Breast Friends and Family SCIO
Scottish Charity No – SC048332
Annual Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 30 April 2025
Trustees’ Annual Report For the year ended 30 April 2025
The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together with the financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2025.
Reference and Administrative Information
Charity name
Breast Friends and Family SCIO
Charity number
SC048332
==> picture [421 x 193] intentionally omitted <==
Structure, Governance and Management
Constitution
The Charity is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (a SCIO) and was registered in its current legal form on 23 April 2018.
Appointment of trustees
The Trustees in position at the time of the registration of the Charity continued in their roles throughout the year. There must be a minimum of three Trustees. The Trustees form the Committee.
Objectives and Activities
The objective of the charity is to help provide relief of those in need by reason of ill-health - being patients, and their immediate families, affected by cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The charity raises funds to provide products and services for patients and their families in Scotland, whose lives are being affected by breast cancer.
Achievements and Performance
Fundraising activities of the charity have continued to grow over the last year, increasing the fundraising receipts for the year. The funds received form donations from both businesses and individuals has also increased year on year. This has allowed the charity to continue to provide the patient ‘goodie bags’ for local breast cancer patients at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, reviewing and enhancing the products provided.
The summer of 2024 was quiet for fundraising activities, time was taken up with the organisation of the calendar girls project, meetings and calendar photo shoots. A calendar of patients and volunteers, raising awareness of breast cancer and the work of Breast Friends and Family, and recognising local suppliers who have been supporting the charity. The 2025 Calendar Girls calendar was officially launched at a fundraising event in October to coincide with breast cancer awareness month.
There were fundraising events organised by fundraisers to raise funds for the charity and the Edinburgh Kiltwalk saw 40 walkers signed up, raising over £12,000.
Popular fundraising events have been repeated, such as the annual Swish evening and Christmas afternoon tea, while ideas are always welcomed for new events.
Following many discussions the Trustees had with volunteers and the Breast Care Team at St John’s, it was decided that a property should be located to house the charity, to provide a venue for regular support groups, talks and workshops, and the complimentary
therapies provided for patients, as well as a store for the products purchased for the patient goodie bags and space for volunteers to make up the bags. After viewing a few properties, September saw the first visit to a property that was suitable. There were then 3 months of organising a surveyor, solicitor and following up until the keys were available on the 20th December. Volunteers then concentrated their efforts on cleaning, moving into and setting up ‘The Heart’, the home of Breast Friends and Family, and sourcing and collecting donated furniture. The doors were opened in January for the first support groups and an Open Day was held in February, inviting volunteers, patients, family, friends and supporters.
There has been increased involvement of volunteers in the running of the charity and in the provision of products and services for patients. Many volunteers are previous patients who have benefited from the support provided by the charity.
Throughout the year, Trustees and volunteers attended meetings with: - Livingston South Community Sport and Wellbeing Hub - bringing together sport and wellness organisations to share and promote each other in the local area - Bathgate Together - bringing organisations in Bathgate to share information and help promote each other.
The partnership with Natrabrow continues, with patients who suffer hair loss as a result of receiving chemotherapy, being offered the opportunity to have their eyebrows tattooed.
Complimentary therapy sessions continue to be offered to patients at the end of their treatment, with the sessions now being provided in The Heart. This has continued to be well received by patients, with feedback monitored.
The secondary patient conference was well received, bringing together information and resources for those facing and dealing with a secondary diagnosis.
The patient support group has continued, with attendance growing, and is now run twice a month, with an additional secondary patient support group now running in The Heart in Bathgate, allowing patients to meet in a safe, private space, to chat and share experiences and support one another. This continues to be essential to the wellbeing and recovery of many patients and provides a support network for many who may otherwise struggle with their mental health following a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Continuing through 2025, the support group at Livingston Cricket Club will be continued in alternate months, providing a wider coverage of the support available.
The charity Facebook page continues to be utilised to provide information for patients, supporters and volunteers, about events taking place, volunteer requests and providing information on the products and services provided by the charity.
Financial Review
During the period, funds raised from donations and fundraising activities totalled £79,549. Again this year, a large increase on the previous year as fundraising activities increased and as more individuals and business are aware of the charity and the support provided to patients, we saw a large increase in donations.
Total expenditure during the period increased to £86,569 from £54,484 the previous year; a small increase in expenses from fundraising activities, the increase mainly coming from increases in expenditure on charitable activities. Charitable activities includes all products and services provided for patients which this year includes the costs of The Heart. Other increased costs came from additional products now provided as well as the cost of the secondary breast cancer conference and the products and hotel vouchers provided to those attending the conference.
The year saw a deficit of £7,020, which has been more than covered by the surplus funds from previous years. The balance brought forward from the previous year was £73,549, leaves a balance of funds available going into next year of £66,529.
Plans for Future Period
The charity will continue to be run by volunteers, with the funds raised being used for the benefit of the patients. Volunteers will meet regularly to discuss the running of The Heart, the home of Breast Friends and Family in Bathgate, with responsibilities shared, and to discuss the provision of patient products and services and fundraising activities and ideas.
Plans for future fundraising events are continually ongoing, with new ideas being discussed and opportunities sought to continue to raise awareness of breast cancer and the work of the charity as well as raising funds. Events currently under discussion for 2025 are a fashion show, a race night and a Christmas afternoon tea.
Sessions are planned for throughout the year, to support patients at The Heart, exercise classes, yoga, meditation and mindfulness, aromatherapy sessions, bra fitting sessions and complementary therapies.
The products included in the patient ‘goodie bags’ will be reviewed by the volunteers and will continued to be discussed and approved by the breast care team at St John’s, in order to continue to provide ‘the little things that make a big difference’ through their breast cancer journey.
The Trustees will continue to work to help ease the impact of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment on local patients and their families in West Lothian.
Statement of Receipts and Payments For the Year Ended 30th April 2025
| Unrestricted | |
|---|---|
| Funds | |
| Receipts: | |
| Donations | £39,828 |
| Receipts from Fundraising Activities | £39,721 |
| _ | |
| Total Receipts | £79,549 |
| Payments | |
| Fundraising Costs | £15,849 |
| Cost of Charitable Activities | £70,180 |
| Governance Costs | £ 540 |
| _ | |
| Total Payments | £86,569 |
| Defcit for the Year | -£ 7,020 |
Statement of Balance as at 30th April 2025
Unrestricted Funds
Opening Bank Balance
Deficit For Year
Balance at Bank
£73,549
£ 7,020
£66,529
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf
30th January 2026
Notes to the accounts - for the Year ended 30th April 2025
Basis of Accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended)
Nature and Purpose of Funds
Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity.
==> picture [596 x 6] intentionally omitted <==
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF
BREAST FRIENDS & FAMILY (SCIO)
I report on the accounts of the SCIO for the year ended 30th April 2025.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Independent Examiners
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 2006 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 Examiners Report
My examination is 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 such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
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
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
have not been met, or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
==> picture [206 x 82] intentionally omitted <==
Qualification : Chartered Accountant
Address : JRW Hogg & Thorburn LLP 19 Buccleuch Street Hawick TD9 0HL Date : 26th January 2026