Annual Report 2022

Chairman’s Welcome

In my 2021 Chairperson’s report, I said I hoped that the AGM was the last we would be having by Zoom and I am delighted that this year, we are all meeting in person! Over the last year, our Sections have gradually returned to as close to normal as possible with once again a fantastic programme of activities provided by our volunteer Leaders.

Those of you who have read my previous ramblings will be aware of the number of times I mention that our Leaders are volunteers – evenings, weekends and sometimes work annual leave given up to provide great experiences for our young people. Such is the level of commitment from the Leaders, it is easy to forget they are volunteering. So, a big thankyou to all the Section Leaders, helpers and also our young people volunteering within the Sections.

In the background, a Committee is required to support the Section Leaders and without parents/guardians willing to provide some time on the Committee, or indeed help with sessions, transporting and unloading equipment or clearing leaves, there would be no Scout Group, so thankyou again to all of our supporters.

The Scout Association recognise the contribution of our volunteers whether Leaders or Parent Committee Members and I am delighted to announce the following awards this year.

• Oz Foster (Leader)– 15yrs

• Stewart Fraser (Chairperson and Secretary)– Chief Scout’s Commendation

• David Morton (Leader)– Award for Merit

• Rachel Eden (Leader) – Award for Merit

• Helen Haslam – Assistant Cub Scout Leader Woodbadge

• Iain Mackay – Assistant Cub Scout Leader Woodbadge

• Graham Eden (Group Scout Leader) – 20yrs

• Gerry Sutton (Committee Member)– 5yrs

• Nicola Madej (Committee Member)– 5yrs

After many years’ Service, Stewart , Nicola and Lisa are stepping down from the committee so it is vital that we have some more parents coming forward to give up a little bit of time to support the functioning of the Group. From now until next Summer, we are planning to include a number of additional, exciting activities in celebration of 2nd Inverness 110 years and we look forward to involving our young people, parents and guardians and the wider community in these celebrations. Goodness knows what the next 110 year will bring (perhaps we will fulfil Graham, our Group Scout Leader’s dream for a second floor on the Scout Hut).

Next summer is the 25th World Scout Jamboree with more than 40,000 Scouts from all over the world gathering in Korea for 10 days and with a number of Scouts and Explorer Scouts from the Highland’s attending. Seeing the scale of the event, really hits home what an incredible, positive worldwide movement Scouting is in contrast to our current challenging times. It is great to be part of it.

Andy Hamilton Chairperson

Group Scout Leader

Another year has flown in at Kingsmills and as always I don’t know where to begin. Last year I wrote about how “lockdown” and “coronavirus” entered our vocabulary, I guess the positive is we’ve halved our vocabulary since last year, being able to take “lockdown” out of the equation.

The Scouting year kicked off with all sections continuing face to face meetings (albeit with varying restrictions), but the positivity of not being on Zoom and back together in person was not lost on the youngster or indeed the leaders. The months after summer saw us returning to a degree of normality with programmes across all 4 sections. Returning to normality has been a bit of a theme this year, as we re-established the normal running of the group and the sections. It has been particularly pleasing over the year to have seen the sections back outdoors and on visiting, including the Scouts at the Eden Court panto. I’ve been delighted to see such pent up demand for the Scouts weekend camp, and successful summer camp as well. Over this coming year, we’ll be working to broaden our Nights Away programme across the group.

Last August once again saw us return to Zoom (for the last time) for our AGM, where I was delighted to nominate Andy Hamilton as our Chair once again to lead our executive committee. We also bolstered our leadership team with Oz taking on the role as Deputy Group Scout Leader to support me in supporting our leadership team across the sections. The group also undertook a number of admin efficiencies over the year, as we worked to bounce back from 2 years of covid and lockdowns, providing best support for our members.

During the year we have made a renewed effort in supporting our adult volunteers in validating their training requirements as part of their volunteering with us, and connecting volunteers with training opportunities. I’m always in awe at the time that our volunteers commit to developing and delivering programmes each week as well as willing to engage in our training programmes to develop existing and new skills. My sincere thanks to all our adult volunteers for everything they have done over this

year.

I’m additionally please to be able once again to recognise many of our adult volunteers with Long Service Awards and Good Service Awards as Andy has detailed in his Chair’s Report. These awards to not “come up with the rations” and are without doubt a recognition of the exceptional commitment of our team here at Kingsmills.

Easter saw the final COVID restrictions lifted and after 2 years, the Scout Troop was the final section to be allowed to meet all together. It really was a wonderful site to see 30 odd Scouts back in the hall together and leaders across all 4 sections were delighted to shed the face coverings.

This coming year, will see 2nd Inverness Scout Group reach 110 years old, since we first met at St. Andrew Cathedral in October 1912. We’re aiming to put together an exciting programme of activities and celebrations to mark this occasion through the year through to Summer 2023, with plans for a Group camp in May 23.

The strength of our adult volunteer team, leaders and committee, has been key to us ensuring that we are well resourced as a Group. We are always looking for volunteers to help on the Committee, do some admin, be in the background or of course helping out with the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. I do hope greatly to see parents (and grandparents) choose to get involved more with the group over this coming year, exploring out flexible volunteering options (it’s not every week!).

Thank You Graham

Governance

2nd Inverness (Kingsmills) Scout Group

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended 31st March 2022

Scottish Charity Number SC016603

Name & Address:

The 2nd Inverness (Kingsmills) Scout Group may be contacted c/o 47 Murray Terrace, Smithton, Inverness, IV2 7WX

Constitution & Purpose:

The Scout Group is constituted in terms of the Rules of the Scout Association, which is a charitable body incorporated by Royal Charter.

The purpose of the Scout Association 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. The method of achieving the aim of the Association is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and Law guided by adult leadership.

Trustees:

Graham Eden Group Scout Leader

Andy Hamilton Group Chairperson

Tania Fleming Group Treasurer

Stewart Fraser Group Secretary

Oz Foster Deputy Group Scout Leader (nominated 7th September 2022)

Rachel Eden Beaver Scout Leader

Sarah Murray Assistant Beaver Scout Leader

Malcolm Nicol Assistant Scout Leader

Nicola Madej Committee Member

Gerry Sutton Committee Member

Bruce Wright Committee Member

Lisa Burnside Committee Member

Peter Roxburgh Committee Member

Trustees are recruited and appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules (“POR”) of The Scout Association.

Reserves Policy:

The Trustees believe that around three months of annual expenditure is an appropriate level of reserves in order to cover timing differences between receipts and payments and to allow for any unexpected items of expenditure on the Scout Building.

Activities & Achievements:

During the year the group has continued to deliver the Scout Programme for the benefit of young people in Inverness. The Group has retained healthy numbers in each of the sections – Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.

The Group has been unable to engage in fundraising activities during the last year due to the ongoing restriction of the COVID pandemic. Despite this we have been carefully managing our relationship with our 3 key hall users – Les Enfants, Kingsmills Kempo and Claire Muir Pilates who continue to use the hall on a regular basis.

Approved by the Group Executive on 8th September 2022 and signed on its behalf by

Andy Hamilton Group Chairman

Finance

Independent Examiner’s Report

Scottish Charity No. SC016603

I report on the financial statements of the 2nd Inverness (Kingsmills) Scout Group (“The Group”) for the year ended 31st March 2022.

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) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The Group Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10 (1) (d) of the 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 Examiners Statement

My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. 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 accounts.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

Clarification was requested from OSCR on how land and buildings and improvements to make them comply with current safety requirements should be treated in the accounts. As there is no requirement for a balance sheet, only a statement of Resources, the land and buildings required to be written off. This sis shown as an extra line in the accounts as it is an exceptional item which will not be repeated. In the course of my examination, no other matter has come to my attention

1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements’

a. To keep accounting records in accordance with section 44 (1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and

b. To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met.

2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

11 Stratton Road, Inverness IV2 3XA

2nd August 2022

Munro Ross BA, FCCA

2nd Inverness (Kingsmills) Scout Group Charity Number

2nd Inverness (Kingsmills) Scout Group

Balance Sheet

Year ended 31st March 2022

Charity Number SC016603

Assets:

The Group owns the Scout Building at Walker Park, Kingsmills Road, Inverness which were purchased in 2016 for £12,000. Following updated advice from OSCR these should be shown in the Notes to the Accounts. Similarly, the improvements undertaken, cost £42869.07 should be written off in the year incurred and the cost shown in the accounts as a Note.

The Group owns a quantity of camping and other equipment which has been acquired over a number of years.

Liabilities:

The Group has no material liabilities or obligations.

The notes on Page 10 form an integral part of these accounts.

Approved by the Group Executive Committee on 8th September 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

Andy Hamilton Group Chairman

Tania Fleming Group Treasurer

Group Chair Group Treasurer

Notes to the Accounts:

Year Ended 31st March 2022

Remuneration and Expenses: 2021/2022 The Trustees did not receive any remuneration during the year. (2020/2021: also nil)

1. Trustee

2. Fundraising

3. Equipment

4. Donations

Why volunteering at Scouts is

1. It’s good for your skills and your future

84% 71%

of UK adults believe Scouts helps you develop skills useful in later life (YouGov 2020)

2. It’s good for your health and happiness

The most common benefits volunteers report are enjoyment (93%), a sense of personal achievement (90%) and feeling that they make a difference (90%). (Time Well Spent Survey NCVO 2019)

of young people in the UK aged 14–18 believe Scouts helps you develop skills useful in later life (YouGov 2020)

Scouts score 18% higher on courage, 15% higher on independence and are 18% more likely to be better problem solvers (Scout Experience Survey 2020)

3. It’s good for your family, friends and community

Over three-quarters of volunteers (77%) agree it improves their mental health and wellbeing. (Time Well Spent Survey NCVO 2019) Researchers found that participants ages 16-24 and 55-74 were especially likely to benefit from volunteering, perhaps because of the opportunity to build social connections. (Journal of Happiness 2020)

People who’ve volunteered in the past year were more satisfied with their lives and rated their overall health as better. (Journal of Happiness Studies 2020)

Scouts spend on average 1.1 more days a week being physically active (Scouts Experience Survey 2020

Over two-thirds (68%) of volunteers agree it helps them feel less isolated – this is even higher among younger volunteers (77%) for those aged 18–24 and 76% for those aged 25–34). (Time Well Spent Survey NCVO 2019)