The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).ˮ
The objectives of Derby Mountain Rescue Team are 'to save lives and alleviate distress, primarily in upland and mountainous areas' in conjunction with other organisations having similar objectives.
Derby Mountain Rescue Team (DMRT) operates within the southern part of the UK's Peak District National Park as well as surrounding rural and urban areas within Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
The Team's history can be traced back to a tragic event in March 1964 when three Rover Scouts died during a race walk called the 4 Inns, whilst crossing Bleaklow Moor in the Peak District. All three died as a result of hypothermia, one barely a quarter of a mile from the road.
At this time rescues were organised on an ad-hoc basis and often with locals and the Police making their best efforts in difficult situations with minimal gear. DMRT was formed as a direct result of the 4 Inns tragedy and originally consisted of members of the 51st Derby (St Lukes) Rover Scouts who were keen on walking and climbing. The Team remains closely involved with the Scout Association to this day and is operational throughout the 4 Inns walk, which remains a popular annual event.
Whilst the team primarily work for the Derbyshire Constabulary it is also called to assist the East Midlands Ambulance Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service. This also means it works frequently with the Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland Air Ambulance, the West Midlands Air Ambulance and the UK Search and Rescue Helicopters.
Due to the large number of outdoor activities carried out within the area, coupled with the high number of visitors/participants, DMRT is a busy mountain rescue team. On average the team is called out 50 times per annum and in 2023 this number was 75 which is more than one every week and the teams second highest number in a year ever.
These incidents have occurred whilst people have been partaking in a variety of outdoor activities including walking, climbing, fell running, mountain biking, horse riding & paragliding.
The team also assist the police in incidents where their skills can be utilised in rural areas as well as green spaces within urban locations such as parks, rivers and woodlands. These predominantly involve searching for vulnerable people that have gone missing for various reasons and where this disappearance has caused concern.
These various types of incident demonstrate that the team plays a critical role in supporting the breadth of the local community.
DMRT also has a substantial water section trained to the same recognised national standards as the fire service. This water section provides swift water and flood rescue services both locally and on a national basis when required. The team were engaged at a national level in the major flood rescue operations in Carlisle during December 2015 and again in York in January 2016. At the Toddbrook Reservoir incident that threatened the town of Whaley Bridge in 2019 the team took a leading role in supporting activities on the ground as well as contributing to the strategic and tactical command of the incident.
During 2020 the team’s water capability was officially registered on the DEFRA asset register and can now be mobilised in a coordinated manner by DEFRA in response to any major flooding incidents. During particularly severe or prolonged periods of snow the team has assisted both Staffordshire and Derbyshire residents when the roads have been problematic for the professional emergency services. In addition to this the team helps transport community nurses to remote areas ensuring they can continue their patient care during these periods of poor weather.
As with all other UK teams, the team is made up entirely of volunteers who come from all walks of life and give up their time freely. We have 54 operational members on the call out list as of the end of 2023.
Team members train on a regular basis to refresh and improve on old skills as well as learning new ones. These include advanced first aid/casualty care, rope rescue, search techniques, radio procedure, water safety, stretcher handling and equipment familiarisation.
The team recently calculated that in any given year team members volunteer over 12,000 hours in time for training and call outs as well as additional time spent on administration and fundraising.
Apart from being able to reclaim VAT and Gift Aid, DMRT receives no central funding from government and relies entirely on donations to raise the money needed to run the team.
All funds raised are used to improve the services provided to the public by investing in replacement medical consumables, equipment maintenance and renewal, training and equipment for members, running the two 4x4 response vehicles and one Mercedes Sprinter search control vehicle; as well as planning for a secure financial future for the team.
The majority of funds are raised through the hard work of team members and the valued supporters group. The team attends several local shows, and carries out a number of collections in the local area.
Team members give presentations to many organisations, including local scout groups, schools, local WI groups, Rotary organisations and rambling clubs as well as radio and television raising awareness of mountain rescue and safety across all ages. Rescue cover is also provided for several local events. Increasing diversity of fundraising channels and activities has increased income potential and reduces the risk for the team. 2023 has seen success of third parties creating fundraising pages on behalf of the team with some very successful campaigns along with a number of organizations sponsoring the team and providing funds. 2023 also saw the return of the team hosting a sponsored abseil to raise funds for the new base.
In 2023, with Covid a relatively distant memory, the team has fully returned to normality in terms of fundraising and training whilst continuing to respond to an elevated number of call-outs due to increased outdoor activity by the public. There continues to be excellent work done by team members and supporters in supporting all these events on top of the primary team activities.
In 2023 the team had a significant larger income compared to 2022 which was predominantly due to charitable activities to generate funds rather than relying on general donations and legacies.
Expenditure in 2023 was broadly in line with the forecast for operational expenditure. However, the pressures of inflation have been felt especially in terms of vehicle fuel and maintenance costs. The team did also purchase some new medical and IT equipment this year, along with a new drone. Spending on the new base project was minimal in 2023 but there was some expenditure towards the replacement of the vehicles next year.
Overall, income for the period was £105k and expenditure was £65k (including capital expenditure) resulting in a net surplus of £40k (2022: £2k loss). The majority of this surplus was allocated to the new base designated fund but there was also £10k allocated to the replacement vehicles and waterproof jackets funds.
Looking forward to 2024, the team will be incurring significant capital expenditure on both two replacement vehicles and phase 1 and 2 of the new base project. These both have sufficient designated funds to fully cover them and there is enough reserve to cover the operational expenditure.
The team works very hard to keep costs to a minimum. The priority is ensuring that fundraising covers the core running costs:
- Insurance, fuel, phone calls, text services to call the team out to incidents
- Medical consumables, bandages, drugs, oxygen masks, entonox mouthpieces, splints and neck supports;
- Replacement of damaged and time expired items such as ropes, slings, karabiners, stretchers, bags, and dry suits.
- Team member training and PPE
In addition to this it is imperative that the team is able to designate funds to replace more significant items such as waterproof jackets and vehicles.
The team is very grateful for all the donations it receives; they are all used to fund the service it provides and investment for the future. As a voluntary organisation all funds raised contribute directly to helping to rescue people.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between eighteen and twenty four month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, the charity’s current activities and the services it provides will continue while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
Following a financial review to maintain an unrestricted general fund in line with the above guidelines, the following funds have been designated in 2023:
| Balance at start of year | Funds transferred during period | Funds expended during period | Balance at end of year |
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New Base | £391,574 | £32,000 | £2,950 | £420,624 |
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4x4 Response Vehicle (Mobile 1) | £37,000 | £3,000 | £730 | £39,270 |
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4x4 Response Vehicle (Mobile 2) | £35,000 | £3,000 | £ - | £38,000 |
|
Mercedes control Vehicle | £52,000 | £3,000 | £ - | £55,000 |
|
Waterproof Jackets | £1,900 | £1,100 | £ - | £3,000 |
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| £517,474 | £42,100 | £3,680 | £555,894 |
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Funds have been designated during 2023 to increase the balance in replacing the three vehicles in future and topping up the waterproof jacket fund, with the remainder being allocated to the new base.
The team is raising funds to build an operational base to secure its future. The current base is occupied under a new lease granted by Severn Trent on negotiated terms, with rental payments included in the accounts. However it is prone to flooding. A piece of land in Mackworth on the outskirts of Derby has been purchased and planning permission has been approved for the erection of a purpose built base and training facility. The build estimate is £550k and the team is working hard to fundraise for this project as well as assessing the suitability of potential grants that might also contribute. There is a total of £430k in designated & restricted funds allocated to this project of which £146k relates the land cost and capitalised work undertaken thus far. As such there is £285k in cash available for this project as of the end of 2023. In 2023 the team has progressed on preparing for construction to be begin and will start construction in 2024 by completing the groundworks and erecting the steel building. The team needs to continue to raise additional funds for phase 3 of the new base project in 2024 and beyond.
The trustees continually assess the risks to which the charity is exposed and take action as required to mitigate these risks.
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The charity was established by a charitable trust deed and registered as a charity on 7th February 1979, with charity number 508442.
The company was incorporated as a private limited company on 6th June 2001.
The company was registered as a charity on 7th November 2001 with charity number 1089237.
On the 1st January 2002 all assets were transferred to the incorporated charity number 1089237 and subsequently charity number 508442 was removed.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year were:
None of the trustees have any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The team is currently managed by eight trustees who are collectively responsible for the operational and non operational activities of the team.
All trustees are elected annually by the team members at the annual general meeting.
Broadly the team leader is responsible for operational activities and the chairman is responsible for non operational activities.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for identifying and disclosing transactions with related parties. None of the trustees receive remuneration or other benefits.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Derby Mountain Rescue Team for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
DMRT are a voluntary emergency service who attend callouts in response to requests from Derbyshire Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service, and West Midlands Ambulance Service. The Team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and consists entirely of highly skilled unpaid volunteers.
The main function of the team is the search and rescue of injured or missing people, principally in upland or mountainous areas, but it can be called on whenever its specialist skills may be of use, such as searching for vulnerable persons in rural areas.
The team are trained for many different types of incident including crag rescue and rope access, missing person search, flood and swiftwater water rescue, and pre-hospital emergency medicine.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
We report to the trustees on our examination of the financial statements of Derby Mountain Rescue Team (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2023.
As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).
Having satisfied ourselves that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, we report in respect of our examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out our examination we have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
We have completed our examination. We confirm that no matters have come to our attention in connection with the examination giving us cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
We have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
Investments
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Derby Mountain Rescue Team is a private company, limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Ashbourne Road, Mackworth, Derby, DE22 4NB. The company and charity number is given on the legal and administrative information page.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the trustees report to these financial statements.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the trustees report to these financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Grants are included in the Statement of financial activities incorporating income and expenditure account on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives.
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the Statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Cash at bank and in hand is classified as a basic financial instrument and is measured at face value.
Accruals are measured at amortised cost.
Donated voluntary services
The value of any voluntary services donated by general volunteers is not included in the accounts.
Fundraising events
Other grants
Other income
Investments
Merchandising sales and team dinner
Crag equipment expenses
Clothing and PPE replacement expenses
Medical equipment expenses
Radio equipment expenses
Water section equipment expenses
Rescue vehicle running costs
Team fuel costs
General maintenance
Training costs
Telephone and communication costs
Insurance
Governance costs includes payments to the independent examiner of £1,500 (2022: £500) for independent examination fees
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the year. One trustee (2022 - 2) was reimbursed £1,746 for travelling expenses (2022 - £183).
There were no employees during the year.
The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
During the year, there were £nil (2022: £nil) related party transactions.