Scouting inevitably involves expenses, and the movement receives minimal aid from national or local governments. The leaders and board of trustees, who are all unpaid volunteers, strive to provide quality Scouting at the lowest possible cost. The group’s primary sources of income are the membership fees paid by all members and the proceeds from our fundraising events.
Online Payments
We have transitioned to accepting all subscription and event payments through Direct Debit via Online Scout Manager a few years ago. This eliminates the need for cash or cheque payments for events like camps and outings, greatly reducing our administrative workload. You retain control, as you will receive an email notification a few days prior to the payment being processed, giving you the option to cancel the Direct Debit with your bank..
Subscriptions
The current subscription fee is £120 per year, divided into 12 monthly payments of £10 each, ensuring that the cost is not burdensome on your account at the start of each term. If you subscribe to the Membership Subscription we will automatically initiate a payment on the start of each month.
Where the money goes
A percentage goes to pay District, County and National capitation fees, and the routine running costs of the group such as hall hire and insurance, etc. Money for new equipment and other “one-off” items is provided by the fund-raising events run by the Executive Committee, and by the extensive pursuit of grants from local authorities and charitable organisations as well as donations from any likely source.
Gift Aid
We will also ask you to sign a “Gift Aid” declaration in Online Scout Manager, assuming you are a UK taxpayer, which enables us to recover significant sums of the tax you pay from the Inland Revenue at no cost to yourself. If you are lucky enough to be a higher rate taxpayer you will also be able to claim a tax refund.
Card Payments
We are now able to accept card payments for items that cannot be purchased through Online Scout Manager such as replacement badges, scarfs and woggles. Using a cerdit or debit card is preferable to cash or cheques.
Additional Costs
Sometimes, we ask for a contribution towards activities undertaken over and above the “normal” section night activities where we might be paying for the use of outside facilities, instructors’ expenses, and campsite fees. However the aim is to even out the financial burden by spacing out the more expensive events, and all sections also make maximum use of the considerable volunteer resources available within the Scout movement in the way of equipment, instructors etc.
Camps and Trips
Payment for these usually consists of a deposit when you sign up and then a balance closer to the event. Unless we have to cancel an event, deposits are NOT refundable as we use them as our deposits for activity and site bookings several months in advance. It is sometimes possible to refund the balance for a camp if a child is unable to attend through illness; however, this depends on the nature of the trip, the number of participants and the obligations we have entered into on the assumption that your child will attend.
Financial Help
It has been a principle of Scouting since it started in 1907 that it should be available to any interested young person, and the ability to pay should never be a limiting factor. Please contact the Group Scout Leader in the strictest of confidence if we can offer help in any way. You can contact him directly or send an email via our contact page.