Friday Friends
C/0 50 Hope Park Crescent
Haddington, EH413AN
Charity Registration Number
SC041325
ANNUALGENERAL MEETING
For the year ended 31" December 2025
Held at
The Nungate and Haddington CC
Kirkview
th
Saturday 16 May 2026
Reaching out to a hurting community

CONTENTS
Agenda
Details of Trustees
Cha rity Details
Chair's Report
Project Leader's Report
Treasurer's Report
Statement of Receipts and Payments
Statement of Balances
Notes to Accounts
Independent Examiner's Report

AGENDA
For
Annual General Meeting
th
16 May, 2026
l. Welcome and Opening Prayer
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of previous AGM
4. Adoption of the Minutes
5. Chair's Report
6. Project Leader's Report
7. Adoption of Annual Report
8. Presentation of Accounts
9. Trustees- Election
10.Any other business
11,¢loiin6 remark5 and Prayer

Trustees, Report for year ending 31 December 2025
The report and accounts for Friday Friends are here presented by the Trustees. Friday
Friends is a charity registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator IOSCR}, and
our report and accounts have been prepared in accordance with their requirements.
Charlty Trustees
Linda Fisk (Trustee)
Barry Morrison (Trustee)
Stewart Gibson (Chairl
Rosina Sansom (Trustee)
Eileen Gibson {Secretary)
Gavin Lawson (Treasurer)
Strurture, Governance and Management
th
Friday Friends is an unincorporated association, governed by a Constitution dated 8 March
2010. Each Trustee holds office for three years, and thereafter may stand for re-election at
an Annual General Meeting in accordance with the Constitution. Additional Trustees may be
nominated and elected at any Annual General Meeting.
CHAIR'S REPORT
The task of Chair of Trustees is to give a brief overview of the past year. Three regular
Trustees, Meetings were held, in February, June and October. There were also extraordinary
meetings and some business conducted by email.
Trustees and volunteers need to be registered with Disclosure Scotland every 5 years.
Trustees Barry and Gavin, and volunteers Lisa, Llz and Audrey were registered during 2025.
In autumn, East Lothian Council announced the upgrade of the Centre, which will involve
moving to another location in Haddington while the work is done. Originally scheduled for
January 2026, the move has been postponed more than once, and we await developments.
There is ongoing concern over Linda and Rosina's workload. They staff the Tuesday lunches,
along with Lisa and Audrey, assisted on regular occasions by Fiona Scott, Steph McDowall
and Ali Sewell. In addition, Linda and Rosina lead the Friday Wellness session each week,
and they are always present at F4 on Sunday afternoons, sometimes leading and speaking.
A special mention needs to be made of the valuable contribution made by John Houston as
a helper at Tuesday lunches and speaker at F4. John stepped down from this role in
December. We are very grateful for all he has done for Friday Friends, and for his continuing
support.
Gavin, our Treasurer, has found locating sources of funding increasingly difficult; however,
his efforts have been rewarded and we are still able to meet all our financial commitments.
Our God continues to provide enough money to cover rising food bills, and he is bringing
more service users to the Tuesday lunches. But above all, we need more volunteers to staff
the various activities.

PROJECT LEADER'S REPORT
This annual report will include the charitable purposes, the objectives and activities
of the charity and a summary of the charty's achievements and performance for the
year 2025. As a charity, recognised by OSCR, we operate under the guidelines of
our Constitution and adhere to the purposes and objectives defined therein.
The purposes of Friday Friends are to offer the uncondrtional love and friendship of
God and his people to those experiencing issues of drug andlor alcohol misuse
andlor related mental heaSth issues (and their families)- enable people with drug
andlor alcohol misuse issues to overcome them and live healthy and crime free lives.
and help individuals resist drug and alcohol misuse in order to achieve their full
potential in society. In furtherance of these purposes and objectives, the charity
strives to offer service users of the group a sense of social 8c￿ptan￿, ownership,
purpose and accountability., offer service users access to services; offer assistance
with confidence, selfesteem and communicationlsocial skills,. and offer assistance to
improve Servi￿ users. physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
In conjunction with the above purposes, the Friday Friends outreach is comprised of
the following.. bi-weekly sessions (Tuesdays- Recovery Café Lunch) and (Fridays -
Well-being focus and activities) all held in the Nungate & Haddington Communty
Centre, Haddington, where it provides support, friendship, counselling (when
requested), and access to other network agencies to those who experience some
degree of exclusion, usually from drug andlor alcohol abuse andlor the related
mental health issues associated with such misuse; a Saturday evening outreach
known as The Jericho Café, as a prevention project targeted at reaching young
people aged 12-16 (currently meeting once a month). In addition, a Sunday
afternoon gathering and encouragement opportunity known as F4 (Friday Friends
Faith Focus} is held and includes music, prayer. short devotionals and a time of
teaslcoffees and socialising following.
Monies received over the past year have enabled the project to continue to provide
services and engage in the outcomes and targets projected for 2025-2026. We have
once again been recipients of monies from One Council Partnership Funding,
H&LAP (Haddington & Lammermuir Area Partnership), DAAT. Benefact Trust, Micah
Fund, Rotary, Vardy Fund, The Jerusalem Twst, The Paristaman Charity and
donations from individuals and service users, conlributions made from time to time or
on a monthly basis. Also included in what FF receives over and above grants, is the
encouragement and support from many of the businesses in Haddington who
acknowledge the Importan￿ of the work of Friday Friends and contribute generously
at Christmas with items for gifts.

March 2025 represents 23 years of outreach to the local community, and 15 years of
having the Nungate & Haddington Community Centre as the venue for all our
sessions. We want to acknowledge with thanks the hard work and commitment of all
those who have helped FF over the last year. It is a challenge, at times, to work with
those coming with druglalcohollrelated mental health scenarios, who when they do
come, bring their 'stuff. attitudes and behaviours, with them. Still, they comel And in
their coming, they know that they are accepted, valued, loved and supported. The
core manifesto of our charity is to offer the unconditional love and friendship of God
to those who come through the doors, while at the same time enforcing the rules and
guidelines for acceptable conduct and behaviour.
Certain required conditions for the charity took place during the year.. 1) VCEL
Trustee training for all FF trustees in September. The purpose of the training was to
review and update all duties and responsibilities of charity trustees. All received
certificates of completion. 2. VCEL Governan￿ Health Check- this was a very
involved and in-depth review of all charity documents, policies and pr0￿dUreS, We
were very pleased (and relievedl) to receive an excellent rating upon completion of
the health check.
TUESDAY RECOVERY CAFÉ SESSIONS
The first session back in 2025, included distributing chocolates (given to FF by the
daughter of David Greg in memory of her dad) to all present. She was very generous
and wanted to express thanks to Friday Friends for the assistance they had given to
her father.
This year is one that has not been without its challenges, in tenns of both service
providers and service usersl Numbers for the year have continued to grow, with
several new faces appearing as a result of the contact that the MELD support
workers have and encouraging those contacts to come along. Café sessions
average 15-20 on a weekly basis, with some weeks having more and some weeks
less. Attendan￿ usually is dependent on the places in which service users find
themselves.
During the course of the year, there were some sessions where certain service users
were totally disrespectful, verbally abusive, and aggressive. A significant breach of
rules took pla￿ in the Autumn, and an official letter was sent to the individual
involved stating they were banned from attending any and all sessions. Incidents
such as occurred were disruptive and distressing to both volunteers and service
users.
The craft sessions on Tuesdays continued to prove very SUC￿ssful and productive.
Crafts provided opportunities for folks to be creative and build self-confidence as well
as being able to tslk about 'stuff in a non-threatening environment. Conversations
around the craft table are entirely different to those around the table when eating.

Varying measures of support (both during sessions and outside of sessions) for
some of our 'friends' as follows..
O Counselling when requested
rf Social work and housing re 'friends' issues
O On-going involvement with practical issues
O Access to foodlgroceries sources
< Referrals to agencies offering access to foodlgro￿rIes sources
O Referrals to communty advisor assisting benefit issues
InteNening in crisis situations
O Texts, coffees, meet up with 'friends' who have had difficult issues
O Follow-up and follow-through contact to locate 'friends' who don't appear for
few sessions to ensure where they are and how they are doing
In June, a team from Ohio USA came to volunteer time and talent to FF. They were
well received and they provided and prepared the closing session B-B-Q as well as
an afternoon tea. They spoke at F4 and they had some good conversations with
many of the seNice users. They also worked extensively on tidying up the garden
area outside and painting and patching on the inside and installing additional
boarding around the pool table area.
There was a good turn out for the mid-July 'work day, clean up. These included
Audrey, Lisa, Eileen, Jen, Ron, Rachel. Esther, Jasmine, Rosina, Linda, and Alex.
The 'work day, provides an opportunity for service users to take a bit of ownership in
the venue that is used for FF sessions to make it neat, clean and presentable as
possible.
We were On￿ again able to have an in-house Christmas meal and paty thanks to
generosity and time given by Louise Begbie and Fran Wright, together with Liz from
Blooming Haddington and Stuart Baxter from ELC.
WELL-BEING SESSIONS
The numbers attending Friday sessions fFuctuate from week to week. This pretty
much depends on what is going on in the lives of service users when a Friday rolls
aroundl Numbers vary from 4-5 to 11-12. What has been observed over the year is
that those attending are learning how to be a bit more supportive as well as trying to
briefly consider and discuss specific topics aimed at improving and supporting
mental health.
Topics and tasks over the year have included.. soup making, cooking demos for
simple meals, planting raised beds, finding purpose, improving low mood, setting
boundaries, picnic in St Mary's Pleasance Garden, making Choi￿5, the importance
of good sleep and some quizzes.

F4 GATHERING ON SUNDAYS
While F4 is a completely different format than Tuesdays or Fridays, it has an element
of significant importance, i.e. providing an opportunity for those who choose to come,
to hear and leam about where and in whom true hope is found.
We are very grateful for all those who have given of their time to prepare and present
messages on Sundays. Those who have helped over the past year are Barry
Morrison, Stewart Gibson, Mike & Sheri Johngrass, Bob Bell, Colin &Audrey
Cameron, John Houston, Gavin La￿￿on, Rosina Sansom, Bob Hogg, Team from
Ohio, Alex Hart, and Linda Fisk.
MANAGEMENT OF THE N&HCC
2025 marked the 8th year of Friday Friends having management of the N&HCC. To
date, this has proved to be a favourable working arrangement with the Council. It
provides the Council with monies they would otherwise not receive were it not for the
increased hire and use of the Centre.
The duties of the manager of the Centre are numerous and are prety much a 2417
commitment. These include liaising with Facilities Management regarding Yrfeekly
cleaning and supplies, rnaintaining weekly diaries for noticeboard and keeping
noticeboard tidy and up to date, keeping files updated for bookings, invoices, etc.,
liaising with Security every week regarding alarm times and advising of any changes,
opening and closing the centre for all lets 7 days per week, preparing all booking
forms for completion and subsequent invoicing for bookings, showing Centre to
perspective interested parties, and dealing with payments for bookings and paying
into ELC. Along with these duties are the preparation and submission of statistics
which the Council has additionally requested.
Following on from an October meeting with ELC where y￿ were advised that the
Centre would be closing for refurbishment and a decant of all services to other
venues would be necessary, additional correspondence and meetings have had to
be added to the list of duties.
FUNDING
As previously shown in this report, we were recipients of grants from four different
organisationslfoundationsltrusts in 2025. These funds have gone towards the
continued work of New Hope Counselling and to cover the short-fall of funding from
ELC for the Project Administrator's remuneration. We continue to be encouraged and
supported by the Haddington & LammermuirArea Partnership.
ile we continue to be very grateful for the monies re￿iVed from One Council
Partnership Funding and Haddington & LammetmuirArea Partnership, individual

donations and standing orders are an important factor towards Friday Friends,
financial status.
Funding applications are not an easy task. The application process can be long and
tedious. with a small percentage of success. We are exceedingly indebted to Gavin
Lawson for being our Volunteer Fundraiser. He has spent innumerable hours
researching possible fijnding sources and then completing the (sometimes lengthy)
application prO￿S$. His expertise and ability to 'put words together, to clearly outline
the work and mission of Friday Friends is invaluable and has resulted in positive
resulls.
He also has produced and distributed the Friday Friends quarterly newsletter which
informs recipients of the prayer items for both Servi￿ users and the charity itself.
JERICHO CAFÉ
Currently, the Jericho Café is 'on hold., Elim Church took on the running of The
Jericho for two years. Numbers attending fell to single digits. This appears to be the
trend in several of the youth outreaches in Haddington.
NEW HOPE COUNSELLING
NHC is under the umbrella of Friday Friends but offers counselling to those in the
community of Haddington, or indeed East Lothian. The Servi￿ continued lo offer
Monday sessions throughout 2025. The distribution of leaflets outlining the
counselling service has resulted in several contacting us. There is currently a
moderate waiting list.
THE VOLUNTEER SITUATION
It is a known fact that charities and organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to
find volunteers. We remain very thankful for the volunteers we have and for the time
and effort they are able to give.
As was mentioned in the Chairfs Report, John Houston stepped down as a helper at
the close of 2025. Stewart and Eileen stepped down from team leads in the Autumn
but continue to do the shopping and set up for hvo sessions per month. Liz Gibson
had to step down as well because of personal and work commitments. Doreen also
finished as a volunteer due to health concems. but is hopeful that she may be able to
return at some point.
Archie, the volunteer sent to us via MELD, has continued his commitment to helping
with the weekly kitchen wash-up duties. He is very appreciative and thanlrful for our
support: and we are very grateful for him. Lisa came onboard to help FF in February
and has been a much appreciated member of the team. We are also very thankful
for the help of Fiona. Ali, Audrey and Steph.
Fran Wright offered in September to come and cook a healthy, nutrrtious meal for
one Recovery Café session a month during the winter months. She donates all the
ingredients and her time.

COMMENTS OF SERVICE USERS:
Coming on Tuesdays and Fridays helps me mentally it makes me cheerier
and gives me a sense of family. It gets me out of the house and being
isolated and I really enjoy coming along.
I have spent too much time alone and coming helps me leam to have chats
with other people that are here.
T & FF have carried me through so many things. Sometimes l am so anxious
to come in, but I make myself on Tuesday, Fridays and Sundays because I
need the connection. I would be totally lost with Friday Friends.
It always helps me on the nights before the groups when alone, to remember
that the next day T F and S I have somewhere to go and that cheers me up.
Finding FF enables me to get out of the house and have somewhere to go.
I get so anxious sometimes and it frustrates me and my mental health goes
down. I so want to do things myself, but when I do I sometimes suffer. It
helps coming and talking and sharing issues with people who understand and
I don't then feel so alone.
AN UNEXPECTED EVENT
In July, Linda and Rosina attended the Royal Garden Paty at Holyrood Palace. A
notice of invitation arrived in February inviting us to attend, and this was a gesture of
recognition of the work of Friday Friends in the community.
IN CLOSING
This report could not be concluded without again expressing appreciation and
gratitude for the continued commitment and timeless efforts of the volunteers,
Trustees and the Project Administrator. Friday Friends has sustained its 23 year
outreach to the community by the valuable contribution of the 'FF Team.,
God has been faithful to provide and undergird FF for these many years. We praise
and thank Him for His past provision, His present provision and we look to Him for
the futurAnowing that He is faithful, and that He is our sour￿. In a time and
season where it seems people are almost apologetic for a Christian stance, Friday
Friends is committed to its Christian ethos and it will continue to undergird all that we
do.

FRIDAY FRIENDS 2025
Tu•sday
Lunch, x-1￿x
& pool
2025
Linda and Rosina dressed
for the Kings Garden Party
Such an honour to
represent Friday Friends
Chrlstmas 2025
Frid Friends
FrtO•v2pm.iaow
OARDENINO
2025

Presentation of Accounts
The Treasurer's report for Friday Friends
The report is for the financial period I, January 2025 to 31" December 2025
The opening bank balance at the beginning of the year amounted to £36,262.
Grants received for the year totalled £30,009. Donations received from Individuals
and Service users totslled £2,325.
Totsl income to Friday Friends of £32,334 for the year.
Total expenses for the year amounted to £31,379 giving a surplus 01. £955.
See Statement of Financial Activities for more detailed figures
The closing bank balance on 31. December 292¢ amounted to £37.217.
Made up in the funds as follows.
E L DAAT Grant
Jericho Cafe
Nehemiah Project
New Hope Counselling + Benefacl Funding
Admin Remuneration Funding
Area Partnership Funding
General - Unrestricted
£4.288
£3.143
£10.908
£3,379
£3,728
£3.957
£7,814
All financial documentation has been independently reviewed and
approved by Simon Cunningham.
Reserves Policy
The Charity's Reserves Policy is lo maintain reserves so that cash and investment
income is sufficient to meet at least two months, nornial operaling costs and any other
committed expenditure. 1.he unrestricted bank and cash balances held at 31 December
2025 were £7814. The charity is Satisfied that the reserves are suificient to meet at
least two months. operating costs {approximately £4,000).
Signed...-.
Signed...
. May 2026

APPENDIX2
FRIDAY FRIENDS
SC041325
OSCR
Recel ts and
ments accounts
Forthè p•￿0d
t1sh Charty RegU￿tOr
ZOZ5
31
1021
Soction A Statement of receipts and paymonts
exp•ndabl•
•ndowm•nt
fundl
Toi•l lund•
fundB
fund
ondovmiont
fund#
Totsi fundi l#t
pl￿0d
A1 R•c•l
Donal￿9
320
10
R8Gei
5 frorn fundrai
GrosBtrsdi
In¥e8
iano a￿j bu1￿1
Rents Irom18nd & tyjibji
A2 RK•lpi• ••••t I
In¥￿*m•nI ul••
Procewh frorn ol •tsset8
Proc40di frryn ol Inve&lmenls
Totslrne•lpi*
2,32LI
30,0•2
A3 Piym•n
Expen8e8 Tor •thibei
Gro88 Ir8dino peyrnen
Invoyiwg m•n4gamoni m•t•
PAymenli rekryliry dkeciiy lo ehbntat40
Gr4nts and don•lion#
ALv*rt I IDd•pBnd8nt 0￿MIn•
Prepar8i*n of•nnu•l arry￿n
LW COBt•
A3 Sub tatsl
A4 P*ym•nts to *m￿*na
Inv••lffl•nt mov•m•nts
Pw¢h88•8 of fixod 8S9et$
PLTtM68 olinve¥imBni¥
A4 Sub to
31,3Y8
73S
A6 Yrnn•l•r• to I lfroml fund•
Sutrplu81(doficttJ fory••r

APPEMDrrt2
FRIDAY FRIENDS
SC041325
35.262
147•11
37A17
•¢¥
Tqknl
14llJ
T*1
Iso
STE￿ART &,,3so
2.3

FRIDAY FRIENDS
SC041325
Section C Notes to the Accounts
C1 Naknre and pur￿$ of
fundv5 (m8ybest•lod
DMT IwKJiw wl onty for runrityd ofthèTuexday 8rYJ Suw F4 group.
faulit￿ ot tho & Hathlmllkn GUmr￿uruty C
Tyw of a¢tlvlty or pro1￿t BUPPOrtoJ
C2 Gr•nl•
Ea81 Lothtsn CothKI- DA4T
Easi LothL8n Cow(4- Nthrnlth Plv
Loth*n AdmlrriJtrj￿n F
E•Bt Lothlan Coundl.Area PwtAxf8N
Tn•t
Toial
(m88 thL¥ box BeL*on 3bl
Auihorlty unrt•r whlch p•ld
C1
0•ts1
Ilwnb•rot
dvtll
Nature ol r8lation&hl
Natiiyo ot IrEnSa¢¢￿017
C8 TvanB•ction•vAth
Iru8ts08 and eoDn•¢tsd
p•rnon•
Mmtrfy sh¢p￿r￿j Is 8Lwlred kn Ihe mnnivJ oflhe rKg#rMStitKJri Tffj¥1e￿ wrth88ethÈ Shuppinol￿rn thdr

FRIDAY FRIENDS
SC041325
YiM4
T¢t•
a7•Z
111,JlS
•19
4t¥
3.ljl
TTp*
1*
T*xir

SC041320
Tolil

S¢04132S

APPENDIX 3
OSCR
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Friday Friends
v?
Reportto thè CbJny
trusteeslrnPmbe￿ ot
Reglstered ch8rlty SC041325
number
On the accounls of th*
¢haTity for thc perio
Period 51afl datp
Period Lind *Jale
f)3y
Yoay
iy
2025
to
D?r4VtptyJ"
>Qj4
Set out on pages
Respectlve
The cb.&inty s trdsiees are responsible for Ilie prcparaÈioii DI Ilie 8CCtyJnls fn acctsrO84C8
responsibilities of with ttte terms ol tho Ch8rilie5 and TrLi¥lev Inve%lmant IScot&ndl 2005 Act and *e
truste•s and •x#mlner
ChBrit.cs Ac"-OblliS15col.'an¢' Rpgulalians 2Q06 rhe charity tnJS.:QeS CGnsider Ihai Ilie
audit rttquiiemenl ol Re9ulat￿n 10111 (til of the Accounts Regulal'.Dris dees noi apply 11
FS my r05F¥)n51brlity lo examine Ihe accounls as Teoujred undersèction 44{11 Icl ol ihe
Act io state whelhei partcU￿r matlers have conie lo n)y gltpnlion
Basls ol Independent My examination Is camee out acwidcince will) Reoul3iix)n 11 ol tho. c.hant￿$
examirtèr'5 Statement Accour4ls IScotlanLI Règul8tions 2006 An examination Inrlijdes 3 review ol tne
accouryting ￿CordS kept by the charily and ¢? compan8on ol the acwunts prcsenlL.d willi
I*IDSi rL%cofl.s 11 asso Includ?.8 -rynsfdÈralitsii of ang unusual ittslljt tti. d5sr.In8iir.-s Ira I￿,e
8L¢ouiits an(J seeks explanafrons from the trLTSlees con-ernirig any siith r￿tt￿r$ The
piuc£duios undp_rtaken do nat provide 311 the PV.,den￿ that ivtsuld iequiied in an aijflil
and, consequently. I do no¥ cxpress an audil orinirjp. nn lh8 3¢CDunls
Independent examinar's In Ilie Course ol my ex3M1n8t￿n no matter has C￿lIe lo ¢hy allenlion
statement
whil* gwes me reasonable cause lo belEve that In any nwterial fe5pecl th&
r¥qUlfcmenis
io keL'p accounlsng records In accor(Sance wrth secl1(￿ 44111 lai ol ihe 20Q% Act and
Rggulatx￿ 4 01 the 2006 Account5 Regulaljons 3nLS
In prepare accofints which accorri with the 2ccoi.nling re.rnrds and comply wff h
RegUlat￿n 9 01 thp 2ntt6 Account5 Regu181K)ns
have not been mel. or
2 to which. in my opinicm attention should tse Orawn in or(ler lo cnable a proper
undEf5tsnding of tthe accoiints to be wr.hpd
T)ate:
Signed:
Name: SIMON CUNNINGHAM
Relevant professional
qualificationl51 or body Chartered AecounlafEI
lif any).. ICAS IITislilule ol chartp.red Accountants of Scollandl
Address: 14 VINEFIELDS
v￿melA"[ LANPJ
I RANENT
EH34 514D
16TH April 2026
'Pb35e dp1￿ wdirjx iii Ihp iT1￿Y do 11 Lb 111090 whth h2￿-.￿V￿ yoiL" a.'luiilKJ.I Ihtr
l¢Abw.n4 page

rHE VARDY FOUNDATION
East Lothian
Council
Haddington & Lammermulr
Area Partnership
M&IL
DIA,IP
BLNLI,IL I
TRLI%T
Jerusalem Trust
The Paristamen Charity
Slandlnity•sth ¢h•rftl•iwSth wll y•nts to m•k• a blldlll•nn¢•