2024-25-Trustees-Report
2024-25 Trustees Report: 9th Braid GWC Scouts
Overview of the charity’s activities through the year
As of Spring 2024, the group had been dormant for almost 18 months, with no meetings held since December 2022 following former Beavers leader Sally McNeil’s decision to step down and challenges recruiting any new volunteers to take over.
Throughout 2023, former 9th Scouts Chris Small and Jamie Cavaye, alongside Lead Volunteer Greig Torpey, kept in touch about viable ways of restarting the Group, with guidance from the 9th Archivists. On two occasions in this period new leaders were successfully recruited and the Group was on the verge of being active again, only for the volunteers to withdraw due to time pressures involved and other commitments.
Further efforts were directed towards volunteer recruitment at the start of 2024, and in February a GWC parent, Ben James, responded to an advert in the school parents’ bulletin. Ben and Jamie underwent the relevant training to volunteer with Beavers and Cubs, and a restart was planned for autumn 2024, with successful taster sessions being held for prospective Beavers and Cubs at the Centre for Sport in June 2024. South-East Scotland’s new regional support team (Amy Irvine and Nacho Luna Borras), alongside the Region’s Lead Volunteer Martin Elliot, also offered valuable help and advice through this period. In September 2024, weekly Friday night meetings of 9th Braid GWC Beavers and Cubs resumed, with around 20 Beavers and 16 Cubs regularly attending weekly term-time sessions, which focused on badge work and games. Strategic and operational developments
In autumn 2024 a new Board of Trustees (Treasurer Szu-Han Wan, Lead Volunteer Greig Torpey, former 9th GSL Richard Cavaye, and Chris Small) was formed. A few months later Duncan Blyth, the parent of one of our current Beavers, joined as Chair. The appointments to the new Board will be approved at the group’s AGM in September. The Trustees meet quarterly and their strategic focus has been on growing the group, ensuring as many young people can take part, recruiting new volunteers, strengthening the relationship with the school, and communicating the 9th as a Group that is open to GWC pupils and all young people in the local community. In the summer of 2024, a new formal Agreement with the school was put in place, covering areas including weekly use of space in the Centre for Sport during term time, and access to the group’s equipment store on the school’s premises. This will be an important reference and resource for the ongoing partnership.
Operationally, activities have focused on an engaging weekly programme of meetings for Beavers and Cubs. A highlight of the year was a whole-group visit to Tollcross Community Fire Station, in March 2025, as part of Beavers’ and Cubs’ safety activity badge work. Feedback from young people and parents about their experiences of the Group since our restart has been very positive.
Expenditure in the past year has included purchase of uniform and games equipment, and subscription fees were collected from parents of Beavers and Cubs in February-March 2024.
Outline of the governance structure
The Board currently has five Trustees, including a Chair and Treasurer. Members of the Board are aware of their obligations as trustees and the Treasurer and secretary are in contact with OSCR about submission of annual accounts and recent changes to charity regulations.
It is hoped that the AGM in September will be a positive opportunity to formalise the Board and support awareness of their role with parents, leaders and young people in the Group.
Plans for the next year
Over the course of the next year we look forward to setting up a new Scout Troop and grow our Beavers and Cubs sections. We are also keen to recruit new volunteers to expand the leadership team which, with regard to adult-child ratios, will enable more young people to take part in our activities. We will ensure that our volunteer team is up to speed on all training, and that they are offered development experiences when possible.
Our programme will continue to be shaped by the young people involved in the 9th. With that in mind, we hope to be able to build on more practical, skills-based outdoor activities, with a night hike for Scouts, and an overnight camp for all sections, being particular focal points.
We plan to assess and restock our equipment store, and use it as an effective resource for our group as well as any other groups in the District who may need access to tents and other equipment.
We will continue to develop our relationship with the school and our promotion of the 9th as a mixed and open group for any young people in the community aged 6-14.
Overall, the Group aims to continue to deliver on its charitable purpose of actively engaging and supporting young people in their personal development, and empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.