Richmondshire Scout Council AGM 2025

c. Joining Kevin and Amanda are: Audrey McConnell, Becki Bulmer, Cameron Sykes, Darren Clements, Gavin Ions, Kez Appleton, Martha McGarry and Tara Roulston as members of the District Trustee Board

d. The DLV is incredibly proud to announce that Valerie Patchett will be the new District President

e. The DLV is happy to say Andrew Bedford will continue to act as Scrutineer

f. Cameron Sykes will represent the District on the County Scout Council

6. Guest Speaker Sir Andrew Lawson-Tancred, High Sheriff of North Yorkshire

7. Awards

8. Closing Remarks and date of next AGM

Minutes of the AGM 2024

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Richmondshire District Scout Council

Date: Friday 5 July 2024

Location: Catterick Brompton St Anne’s Scout Hut, Leeming Ln, Catterick, DL10 7JY

Present: Lindsay Sykes - District Lead Volunteer, Cameron Sykes - Acting Chair, Alex Sykes -

Acting Secretary, (Richmond) Darren Clements, (Brompton Catterick St Anne’s) Tara

Roulston, Chantelle Ashmore, Derek Porteous, (Catterick Garrison) Kez Appleton, Mark

Sykes, Kathy Grindrod, Audrey McConnell, David Gill and Pamela (Barton) Gavin Ions, Caitie

Etheridge, Jon McCourt, Chris Gibson, Richard Vart, (Swaledale) Sheila Good, Richard Good,

(Wensleydale) Mike Niklewicz and Kevin Foster

Item 1: Welcome and Introductions 19.30

1. Address by the District Chair: Cameron Sykes welcomed everyone to the AGM. He

explained he was chairing the meeting in his role of District Youth Commissioner,

on behalf of Alan who was unable to attend the meeting.

2. Apologies for absence: Amanda Hender - Treasurer, Tracy Brown, Martha McGarry -

District Secretary, Alan and Val Patchett, Ian and Joyce Appleyard, Ed and Tom Iley,

Nick Caldwell, Andy Gamble, Matthew Scrafton, Marie Porter, Zoe Sumner, Chloe

Hollingshead, Sammi Lee, Heidi McConnell

Item 2: Approval of the Minutes:

From the last AGM held on Friday 14 July 2023: Minutes

were agreed to be correct. Proposed and seconded by Richard Good and Darren Clements.

Voted unanimously.

Item 3: Undertake Governance Oversight

1. Adoption of the charity's constitution: Agreed to continue with POR. Proposed

and seconded by Mark Sykes and Darren Clements. Voted unanimously.

2. Noting the dates of the charity’s financial year: Agreed to follow Trustee Board

guidance of April to April.

3. Agreement on the number of members that may be elected to the Trustee Board:

Lindsay explained the rules of the Trustee Boards, no less than 6 and no more than

12 members.

4. Agreement on the quorum for each of:

a. Meetings of the District Scout Council: Yearly AGM

b. Meetings of the Trustee Board: One per term unless needed

c. Meetings of any sub-Committees: As and when required

Item 4: Co-opted Members

Decision on the number and identity of members to be co-opted to the District Scout

Council: Alan has resigned due to ill health and was appointed District President.

Item 5: Review and accept the Trustees' Annual Report, the annual statement of accounts,

along with the formal report prepared by the independent examiner:

Statement of Accounts agreed as corrected. Thanks was given to Andrew Bedford, Amanda Hender and

Martha McGarry for all their hard work. Proposed and seconded by Richard Good and

Darren Clements

Item 6: Make Appointments:

1. Approval of the District Commissioner's nomination of the Chair of the Trustee

Board: The Trustee Board voted unanimously for Kevin Foster

2. Election of a Secretary to the Trustee Board: Martha McGarry to be a Trustee

who takes notes

3. Election of a Treasurer to the Trustee Board: Amanda Hender

4. Election of Trustees to the Trustee Board: Appointed: Martha McGarry, Tara

Roulston, Darren Clements

5. Approval of the District Commissioner's nomination of members of the Trustee

Board: Ex-Officio: Cameron Sykes Co-opted: Audrey McConnell, Kez Appleton,

Gavin Ions

6. Appointment of an independent examiner: Andrew Bedford

Item 7: Representative Nominations:

1. Explorer Scout member, nominated by District Explorer Scout Meetings, to sit on

the North Yorkshire County Scout Council: TBC - Gavin to organise

2. District Scout Network member, nominated by the District Scout Network, to sit

on the North Yorkshire County Scout Council: Caitie Etheridge

Awards Presentation

Date of next AGM: Provisionally Friday 4 July 2025

Item 8: Closure of Meeting 19.42

DLV Report 2025

The District Lead Volunteers Report - September 2024 to July 2025

A year of highs and lows this Scouting year and I am going to start with the lows first.

Richmondshire lost two incredible leaders in 2024. Everyone at Barton felt the unexpected and sad loss of Kevin Lilley. His funeral was a genuinely joyous occasion and I was sad I didn’t know him very well because he seemed exceptional. I know his loss will be felt for a long time but hopefully Barton will heal and grow in his memory.

The other sad loss was our beloved Alan. Santa to many. Alan had been involved in one way or another for a long time with Val and then Kez being leaders. He finally came into uniform to be a leader at Catterick Garrison. Then taking on the role of District Chair, steering the District and me in the best direction. When he stepped down as Chair at the last AGM, we were honoured to make him the District President. However, he lost his fight with cancer in September and the entire District must have felt his loss. But his entire family have a strong Scouting heritage to honour him with Val, Kez, Kit and Nye and his other daughter Vicky.

I am also sorry to say goodbye to Richard and Sheila, who after a combined length of 110 years, have decided to hang up their woggles and retire

And so to the highs!

Over the summer holidays we had a large contingent enjoy Larkin. Having seen pictures and videos it seemed to be a massive success.

Gavin and Barton had their latest Gang Show, a highly entertaining success. Lots of hard work goes into each production and the whole group needs to be thanked for giving up their time to plan and execute it all.

Transformation finally hit in November and I can’t thank Darren enough for sorting out the new My Membership that replaced Compass. We also need to thank him for finding and building a new free District Website, which has saved us a fair few pounds.

For St Georges Day we enjoyed the glorious sunshine and had a treasure hunt around Richmond, searching for Baden Powell's lost wood beads. Starting with a youth-led renewal of promises. Lots of fun was had by all

We opened a new group, 1st Colborn Town with Clare as the GLV, which is positively thriving. Scouts in Colburn is now open, with Squirrels hopefully opening by Christmas. Catterick Brompton St Anne’s is also thriving with Cubs reopened and Tara reopening Scouts in September

We were honoured to be invited to represent North Yorkshire at the VE Day Concert in London in May. Over £3000 was raised for the trip, and a small group of Scouts and Explorers, aided by Kez, Cameron and Sammie, headed off on a brilliant but tiring trip. With trips on the London Eye, a private visit to Horseguards, and The Tower of London included in the 2 days as well as the concert. And yes, we saw them on the TV

With Ignite to look forward to for Scouts, Damboree for Beavers, a Cub Camp took place at Redmire over the late May Bank Holiday. On the day I visited they looked like they were having a lot of fun - and even though I am biased, the food was gorgeous.

We have had some fabulous things planned for the young people this year. Scouts and Explorers had fun at Adrenaline at the beginning of the year. I visited over lunch time and helped to serve out soup and hot dogs. Cubs were inventive at the Cub Handicraft, celebrating 200 years of the train. And Beavers were artistic at Beaver Handicraft in honour of Roald Dahl and we have Beaver Sports Day to look forward to.

I have so many thank-you’s to add to this report; Kevin the new Chair of Trustees and my other valued Trustees - Amanda, Audrey, Cameron, Darren, Gavin, Kez, Martha, and Tara. All the GLV’s - Audrey, Clare, Darren, Gavin, Gemma, Nick and Tara. Every single team member and helper. And all your families for putting up with your “one hour a week” - Thank You!

Lindsay Sykes

Richmondshire District Lead Volunteer

Trustee Chair Report 2025

My First year has been a bit of a bedding in year, I have tried to get out and meet

some of the great scouting communities, however work and family commitments

have prevented me meeting more of you. I have now completed the mandatory

training needed and I have to say I spent nearly as much time trying to login on that

than doing training, I hope everyone has not has the issues I have had. It is

important we do the training if you are having problems please seek help, that is

what I had to do.I would like to thank all our volunteers for all their hard work during

this year, volunteers are thin on the ground and investing your time in scouting is

very munch appreciated. In Reflection I must do better and get out more next year.

Thanks again to you all

Kevin

Treasurer Report 2025

TREASURER’S REPORT 2025

This year Richmondshire has run some very successful events for the young people in scouting, helping out with the funding of some of the activities. We have set aside some funds to help anyone in scouting who is struggling with the ongoing cost of living and I would welcome applications from anyone going forward, who needs some assistance with costs associated with having a full enjoyment of what scouting has to offer.

Our income has reflected the ongoing difficult financial strain that parents and groups are under and we did not ask for any contribution towards running the district from groups. Relying on our existing monies and returns from bank interest.

Thanks once again to every Group/Unit for paying over their subscriptions and thank you to their respective Treasurers for the work they do voluntarily which is so vital in supporting the functioning of the Groups/Units.

Amanda Hender

Scrutineer's Report 2025

Richmondshire District Scout Council

Accounts for the year to 31 March 2025

District Registration Number with The Scout Association 16407

Charity Registration Number 1017534

Index

Scrutineer's Report page 1

Receipts and Payment Account - receipts page 2

Receipts and Payments Account - payments page 3

Statement of Assets and Liabilities page 4

Scrutineer's Report to the Trustees of Richmondshire District Scout Council

I report on the accounts of the District for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Scrutineer

As the District's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that neither the audit nor independent examination requirements of the Charities Act 2011 apply. It is my responsibility without carrying out an audit or independent examination to scrutinise the accounts and to report to you.

Basis of Scrutineer's Statement

In accordance with the directions given in the District's constitution, I have scrutinised the records and the accounts set out on pages 2 to 4.

Scrutineer's statement

In my opinion the accounts are in accordance with the records produced to me and comply with the constitution.

Mr Andrew Bedford

Glory Be

Blades

Richmond

North Yorkshire

DL11 6PS

District Support Team Report 2025

1st Catterick Garrison Scout Group

1st Richmond Scout Group

1st Richmond Scout Group – Annual Report 2024

Prepared by: Darren Clements, Group Lead Volunteer

Date: June 2025

Introduction

As we reflect on 2024, it has been a year of both incredible highs and some difficult decisions. Despite challenges, 1st Richmond Scout Group continues to thrive thanks to the commitment of our young people, volunteers, and supportive community.

Section Highlights

Beaver Colony

Our Beaver Scouts have had a brilliant year of fun, creativity, and friendship. A major highlight was winning the District Beaver Handicraft Competition – a proud moment that showcased the imagination and teamwork of our youngest members. Throughout the year, Beavers have enjoyed a wide range of activities including outdoor adventures, badge work, and themed evenings that spark curiosity and personal development.

Cub Pack

2024 was a particularly exciting year for our Cubs, who proudly attended the Larkin Jamboree – a memorable large-scale event filled with camping, team challenges, and meeting Cubs from across the region. Their behaviour, enthusiasm, and team spirit were a credit to the Group. Locally, Cubs engaged in regular programme nights, hiking, community projects, and cooking over open fires – building confidence and skills while having great fun.

Scout Troop

Sadly, we had to make the difficult decision to close the Scout Troop in December 2024 due to a shortage of adult leaders. This was not a decision taken lightly, and we are actively working with the District to explore how we might reopen the section in the future. We know that the 10½–14 age range is a crucial time for growth and challenge, and we are determined to find a sustainable way forward to reinstate the Scout Troop when leadership capacity allows.

Group Achievements and Opportunities

Despite the closure of the Scout Troop, our group has seen many exciting opportunities throughout 2024: - Continued strong attendance across Beavers and Cubs - Joint events with nearby Scout Groups - Increased community engagement through events and parades - Fundraising efforts that have helped maintain equipment and subsidise camp fees We are proud of our ability to adapt and deliver meaningful Scouting experiences even with limited resources.

Looking Forward

Our priority for 2025 is recruiting and supporting new adult volunteers so we can expand our leadership team and hopefully bring Scouts back to 1st Richmond. We are also exploring opportunities for joint programme delivery with neighbouring Groups, and planning more adventurous activities and camps for Beavers and Cubs.

Thank You

A heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers, committee members, parents, and community supporters. Your time, energy, and belief in Scouting makes a huge difference to the young people we serve. We look forward to another year of adventure, growth, and community spirit.

*For any enquiries or to get involved, please contact us via our website or speak to a leader at one of our weekly meetings.*

1st Barton Scout Group

1st Barton Scouts - District AGM Annual Report 2025

Our group continues to run close to capacity in all sections with 16 Squirrels, 19 Beavers, 23 Cubs, and 23 Scouts. We are also managing a joining list with in excess of 50 young people from ages 1-10. One of the biggest issues we have is finding space for new Squirrels. As we are currently the only drey in the District we seem to attract all of the enquiries from 4-6 year olds, but with sixteen children in that age range on our list waiting for spaces there’s no real prospect of a place being assigned unless a child is added well in advance of their 4th birthday. This might appear to be a nice problem to have, but it’s not a great feeling letting so many people down.

Our sections are all led and supported by committed teams of adult volunteers, running engaging programmes and exciting events for our young people. Although we have seen a few team members move on or step back due to other commitments and life changes (thank you Rich, Caitie, and Robbie) we have seen new faces join us, many with extensive scouting experience, to fill out our teams (welcome Andy, Andy, Jen, Dee and Jo) but we’re always on the lookout to recruit more volunteers.

We continue to have a partnership agreement with Half Moon and we share volunteers from our sections when they are available. Numbers remain steadily around 15 or 16 although we always feel the impact of exam season each spring/summer. I’d like to say a special thanks to Richard Vart for the work he has put into getting the unit back on its feet in the past 4 years, looking after admin, planning and running the programme, all while being relatively new to Scouting. Richard is taking a small step back from the front line for the time being, so we are happy to welcome Chris Gibson as the person taking the lead with Half Moon after several years with 1st Barton Cubs.

Collectively we have done too many things to list over the past year, but I have to give special mention to the teams who helped us take our Squirrels, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers to Larkin last year, and to everyone involved in pulling together yet another successful gang show in November. Both of those events were affected in different ways by the sudden and untimely death of our friend and fellow leader Kevin Lilley last summer; a man we miss every day and whose memory we try to honour in our current and future plans.

Thanks

Gavin

Brompton and Catterick St Annes Scout Group

Brompton & Catterick St Annes Scout Group Report 2025

What a year Brompton & Catterick St Annes have had. Our group has continued to grow and gain further momentum with many achievements to celebrate. We re-opened our Cub pack in May 2024 and both the cub and beaver sections have continuously healthy numbers of young people engaged in the fantastic programmes our section volunteers plan. Our trustee board has increased and we are excited to re-open our Scout troop in September 2025. Our section teams have engaged in district and county events, organising many exciting experiences for the young people within our group. We have unfortunately had a couple of volunteers leave us this past 12 months; and we thank them for their contribution to the group and wish them well for the future.

A huge thank you must go to all the volunteers within team BACSA, it makes me proud to lead such a pro-active, friendly group of people who strive for the best scouting experiences for our local young people. We can’t wait to see what the next 12 months brings!

Tara - Group Lead Volunteer

1st Wensleydale Scout Group

1st Wensleydale Scout Group Report, 2025.

I can’t believe a year has gone by since I wrote our 2024 report! Fastest year to date!

Camping:

We have been out and about camping with all three sections over the past year, Cubs went to Gilwell Takeover which was a fantastically organised event and one we will go to again, Beavers have done their own sectional camp, and Scouts have done a PL camp and a troop camp.

We have been working hard to raise our profile in the local community, this has included participation in community events such as The Wensleydale Show, Askrigg village produce show, VE day, Remembrance and visiting a number of local businesses and organisations. We even managed to get the whole church to sing a campfire song! We have been sharing our news on the local villages and town social media channels, always with a blurb to encourage people to step forwards and volunteer. This has picked up two new trustee’s and a new sectional volunteer. Our chair has moved to Norfolk so we are in the process to do the checks for the replacement he has found.

We have enjoyed participating in two District events this year, huge thanks to the organisers. One of our priorities was to spend time building our young people’s confidence, we have been successful in supporting new Members to have their first nights away experience, young people to take on leadership roles within the section and have had them leading camp fire songs at Gilwell Park, District Cub Camp and in church – absolutely amazing to see our gently country kids volunteering to step out of their comfort zones!

Fundraising:

We received the local councillor grant for some new equipment. Wensleydale Show donation for selling programmes. It has been a great and busy year, looking forwards to County Cub Days, Paddlesports sessions, Ignite and County Cub camp to name but a few – bring on the adventure!

1st Colburn Town Scout Group

Half Moon Explorers

See 1st Barton Report

Castle Explorers

Castle this year has seen an unfortunate drop in numbers due to a large amount of the members aging out of the section and then moving away for university. This year has seen the Explorers do the regular staples of the program, Hikes, Fires and map work as well as entering the County Escape activity for the first time, go Axe throwing with Catterick Garrison Scouts, assist with Cub Camp, Cheese tasting, the District High ropes and Paintballing day and a member of the unit was also amongst those that were able to attend the VE day concert in May. Looking ahead we have Ignite in September, hopefully another Escape and much more. I have had the pleasure of awarding 2 young leader belts this year and hopefully it won’t be too long before there are some more to give out.

Thanks to Rob for his assistance, Kez for the occasional program idea and DofE advice and the District treasurer Amanda for sorting out the money, and of course the Explorers themselves without whom I would just be a mad person talking to myself in a scout hall every other Thursday.

Cameron Sykes

District Youth Lead and Team Lead Castle Explorers

Next AGM

The 2026 AGM will be

Closing

Please join us afterwards for Award presentations and refreshments

The District trustees would like to thank the following people for their support over the last year and beyond:

Andrew Bedford

Richard Good

Sheila Good

All of the volunteers in the district

previous years reports can be found at https://richmondshirescouts.org.uk/members-area/

In memory of Kevin Lilley & Alan 'Santa' Patchett

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