the past year we have awarded 206 activity and challenge badges.
A special thank you goes out to all our leaders for their dedication and hard work throughout the year. The contribution of each leader in preparing and delivering these sessions is greatly appreciated in what has been a very busy year for the group.
Looking ahead, preparation is well under way for the 1st Insch centenary celebrations and the associated camp at Greenmyers this September. This significant milestone promises to be a wonderful event, bringing together generations of Scouts and supporters to celebrate our history and achievements. As part of the centenary ptoject the Scouts have already interviewed (and filmed) former members and leaders of 1st Insch as part of their digital maker badge. We are also planning a group Ceilidh later on in the year.
As we move forward into another year, we look forward to more adventures, skill-building, and fun activities that further enrich our Scouts’ experiences.
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Cubs
2025/26 has been another busy year, covering a range of activities across the year and watching the Cubs grow and develop. We continued to have support from enough leaders to be able to run with two different packs and ran broadly the same programmes across the two. During meetings this year we have covered a range of activities and have been incredibly lucky to have had support from the local community to cover our Air Activities and DIY badges - Leslie Airfield and Insch Leslie & District Men's Shed. Other badgework covered astronomy, naturalist, global issues as well as some more traditional Scouting activities such as pioneering, backwoods cooking and navigation. We managed to have some fun with Halloween and Christmas parties as well as Burns Night celebrations.
Alongside our regular meetings were opportunities to participate in the Jambowlree, the District Cub Quiz, three outdoor camps (Spring Camp in Alford in May, Gordon Gathering in September and a Christmas Panto Camp in Inverurie in December). We secured spaces for two splash sailing sessions on the Loch of Skene so were able to offer spaces to 24 Cubs and they all appeared to enjoy it.
Over the year the Cubs were awarded over 450 badges between them. They included 3 Chief Scout Silver Awards and 36 Challenge badges.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the parents and all the volunteers behind the scenes, whose support helps make every meeting and event possible. We look forward to another year of fun, learning, and Scouting adventures!
Beavers
The two groups continue to be very popular with 40 Beavers across both groups. There is currently no waiting list (i.e. all children aged 6 and over have been offered a space). We have been really fortunate over the last year to swell our leader numbers, enabling us to sustain 2 groups. Much thanks goes to Stewart Moore for helping out with this transition to get us back to this point. Currently we have 11 leaders and 2 young leaders across the groups. Not all leaders can attend every week but this healthy number means we have a bit of resilience in the groups. The change in PVG rules have meant that after 1st April we will only be able to run a parent rota for those who are PVG’d through scouts. Until more parents go through this process our outdoor activities in particular will be at risk of not being able to go ahead (each group needs 5 PVG’d adults to accompany them on any outdoor activities). Having 2 Beaver groups has now put increased pressure on the two cubs groups for follow on places. They really require additional leaders to keep them viable.
We continued to run a packed and varied programme completing Money Skills and digital maker for the first time.3 of our Beavers were awarded the top award of Bronze Chief Scout Award. We awarded 80 challenge badges, 350 activity badges and a further 15 gained a staged nights away badge. Activities included safety, international, cyclist and space badges. We had the usual hike up Bennachie at the end of summer term with sausage sizzle at the end. In September 2025 we had a really fantastic weekend camp at the Gordon Gathering taking 24 Beavers (some day attenders and some camping overnight alongside the rest of the Insch group. The weekend had a varied activity programme including Segways, inflatable obstacle course, hockey, experiments and an enormous camp fire on the Saturday night. 24 Beavers took part in the Jambowlree event in November at Inverurie. For Burns night the groups visited Drumdarroch Care Home to recite some poems to the residents.
At the end of the Spring term we had a fact finding hunt and egg rolling at Dunnydeer.
Reserves
The Trustees believe that around £3,000 to £5,000 is an appropriate level of reserves in order to cover the timing differences between receipts and payments to allow for any unexpected items of expenditure.
Approved by the Group Committee and signed on its behalf by:
Thomas Laurenson Chairman
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1st Insch Scout Group Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the 1st Insch Scout Group Year ended 31 March 2026
I report on the accounts of the 1st Insch Scout Group ("the Group") for the year ended 31 March 2026 which are set out on pages 5 to 7.
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The Group's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (the Act) and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (the 2006 Accounts Regulations). The Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(d) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Group and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeks explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent Examiner's Statement
-
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention: (1)
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met; or
-
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Keith Millar
Finance Director
Date: 28 June 2026
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1st Insch Scout Group Receipts & Payments Account Year ended 31 March 2026
| 2026 | 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| RECEIPTS | |||
| Voluntary Income | |||
| Subscriptions | 3 | 3,826.50 | 3,533.00 |
| Grants | 4 | 500.00 | - |
| Donations | 469.38 | 289.70 | |
| Gift Aid | 2,332.35 | 2,046.25 | |
| Misc | 30.50 | 12.00 | |
| Fund-Raising Activities | |||
| Kent Int Jamboree | 5 | 7,463.16 | 4,643.08 |
| Other | 554.19 | ||
| Group Programme Activities | |||
| Activities/Events | 6 | 1,108.50 | 7,638.55 |
| Camps | 3,517.00 | - | |
| Kent Int Jamboree 2025 | - | 4,361.00 | |
| Badges/Uniforms | 693.75 | 1,317.95 | |
| Total Receipts | 20,495.33 | 23,841.53 | |
| PAYMENTS | |||
| Fundraising Costs | |||
| Fundraising - Kent International jamboree | 7 | - | 315.05 |
| Training | - | - | |
| Group Programme Activities | |||
| Programme Activities/Events | 8 | 5,722.23 | 8,847.68 |
| Kent International Jamboree 2025 | 10,327.77 | 4,055.00 | |
| Badges & Uniforms | 2,946.35 | 2,781.15 | |
| Premises/rentals | 3,261.31 | 2,691.78 | |
| Equipment | 893.70 | 24.00 | |
| Storage Equipment | 3,113.94 | - | |
| Admin | 65.60 | 123.40 | |
| Donations | 9 | 170.00 | - |
| Misc | 58.28 | 37.20 | |
| Total Payments | 10 | 26,559.18 | 18,875.26 |
| Surplus/Deficit for year | -6,063.85 | 4,966.27 |
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1st Insch Scout Group Statement of Balances 31 March 2026
| Cash & Bank Balances (Unrestricted) Balance as at 31 March 2025 Surplus for the year Transfer to savings a/c (26/6/24) Balance as at 31 March 2026 Saving a/c as at 31 March 2025 Saving a/c Interest at 31 March 2026 Current Account Saving Account |
2025/26 £ 12,899.15 6,063.85 - - 6,835.30 10,289.26 294.31 10,583.57 6,835.30 10,583.57 17,418.87 |
2024/25 £ 17,932.88 4,966.27 10,000.00 - |
|---|---|---|
| 12,899.15 | ||
| - - - 12,899.15 10,000.00 |
||
| 22,899.15 |
Liabilities
The Group has no other material liabilities or obligations.
Approved by the Group Board of Trustees on 27 June 2026 and signed on its behalf by:-
Thomas Laurenson Group Chairman
Nick Glover Group Treasurer
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1st Insch Scout Group Notes to the Accounts Year ended 31 March 2026
| 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|
| £ | £ |
| 1 Funds The Group maintains two designated accounts for its financial transactions. 1st Insch Scout Group current account 1st Insch Scout Group savings account 2 Trustees Remuneration & Expenses The Trustees did not receive any remuneration or expenses during the year 3 Subscription Income Scouts, Cubs and Beavers SHQ Rebate Less Membership Dues 4 Grants Garioch Charity Shop 5 Fund-raising Kent Int Jamboree 2025 (inc Balmoral 2025,Strawberry Fayre, Just Giving) Amazon/Easy Parish Xmas Fair Balmoral Race 2024 Xmas Carol Concert 6 Programme Activities Camps Events - sausage sizzle, splash sailing, cinema, Ben Nevis camp Kent Int Jamboree 2025 Payments 7 Fundraising Expenses Kent Int Jamboree 8 Programme Activities Camps Activities Events 9 Donations Guide Dogs 10 Funds held Surplus from Kent Int Jamboree held for future Event/overseas camp Grants/Equipment balance |
9,697.50 9,095.00 51.50 51.50 9,749.00 9,146.50 5,922.50 5,613.50 3,826.50 3,533.00 500.00 - 7,463.16 4,075.74 - 67.34 110.19 - - 500.00 444.00 - 8,017.35 4,643.08 3,517.00 5,697.55 1,108.50 1,941.00 - 4,361.00 4,625.50 11,999.55 - 315.05 3,395.90 5,994.81 338.52 719.33 1,987.81 2,133.54 5,722.23 8,847.68 170.00 - 1,607.96 637.39 100.68 100.68 |
|---|---|
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