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2025-01-31-accounts

Trustees Annual Report & Accounts for the Period Ending 31[st] January 2025

Charity No: SC048100

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Contents

Welcome 3
CommunityAsset Transfer 4
Tenants 5
Community Space for other organisations
makingapositive impact in Leith		 6 - 7
Community Activities delivered By Duncan
Place CommunityHub		 8 - 14
Financial Review 15
Structure,Governance & Management 16 – 18
Reference & Administrative Details 19
Independent Examiners Report 20
Statement of Financial Activities 21
Balance Sheet 22
Notes 23-31

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Welcome

A very warm welcome to Duncan Place Community Hub and to this Trustees Annual Report (TAR). Each year, as a registered charity, Duncan Place must submit a report to the Office of Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). This report contains the financial information we are required to submit alongside some information about our work in the year from Feb 2024 to Jan 2025.

Report of the Trustees

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 January 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

~~a~~ Purpose of our charity In Scotland, an organisation can only call itself a charity if it meets the charity test AND if it is entered in the register which is published and maintained by The Office of Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). The entry for Duncan Place Community Hub can be viewed here.

The charity test includes meeting one or more of the 16 charitable purposes laid out by OSCR. Duncan Place Community Hub was formed to benefit the people who live and/or work or volunteer in the locality surrounding Duncan Place known locally as Leith, or who have an active interest in the activities organised by the organisation and has the following purposes:

The following pages outline how Duncan Place Community Hub has met these purposes in the year from 1[st] Feb 2024 to the 31[st] Jan 2025.

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Community Asset Transfer

The now thriving and much-loved Duncan Place Community Hub was formally a resource centre owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC). CEC closed the building in autumn 2014 and threatened it with demolition. Throughout the remainder of 2014, and on into 2015 & 2016, the future

of the building and the many local groups based there remained unclear. We persevered to find a positive outcome for the people of Leith; there were many meetings with the council, with local groups who used the building and with potential funders, until, eventually, a potential future became clear, and fundraising could begin. In January 2018 Duncan Place was granted charity status and by July that year refurbishment and start-up funds had been secured. Over those 4 years we worked tirelessly to develop a charity and social enterprise model that would bring people together to reduce isolation and to

improve and maintain wellbeing in our community. In late 2018 the refurb began, and we finally got

agreed a temporary lease of the building in March 2020. 1 week after getting the keys, the covid pandemic lockdown hit. This, of course, meant that it was impossible to bring people together and was not the start we had intended! Thankfully, this difficult period is now behind us and the legal (and long) process of transferring ownership of the building from City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) to the Duncan Place charity has finally completed. As a former part of the CEC Children and Families Estate, the grounds and buildings of Duncan Place Community Hub shared a property listing with Leith Primary School. The building has been owned by CEC since it was built in 1920 and so, no “modern” paperwork existed. Old and un-digitized documents and maps had to be Wan ay located, digitized, updated and then new listings created.

This means that the temporary lease of the building from the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) was in place much longer than anticipated but we are delighted that the Duncan Place charity now owns the building and its future is secure.

The process to transfer ownership happened via a Community Asset Transfer (CAT). The Community Empowerment Bill allows for a CAT to take place and ensures the building will be asset locked for community purposes from now on. The journey from closure and proposed demolition to having a functioning building has been

hugely challenging and it’s great to finally provide a secure home for several charitable organisations, to provide meeting space for others and to offer our own programme community events and activities. Here’s to a great future for OUR building and community!

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Tenants

Since August 2020 several tenants have moved in and gained a secure tenancy in our community hub. Organisations would normally pay rent to a private landlord. By operating Duncan Place as a charitable social enterprise these organisations gain a secure tenancy in Leith and the rents paid secure the building for the future along with contributing to a programme of community activity.

LGBT Health & Wellbeing (LHW) are Scotland’s health and wellbeing charity for LGBTQ+ adults, they work to improve the physical, social, and mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ adults in Scotland through responsive support services, a social programme for the community to connect with each other and support mainstream services to be more inclusive. www.lgbthealth.org.uk

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). ESOL is an invaluable service to those new Leithers joining our community from across the globe. Through attending ESOL the students make new friends and learn language skills to live, work and study. - http://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/Welcome/Centres/College Community/community-based-esol

KIN Collective are a registered community interest company, or a CIC for short. CICs are limited companies but the profit made benefits the community rather than shareholders. Their family wellbeing hub within Duncan Place supports the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing in pregnancy and early parenthood. Kin is a place to meet, share and connect with services including ante and postnatal courses, community groups and therapies to help families feel more confident on their journey into parenthood. www.kincollective.org

Home-Start Edinburgh support parents with young children at home, and recruit and train volunteers to provide this support. They also run regular parent and child groups and arrange social events for referred families. https://www.homestartedinburgh.org.uk/

AdvoCard is an independent charity; they are not part of the Council, the NHS, or the Scottish Government, though these bodies fund some of AdvoCards services. Independent Advocacy is a way to help people have a stronger voice and to have as much control as possible over their own lives. Advocard do not make decisions for anyone or tell them what they should do, but they can help support people to express their views and have their voices heard. https://www.advocard.org.uk/

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Community Space

Duncan Place has two accessible rooms on the ground floor, fondly known as Wee Duncan & Big Duncan! A range of furniture and equipment is available. These rooms and resources are available at affordable rates for meetings, workshops, classes, and events. We are delighted to have these rooms in use by so many fantastic local organisations who are all making such a positive impact in our community.

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Community Activities

Community Choir

The Duncan Place Community Choir started in October 2023 and performed at both the 2024 AGM and at Leith Gala Day. The choir, under the brilliant coordination of the choir master has gone from strength to strength and have made great progress through taking on a more challenging and diverse range of song material with great success. The choir had over 40 active members and, through taster sessions during January 2025, 10 new members were welcomed. The choir is a friendly and encouraging bunch, who sing a mix of folk, soul, and pop music. Feedback from the choir has been overwhelmingly positive.

Elmer Day

It was Elmer The Elephant's birthday on Saturday 25th May, and for the third year in a row, Duncan Place celebrated with a special Elmer themed Story, Craft & Play session for wee ones aged 3 to 6 and their grownups. Probably the most colourful day of the year! Kids really enjoyed reading Elmer's book together, getting crafty (messy) and making some colourful Elmer themed bits and bobs. There was fun and games (and snacks!)

Other Regular Activities

Duncan Place has been busy in the last year with regular activities and one-off events. We have an amazing group of facilitators who lead Laughter for Health & Happiness classes, Tai Chi, Community Drum Circles, Duncan Place Community Choir and Chair Yoga. Our community events coordinator continues to lead fortnightly wellbeing walks on Leith Links, and three LEGO groups for different ages.

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Chair Yoga

Lego Group

Drumming Circle

Graft Group

Seasonal Strolls

Laughter for Health and Wellbeing

Crochet

Clay making

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Gala Day

We had Sunshine on Leith (and plenty of wind!) for Leith Gala Day in June. It was an early start and a great team effort to erect and decorate our marquee before the crowds arrived. We had fabulous giant bunting along the back wall which was made by our community craft group from recycled fabrics; they’re such a great and talented bunch. The craft group also ran a patch making session where lots of members of our community shared plenty of chats & laughs as they learned a new skill. Drew the Dinosaur delivered a fun story and mask making session for the little Leithers who visited us. Mo Music had a great turn out for the community drumming session and created some good vibes for those watching as well as those taking part. The performance by our community choir spread lots of smiles and harmony (pun intended!) when they performed to an enthusiastic audience. Thanks go to Leith Academy for the loan of folding tables and chairs and to eveyone who took part on the day. This was a really fun community event and we look forward to June 2025.

Creative Community Hubs Network

The Creative Community Hubs Network (CCHN) is a partnership project led by WHALE Arts and funded by The City of Edinburgh Council since 2021. The Network includes eight creative community hub partners working in diverse communities around Edinburgh: WHALE Arts, North Edinburgh Arts, granton:hub, Duncan Place Community Hub, Out of the Blueprint, The Crannie Community Hub, Craigmillar NOW, and Lyra. Being part of the network provides valuable skill, best practice, and resource sharing,

along with collective bids for funding and potential for partnerships within the network.

Through a participatory grant-making process within the CCCN we successfully bid for £7000 funding to continue our free Art for Anxiety sessions for the whole of 2024 and deliver two pop-up sessions in other locations in Leith.

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The funding allowed us to host two Art for Anxiety sessions per month, and employ a local artist to lead the groups, exploring different art techniques that can be used to soothe anxious moments. Art For Anxiety was collaboratively born through requests from community members for activities that were creative, arts-based, and had a positive impact on mental health.

Art for Anxiety has benefited over 50 people, with a core group of around 20 people who attend regularly.

“I was instantly welcomed, put at ease and encouraged to be myself and still be accepted. I have loved learning how to marble, the writing workshop, and had much fun doing printing on the floor in a group.”

“Art for Anxiety made me feel comfortable with my feelings.”

“A great group mixing new skills and providing much needed space for those that are lonely and stressed.”

“Thank you so much for this experience. It was something I didn’t realise I needed. Also lovely to meet new people.”

“A wonderful way to spend an evening. Very calming. Would definitely recommend.”

Make space initiative

Make Space is also part of the Creative Community Hubs Network. It was a pilot programme run in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, to provide community members, artists, and practitioners the opportunity to hire space in venues across the Creative Community Hubs Network at no financial cost – thereby breaking down barriers to accessing affordable creative space in the city of Edinburgh. 300 hours of funded space was provided across the network. Participants had to meet a prescribed criteria to benefit from the space, provide details of their activities (which could not be for commercial gain) and to give feedback. Duncan Place found it to be a great success and are hopeful of CEC that the feedback will lead to more creative community members benefitting from this in the future.

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Community Cinema

Duncan Place Community Cinema is one of seven community hubs in Edinburgh who take part in The Local Cinema programme. This is funded by The City of Edinburgh Council via the Creative Community Hubs Network. The community cinema has proven to be very popular with a number of screenings being completely sold out. After the films the audience can stay for refreshments and discuss the topics and issues raised in the film. The feedback has been really positive.

We screened Harold and Maude (1971). The film was followed with a Death Café which was an opportunity for the audience to discuss death openly, over a cuppa, increasing awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives – a notion that was embraced by the main protagonist of Harold and Maude.

We also played Save the Cinema (2022) - the story of Liz Evans, from Carmarthen Southwest Wales, who started a campaign in the 90s to save the local Cinema/ Theatre (the Lyric Cinema). With the help of local politician, Richard Goodridge, they get Steven Spielberg to show a premiere of Jurassic Park at the Lyric in a bid to Save the Cinema.

Next up was was Io Capitano (2023) - A harrowing account about the journey of a teenage boy and his cousin as they decide to make their way from Senegal to Europe.

In January 2025 we screened Restless Natives (1985) - Bill Forsyth’s whimsical and gentle comedy is celebrating its 40[th] anniversary this year. Two lads in Edinburgh embark on a non-violent spree of robberies. They dress up in clown masks and act as modern highwaymen, robbing coach loads of tourists in the highlands. In the process they become folk heroes to the locals.

Leith Archive Footage film

In August last year the events team screened some archive footage film of Leith. The event included old photographs of Leith, items from the past, group discussion, and tea and cake.

For those who have lived in Leith for years, it was a chance to recognise places and streets as they once were, or maybe recognise familiar faces. Newer residents to the area had a great opportunity to learn about and explore some of its history through media and conversation. Ater the film was shown the exhibition of old photographs from Leith remained within the corridor and foyer.

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One Bum Cinema

The One Bum Cinema is the brainchild of artist Anna Vartiainen and brought to life by Paulie Musselwhite and Matthew Simkins. It began in an under stairs cupboard and is now on the road. The cinema is a one-person-sized picture house that shows a selection of handpicked animations from artists around the world. The Cinema was situated in Duncan Place Foyer for two weeks in November 2024. The programme of quirky and compelling 3-minute animations played to cinema fans one bum at a time. Once seated inside the lights fade down and the main feature starts… at the end, on come the lights just like the real thing. The mini film house was a very popular diversion for visitors, tenants and staff. The audience – one bum at a time – thoroughly enjoyed it!

Climate Change Workshop

In partnership with ECCAN and Climate Ready South East Scotland project, Duncan Place Community Hub hosted a Climate Workshop in January 25. Edinburgh’s climate is already changing and will continue to do so. This means more extreme weather; hotter, drier summers, wetter winters, and rising sea levels. These changeswill affect our communities, and the places we care about – where we live, work and play. Climate Ready South East Scotland project aims to better understand how climate change will affect our region and highlight where more action is needed to protect the places we live, so that our communities can flourish in a changing climate.

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Craft group Canal Trip

The Duncan Place craft group went on a canal trip run by All Aboard in August last year. The boat hosts unique trips on Edinburgh’s Union Canal for community groups and organisations to improve wellbeing, socialise and discover new experiences while surrounded by nature in the heart of the city. The Craft Group had a great time on the Union Canal seeing Edinburgh from a different angle and it was certainly a break from the hustle and energy of the Fringe. As usual, they were on top form and left the barge feeling relaxed with everyone saying how much they loved the experience. All Aboard is a canal boat run by People Know How in collaboration with Polwarth Parish Church.

Exhibitions

In the last year we developed the use of the foyer and ground floor corridor as an exhibition space. Our first exhibition was the artwork created by the Academy Arts group. Academy Arts is self-led art group who meet at Duncan Place every Monday afternoon and are always keen to welcome new members. We exhibited a selection of their artwork for 3 months in 2024.

Our second exhibition was about Leith History . In conjunction with a screening of Leith Archive Footage Film

In December of 2024 we exhibited Pedal Power: Cycling and Activism in Edinburgh. This exhibition has been created by cycling groups in Edinburgh who are campaigning to make our city a safe place for cycling. It includes key messages about cycling for fun and friendship, the importance of safe cycle routes, and the positive impact that cycling can have on the environment and in our communities. Groups involved in creating this exhibition include Edinburgh Critical Mass @edcriticalmass Infra Sisters @infrasisters_ Bike Buses, Spokes Lothian, and Museums & Galleries Edinburgh @museumsgalleriesedinburgh

Pedal Power Exhibition

Academy Arts Exhibition

Leith Archive Exhibition

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Financial Review

Financial position

Income for the year has been £207,473 (2024: £245,847) with expenditure of £238,596 (2024: £220,884) leading to a deficit of £31,123 – prior to unrealised gains on investments (2024: surplus - £24,963).

The deficit this year has arisen mainly due to one off legal and professional fees relating to the transfer of the Duncan Place property as well as the Big Lottery start-up funding coming to an end in 23/24.

The charity is now fully self-sufficient and continues to grow after this transition year; a deficit is not expected in the future.

Reserves policy

It is an over-riding objective of Duncan Place SCIO to establish itself and remain self-sufficient. As a result of this Duncan Place has built up a financial reserve of six months operating costs to ensure the building and facilities can be maintained to a high standard, to allow the organisation to smooth over any receipt fluctuations or rental voids, and to cover any other unforeseen circumstances which may develop at any time.

With this in mind, a designated contingency fund has been set up with a balance of £110,000 which is thought to be sufficient to deal with any of the issues outlined above.

Duncan Place SCIO also have a designated Sink Fund following guidance of The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This is a designated fund formed by periodically setting aside money for the replacement of a wasting asset (for example, heating, air-conditioning, lifts and plant and equipment). The balance on this fund is currently £52,724 and will grow as the work carried out on the building at the install start-up phase ages.

Duncan place has undesignated, unrestricted funds (not held as fixed assets) available for expenditure of £190,871 (2024: £224,520). This is as well as funds held in designated funds as detailed above and funds held as fixed assets.

The reserves held exceed the amount required per the policy, however trustees find this to be reasonable now that National Lottery funding has come to an end and the charity is self-sufficient

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Structure, Governance & Management

Duncan Place is a two tier SCIO, (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) whereby members elect the board of Trustees and vote on any changes to the constitution; a certain percentage of members need to vote to carry any motions.

Membership of Duncan Place is open to any individual aged 16 or over who lives and/or works or volunteers in the local community surrounding Duncan Place known locally as Leith, or who have an active interest in the activities taking place within the building. Members appoint up to twelve of their number to form a board of trustees. If the board comprises of less than 12 elected members, then the board may co-opt further trustees providing the number of elected trustees remains in the majority. The constitution of Duncan Place allows for Trustees to serve for 6 terms of office. Some of our Trustees have recently reached this milestone and we can’t thank them enough for giving up their time and sharing their expertise and guidance over the years. They have each played an essential role in bringing the building back to life. All Trustees who have served in our financial year of 1[st] Feb 2024 to 31[st] Jan 2025 are listed below.

Current Trustees

The Chairperson, Sandra Lawrie, was co-opted to the Board in early 2020, voted on as a full member in 2021 and became chairperson in April 2024. Sandra provides leadership, along with oversight and advice on Facilities and Building Management. Having retired from a long managerial career supporting academic research and public sector administration, she has particular f 2 ~~|~~ | fEfivnc expertise in troubleshooting refurbished building issues - most useful in a historic building! Judith Weir has been living in Leith for the last 18 years. She is a member of the Duncan Place community choir and her children have attended the Lego club since it started. She has been working in the field of market research for over 30 years. Judith has been leading on our community survey. ~~|~~ Pesce

Nicki Sturzaker joined the board of Trustees in April 2024. She has lived in Leith for seven years and worked in marketing and communications for over 20. Nicki brings extensive commercial experience to Duncan Place having | successfully built two businesses from scratch through to exit. She has worked in fr ~~pe~~ across a variety of sectors helping businesses grow their brands and positively Ceeuscen manage their reputations. | Jo Bluett has been one of our class facilitators since September 2022 and knowing the centre and staff really well, she volunteered to join the board of trustees in April 2024. As well as running her own business, Jo previously worked in the | corporate sector for 15 years and has over 10 years’ experience volunteering on Peuscen charity boards.

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Jim Scanlon MBE has lived and worked in Leith for over 30 years and is also currently Chair of Leith Links Community Council. He became a Trustee for Duncan Place during 2024 and is a wealth of knowledge on all things Leith!

His other interests involve the local history society and Leith Rules Golf Society. Until June 2024 he worked in the Civil Service and is now enjoying a busy retirement.

Kaitlyn Roper joined the board of trustees in April 2024, after moving to Edinburgh in 2017 for university. Currently she works in Film & TV Production, and also has several years’ experience of working and volunteering in the third sector within creative industries and arts education programmes.

Alex Melichar is a senior engineer currently working on decarbonising heat in NHS Scotland. He played a major role in the green retrofit (and the funding required) of the Duncan Place building whilst in a previous role with CEC. His work exemplifies his belief in creating sustainable, community-focused spaces that serve present needs while planning responsibly for the future.

Outgoing Trustees

Carol Leslie served as chairperson until April 2024 and remained as a Trustee until Nov 2024. Carol is a Leither with a wealth of experience in local community activities. Carol organises a weekly group at Duncan Place, Academy Arts, so remains connected to Duncan Place.

Colm Kavanagh , served as treasurer from 2018 until July 24. Colm is an exCommercial Property Bank Manager, qualifying with a Business Degree in 2000, and over 14 years working in a range of Banking related roles. He has been in Edinburgh for 16 years, with over 11 of those years in Leith.

Steve Paige was a Trustee until April 2024. He has lived in Leith for over 14 years and loves the vibrancy of the area and improving the amenities for the local community. Steve has worked in Sports Development for over 20 years and is passionate about the positive power sport has to change lives. Steve has recently become CEO of Triathlon Scotland.

Andy Sneddon is a resident of Leith and has over 30 years experience of working in Banking, undertaking a variety of roles. Outside of work Andy enjoys sports, music, eating out and building Lego. Andy was a trustee from July 2021 until Jan 2025, and served as treasurer in his final year.

Lisa Clark has lived in Leith her whole life. She previously worked for the local Member of the Scottish Parliament and now works as part of the ministry team at Gorgie Palmerston Place Church. Sadly, due to other commitments Lisa is moving on from being a Trustee with Duncan Place. We thank Lisa for her thoughtful guidance and input over this last year.

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Staff

Nicola Lamberton is the Duncan Place Development Manager and led the team who stopped the building from being demolished, played a key role in securing funding and coordinating the re-opening. Nicola has managed three social enterprises over a 20+ year period and is passionate about the power of communities to deliver for themselves.

Keith Skakle joined the Duncan Place team as Facilities Assistant and Host in December 2020. Keith leads on the health, safety and maintenance of the building and assists with preparing rooms and welcoming visitors into the building.

Drew Bain joined Duncan Place as Community Engagement Officer in Feb 2022. Drew brings a wealth of experience and a real passion for community and inclusivity and has been driving the growth and success of our programme of community activities and events.

Nikki Dunne joined in September 2023 as Finance & Admin Officer. Originally from down south, she has been happy to call Leith home for the last 17 years and can’t imagine wanting to live anywhere else. She first experienced Duncan Place in its old form at a baby group, then witnessed its progress into the fab community hub it is today, before deciding she’d love to join the team.

Keith Murray has been involved in Duncan Place since 2015 when he was originally a Board Member helping to save Duncan Place from demolition. After some time out he joined the staff team as a community host. Keith is a designer by trade and, alongside the community host role, he also helps with the development of our website, and with occasional graphics and artwork.

Sarah Fraser is a relief worker and a valued member of the Duncan Place team. You may meet Sarah on an evening or at a bigger event. You will know her immediately as she is gregarious, the perfect host, and has the warmest of smiles!

Ot Pascoe joined Duncan Place in November 2024 as our Community Events Assistant. Outside of Duncan Place they are a freelance illustrator and broadcaster, brining with them experience in audio-visual technical support, workshop facilitation, and a real passion for improving accessibility in arts and community spaces.

Mel Sills was an original member of the Duncan Place Community Choir and loved it so much she successfully applied to join the team as Community Engagement Assistant in October 2023. Mel was a well loved member of the team for a year until her wife’s job took them to London. Mel pops in regularly when back in Edinburgh.

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Reference & Administrative Details

Registered Charity number SC048100

Principal address

4 Duncan Place Leith Edinburgh EH6 8HW

Trustees

Caroline Leslie (Chairperson to April 2024) – resigned Nov 2024 Colm Kavanagh (Treasurer to July 2024) – resigned July 2024 Steven Paige – resigned April 2024

Andy Sneddon – (Treasurer from July 2024) - resigned Jan 2025 Sandra Lawrie – (Chairperson from April 2024)

Jo Bluett – (Treasurer from Feb 2025) – appointed April 2024 Alex Melichar – appointed April 2024 Jim Scanlon – appointed April 2024 Judith Weir – appointed April 2024 Kaitlyn Roper – appointed April 2024 Nicki Sturzaker – appointed April 2024 Lisa Clark – appointed April 2024 – resigned February 2025

Independent Examiner

Mathew Gillies LLB (Hons) ACPA FCIE

Cowan & Partners Limited 60 Constitution Street Edinburgh EH6 6RR

Approved by order of the board of trustees and signed on its behalf by:

………………………………………………………

xx-Trustee

Date: 31/07/20025

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Independent Examiners Report

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 January 2025 set out on pages twenty one to thirty two.

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)(a) to (c) 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 the independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. 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 seeking explanations from you as 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 has come to my attention:

have not been met; or

Signed Matthew Gillies

Mathew Gillies LLB (Hons) ACPA FCIE

Full member of the Association of Charity Independent Examiners Cowan & Partners Limited 60 Constitution Street Edinburgh EH6 6RR

Date: 13/08/2025

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Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 January 2025

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Balance sheet as at 31 January 2025

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue and were signed on its behalf by:

Signed Jo Bluett Print Jo Bluett Date 31/07/2025

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Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charity, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value, as modified by the revaluation of certain assets.

The accounts are presented in sterling which is the charity's functional currency, and rounded to the nearest pound.

No changes have been made to the basis of preparing the financial statements.

Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern and there are sufficient reserves to meet the reserves policy on page 19, therefore the accounts are prepared on a going concern basis.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

The preparation of the financial statements conforms with the requirements of the Charities SORP and general accepted accounting principles. The only area in which it is considered that accounting estimates and areas of judgement have been applied is depreciation, the policy on which is outlined below.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Donations are recognised when received.

Income from rental, service charges and room hire is recognised as invoiced.

Income from performance related grants, recognised within charitable activities is recognised as received and allocated by fund as required.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

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Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES – continued

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Improvements to property - 5% on cost Fixtures and fittings - 25% on reducing balance Computer equipment - 20% on cost

Assets are reviewed for impairment on an annual basis.

Freehold Property is not expected to depreciate, it is therefore recognised at fair value. Fair value is reviewed on an annual basis.

Taxation

The nature of the charity's activities renders them exempt from corporation tax.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charity's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

Measurement of debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net or any trade discounts due.

Cash at Bank and on Hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and any short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

Creditors and Loans

Creditors and loans are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and loans are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

VAT

Duncan Place is not VAT registered and therefore expenditure is recognised inclusive of VAT.

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Notes to the Financial Statements for the Notes to the Financial Statements for the Notes to the Financial Statements for the Notes to the Financial Statements for the Notes to the Financial Statements for the
year ended 31 January 2025 (continued) year ended 31 January 2025 (continued) year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)
2. DONATIONS AND LEGACIES DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
31.1.25 31.1.24
£
Donations 270
3. INVESTMENT INCOME
31.1.25 31.1.24
£
Bank Compensation -
4. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
31.1.25 31.1.24
Activity £
Rental Charitable activities 94,766 96,527
Service charge Charitable activities 55,155 64,299
Room hire Charitable activities 33,805 39,061
Community programmes Charitable activities 18,028
Grants Charitable activities 5,450 45,415
207,204 245,302
Grants received, included in the above, are asfollows:
31.1.25 31.1.24
£
Big Lottery Community Assets Fund - 33,415
WHALE Arts 5,000 12,000
Other misc. grants 450
5,450 45,415
5. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

25

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)

6. DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

7. SUPPORT COSTS

8. TRUSTEES’ REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

Jo Bluett (a Trustee) has run a weekly class at Duncan Place since September 2022. This was prior to | becoming a Trustee in April 2024. She works as a freelancer and since becoming a Trustee, she has received remuneration of £3,230 for running these classes. She is only paid for the classes run and not for any Trustee duties.

There has been no other trustees’ remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 January 2025 nor for the year ended 31 January 2024.

Trustees’ Expenses

There were no trustees’ expenses paid for the year ended 31 January 2025 nor for the year ended 31 January 2024.

26

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)

9. STAFF COSTS

10. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

27

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)

11. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

The property at 4 Duncan Place was transferred to the charity at the cost of £1 via a Community Asset Transfer.

The £1 cost figure is stated in the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax return submitted to Revenue Scotland in Oct 2024.

The building was valued at £750,000 in 2019 by an independent firm of surveyors - Ryden

Commercial Property Agents & Chartered Surveyors.

Using the powers afforded to them in clause 64 of the constitution, and following professional financial advice, the Trustees have opted to adopt the revaluation model and hold the property at fair value in the accounts. The valuation carried out in 2019 by independent

surveyors is deemed by the Trustees to reflect current market value at the balance sheet date. There are no plans to sell the building or to borrow against it, however, the Trustees feel it reflects a true and fair position to hold the property as an asset at fair value rather than cost. In line with the accounting standards, the Trustees will review the valuation on an annual basis.

28

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)

12. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS

13. DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Trade debtors 14. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

29

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

30

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 January 2025 (continued)

15. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS – continued

Big Lottery Fund - Funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. Revenue and capital funding began in 2018 spread over 5 years, reducing each year as income from rentals builds. The fund has now been fully utilised and fixed assets purchased via the fund have now been transferred to the general fund.

16. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 January 2025 nor 31 January 2024.

31