**SCOTTISH CHARITY NUMBER: SC027472**
**VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
**VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
## **CONTENTS OF THE ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
||**Page**|
|---|---|
|**General Information**|1|
|**Trustees’ Report**|2|
|**Receipts and Payments Account**|5|
|**Statement of Balances**|6|
|**Independent Examiner’s Report**|7|
## **VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
## **GENERAL INFORMATION**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
**ADDRESS:**
## **SCOTTISH CHARITY NUMBER:**
SC027472
**INDEPENDENT EXAMINER:**
CIB Services Chartered Accountants 63 Kenneth Street Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2DS
**BANKERS:**
CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ
Page 1
## **VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS**
**Scottish Charity Number**
## **Current trustees**
## **Other trustees during the year**
**Contact address**
SC027472
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Governing document**
The charity became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 22 January 2018 and the purposes and administration of the charity are set out in our constitution.
## **Recruitment and appointment of Trustees**
The Association’s trustees are appointed or reappointed by the members at our annual general meeting and the board may at any time appoint any member.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Charitable purposes**
## **Aims**
Actively, encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering.
## **Purposes**
- to advance citizenship and to actively encourage, support and promote volunteering throughout the Western Isles;
- to advance education through reducing barriers to education and training opportunities and delivering effective developmental initiatives to improve skills and employability opportunities to the community.
## **Vision**
Our Vision is of a community where everyone volunteers. Where volunteering is recognised as integral to the health, wealth and vitality of the Outer Hebrides. Where the Volunteer Centre Western Isles provides a highquality localised service that supports the growth of volunteering in all islands, in every community, in each home, to any individual.
Page 2
## **VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **Activities and achievements**
Volunteer participation has grown significantly over the past year across the Hebrides, reflecting renewed community spirit and the dedication of our team. Supporting volunteers is key to reaching vulnerable individuals, and staff continue to invest in their development. While demand is rising, the cost-of-living crisis poses challenges. National data shows a decline in volunteering, but rural areas like ours remain strong - 9% above the Scottish average. Volunteer behaviour is shifting toward local causes, with digital volunteering now common. We support over 200 volunteers and 100 organisations annually, helping create new roles, register volunteers, and match them to opportunities. Our intergenerational work and strategic engagement continue to strengthen community resilience across the islands.
Highlights of the last year are:
- Staff registered 123 volunteer opportunities across the Western Isles registered on MILO and marketed through www.volunteercentrewi.org search and Volunteer Scotland.
- 70 volunteers placed with volunteering opportunities.
- 15 new organisations registered for support from the Volunteer Centre.
- 105 organisations provided with volunteer guidance, one to one training or support on volunteer management and developing placements over 1,358 interactions.
- Youth volunteering developed and supported.
- Working in partnership with schools, colleges and other educational settings across the islands.
- Various schools have been signed up for Saltire and Callanish award schemes island wide with a school in Perth hearing about our Callanish awards and asking if they can use it. Something we are interested in developing.
- 201 Volunteer Centre Callanish Youth Awards issued.
- 59 new Saltire registrations.
- 185 Saltire Awards.
- The Volunteer Centre has run 5 awards ceremonies with a further 11 ceremonies being directly supported.
- 2 new Saltire award eligible organisations have been registered.
- We continue to facilitate the YPI programme on behalf of the Wood Foundation with each of the 4 secondary schools this term.
- Intergenerational work continued and further developed within primary schools and community groups.
- Short term volunteering opportunities developed with various craft projects to support charity appeals.
## **Trustee remuneration and expenses**
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Page 3
## **VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Financial position**
As a result of the deficit of £7,852 for the year (2024 - deficit of £6,534), the charity had unrestricted funds of £55,019 (2024 - £61,843) and restricted funds of £994 (2024 - £2,022) at year-end, which the Trustees consider adequate to enable the charity to continue for the forthcoming year. Restricted funds represent grant funding received to assist with ongoing projects.
## **Reserves policy**
The general fund represents the unrestricted funds from past operating results not yet utilised. It also represents the free reserves of the charity. The trustees have examined the charity’s requirements for reserves in light of the main risks to the charity and consider that three months operating expenditure, which currently equates to £36,000, should be held in unrestricted reserves. This would allow the charity to continue to operate in the event of an interruption in its income streams and the unrestricted reserves at 31 March 2025 is in excess of this target. Funds are also raised for specific projects as required.
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Date: 26 August 2025
Page 4
## **VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Year ended 31**
**March 2025**
Year ended 31
March 2024
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
**Receipts:**
Sponsorship:
Lewis Wind Power
**500**
**800**
**1,300**
-
Grants:
Scottish Government
**103,784**
**-**
**103,784**
103,784
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
**22,000**
**-**
**22,000**
23,700
The Wood Foundation
**1,495**
**-**
**1,495**
1,760
Department for Work and Pensions
**2,263**
**792**
**3,055**
-
Co-op Community Fund
**500**
**-**
**500**
-
Employment Allowance
**5,000**
**-**
**5,000**
5,000
Other income
**252**
**-**
**252**
64
Interest received
**141**
**-**
**141**
166
**135,935**
**1,592**
**137,527**
134,474
**Payments:**
Wages
**102,279**
**-**
**102,279**
91,809
Social security
**5,694**
**-**
**5,694**
5,234
Pensions
**5,021**
**-**
**5,021**
4,496
Rent
**8,260**
**-**
**8,260**
8,050
Projects
**1,486**
**2,520**
**4,006**
9,518
Travel
**2,699**
**-**
**2,699**
2,223
Conferences and training
**1,269**
**-**
**1,269**
952
Events
**20**
**-**
**20**
1,626
Heat and light
**5,819**
**-**
**5,819**
3,859
Insurance
**1,931**
**-**
**1,931**
1,896
Telephone
**3,400**
**-**
**3,400**
2,870
Postage and stationery
**221**
**-**
**221**
286
Office expenses
**2,382**
**-**
**2,382**
4,620
Software expenses
**440**
**-**
**440**
401
Advertising and promotion
**410**
**100**
**510**
473
Recruitment
**95**
**-**
**95**
490
Subscriptions and memberships
**835**
**-**
**835**
1,334
Meeting expenses
**24**
**-**
**24**
19
Bank charges
**60**
**-**
**60**
60
Accountancy fees
**414**
**-**
**414**
792
**142,759**
**2,620**
**145,379**
141,008
**Surplus/(Deficit) for year**
**(6,824)**
**(1,028)**
**(7,852)**
(6,534)|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Year ended 31**
**March 2025**
Year ended 31
March 2024
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
**Receipts:**
Sponsorship:
Lewis Wind Power
**500**
**800**
**1,300**
-
Grants:
Scottish Government
**103,784**
**-**
**103,784**
103,784
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
**22,000**
**-**
**22,000**
23,700
The Wood Foundation
**1,495**
**-**
**1,495**
1,760
Department for Work and Pensions
**2,263**
**792**
**3,055**
-
Co-op Community Fund
**500**
**-**
**500**
-
Employment Allowance
**5,000**
**-**
**5,000**
5,000
Other income
**252**
**-**
**252**
64
Interest received
**141**
**-**
**141**
166
**135,935**
**1,592**
**137,527**
134,474
**Payments:**
Wages
**102,279**
**-**
**102,279**
91,809
Social security
**5,694**
**-**
**5,694**
5,234
Pensions
**5,021**
**-**
**5,021**
4,496
Rent
**8,260**
**-**
**8,260**
8,050
Projects
**1,486**
**2,520**
**4,006**
9,518
Travel
**2,699**
**-**
**2,699**
2,223
Conferences and training
**1,269**
**-**
**1,269**
952
Events
**20**
**-**
**20**
1,626
Heat and light
**5,819**
**-**
**5,819**
3,859
Insurance
**1,931**
**-**
**1,931**
1,896
Telephone
**3,400**
**-**
**3,400**
2,870
Postage and stationery
**221**
**-**
**221**
286
Office expenses
**2,382**
**-**
**2,382**
4,620
Software expenses
**440**
**-**
**440**
401
Advertising and promotion
**410**
**100**
**510**
473
Recruitment
**95**
**-**
**95**
490
Subscriptions and memberships
**835**
**-**
**835**
1,334
Meeting expenses
**24**
**-**
**24**
19
Bank charges
**60**
**-**
**60**
60
Accountancy fees
**414**
**-**
**414**
792
**142,759**
**2,620**
**145,379**
141,008
**Surplus/(Deficit) for year**
**(6,824)**
**(1,028)**
**(7,852)**
(6,534)|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Year ended 31**
**March 2025**
Year ended 31
March 2024
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
**Receipts:**
Sponsorship:
Lewis Wind Power
**500**
**800**
**1,300**
-
Grants:
Scottish Government
**103,784**
**-**
**103,784**
103,784
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
**22,000**
**-**
**22,000**
23,700
The Wood Foundation
**1,495**
**-**
**1,495**
1,760
Department for Work and Pensions
**2,263**
**792**
**3,055**
-
Co-op Community Fund
**500**
**-**
**500**
-
Employment Allowance
**5,000**
**-**
**5,000**
5,000
Other income
**252**
**-**
**252**
64
Interest received
**141**
**-**
**141**
166
**135,935**
**1,592**
**137,527**
134,474
**Payments:**
Wages
**102,279**
**-**
**102,279**
91,809
Social security
**5,694**
**-**
**5,694**
5,234
Pensions
**5,021**
**-**
**5,021**
4,496
Rent
**8,260**
**-**
**8,260**
8,050
Projects
**1,486**
**2,520**
**4,006**
9,518
Travel
**2,699**
**-**
**2,699**
2,223
Conferences and training
**1,269**
**-**
**1,269**
952
Events
**20**
**-**
**20**
1,626
Heat and light
**5,819**
**-**
**5,819**
3,859
Insurance
**1,931**
**-**
**1,931**
1,896
Telephone
**3,400**
**-**
**3,400**
2,870
Postage and stationery
**221**
**-**
**221**
286
Office expenses
**2,382**
**-**
**2,382**
4,620
Software expenses
**440**
**-**
**440**
401
Advertising and promotion
**410**
**100**
**510**
473
Recruitment
**95**
**-**
**95**
490
Subscriptions and memberships
**835**
**-**
**835**
1,334
Meeting expenses
**24**
**-**
**24**
19
Bank charges
**60**
**-**
**60**
60
Accountancy fees
**414**
**-**
**414**
792
**142,759**
**2,620**
**145,379**
141,008
**Surplus/(Deficit) for year**
**(6,824)**
**(1,028)**
**(7,852)**
(6,534)|
|---|---|---|
|||134,474
91,809
5,234
4,496
8,050
9,518
2,223
952
1,626
3,859
1,896
2,870
286
4,620
401
473
490
1,334
19
60
792|
|||141,008|
|||(6,534)|
Page 5
## **VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
## **STATEMENT OF BALANCES**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025**
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**At 31 March**|At 31 March|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**funds**|**funds**|**2025**|2024|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|£|
|Bank and cash in hand|**55,019**|**994**|**56,013**|63,865|
|**Funds**|||||
|Opening funds|**61,843**|**2,022**|**63,865**|70,399|
|Surplus/(Deficit) for year|**(6,824)**|**(1,028)**|**(7,852)**|(6,534)|
||**55,019**|**994**|**56,013**|63,865|
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Date: 26 August 2025
Page 6
**INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on pages 5 to 6.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’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 (as amended). The charity’s trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the 2006 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 examiner’s statement**
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. 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 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 view given by the accounts.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
• to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations • to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
have not been met, or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name:
Address: CIB Services Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers 63 Kenneth Street Stornoway Isle of Lewis HS1 2DS
Date: 29 September 2025
Page 7