## **COWIE RURAL ACTION GROUP**
## **Annual Report & Financial Statements**
**For the year ended**
## **31st August 2025**
**Scottish Charity No SC045898**
**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025**
## **CONTENTS**
|Trustees’ Annual Report ......................................................................................................................|2 - 7|
|---|---|
|Independent Examiner’s Report ..........................................................................................................|8|
|Statement of Receipts & Payments .....................................................................................................|9|
|Statement of Balances.........................................................................................................................|10|
|Notes to the Financial Statements .......................................................................................................|11 - 14|
2
**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025**
The trustees are pleased to present their report and financial statements together with the independent examiner’s report for the year ended 31[st] August 2025.
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
|**Charity Name**|Cowie Rural Action Group (CRAG)|Cowie Rural Action Group (CRAG)|
|---|---|---|
|**Charity Number**|SC045898||
|**Principal Address**|10 Roundhouse||
||Cowie||
||Stirling||
||FK7 7AX||
|**Current Trustees**|||
||Graeme Slater|Chair|
||Clare Stevenson|Treasurer|
||Margaret Hughes|Vice Chair|
||Jane Hamill|Secretary|
||Maria Cooper||
|**Bankers**|The Cooperative Bank||
||PO Box 250||
||Skelmersdale||
||WN8 6WT||
|**Independent Examiner**|Lee Stevenson||
||22 Adam Grossert Court||
||Tryst Road||
||Stenhousemuir||
||Falkirk||
||FK5 4QT||
## **STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **Governing Document**
The Charity is Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). It is governed by its constitution which was registered with OSCR on the 13th August 2015.
## **Appointment of Trustees**
Trustees are either elected by the membership at the AGM or can be co-opted at other times throughout the year. No employees of the charity will be eligible to be a trustee.
## **Organisational Structure**
The structure of the organisation consists of:-
MEMBERS - who have the right to attend members' meetings (including any annual general meeting) and have important powers under the constitution; in particular, the members appoint people to serve on the board and take decisions on changes to the constitution itself;
BOARD - who hold regular meetings, and generally control the activities of the organisation; the board is responsible for monitoring and controlling the financial position of the organisation.
The people serving on the board are referred to as CHARITY TRUSTEES.
3
**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025**
## **Risk Assessment**
The Trustees regularly review the risks to which the Group is exposed. They do not consider that there are any substantial risks beyond the liabilities disclosed in the financial statement. CRAG has no employees. It holds public liability insurance.
## **OBJECTS, ACTIVITIES & VISION**
The objects of the charity are
- The advancement of citizenship and community development;
- The provision of recreational facilities and the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for all the residents of Cowie and for members of the public at large.
CRAG’s vision is for the Cowie community to have equal access to a wide range of services and communitybased activities which will improve the lives of all Cowie residents.
CRAG activities are aligned to five key aims:
- Cowie Community Centre as part of the Main Street should become the attractive heart of the village, with places to meet and connect
- Cowie should be a safe and healthy place in which to live and bring up children, and anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, and vandalism should be tackled more collaboratively
- There should be more opportunities for the whole community, including raising aspirations of children/young people and families
- Improve communications and link up activities
- To be a positive impact on the community, supporting community members pro-actively to identify community needs and helping to bring activities and resources to the community.
CRAG has been instrumental in consulting with the community of Cowie about changes that could be implemented, at local level, to improve the quality of life and the physical activity of the community. In particular, they have encouraged local children and young people to be involved in raising issues and identifying solutions.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE**
CRAG has continued to deliver a full calendar of community events and activities from the community centre throughout the accounting year. The charity remains responsible for the management and day ‑ to ‑ day running of the centre and has introduced a range of improvements aimed at increasing usage and community benefit.
Several new initiatives were launched last year, and their success has ensured they are now established as permanent features. Each has received consistently positive feedback and strong participation from the community.
- Back on the Rack – The charity shop continues to be a major success, offering a wide range of clothing, toys, books, and household items to the community.
- Cosy Cup Café – A donation ‑ based café providing a warm, welcoming space where people of all ages can come together for soup, conversation, and company.
- Community Gym – Bringing affordable fitness to the village through a pay ‑ as ‑ you ‑ go model, helping residents save on travel costs while improving accessibility for all.
- Table Tennis Over 50s – Another well ‑ received activity, offering a sociable morning session that encourages physical activity and connection.
- Munch Bunch Club – A popular toddler group where parents, grandparents, and carers can bring young children to play, with free snacks provided.
4
**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025**
## **Activities included:**
- Over 50’s Group: offering information sessions with partner organisations, keep-fit classes and arts and crafts activities; reducing social isolation, and providing a platform for consultation with older residents.
- • Cowie Rural Activities Group: offering opportunities to participate in bowling, bingo, lunch meet ups and social events
- Summer Family Programme
- Arts and Crafts
- Rugby
- Football Sessions
- Summer Trips
- Cookery Classes
- Keep Fit
- Dance Camp
- Lego Days
- Social Events
- Fashion Shows
- Come Dine with Me experiences
- Tae Kwon Do for Kids
- Kids Fitness Boot Camps
Plus many more…….
## **Events delivered:**
- Litter Pick
- Cowie 10K
- Summer Programme
- Family Fun Day
- Pumpkin Patch
- November Christmas Lights Switch-On
- Christmas Parties
- Santa’s Grotto
- Pantomime
5
**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025**
Regular monthly Bingo sessions have continued to raise much needed funds to help cover the running costs of the CRAG Community Centre.
Soup ‘n’ Blether provides a free warm space and light lunch every Tuesday, and has been consistently well attended.
‑ Eat ‘n’ Play offers after school activities where children can come straight to the centre, enjoy dinner with other families, play, and burn off energy. These sessions remain extremely popular.
CRAG maintains strong engagement with the community through Facebook, a regular newsletter, presentations, and close links with local schools. The charity also organises community events, meetings, and consultation sessions.
In July, Maria Cooper (trustee) and William Stevenson were invited to attend the Royal Garden Party at the Palace of Holyrood in recognition of their voluntary work with CRAG, where they had the opportunity to meet the King and Queen.
CRAG extends its sincere thanks to all volunteers who have given their time and energy throughout the year.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Overview**
Our main source of funding this year has come from room rentals, funders, local businesses and donations. CRAG would like to thank everyone for their funding contributions which have enabled the charity to provide crucial services and activities that have made such a positive impact to the community of Cowie.
Thanks to the Stirling Council and National Lottery Awards for All, for awarding CRAG grants. Also, Westfraser, Lothian Broadband, Cowie Community Enterprise, British Gas, Bella’s Takeaway, and the many individuals for their kind donations.
## **Fund Raising**
Other funds raised through fundraising activities totalled £17,389. CRAG would like to thank all the volunteers who gave their time and support to running these events and raising these much needed funds through a variety of activities.
Total receipts for the year were £68,029 (2024: £45,444), total payments for the year were £52,393. (2024: £53,857). The charity had a surplus of £15,536 (2023: ((£8,412)).
## **Reserves Policy**
Trustees maintain that they £9,000 for normal day to day running of the charity for a three-month period. Overheads include utility costs, maintenance and admin costs. As of 1[st] September 2025, there was £14,310 (2024: £4,390) in reserves.
6
**TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025**
## **FUTURE PLANS**
CRAG has taken on a 25 ‑ year lease of the community centre and will review, in due course, whether to assume ownership through an Asset Transfer. Our future plans include making significant improvements to the centre to further the charity’s purposes. These include refurbishing the hall, adding insulation to the walls and ceiling to improve heat efficiency, installing new lighting and decoration, and replacing all windows with double glazing.
We also plan to upgrade the rooms to maximise their use, with new furniture and décor for the Cosy Cup and the gym. New external signage will help the building stand out and become more visible to the wider community, along with a large outdoor noticeboard promoting our weekly activities.
Our aims are ambitious. We also intend to replace the kitchen, floor the loft, and upgrade the heating throughout the centre. A major project for the coming year will be exploring the installation of solar panels on the roof. These improvements will help attract new lets and create more opportunities for the village.
By holding the lease, CRAG aims to:
- maintain its key role within the community
- grow membership through active marketing and profile-raising, helping generate interest and new income streams
- improve communication and access to facilities for all age groups
- strengthen the community’s voice
- expand and enhance the range of activities on offer
- encourage wider involvement and participation
- CRAG recognises that the Community Hub in Cowie, managed by Stirling Council, provides valuable support and services to the local community. The services CRAG intends to deliver through the community centre are designed to complement, enhance, and add to the existing Hub provision.
In addition, the Community Hub is not suitable for all CRAG activities, particularly those that require larger spaces for children and families, ‑ high capacity community events, or access during evenings and weekends.
CRAG also intends to source funding to employ a Community Centre Manager next year.
This report was approved by the trustees on 16[th] February 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
Graeme Slater Chair
7
**INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT AS AT 31[ST] AUGUST 2025**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Cowie Rural Action Group**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] August 2025, which are set out on pages 9 to 14.
## **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 ("the 2005 Act") and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) ("the 2006 Regulations"). The trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation (10)(1)(d) of the 2006 Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts under section (44)(1)(c) of the 2005 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 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 connection with my examination, no matter came 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 Regulations, and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 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.
Date: 17[th] February 2026
Lee Stevenson 22 Adam Grossert Court Tryst Road Stenhousemuir Falkirk FK5 4QT
8
## **STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS**
FOR YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025
|||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total**|Total|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Receipts**|**Note**|Funds
£|Funds
£|**2025**
**£**|2024
£|
|Donations|**5**|7,295|5,600|**12,895**|2,766|
|Grants|**6**|772|30,000|**30,772**|21,440|
|Fund Raising|**7**|16,904|485|**17,389**|11,691|
|Trading Income - Rent||6,810|-|**6,810**|6,850|
|Bank Interest||163
31,944|-
36,085|**163**
**68,029**|151
42,898|
|**Payments**||||||
|Fund Raising Costs||1,157|-|**1,157**|169|
|Governance Costs||350|-|**350**|250|
|Cost of Trading|**8**|8,540|2,800|**11,340**|15,766|
|Adjustment||-|-|**-**|3|
|Charitable Activities|**9**|9,829|22,820|**32,649**|28,858|
|||19,876|25,620|**45,496**|45,046|
|Equipment|**10**|2,151|4,846|**6,997**|8,810|
|||22,027|30,466|**52,493**|53,856|
|**Net movement in funds**||9,917|5,619|**15,536**|(10,958)|
|Transfers between funds||4|(4)|||
|**Surplus/(Deficit) for year**||9,921|5,615|**15,536**|(10,958)|
The Notes on pages 11 to 14 form an integral part of these accounts.
9
## **STATEMENT OF BALANCES**
FOR YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025
||Unrestricted|Restricted|**Total**|Total|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Funds Reconciliation**|Note
Funds
£|Funds
£|**2025**
**£**|2024
£|
|Balance as at 01 September 2024|4,389|(1,299)|**3,090**|11,502|
|Surplus/(Deficit) for year|9,921|5,615|**15,536**|(8,412)|
|Balance as at 31 August 2025|14,310|4,316|**18,626**|3,090|
|**Bank & Cash Balances**|||||
|Cash at Bank|||**18,626**|3,090|
||||**18,626**|3,090|
|**Other Assets**|||||
|Skate Park (est)|||**230,000**|231,946|
|Outside Gym (est)|||**13,000**|14,400|
|Laptop|||**1,546**|-|
|Washing Machines & Dryers|||**3,300**|-|
|2 Defibrillators (est)|||**2,000**|3,000|
|Xmas Lights (est)|||**5,000**|6,522|
|4 Gazebos (est)|||**120**|170|
|2 BBQs (est)|||**150**|250|
|Dyson Floor Cleaner|||**953**|-|
|Cooker and Fridge (est)|||**200**|300|
|Storage Containers|||**1,032**|-|
|Rowing Machine|||**84**|-|
|**Liabilities**|||||
|IE Fee|||**350**|350|
|**CRAG has no other material contingent liabilities**|||||
The Notes on pages 11 to 14 form an integral part of these accounts.
These accounts were approved by the trustees on 16[th] February 2026 and signed on their behalf by:
Graeme Slater Clare Stevenson Chair Treasurer
10
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025
## **1. Basis of Preparation**
These accounts have been prepared on the receipts & payments basis in accordance with:
- (a) The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005
- (b) The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended)
## **2. Fund Accounting**
- (a) Unrestricted funds are those that can be expended at the discretion of the trustees in the furtherance of the objects of the charity.
- (b) Designated funds are unrestricted funds that the trustees have set aside for particular purposes. The designation is administrative only and does not restrict the trustees’ ability to apply the funds. There are no designated funds for the accounting period.
- (c) Restricted funds are those that may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor, or when funds are raised for specific purposes. CRAG operated seven restricted funds during the accounting period (see Note 11).
- (d) The purposes of the funds are shown in Note 12.
## **3. Taxation**
- (a) The charity is not liable to corporation tax or capital gains tax on its charitable activities.
- (b) The charity is not registered for VAT, thus all costs are shown inclusive of VAT charged.
## **4. Transactions with trustees and related parties**
- (a) No remuneration was paid to trustees during the accounting year. (2024: £nil)
- (b) No expenses were reimbursed during the accounting year. (2024: £nil)
- (c) Trustees do not have indemnity insurance.
## **5. Donations**
|Westfraser
Lothian Broadband
Fairdeal Autos
British Gas Donation
Bella's Takeaway
Cowie Communiry Enterprises
RBS Compensation
Xmas Buckets
Election Rent
Community Laundry
Nerf Arena Fun Day
Icecream Van Fun Day
Shannon's Sparkles
Charities Trust
Stirling Council
Funfair|Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
Total
Funds
Funds
**2025**
2024|
|---|---|
||£
£
**£**
£
3,000
-
**3,000**
250
250
-
**250**
150
-
-
**-**
500
1,000
-
**1,000**
-
250
-
**250**
-
500
600
**1,100**
1,500
200
-
**200**
-
-
-
**-**
366
820
-
**820**
-
-
5,000
**5,000**
-
50
-
**50**
-
75
-
**75**
-
20
-
**20**
-
500
-
**500**
-
500
-
**500**
-
130
-
**130**
-|
||7,295
5,600
**12,895**
2,766|
11
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025
## **6. Grants**
|**Grants**||
|---|---|
|Awards for All
UK Shared Prosperity Fund
SC Employability Fund
Summer Programme
Hall Revenue Grant
Stirling Council Community Grant
**Fundraising**
Music Event
Bingo
Charity Shop
Stalls
Blackpool Trip
Fun Day
Over 50's
Stirling Lottery
Calendars
Raffles
Panto
Nathan's Waste
Santa's Breaksfast
Xmas Event
Other Fundraising
**Cost of Trading**
Utilities
Insurance
Maintenance
Refund|Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
Total
Funds
Funds
**2025**
2024
£
£
**£**
£
-
-
**-**
20,000
-
20,000
**20,000**
-
-
5,000
**5,000**
-
272
5,000
**5,272**
-
500
-
**500**
-
-
-
**-**
1,440
772
30,000
**30,772**
21,440
Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
Total
Funds
Funds
**2025**
2024|
||£
£
**£**
£
-
-
**-**
180
2,152
-
**2,152**
7,185
2,800
-
**2,800**
838
170
-
**170**
80
-
-
**-**
525
-
-
**-**
2,883
-
485
**485**
2,546
1,486
-
**1,486**
-
172
-
**172**
-
180
-
**180**
-
1,030
-
**1,030**
-
46
-
**46**
-
221
-
**221**
-
2,902
-
**2,902**
-
5,745
-
**5,745**
-|
||16,904
485
**17,389**
14,237|
||Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
Total
Funds
Funds
**2025**
2024|
||£
£
**£**
£
6,263
-
**6,263**
3,038
1,345
-
**1,345**
416
932
2,800
**3,732**
12,196
-
-
**-**
116|
||8,540
2,800
**11,340**
15,766|
## **7. Fundraising**
**8. Cost of Trading**
12
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025
## **9. Cost of Charitable Activities**
|**9.**
**Cost of Charitable Activities**||
|---|---|
|Rent
Summer Events
Winter Events
Other Events
Consumables
Marketing
Admin Costs
Training
Volunteer Expenses
Donation Cowie United
**10.**
**Equipment**
Air Fryer
Trolley
Kitchen Equipment
Chairs
Chair Trolley
Gym Equipment
Cross Trainer
Computer
Table Cloths
Tables & Table Trolley
Storage containers
Xmas Lights
Gazebos
BBQs
BBQ Padlocks
Dyson Floor Cleaner
Hoover Parts
Rowing Machine
Laptop
Washing Machines & Dryers|Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
Total
Funds
Funds
**2025**
2024
£
£
**£**
£
-
-
**-**
690
370
10,962
**11,332**
10,992
2,166
5,035
**7,201**
5,756
1,465
3,412
**4,877**
659
1,417
1,548
**2,965**
8,626
2,297
315
**2,612**
1,244
744
-
**744**
406
613
1,543
**2,156**
401
257
5
**262**
-
500
-
**500**
-
9,829
22,820
**32,649**
28,774
Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
Total
Funds
Funds
**2025**
2024|
||£
£
**£**
£
-
-
**-**
246
-
-
**-**
100
-
-
**-**
94
-
-
**-**
1,134
-
-
**-**
102
-
-
**-**
2,000
-
-
**-**
150
-
-
**-**
634
-
-
**-**
175
-
-
**-**
2,817
1,032
-
**1,032**
34
-
-
**-**
235
-
-
**-**
792
-
-
**-**
222
-
-
**-**
75
953
-
**953**
-
82
**82**
-
84
-
**84**
-
-
1,546
**1,546**
-
-
3,300
**3,300**
-|
||2,151
4,846
**6,997**
8,810|
13
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2025
## **11. Movements in Funds**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
As at As at
31/08/2024 Receipts Payments Transfers 31/08/2025
Unrestricted Funds £ £ £ £ £
General Fund 4,389 31,944 (22,027) 4 14,310
Restricted Funds
Over 50's Group 1,835 1,085 (1,239) - 1,681
Awards For All 8,328 - (8,134) - 194
Summer Programme - 5,000 (4,471) - 529
Laundry Room - 5,000 (5,000) - -
Employability Grant - 5,000 (3,088) - 1,912
UK Prosperity Fund (11,462) 20,000 (8,534) (4) -
(1,299) 36,085 (30,466) (4) 4,316
Total Funds 3,090 68,029 (52,493) - 18,626
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **12. Purpose of Funds**
General Fund
## Over 50’s Group
Employability Fund Awards for All
UK Prosperity Fund Laundry Room Fund Summer Programme
An unrestricted fund that can be expended at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity.
Restricted funding raised through donations events and activities, to help sustain this group. This included a donation from Cowie Community Enterprise.
Restricted funding to be used for training courses and laptops.
Restricted funding cover the cost of equipment, training, events, employability costs, etc.
Restricted funding to cover the cost training, events, employability costs, etc.
Restricted grant to pay for washing machines, dryers and installation.
Restricted funds to pay towards summer events.
14