Abercorn Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh Parish Church of Scotland
Congregational Accounts
Year Ended 31 December 2025
Congregation No: 010131
Charity No: SC026230
Receipts and Payments
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Reference and Administrative Information
Charity Name : Abercorn Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh Parish Church of Scotland
Charity Registration No : SC026230 Congregation Reference No : 010131 Contact Address : 104 Tippetknowes Road Winchburgh West Lothian EH52 6UL
Principal Office Bearers
Minister and Rev Derek R Henderson (Locum Minister, OLM) Interim Moderator:
Session Clerk : William Taylor Treasurer: George Taylor
Independent Examiner : Shona M Binning BA (Hons) CA Bankers : Bank of Scotland, Regent Square, Blackness Road, Linlithgow
Trustees: Kirk Session.
Rev Derek Henderson (Appointed 28 April 2022) OLM Interim Moderator, Mr W Taylor, (Session Clerk), Mr P Anderson, Mrs E Bryce, Mr A Carruthers (Property Convenor), Mrs M Conlon, Mr G Ferguson, Mr G Forbes, Mrs J Harvey, Lord Hopetoun, Lord Linlithgow, Miss K Jack, Mrs L Jones, Mr R King, Mrs H Newton, Mr T Nimmo, Mr M Raeburn, Mr G Taylor (Treasurer), Mrs G Treadwell, and Mrs J Wight.
Mrs J Kershaw, Mr P Kershaw (from 15 July 24) and Mrs K Paterson (from 21 May 24) are currently on Sabbatical, consequently, have no responsibility for Kirk Session decisions.
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Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ended 31 December 2025
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
The Parishes of Abercorn and Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh were formally united on 1[st] February 2024.
The legal name of the United congregation is ‘Abercorn Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh Parish (Church of Scotland)’ and the Scottish Charity number is ‘SC026230’. From the 1[st] of February 2024, the Parish is administered in accordance with the terms of the Unitary Constitution.
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees
Members of the Kirk Session are the charity trustees. The Kirk Session consists of the minister and the elders. The minister is elected by the congregation and inducted by the Presbytery. The elders are chosen from those members of the congregation who are considered to have the appropriate gifts and skills. The Kirk Session is chaired by a Moderator and this position is occupied by the Rev Derek R Henderson who was appointed Interim Moderator on 28 April 2022 by Presbytery. The Rev Derek R Henderson was appointed locum Minster in the parish serving two days per week and each Sunday.
Organisational Structure
Normally the minister, currently the Interim Moderator, is Moderator of the Kirk Session, the Kirk Session is responsible for all matters, spiritual affairs, finance and property of the Church. The Kirk Session agreed to have regular meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November and December and the 1st Tuesday in September; to commence at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated; It does not meet in July and August unless required.
The minutes of these meetings are in the Kirk Session minute book (loose leaf format and bound when required). The Annual Meeting of the Congregation was held in Winchburgh Church on Sunday 27[th] April 2025 after divine worship.
The process for releasing Abercorn Church was started late 2024 and was sold to Hopetoun Estates on 17[th] March 2025.
Our right to Call a Minister was extended by six months by Presbytery effective from 5th December 2025. At the Kirk Session meeting on 9[th] December a Working Group was set up to take forward the Parish Profile.
On 13[th] May 2025, the Kirk Session elected Mr George Ferguson a bona fide Elder of the Congregation of Abercorn Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh Parish to represent them in the Presbytery of Edinburgh and West Lothian from 1[st] July 2025 to 30[th] June 2026.
Objectives and Activities
The Church of Scotland is Trinitarian in doctrine, Reformed in tradition and Presbyterian in polity. It exists to glorify God and to work for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom throughout the world. As a national Church, it acknowledges a distinctive call and duty to bring the ordinances of religion to the people in every parish of Scotland through a territorial ministry. It co-operates with other Churches in various ecumenical bodies in Scotland and beyond.
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Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ended 31 December 2025 cont’d
Worship was held in Winchburgh Church every Sunday at 11.30am, in Kingscavil Church on the first and third Sundays and in Abercorn Church on the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 10.00am. Abercorn Church was released and the last service in Abercorn Church was on the 20[th] April 2025. With agreement with Hopetoun Estates there will be some services held in Abercorn Church on special occasions. During 2025 there were funerals services in the church. The watchnight service was also held in Abercorn Church where more that 80 people attended. From the 4[th] May 2025 the Kirk Session decided to hold services in Kingscavil Church every Sunday at 10.00am. On occasions there were united services in one place, these were intimated over the pulpit, in the written notices and on our website.
A car rota is in place to enable older and less able members to attend Sunday Worship. The congregation is served by an Ordained Local Minister, the Rev Derek R Henderson, who was appointed Locum Minister by the Kirk Session on the 25[th] May 2021, to work each Sunday and two days per week and from 28 April 2022 as Interim Moderator.
Again, much effort has gone into improving Winchburgh Church to serve the needs of the worshipping congregation and the wider community.
Our objective remains to raise sufficient funding to have the welfare facilities upgraded in Winchburgh Church. Plans have been produced and tenders for the work went out early in 2024. Our aim is to add a small kitchen and accessible toilets within the sanctuary of Winchburgh Church, to allow for a wider range of use of the church and for community use.
Unfortunately, this plan was put on hold during 2025 as our efforts needed to be focussed on upgrading the Manse at Winchburgh to bring it up to an acceptable standard to enable us to Call a minister. The Kirk Session continues to use the services of an architect first engaged in October 2021 to supervise the project. Decoration of the areas where structural work was completed in 2022 will be done when the new internal welfare facilities have been completed.
At the end of 2024, approval was given by the Presbytery of Edinburgh and West Lothian to allow application to be made to the local authority for planning consent and building warrant for necessary improvements to the manse. Such consent was granted and following a grant from the General Trustees, the works went out to tender at the end of 2025.
After the repairs to Winchburgh Church were completed, it was decided that the interior needed to be decorated. An appeal was made to the Congregation, a substantial amount of money was raised, paint was bought and the work to decorate the church was carried out in 2025 by a member, free of charge.
The marquee has been a valuable resource for church and community activities and remains a useful space for various activities throughout the year.
Achievements and Performance
Holy Communion was celebrated in-person during 2025. In 2025 there were 269 members on the Communion Roll and 33 on the Supplementary Roll. Children attend worship with parents or grandparents occasionally.
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Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ended 31 December 2025 cont’d
Children and Young People.
We have co-operated with Linlithgow Young People’s Project (Youthspace) in the past, however, because of their issues with staffing we have had no involvement with them in Winchburgh Church during this year.
The Mission Hall in Bridgend however has been used by Youthspace for family café style activities linked to their youth club in Bridgend Community Centre. We also provided premises in the Mission Hall for a Scottish Government funded tutoring service for S4-6 pupils in need of support in the academic year 2024-5.
We have developed a strong link with a local private nursery whose children attend the weekly “Coffee and Chat” in Winchburgh Church. Winchburgh Guides and Winchburgh Rainbows meet weekly in Winchburgh Church. Winchburgh Sports and Activity Group, (toddlers) meet Monday to Thursday, during school term time, in the Marquee and/or Winchburgh Church.
The Kirk Session approved the re-establishment of the 1st Winchburgh Boys Brigade. Applications from volunteers and the necessary administrative processes have been completed and are currently under review by the Boys Brigade.
Hawkhill Primary School held a service in Winchburgh Church on 17 December with more than 100 pupils, teachers and parents attending. The school have indicated that they would like this to be an annual event.
We support the West Lothian Foodbank by donating food items and a special donation of collections from events leading up to Christmas was much appreciated. We also support Winchburgh Food Store, who have a distribution point for surplus items in the grounds of Winchburgh Church.
Winchburgh Church supports Gala week by installing a display within the grounds that is highly visible on the Gala procession route.
The church website is active, the website (www.pkwla.co.uk) and the Facebook page are updated regularly, services are live streamed on Facebook every Sunday from Winchburgh Church.
Over the past few years, an enormous number of new houses have been built in Winchburgh with further development to come.
The village is growing considerably and is served by Winchburgh Academy, Sinclair Academy, Holy Family RC Primary School, Winchburgh Primary School, and Hawkhill Primary School (opened August 2025). There are sports facilities and swimming pool available to the public so communication will be more important and challenging in the future.
An invitation was extended to all the schools to attend an Act of Remembrance, which was held on 11[th] November 2025. The head teachers and several pupils from all four schools attended with wreaths laid by them and many organisations in the community. The act of worship was led by our interim moderator and Fr Paul Henderson. A short service of remembrance at the Shale Miners memorial in the church grounds was held on Remembrance Sunday.
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Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ended 31 December 2025 cont’d
The Christmas celebrations events and services were well received by the congregation and others; Christmas events were organised including a Santa sleigh visit around the Parish.
A special all-age service for children and families was held on Christmas Eve in Winchburgh Church and was attended by 55 people, including 14 children. The Watchnight service at Abercorn was attended by around 80 people and the Christmas Day service at Winchburgh by 18.
Fundraising events and opportunities.
The Craft Club has met throughout the year, meeting in the Session House or the Church. Some people did work on plastic canvas making Easter, Hallowe’en and Christmas novelties; others were knitting baby blankets, baby and children’s cardigans / jumpers and clothes to dress teddies, all profits for church funds.
A Fundraising team was set up to coordinate events. Fundraising events were held in the marquee and Winchburgh Church. Easter Craft sale, Silent Action in May, Summer Fair in June, Destash sale in September, Craft Fair in October, Christmas Fayre in Winchburgh Church. It’s the efforts of the fundraising team and the income generated from those events that keeps our finances in the black.
The windows in Winchburgh Church were decorated In December by the Coffee and Chat, the Gardeners and Church members. Holly wreaths were made and sold for church funds.
The Friday Coffee and Chat (coffee mornings) is a hub for social gathering of the community; at times there are events - Carers of West Lothian (CoWL) meet regularly at the Friday Coffee and Chat. Where any individual who is an unpaid carer or disabled adult living in West Lothian can then book into one of the weekly advice sessions and have a chat with a member of the team for help and advice There is a monthly Dementia Friendly Support Group also present on Friday mornings.
Winchburgh church is used for public meetings.
Warm Space initiatives in conjunction with Winchburgh Community Development Trust were held during the year in Winchburgh Church.
All these events were well supported by the wider community and were financially very successful. As ever, we are grateful to the office bearers, members and the many volunteers who give their time, talents and money in furthering the work of the Church, both here and abroad. We also appreciate the support of the people in our community.
A donation of £3650 received from the North Merchiston Fund at the Presbytery has been used to create a new restricted fund for Youth Development in the parish. The initial call on this funding will be the re-establishment of a Boys Brigade Company within the church.
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Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ended 31 December 2025 cont’d
Financial Review
The Church end of year figures showed that there was a deficit in year of £2,171 in the General Fund (2024: Surplus of £3,800), overall considering the Designated and Restricted Funds, there was a total surplus of £27,233 (2024: Surplus of £3,234).
The principal source of regular income is by way of freewill envelopes, monthly standing orders and open plate. The regular giving by church members was slightly up when compared to 2024, however the running costs of the properties and Giving to Grow Contributions have increased at a greater rate and accounts for the deficit in the General Fund. During the year, tax of £8,832 was recovered on Gift Aid donations, this makes a considerable contribution to the church’s finances.
The income includes a release of investments of £22,056 for repairs to the Manse. There is further work to be carried out to the manse, including necessary repairs and upgrading, before a new minister is called, this will have a direct effect on cashflow.
Fundraising remains a challenge but one that is regularly discussed at the Session with a small but active group coordinating a number of well attended events during the year. Many of the events have a social aspect and bring the community together as well as raising much needed funds.
The Parish has run at a deficit for some years now and has been sustained by General Reserves, which remain above the required level as noted below but are being depleted year on year. Our biggest ongoing cost pressure is heating and lighting, with an ongoing programme of activities and actions being undertaken to try and reduce this cost.
Reserves Policy
It is the Trustees’ policy to hold general reserves of at least £15,000. At the year end the Church held unrestricted cash funds of £20,967 (2024: £23,078). The higher cash balance currently being held is in anticipation of the planned redevelopment work at Winchburgh Church and manse. The Church also held £51,233 of restricted funds (2024: £21,889) which have been provided for the purposes specified in Note 2.
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Trustees, Annual Report Year Ended 31 December 2025 confd Statement of Trustees, Responslbilities The members of the Klrk Sesslon must prepare financlal siatements whlch give sufflclent detall to enable an appreciation of the transactions of Ihe Church during the financial year. The members of the Kirk Session are responsible for keeping proper accounting records vthich, on requ8St, must reflect the financial p05ition of the Church at Ihal Ilme. This must be done to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. the Charities Accounts (SCoand) Regulations 2006 and the Regulations Anent Congregational FinanGe approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland In 2007. They are also resFM)nsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and must take reasonable steps for the prevention and l or detection of fraud and other irregularities. pproved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf, Willlam Taylor (Sesslon Ckrk) Date: 13 January 2026
Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of Abercorn Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh Parish Church of Scotland I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 10 to 14. Respective responslbllltles of trustee8 and examiner The charty's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibilty 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 examinerfs statement An 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 charity 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 conceming any such matters. The produreS undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audÉt, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent examiner's ststsment In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attenlion Text which gives me reasonabte cause to believe that in any material respect the requiremei to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44 (1){a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met, or to which. in my opinion, attention should be dravm in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Name Miss Shona Binning Address: 13, Muirfield Drive, Uphall, West Lothian, EH52 6BU Date 12 February 2026
Abercorn Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh Parish Church of Scotland Receipts and Payments Account Year ended 31 December 2025
| Receipts Note Donations 3 Legacies Activities for Generating Funds Bank & Deposit interest Investment income Rental of premises Insurance Claim Transfer of Union Balance Grants Receipts from General Trustees Other Receipts Total Receipts Payments 4 Costs of generating funds Charitable activities Purchase of Assets Governance costs Total Payments Transfers (Deficit)/Excess of Receipts over Payments for the year (Deficit)/Excess of Receipts over Payments for the year before gains & losses on investments |
Unrestricted Funds General Other Funds Funds £ £ 49,175 247 0 11,308 4 4,803 65,290 247 3,430 0 0 0 22,056 690 91,466 247 103 187 93,444 0 90 0 93,637 187 (2,171) 60 0 0 (2,171) 60 |
Restricted Funds Funds £ 8,535 22,228 30,763 30,763 1,419 1,419 29,344 29,344 |
Total 2025 £ 57,957 22,228 11,308 4 4,803 96,300 3,430 0 0 0 22,056 690 122,476 290 94,863 90 0 95,243 27,233 0 27,233 |
Total 2024 £ 47,523 0 12,540 40 4,161 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64,264 2,745 0 9,979 0 36,921 5,761 |
||||
| 119,670 | ||||
| 186 116,125 125 0 |
||||
| 116,436 | ||||
| 3,234 0 |
||||
| 3,234 |
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Ab nKln vil an tat Winchbur h Parish Chur f Balanc 1 Decemb r 2025 hof Restricted Funds Unrestricted Funds General Other Funds Funds 2025 2024 Toial Total nk&D• osit Balances brought forward 23,006 72 21,889 44,967 41,733 Movement In year.. Excess/{Deflt1 ol Receipts over Payrrenls for the y8ar 12,1711 60 29,344 27,233 3,234 Bank, deFJOSit & Investment balances arried forward 132 Inves ents at arketvalue for information Church ol Scotland Investors, Trust Grovrth Units Church ol Scotland Investors, Trusl InconE Unils Total At Cost 65,023 40,002 105 025 58,633 65,023 60297 38843 105 025 Assets Gift Aid Recewab Liabi itles The accounts were approved by the Kirk Session on 10 Febnjary 2026 For and on behalf of the Kirk Session Session Clerk Treasurar
Notes to Accounts - Cont’d
Abercorn Pardovan Kingscavil and Winchburgh Parish Church of Scotland Notes to the Accounts Year Ended 31 December 2025
1. Trustee Remuneration and Related Party Transactions
During the year two trustees received reimbursement of expenses incurred totalling £1,984. Payment of £860 was made in respect of phone/travel expenses to the Rev Derek Henderson.
2. Movements in Funds
| Unrestricted funds General Fund Craft Club Restricted funds Winchburgh Redevelopment Fund Collection for Third Parties Special Projects Fund Youth Development Fund Investors Trust Fund Total funds |
At 1 Jan 2025 £ 23,006 72 23,078 14,841 50 6,736 0 262 21,889 44,967 |
£ 91,466 247 91,713 27,004 109 0 3,650 0 30,763 122,476 Incoming Resources |
£ (93,637) (187) (93,824) (1,283) (110) (26) 0 0 (1,419) (95,243) Outgoing Resources |
Transfers £ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
At 31 Dec 2025 £ 20,835 132 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20,967 | |||||
| 40,562 49 6,710 3,650 262 |
|||||
| 51,233 | |||||
| 72,200 |
Purposes of Designated Funds
There are no designated funds at this time
Purposes of Restricted Funds
Investors Trust Fabric Fund: The Trustees have set adide funds for the maintenance of Church Property Special Projects Fund: This fund provides financial asssistance to support migrants now residing in West Lothian. This was created as a result of a donation of the late Colin Thomson.
Youth Development Fund : The Trustees have set aside funds for the development of youth activities within the Parish
Winchburgh Redevelopment Fund: This restricted fund is for the development of the Winchburgh Church Building
Collections for Third Parties: This fund was created for the purpose of holding and dispersing donations made by the congregation for third parties.
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Notes to Accounts - Cont’d
| Other Funds 2025 2025 £ £ 3. Analysis of Donations FWO Scheme (non Gift Aid) 8,290 Gift Aid Donations 24,654 Tax Recovered on Gift Aid Donations 8,832 Ordinary Offerings (Open Plate) 4,146 Other Offerings, Donations etc 3,253 247 49,175 247 4. Analysis of Payments Costs of generating funds Offering envelopes 103 0 Garden Fete Expenses 0 0 Craft Supplies 0 187 103 187 Charitable activities Ministries & Mission allocation 39,104 Presbytery dues 884 Minister’s Phone/Travel expenses 860 Locum Costs 3,413 Pulpit supply 709 Fabric repairs & maintenance 24,025 Council Tax& Water Charges 2,841 Heat and light 12,053 Insurance 6,964 Church office expenses 947 Organ & music 0 Printing & stationery 43 Youth Ministry 0 Donations to Charities 0 Other expenses 1,601 93,444 0 Other Payments Purchase of Assets 90 0 Urestricted Fund General Fund |
Restricted Funds 2025 £ 2,240 6,295 8,535 0 1,283 110 26 1,419 0 |
Total 2025 £ 8,290 26,894 8,832 4,146 9,795 57,957 103 0 187 290 39,104 884 860 3,413 709 25,308 2,841 12,053 6,964 947 0 43 0 110 1,627 94,863 90 |
Total 2024 £ 10,449 22,277 8,550 2,792 3,455 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47,523 | |||
| 103 0 83 |
|||
| 186 | |||
| 30,904 660 1,062 16,552 1,365 42,810 2,622 12,175 4,599 1,425 0 0 0 1,156 796 |
|||
| 116,126 | |||
| 125 |
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5. Minister’s Stipend
All Church of Scotland congregations contribute to the National Stipend Fund which bears the costs of all ministers' stipends and employer's contributions for national insurance, pension and housing and loan fund. Ministers' stipends are paid in accordance with the National Stipend Scale which is related to years of service. For the year under review the minimum stipend was £32,433 and the maximum stipend (in the fifth and subsequent years of service) was £39,856.
| Other Funds 2025 2025 6. Collections for Third Parties Christian Aid 0 0 Mulanje Hospitan, Malawi 0 0 Earl Haig Fund 0 Donation made by Church to:- B.U.S.Y. Project 500 0 500 0 Urestricted Fund General Fund |
Restricted Funds 2025 110 0 0 110 |
Total 2025 110 0 0 500 610 |
Total 2024 0 56 100 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 656 |
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APPENDIX
FUNDS HELD ON BEHALF OF THE CONGREGATION
BY THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND GENERAL TRUSTEES
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| CAPITAL ACCOUNT | |||
| Credit Balances held at 31 December at cost | 56,256 | 23,652 | |
| Market Value of Balances at 31 December | 62,910 | 35,758 | |
| REVENUE ACCOUNT | |||
| Credit Balance at 31 December | 2,213 | 543 |
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