Scottish charity number:
SC038275
**Hope Church Coatbridge – Free Church of Scotland**
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2025
Ho e Church Coatbrid e – Free Church of Scotland p g **Contents of the Financial Statements** for the year ended 31 December 2025
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the Trustees|1 - 2|
|Report of the Independent Examiner|3|
|Receipts and Payments Account|4|
|Statement of Balances|5|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|6 - 8|
Ho e Church Coatbrid e – Free Church of Scotland p g
## **Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2025
The Trustees present the annual report and accounts for Hope Church Coatbridge – Free Church of Scotland for the year ended 31 December 2025.
## **Reference and administrative information**
Charity name: Hope Church Coatbridge – Free Church of Scotland Charity registration number: SC038275 Church address: 173 Bank Street Coatbridge ML5 1HA Bankers: Bank of Scotland Main Street Coatbridge ML5 3EF Independent Examiner: Alison Franks CA Cornerstone Accounting 11 Erngath Road Bo’ness EH51 9DP
## **Constitution and governance**
Hope Church Coatbridge – Free Church of Scotland is a congregation of the national Free Church of Scotland.
The Free Church of Scotland dates from 1843. With its roots in the Reformation, it owes its distinctive title to its historical struggle to remain 'free' from state interference in its internal affairs. It has close and active relations with many other Reformed churches of Jesus Christ throughout the world and stands firmly in the tradition which accepts the Bible in its entirety as the Word of God and, therefore, derives its forms of teaching, worship, ministry and government from it. The main emphasis of our worship is the preaching of the gospel - the good news of a free and sovereign salvation through Jesus Christ alone.
The Church is established under the unitary form of constitution. The Church is Presbyterian in government and its day-to-day running is undertaken by the Elders (the Kirk Session) and the Deacons (the Deacons’ Court). Elders are charged with the spiritual oversight of the congregation and the Deacons with the property and finance. The Minister and Elders serving on Kirk Session are also members of the Deacons’ Court who, for the purposes of Charity Law, are the Trustees of the Charity.
The congregation is within the Free Presbytery of Glasgow and Argyll. The congregation is authorised by the Church to have a minister paid from central funds. The Church building and the Minister's manse are the property of the congregation.
The appointment of new Elders and Deacons is at the discretion of the Kirk Session and must involve the communicant members of the congregation. There is no fixed term. Prior to their appointment, new Trustees would have served the Church for some time in various roles and would be familiar with the Church’s values, aims and objectives. As part of their induction, new Trustees are required to understand their statutory responsibilities as well as their responsibilities as Elder or Deacon.
The Trustees who served during the year were as follows:
J Colquhoun Elder J Fallon Deacon C MacIver Elder A MacAulay Deacon I Macleod Elder J Neilson Deacon R Robertson Elder G Russell Deacon A Walker Elder
Page 1
Ho e Church Coatbrid e – Free Church of Scotland p g
**Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **Achievements and performance**
During the year, Hope Church met regularly for worship and for prayer and other meetings, fellowship and outreach. The congregation continued its commitment to support the national Free Church of Scotland both spiritually and financially. The church plant at Christ Church, Glasgow being a separate congregation of the Free Church, was no longer supported by Hope Church
Significant highlights, events and developments of note in the year include the following:
- Attendances at worship services declined slightly in the year and through death, transfers to other Free Churches and other removals the communicant membership reduced and numbered fifty-three at 31 December 2025 (2024: fifty-seven).
- The congregation is presently without a minister and Rev Thomas Penman continues as Interim Moderator. The supply arranged by Mr Penman has been of great benefit.
- Exploratory work continued on the possibility of planting a new church in the Chapelhall area and our Community and Youth Worker worked there and in Coatbridge with our own young people. She resigned in October 2025 to take up a new position with Scripture Union.
- The congregation continued its various outreach activities such as its weekly community café, toddler group and sports evenings, monthly street outreach and care-home services, annual Holiday Club and other occasional events. The building is also made available to a numeracy class organised by North Lanarkshire Council.
- The Kirk Session and Deacons’ Court are very grateful to the volunteers who help with our Sunday School and the events listed above, and to all contributors to the congregation’s funds.
- In financial terms our contributors responded well to requests for funds and financial commitments were met. In particular, the establishment of a manse repair fund met with a good response.
## **Financial review**
## _**Change of accounting basis**_
The accounts have been restated this year to the Receipts and Payments Basis of accounting, permissible for all charities with annual income of less than £250k. The figures for 2024 have also been restated on the new basis to provide comparability to users of these accounts.
## _**Principal sources of funding**_
The Church is primarily funded by church members through their offerings and the associated Gift Aid.
## _**Results for the year**_
The Accounts for the year are set out on pages 4 to 8. The Receipts and Payments Account on page 4 shows a surplus of £16,281 (2024: deficit of £31,188), comprising a surplus on unrestricted funds after transfers of £24,582 (2024: deficit of £7,192) and a deficit on restricted funds after transfers of £8,301 (2024: deficit of £23,996).
The total funds of the church at the year-end are £37,905 (2024: £21,624). The balance due on the loan fund has reduced in the year from £128,938 to £110,546.
## _**Reserves**_
The Trustees have set a reserves policy to maintain unrestricted funds of at least 1 month’s running costs which was calculated as £7,000 for 2025. This allows sufficient funds to enable the ongoing work of the Church to be maintained. Per the Statement of Balances on page 5, the general fund at 31 December 2025 amounted to £20,038 (2024: -£4,544) which is above this threshold.
## **Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 16 February 2026.**
## Cameron MacIver
**Cameron MacIver Trustee**
Page 2
Ho e Church Coatbrid e – Free Church of Scotland p g
## **Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2025
I report on the accounts of the Church for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 4 to 8.
## **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 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 Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). 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 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 (as amended), and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations (as amended)
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.
## Alison Franks
## **Alison Franks CA**
## _Director_
Cornerstone Accounting Ltd 11 Erngath Road Chartered Accountants Bo’ness EH51 9DP
Date: 16 February 2026
Page 3
## Hope Church Coatbridge - Free Church of Scotland
## Receipts and Payments Account
For the year ended 31 December 2025
|**Notes**
**Receipts**
Member offerings
Donations
Gift aid recovered
Grants
2
Toddler group income
Deposit account interest
Other income
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
FCOS Central Fund Contribution
Presbytery dues
Staff costs
Preaching fees
Minister/Moderator expenses
Toddler group costs
Youth and other outreach costs
Church and manse insurance
Church repairs and maintenance
Church utility costs
Church building costs
Manse council tax
Manse repairs and maintenance
Manse heat and light
Manse telephone and internet
Administration and telephone costs
Travel expenses
Publications
Subscriptions
IT and website costs
Independent examination fees
Loan repayments
3
Transfer to Christ Church Glasgow
Charitable donations
4
**Total payments**
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year before transfers**
**Transfers**
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year after transfers**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
**61,352**
**-**
**14,903**
**-**
**355**
**-**
**180**
**76,790**
**48,563**
**916**
**4,979**
**4,107**
**68**
**264**
**1,632**
**1,806**
**739**
**6,769**
**-**
**2,619**
**-**
**3,795**
**99**
**1,122**
**-**
**837**
**153**
**1,061**
**1,200**
**-**
**-**
**2,480**
**83,209**
**(6,419)**
**31,001**
**24,582**
**(4,544)**
**20,038**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**28,340**
**23,200**
**12,142**
**-**
**-**
**299**
**289**
**64,270**
**-**
**-**
**8,913**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**8,400**
**-**
**-**
**49**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**24,208**
**-**
**-**
**41,570**
**22,700**
**(31,001)**
**(8,301)**
**26,168**
**17,867**|**2025**
**Total**
**£**
**89,692**
**23,200**
**27,045**
**-**
**355**
**299**
**469**
**141,060**
**48,563**
**916**
**13,892**
**4,107**
**68**
**264**
**1,632**
**1,806**
**739**
**6,769**
**-**
**2,619**
**8,400**
**3,795**
**99**
**1,171**
**-**
**837**
**153**
**1,061**
**1,200**
**24,208**
**-**
**2,480**
**124,779**
**16,281**
**-**
**16,281**
**21,624**
**37,905**|Unrestricted
funds
£
55,484
3,364
13,392
-
-
-
131
72,371
45,368
1,401
2,598
960
1,835
3,634
969
2,073
774
4,045
5,527
2,398
405
3,016
362
1,650
458
808
163
1,078
900
14,708
-
-
95,130
(22,759)
15,567
(7,192)
2,648
(4,544)|Restricted
funds
£
21,626
-
4,752
2,750
-
378
-
29,506
-
-
21,183
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
308
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16,444
-
37,935
(8,429)
(15,567)
(23,996)
50,164
26,168|2024
Total
£
77,110
3,364
18,144
2,750
-
378
131
101,877
45,368
1,401
23,781
960
1,835
3,634
969
2,073
774
4,045
5,835
2,398
405
3,016
362
1,650
458
808
163
1,078
900
14,708
16,444
-
133,065
(31,188)
-
(31,188)
52,812
21,624|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 6 to 8 form part of these financial statements.
Page 4
## Hope Church Coatbridge - Free Church of Scotland
## Statement of Balances
As at 31 December 2025
|**Notes**
**Bank and cash**
Church current account
**Total bank and cash**
**Represented by:**
**_Unrestricted funds_**
7
General fund
**_Restricted funds_**
8
Chapelhall outreach fund (previously
Building fund
Manse refurbishment fund
**Total funds**
**Statement of assets**
Freehold property - at cost
Gift aid due
**Statement of liabilities**
Building loan
3
FCoS Central funds
Salaries due
Trade creditors
Other creditors|**Opening**
**Surplus**
**Closing**
**balance**
**for year**
**balance**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**21,624**
**16,281**
**37,905**
**21,624**
**16,281**
**37,905**
**20,038**
**20,038**
mission fund)
**831**
**2,739**
**14,297**
**17,867**
**37,905**
**1,040,000**
**4,254**
**1,044,254**
**110,546**
**1,950**
**431**
**-**
**-**
**112,927**
**2025**|Opening
Deficit
Closing
balance
for year
balance
£
£
£
52,812
(31,188)
21,624
52,812
(31,188)
21,624
(4,544)
(4,544)
26,168
-
-
26,168
21,624
1,040,000
4,917
1,044,917
128,938
-
-
1,565
1,703
132,206
2024|
|---|---|---|
The financial statements on pages 4 to 8 were approved by the Trustees on 16 February 2026 and signed on their behalf by the undernoted:
Iain Macleod
**Iain Macleod Trustee/Treasurer**
Page 5
## Hope Church Coatbridge - Free Church of Scotland
## Notes to the financial statements
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **1. Accounting policies**
## _**Accounting convention**_
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Acts and Regulations of the Scottish Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
## _**Basis of financial statements**_
The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis. All voluntary income, income from tax recoveries on Gift Aid and bank interest is accounted for when received. Expenditure is recognised when paid.
## _**Receipts and payments account**_
For the purpose of the receipts and payments account as shown on page 5, funds are defined as follows: **Unrestricted** funds comprise grants and other income received for the objects of the church without further specified purpose and are available as general funds. Some unrestricted funds have been defined as **Designated funds** by the Trustees where they have been ringfenced for a specific purpose.
**Restricted** funds comprise income which has been received for the objects of the church and specified for a restricted purpose within these objects by the donor.
## **2. Grant income**
During the year, we received the following grants:
Free Church of Scotland - for minister in training support costs
|**2025**
**£**
**-**
**-**|2024
£
2,750
2,750|
|---|---|
## **3. Loans**
A loan was received from the Free Church of Scotland for £150,000 in March 2021. It is repayable over 15 years with interest charged at the rate of 2% above Bank of England base rate per annum. Capital due and the timeframe for repayment are listed below:
|Amount falling due:
Within one year
Within two to five years
Over 5 years|**2025**
**£**
**9,394**
**42,633**
**58,519**
**110,546**|2024
£
14,708
58,830
55,400
128,938|
|---|---|---|
## **4. Charitable donations**
The following donations were made in the year:
|Free Church of Scotland appeals
Making a Difference Ministries
Scripture Union Scotland
Centre for Rural Ministry
Glasgow Caledonian University - Christian Union
Coatbridge Federation of Tenants
Benevolent Fund
Page 6|**2025**
**£**
**950**
**480**
**480**
**200**
**200**
**100**
**70**
**2,480**|
|---|---|
Page 6
## Hope Church Coatbridge - Free Church of Scotland
## Notes to the financial statements
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **5. Transactions with Trustees and related parties**
All Free Church of Scotland congregations with a minister are expected to contribute to the Sustentation Fund of the denomination the full costs of ministry, including stipend, NIC, pension and an administration levy. All ministers in charges are paid from the central funds of the Church. In the year under review, the stipend was £29,232 (2024: £27,580).
During the year, 3 trustees (2024: 3) received reimbursement of expenses totalling £2,748 (2024: £3,647) for resources purchased on behalf of the church.
The church cleaner is the wife of one of our Trustees and was paid £4,979 in the year. There were no other transactions with related parties in the year (2024: nil).
## **6. Volunteer time**
The Church relies heavily on the contribution of significant volunteer time for the delivery of its programme of activities. This has not been quantified for the purposes of these accounts.
## **7. Unrestricted funds**
|General fund
Total unrestricted funds|**Balance at**
**01.01.25**
**£**
(4,544)
**(4,544)**|**Receipts**
**£**
76,790
**76,790**|**Payments**
**£**
(83,209)
**(83,209)**|**Transfers**
**£**
31,001
**31,001**|**Balance at**
**31.12.25**
**£**
20,038
**20,038**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## _**Explanation of funds**_
_The General Fund_ represents all income and expenditure relating to the primary focus activities of the charity, other than those for which funding is restricted.
## **8. Restricted funds**
|Chapelhall outreach fund
(previously mission fund)
Building fund
Manse refurbishment fund
Total restricted funds|**Balance at**
**01.01.25**
**£**
26,168
-
-
**26,168**|**Receipts**
**£**
2,894
40,259
21,117
**64,270**|**Payments**
**£**
(8,962)
(24,208)
(8,400)
**(41,570)**|**Transfers**
**£**
(19,269)
(13,312)
1,580
**(31,001)**|**Balance at**
**31.12.25**
**£**
831
2,739
14,297
**17,867**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## _**Explanation of funds**_
The _Chapellhall outreach fund_ (previously the mission fund) represents donations raised to support outreach projects in Chapelhall. The transfer out in the year represents an unrestricted legacy received by the trustees which was designated by them for mission work and incorrectly accounted for last year as restricted.
The _Building fund_ represents funds raised for the extension of the church building and to pay off the building loan.
The _Manse refurbishment fund_ represents funds received for the upgrade of the manse.
Page 7
## Hope Church Coatbridge - Free Church of Scotland
## Notes to the financial statements
For the year ended 31 December 2025
## **9. Restatement of comparatives**
The accounts have been restated this year from the Accruals basis to the Receipts and Payments basis. This has resulted in the following adjustments to the comparatives this year:
## **2023 brought forward reserves**
|2023 reserves, as previously stated
Deduct:
Tangible assets - church property and fixtures
Income due but not received
Add:
Loans due
Bills due but not paid
**2023 reserves, restated**
**2024 deficit**
2024 deficit, as previously stated
Deduct:
Purchase of fixed assets
Loan repaid
Bills from 2023 paid
Income due but not received
Add:
Depreciation
Income from 2023 received
Bills due but not paid
**2024 deficit, restated**
**Restated 2024 reserves carried forward**|956,970
(1,039,608)
(7,205)
137,128
5,527
**52,812**
(18,480)
(5,258)
(8,190)
(5,527)
(4,917)
711
7,205
3,268
**31,188**
**-**
**21,624**|
|---|---|
Page 8