The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
Scottish Registered Charity No: SC045760
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts
Year to 31[st] May 2025
The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Contents
Trustees’ Annual Report ............................................................................................ 3 Reference and Administrative Information .............................................................. 3 Structure, Governance and Management ............................................................... 4 Governing Document ........................................................................................ 4 Organisational Structure .................................................................................... 4 Appointment of Trustees.................................................................................... 4 Charitable Purposes ............................................................................................. 4 Charitable Activities and Achievements ................................................................. 5 Financial Review................................................................................................... 6 Reserves Policy ................................................................................................. 6 Donated Services and Facilities ............................................................................. 6 Independent Examiner’s Report ................................................................................ 7 Receipts and Payments Account ............................................................................... 8 Statement of Balances ............................................................................................. 8 Notes to the Accounts .............................................................................................. 9
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The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Trustees’ Annual Report
For the year to 31[st] May 2025
The trustees are pleased to present their annual report and accounts of the charity for the year ending 31[st] May 2025.
Reference and Administrative Information
Charity Name: The Albertus Institute (SCIO) Charity Number: SC045760 Address: 24 George Square Edinburgh EH3 9LD
Current Trustees:
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Other Trustees Serving During none the Financial Period
Independent Examiner: Tangram Accounting 23 Clark Avenue Linlithgow EH49 7AP Bank: Bank of Scotland PO Box 1000 BX2 1LB Solicitors: BTO Solicitors LLP Level 2 One Edinburgh Quay 133 Fountainbridge Edinburgh EH3 9QG
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The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
Previously The Albertus Institute was constituted as a Company Limited Guarantee with charitable status. On 5[th] February 2024, the organisation converted its legal status to become a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) registered with OSCR.
The charity is now governed by its constitution. It is a two-tier SCIO, with both trustees and members.
Organisational Structure
The charity is governed by its trustees, who form the Board of Trustees, who undertake the strategic management of the organisation.
Additionally sub-committees support the trustees in the day-to-day management of events.
Appointment of Trustees
There may be up to 7 trustees, of whom no more than 5 may be elected or appointed and no more than 3 co-opted.
In order to be elected by the members of the organisation at an AGM, the individual must be a member of the organisation.
A member may be appointed to be a trustee by the existing trustees at any point during the year.
The board may co-opt a non-member to be a trustee on the basis that they have specialist experience or skills which could be of assistance and support the Board.
One trustee shall be nominated by the Prior Provincial of the English Province of the Order of Preachers.
Charitable Purposes
The charity’s purpose is the advancement of education by:
-
Engaging in and encouraging open dialogue between science, religion and other forms of intellectual discipline.
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Providing opportunities, including opportunities for persons of religion, to enter public debate on the matters above.
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The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Charitable Activities and Achievements
The following events were organised and took place over this period:
The Albertus Institute October Seminar, in the Martin Hall, New College
16[th] October 2024: The Nuclear Debate: Scottish Energy, sustainability and justic e
Scotland's energy needs are in the headlines, with the planned arrival of Great British Energy in Aberdeen. But how do we balance questions of sustainability and justice with the realities of energy generation, storage and distribution in Scotland? This first in a new Albertus Institute series of discussions on Energy Justice looks at the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy.
Speakers:
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This successful event was attended by around 40 people.
Autumn Coffee House, in the Library, 24 George Square
20[th] November 2024: Energy Debate in Scotland: Nuclear Energy
This event took the form of an open forum follow up to the event held on 16[th] October. was led by and was attended by about 20 people.
Further events were planned in the energy series, but were not able to be scheduled because both took jobs elsewhere in the UK.
A spring conference was organised for April 26[th] 2025, but was postponed because of the funeral of Pope Francis. It will be rescheduled for Autumn 2025.
The conference theme will be: Love, Human and Divine: Christian Traditions of Love and Friendship.
It will be held in Martin Hall, New College, University of Edinburgh.
The Annual Lecture: Love and Friendship with Robots by of the University of Sheffield, is planned for the autumn.
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The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Financial Review
During the financial year the charity had no receipts of funds (2024: £nil) and payments totalling £495 (2024: £150). This led to a deficit for the year of £495 (2023: a deficit of £150). All of the charity’s funds are unrestricted. The closing balance of funds of the charity was £1,985 (2023: £2,480).
Reserves Policy
The trustees intend to reserve an amount from unrestricted funds to sustain the charity without income or donation for one year. This amount will be around £1,000 which will provide for payment of professional services over that period (website maintenance and accountancy) and the provision of a conference and associated activities. The Reserves Policy will be reviewed annually. Currently the level of reserves is £1,985 which is higher than provided by the policy, and the trustees will be considering how the surplus funds may be used to provide appropriate charitable activities.
Donated Services and Facilities
For the October Seminar on the Nuclear Debate 16[th] October 2024, the following gave their services and their time to deliver lectures and presentations:
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: Chair (Science and Religion University of Edinburgh)
The Priory of St Albert the Great provided the library as the venue for the follow up to the seminar. The Priory also provides the library for Trustee meetings and events organisation.
The School of Divinity (University of Edinburgh) allowed the Martin Hall, New College to
be used as the venue for the Seminar October 2024.
A few hours of support on developing the website were provided by a volunteer and there was subsequently paid time for developing social media to .
This report was approved by the trustees on 26 November 2025, and signed on their behalf by
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- Chair of Board of Trustees
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The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Independent Examiner’s Report
To the trustees of The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
I report on the statement of account of the charity for the period ended 31[st] May 2025, the accounts of which are which are set out on pages 8 to 9.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the statement of account in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
The charity 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 statement of account 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 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, and
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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 proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name:
Date: 27 November 2025
Address: Tangram Accounting
23 Clark Avenue, Linlithgow, West Lothian, EH49 7AP
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The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Receipts and Payments Account
For year to 31 May 2025
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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Unrestricted Unrestricted
Funds Funds
£ £
Receipts
- -
Total Receipts - -
Payments
Cost of Charitable Activities 195 150
Governance Costs
IE Fee 300 -
Total Payments 495 150
Surplus/Deficit for the year (495) (150)
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Statement of Balances
At 31[st] May 2025
| At 31stMay 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |||
| Unrestricted Funds |
Unrestricted Funds |
|||
| £ | £ | |||
| Cash and Bank OpeningBalance | 2,480 | 2,630 | ||
| Surplus/(Deficit) | (495) | (150) | ||
| Cash and Bank Closing Balance | 1,985 | 2,480 | ||
| Liabilities | ||||
| IE Fee | 300 | 300 |
The notes on page 9 form part of these accounts.
The accounts were approved by the trustees on 26 November 2025 and signed on their behalf by
_______ Trustee
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The Albertus Institute (SCIO)
SC045760
Notes to the Accounts
- Change to Basis of Preparation
The charity prepares its accounts on the receipts and payments basis in accordance with the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
- Fund accounting
Unrestricted Funds are those funds provided to the charity which can be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. Restricted Funds are those funds which can only be used for specific purposes as specified by the donor, or when the funds have been raised for a specific purpose.
Currently the charity holds only Unrestricted Funds.
- Cost of Charitable Activities
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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Unrestricted Unrestricted
Funds Funds
£ £
Speaker Fees for Conference - 150
Communications 135 -
IT & Website 60 -
Total Cost of Charitable Activities 195 150
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- Trustee Remuneration
No trustee received remuneration or expenses from the charity in this financial year or the previous financial year.
- Trustee and Related Party Transactions
There were no trustee or related party transactions during the financial period or the previous financial period.
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