Scottish CASTLES A S S O C l A T l O N eve*yop7e MJ40 /ove5 5cotlap7d'5 Ca5t/e5. SC029654 Annual Report and Accounts 2025
Scottish Castles Association Charity Name: Scott15h Castles Association Charity Registration Number., SC029654 Contact Address: Alastair Milne Cottown Croft Forglen Turriff AB53 4JN Patron The Rt Hon the Lord Steel of Aikwood, KT KBE PC President Professor Richard Oram Trustees in 2025 Dorothy Newlands of Lauriston Chair Gabriele Kuhn Secretary {Resigned- 3 November 2025) Norman Mackenzie Secretary {Appointed- 3 November 2025} Alasta ir M ilne Treasurer Alastair Bain Membership Secretary Robert Beaton Alan Stuart Forbes Simon Forder John Hunter Alex Maxwell Findlater Diana Monteith Paul Mowbray Phill Plevey Meg Weir Resigned - 12 April 2025 Resigned - 12 April 2025 Resigned - 12 April 2025
Scottish Castles Association Independent Examiner Alec Mackie 21 Cleveden Gardens Glasgow G12 OPU Bankers Royal Bank of Scotland Cartsdyke Avenue Cartsburn East Greenock PA15 IEF
Scottish Castles Association Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2025 Structure• governance and management Governing document The Association is administered in accordance with the terms of its Deed of Constitution. Recruitment and appointment of Trustees All Council members (who are the charity trustees of the Association) are elected or re-elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting, or may be appointed by the Council between Annual General Meetings in accordance with the Constitution. Purposes Our charitable purposes: To encourage, by charitable means but not otherwise, the protection, preservation, restoration, research, study and appreciation of Scottish castles, tower houses and manor houses, together with their associated furnishings, settings, gardens and designed landscapes being of merit or h istoric interest and situated in Scotla nd To co-operate with other bodies with similar aims To do anythingwhich may be considered to be incidental or conducive tothe attainment of all or any of the objects
Scottish Castles Association Summary of the main activities and achievements of the charity This year marks the 30th anniversary of the SCA, which was founded in 1996 and was granted charitable status in 1999. Today, with public funding for preservation and restoration shrinking dramatically, many of Scotland's castles face an uncertain future- and our SCA objectives are more relevant than ever before. Strategic focus Our Council has continued to implement key initiatives to ensure we meet our charitable objectives in the years ahead, encouraging the protection, preservation, restoration, research, study and appreciation of Scotland's castles. This year we have mapped how we will build on these initiatives as we move forward: where we focus our skills and resources to make most difference, how we enlist support and how we make effective use of technology. We defined our three areas of focus: Inform and discover Publish original sources of castle information in our online SCA Archive, encouraging people to use the archive; contribute collections for digitisation and publication, and help create archive-related resources, e.g. to support education and community projects. Help castle owners, restorers, researchers, users and visitors to share their experience. Offer events and visits- in person and online- organised by the SCA and partner organisations. Convene Bring together heritage professionals and castle owners and custodians to secure the best future for Scotland's castles, e.g. via conferences and otherforums.
Collaborate to promote the skills and crafts required to preserve, restore and maintain castles. Engage and celebrate Support and celebrate contributions to our objectives through our awards and bursaries. Encourage communities to engage with and champion their local castles and contribute to their future. Be the worldwide ambassador for Scotland's castles, promoting their place in our lives today and opportunities to contribute to their future. Our audience We defined our potential audience as everyone who loves Scotland's castles, whatever their background, wherever they live and whatever their sphere of interest. Key initiatives - progress New SCA website launched to support all our charitable objectives Our new website at scotlandscastles.org was created and launched in 2025, following a formal tendering process to select our partner for website development, hosting and maintenance. The website is a platform for all our charitable activities, showcasing our work and enlisting support through membership, partnerships, volunteering and donations. The site is designed to increase ourvisibility and engagement with our audience, and to improve effi'ciency, e.g. for membership renewals and events bookings. SCA Online Castles Archive developed, digitally documenting c. 2000 castles We continued to develop our Scotlish Castles Association Archive in partnership with the Stirling University Archives and Special Collections department. The archive will be launched in late 2026, and will be available online to anyone in the world, free of charge, as a repository and research tool for Scotlish castles. This
year we have developed the digital infrastructure and carried out a major exercise to digitise material from five collections gifted or loaned to us. The archive now features content on c.2,000 castles, including previously unseen images and texts. A further two collections have recently been Eifted to us. We are planning fundraising initiatives to ensure we can sustain our digitisation programme and continue to attract new archive material. Scotland's Castles: Use Them or Lose Them - SCA Conference and follow-on collaboration We held our conference, Scotland's Castles: Use Them or Lose Them, in October 2025 at The Engine Shed in Stirling, with the support of Historic Environment Scotland and fellow heritage organisations. The two-day event was open to everyone with an interest in the subject- restorers, planners, historians, craftspeople, conservation professionals and castle enthusiasts. Facilitated by Built Environment Forum Scotland IBEFSI, the presentations, discussions and workshops covered the major threats facing Scotland's castles- including the devastating combination of shrinking budgets and climate change- and explored how current planning process could be applied to encourage more people to restore and use Scottish castles and other historic buildings. Delegates learned about experiences in other countries and we reached consensus on practical ways to move forward. The SCA published a digest of the key points from the discussions, and we are leading development of a collective roadmap for working together to secure a useful and sustainable future for Scotland's built heritage. SCA Journal relaunched - part of our strategy for increased communication and engagement The first issue of our relaunched annual Journal was published in March 2026 u nder new editorship. It is ava ilable in digital a nd print form, and its revised format covers all our charitable objectives. It is part of a strategy to increase engagement and transparency with members and our broader audience through monthly newsletters and a unified approach to social media.
SCA Castles Study Tours: learning and supporting the heritage community Our Autumn 2025 tour to Aberdeenshire, in the footsteps of our former Chair, Robert Bogdan, was well supported, as was our Spring 2025 tour of the Debatable Lands. Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf: Trustee name: Dorothy Newlands of Lauriston Date: 21 June 2026
Scottish Castles Association Treasurer's Financial Review The Association remained in a sound financial position throughout 2025. Total receipts for the year amounted to £18,323, compared with £44,739 in 2024. The reduction primarily reflects the absence of the significant legacy, exceptional donations and historic Gift Aid recoveries received during the previous year. Membership subscriptions remained stable, with 144 subscriptions at the year- end compared with 145 in 2024, including two new Life Members. Membership income continues to cover the Association's core operating costs, providing a stable financial foundation for the Association's activities. Donations received during the year totalled £2,294. The Trustees are particularly grateful to the Harryhausen Trust for its generous contribution of £1,500, together with the many members and supporters whose donations continue to assist the Association in delivering its cha ritable objectives. G ift Aid receipts retu rned to expected levels following the unusually high recoveries received in 2024, which included cla ims relating to ea rlier yea rs. Events generated income of £8,750 during the year. The Spring and Autumn Tours both produced modest surpluses. The Association's conference was intentionally subsidised in recognition of its importance in advancing the Association's charitable purposes. Approximately £2,000 of this subsidy was recognised within the 2025 accounts, with the balance being paid in early 2026. Expenditure increased significantly during the year as the Association invested in Strategic projects. Website expenditure totalled £11,593, including approximately £8,500 relating to the development of the new website. This investment provides an enhanced digital plarform to support members, encourage volunteering and donations, and promote the Association's charitable activities. The Archive Project also continued to make substantial progress, with expenditure of £9,581 funded from reserves previously designated for that purpose.
These planned investments resulted in a deficit of £14,600 for the year. This reflects the Trustees, decision to apply previously accumulated reserves to deliver projects that directly advance the Association's charitable purposes, rather than retaining surplus funds unnecessarily. At 31 December 2025, cash balances stood at £50,195, with designated reserves supporting the continued delivery of the Archive Project, digital development and follow-up work arising from the conference. General reserves of £19,480 remained comfortably above the minimum level established by the Association's Reserves Policy. The Trustees are satisfied that the Association's finances remain strong, with suffi'cient resources to meet its ongoing commitments while continuing to invest in projects that support the preservation, research, study and appreciation of Scotland's castles in accordance with the Association's charitable purposes.
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Scottish Castles Association I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages1&nd14 Respertlve Responsibilities of Trustee and Examiner The Charity's trustees a responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotlandl Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts {Scotl3nd) Regulations 2006. The charity'5 trustees consider that the audit requirements of Regulation 10{l}Id} of the Accounts Rp_gulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts under section 44{Illcl of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to rny attention. Basis of Independent Examlner's statement My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An exatnination include5 a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records, It also include5 consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeks explanatrons from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audlt, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. 4 2ffj2-6 10
Independent Examlner's Oplnlon In the course of my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2025, no matter has come to my attention l. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respeci the requirements- To keep accounting records In accordance with Section 4411){a) of the Charities and Trustee Investment s {Scot13ndl Act 2005 and Regulatlon 4 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006, and To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the Charities Accounts {Scotland) Re8ulations 2006 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. Alec Mackie 21 Cleveden Gardens Glasgow G12 OPU Date: 14
The Scottlsh Castles Assodation Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 December 2025 Ivoles 2025 2024 Recelpt5 Membership Subscriptions Membership Subscriptions- GiftAid Income from Events Donations Donations- GiftAld Legacies Commemoratfve Mug Salès Inte$t Unusual and Miscellaneou5 Income 5,400 1.004 R,7_sn 2.294 168 5,170 2.920 13.419 2,811 10,000 10 765 2,609 707 18,323 44,739 Payments Payments for charitable activities- Dlrert Costs of Events Insurance Webslte Costs Secretarial and Admin Costs Liberty Accounts The Journal Prizes and Gift5 PayPal Charges Archive Costs AGM Costs Training Donations Gifts 10,411 216 11,593 106 259 6,251 168 4.546 86 1,2 88 61 4,472 9,581 331 124 150 462 32.923 18.527 Surplu5 for the year Funds at l January 114,6001 64,795 26,212 38,583 Funds at 31 December 2025 50,195 64,795 12
Dorothy Newlands of Lauristion
Alastair Milne
14 April 2026
13
The Scottish Castles Association NotÈs to the Accounts as at 31 December 2025 Notes: l. Tru5tee5 Remuneration None of the Trustees recelved remuneratton durlng the year12024- £Nill £Nil12024- ENill was L)aid in respett of expenses for Council MeetinRS. 2. Breakdown of Events 2025 Income 2024 Income Costs C05t5 Spring Tour Picnic. 2024 Picnic- 2025 AutumnTour Conference Winter Dinner- 2024 Winter Dinner- 2025 2,120 1,860 3,028 150 270 2,190 3,350 170 2,082 5,259 ICK) 2,848 2,930 275 220 275 820 1,040 8,750 10 411 7,015 6,251 Assets (Memo) 2025 2024 Stock of Plaques 152 @ £121 Stock of commemordtr.ve Mugs 10 @ £3.50) 624.00 972.00 157.50 624.(1 1,129.50 Uabllltles None 14