8th November, 7.30-8.00 pm, by Zoom

Agenda

1. Welcome by Chair

2. Approval of 2021 AGM minutes

3. Section Reports

4. Trustees Annual Report

5. Appointment of chair; election of treasurer

6. AOB a) vote of thanks

Group Scout Leader (volunteer manager) Report

This has very much been a year of recovering from lockdown. Leadership and membership numbers have held up well. Sections have developed strong programmes, with members being involved in some of the planning. There have been and are ongoing challenges in recruiting both to the Executive Committee and the group of volunteer leaders. The group has committed to holding membership fees at the current level to support the 'cost of living crisis'. Jim F.

Beaver Section Report

It has been a really positive year in the Beaver section. Mhairi joined us as section assistant, with lots of good programme ideas. We have welcomed two new Beavers, and moved two up to the cub section. We had great fun recently at the Beaver district Jambowlree event at Deer Park. Every one of our Beavers attended, always a good sign that we are offering an enjoyable programme. The section is looking forward to taking part in more regional and district events. David W.

Cub Scout Section Report

Cubs have enjoyed working on My Faith, Local Knowledge, Our World, Navigator, Communicator, Artist and Entertainer badges and have completed various in activities for the Adventure Challenge badge. We have welcomed 5 new Cubs and 3 of our older Cubs have now moved to Scouts. We have 15 Cubs attending regularly and the section has a fantastic team of 5 leaders who are all committed to running a fun program.

Scout Section Report

The scout section has a membership of 18 scouts, with one leader and two assistants (currently reduced to one). Astronomer, navigator, chef and pioneer badges have been worked on. There is a close working relationship with the Explorer section, with a few joint evenings taking place. Patrol leaders and assistants have increasingly been running the evenings. Denise S.

Explorer Section Report

We had 2 Explorers selected for World Scout Jamboree (Korea 2023), and 3 for Blair Atholl Jamborette (2022).

Activities for the year have included

• Knife, axe and saw safe use, combined with some site service at the Garden

• Pioneering, indoors and outdoors

• The Great Egg Drop Challenge (with Scouts)

• Canoeing on the Union Canal

• Lots of food, as usual

• First Aid

• Orienteering

• Use of hammocks and tarps

• Cub DIY activity badge

• Pumkin carving, followed by pumpkin destruction the following week

• Poppy wreath making

• Christmas wreath making

• Brass Monkey camp

Trustee’s Annual Report (including Treasurers Report)

For the year ended 31 March 2022

The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together with the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2022.

Reference and Administrative Information

Charity Name

18^th West Lothian (West Calder) Scout Group

Charity No.

SC047301

Address

97 Parkhead Crescent, West Calder, West Lothian, EH55 8BE

Current Trustees

Paul C Chair

Vacant Secretary

Louise P Treasurer

James F Group Scout Leader/volunteer manager

Structure, Governance & Management

Constitution

The charity is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). It was registered in its current legal form on 3 April 2017. The charity was previously an unincorporated association but changed its legal form to a SCIO. The assets of the unincorporated association were transferred to the SCIO on 3 April 2017. The group is led by a group scout leader (voluntary manager) and managed by a group executive committee. They are accountable to the members and supporters of the group through the group scout council.

Appointment of trustees

The group scout leader and the executive committee, normally meet once a quarter and are the charities trustees. Membership of the executive committee is open to all however it is the role of the group scout leader to nominate the chairman and a scouter should not hold the appointment.

Trustees are elected at the annual general meeting which is held in September.

Objectives and Activities

Charitable purposes

The main purpose of the group is to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities.

Activities

The group, comprising Beaver, Cub, and Scout sections, as well as district Explorer scouts (with whom there is a partnership agreement) meet weekly at the West Kirk of Calder church hall and, in the case of the Scout and Explorer sections, at West Calder and Polbeth Community Garden, where training and development is carried out.

Badge awards are part of the programme where members take part in voluntary service projects. This can be wide and varied in content but forms a clear link in community benefit both to group membership and members of the West Calder and Polbeth communities.

From time to time the group will participate in wider scouting events, hold residential camps, as well as training and social activities.

Achievements and Performance

Nationwide regulations that were implemented during the period of Covid-19 lockdown and partial re-opening, FY21/22, meant that the normal face-to-face activities for the group were significantly impacted on.

Whilst the group have tried to maintain a level of activities for the children throughout the pandemic, these have tended to be either Zoom (online) based, or when permitted, outdoors at the local community gardens.

The Group took a decision to pause subscription fees for its members, and as such there has been a knock on impact to the fees taken in the year.

Financial Review

Our main source of funding is through subscription fees or camp fees which are charged to parents/carers. We have started to recover from the impacts of the pandemic suffered in the prior financial year.

Reserves policy

The trustees’ policy is to retain at least 12 months of normal running costs (minimum circa £5K) in order to meet commitments and to cover off any unexpected expenditure. Reserves are currently £7,832 which the trustees believe is in an acceptable range but they will continue to monitor the position.

Plans for future period

Since March 2021 the group has been following Scottish government and scout association guidance, and limited face-to-face activities have taken place.

Now that sections are able to meet face to face, our weekly term time meetings have been re-established; building upon the growing need for adventurous activities for young people.

Notes to the accounts – for the year ended 31 March 2022

1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

2 Nature and purpose of funds

Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. The trustees maintain a single unrestricted fund for the day-to-day running of the club.

Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for specific purposes.

3 Related party transactions

No remuneration was paid to the trustees or any connected persons during the year.

Vote of Thanks

Jean was recently awarded the Silver Acorn in recognition of her contribution to scouting.

Louise will shortly be stepping down as treasurer.

To both, we would like to officially record our grateful thanks for all of the work they have put in to making scouting an enjoyable and rewarding experience for young people in West Cader.

18^th West Lothian (West Calder) Scout Group

Annual General Meeting

Minutes of a meeting held on 8/11/22, at 7.30pm, via Zoom.

All meeting documentation was available via https://sites.google.com/view/west-calder-scouts/scouting/agm-2022?authuser=0

1. The meeting was chaired by Paul (Chair) and the following were welcomed:

Jim (GSL/volunteer manager); David (Beaver Leader); Heather (ACSL); Denise (SL); Donald (Explorer leader); Graham (assistant explorer leader); Louise (Treasurer); Duncan (prospective Treasurer); Debbie (prospective leader); Billy (explorer parent); Gillian (scout parent); Stephen (scout parent).

Apologies were received from Aileen (CSL).

2. The minutes of the 2021 AGM were approved

3. Section reports were presented (available online) with a short discussion around the issue of leader recruitment to Beaver, Scout and Explorer sections (action, Jim will bring together a meeting of leaders to agree a recruitment plan)

4. The Trustee Report was presented (available online) and Louise provided high level messages around our financial status (action, recommendation that we move to online banking across the group in the next financial year)

5. Paul was nominated, seconded and approved as Chair; Duncan was nominated, seconded and approved as Treasurer

6. AOB: a vote of thanks was presented to Louise for her excellent work as Treasurer, to Jean on her award of the Silver Acorn, and to Kirsten for her fundraising through the Bank of Scotland.