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COFIS
Trustees’ Annual Report From 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2025
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Email: Admin@cofis.org Website: www.cofis.org Twitter/X: @COFIScotland Facebook: @COFIScotland Instagram: @COFIScotland
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Charity Trustees
Objectives and activities
COFIS has four charitable purposes:
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To advance education regarding Israel
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To promote equality and diversity
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To advance human rights, conflict resolution and reconciliation
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To promote religious and racial harmony
After gaining charitable status in 2020, Covid lockdowns and other issues meant two years in which COFIS was largely dormant. However, things began to look up in 2022.
Achievements and performance
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We set up a new website, and it is our ambition that it should provide the most comprehensive resources about Israel of any voluntary group in the UK.
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We relaunched our social media on several platforms: Twitter (X); Facebook; Instagram; Youtube and Tiktok.
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We supported the activities of Glasgow Friends of Israel and Highland Friends of Israel, including what we believe to be the most northerly pro-Israel advocacy stall in the UK ever, in sunny Dingwall!
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Following the events of October 7, 2023, when more Jewish people were murdered than on any single day since 1945, our Trustees have participated in dozens of vigils, marches, discussions, interviews and many hundreds of social media posts; keeping up our efforts until the final hostage was returned.
Activities in 2024-25
We continued to maintain the website and social media accounts, and to support the regional groups through administrative support.
The events in Israel of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing conflict between Israel and terrorist groups and between Israel and Iran, greatly impacted - the work of COFIS and the regional groups.
Trustees have been involved in organising and/or participating in vigils and other events for hostages in Glasgow, Edinburgh and London. Members of regional groups have done sterling work volunteering in Israel to support the - country's efforts to sustain normal life whilst engaged in an existential struggle against enemies intent on the country's discussion.
Trustees and volunteers have supported the work of Israeli charities, including
COFIS was considerably involved in organising the Glasgow Friends of Israel Conference; the first since 2019; to be held on 11 May 2025.
Management of COFIS
All of our activities are governed by our Constitution. All policies were reviewed during the year, but there were no changes made.
There were no new appointments to the Board during the year, and each of the office-bearers was unanimously re-elected.
Financial review
During the year, COFIS received Income of £4,976 (2024: £1,216) whilst its Expenditure was £5,104 (2024: £1,147). The great majority of the increased income and expenditure was in the form of restricted income which was then used to contribute to the Glasgow Friends of Israel Conference. There was an annual deficit of £128, compared with a surplus of £69 last year. Overall, the Reserves were reduced from £424 to £296.
The Trustees continue to seek new sources of funding.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity.
We were grateful once again for the donation by Trustees of ICT resources, including funding for the website. Going forward, as we look to expand our activities, it will be necessary to seek donations from a broader range of donors.
Future ambitions
We aim to produce regular online webinars and talks with interesting speakers. A major current target is to facilitate expansion in the number. and support activities, among the regional Friends of Israel groups, some of which have shrunk or even disappeared in recent years. Prime among these will be Edinburgh Friends of Israel, as that is a city with a great deal of anti-Israel sentiment and political activity. The group became active again during the financial year.
Finally, we aim to be more relevant to the Jewish community in Scotland, many of whom feel pressure as a result of political and other events in Israel.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees:
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22 February 2026
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Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland
Statement of Accounts For the period ended 30 April 2025
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Introduction
This Statement of Accounts provides a report on the finance and activities of the Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland.
The registered address of the charity is:
The registered charity number is SC050079.
Review of activities
Overview
The Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland was registered with the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 17th April 2020.
It has a single tier structure and as such the trustees are the members of the charitable organisation.
Trustees
The management committee, which normally meets monthly, are the charity’s trustees. Trustees are elected at the annual general meeting.
The following individuals served as trustees of the Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland during the period under review to 30 April 2025:
Charitable Activities
The Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland (known as COFIS) exists to advance education regarding Israel, to promote equality and diversity, to advance human rights, conflict resolution and reconciliation, and to promote religious and racial harmony.
COFIS was set up to support Friends of Israel groups in Scotland and to challenge antisemitism and misinformation about Israel. It does this through maintaining a website providing information about Israel and social media accounts, as well as providing administrative support to regional Friends of Israel groups including maintenance of social media accounts. Trustees also liaise with and support like-minded individuals and organisations throughout the rest of the UK.
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Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland Statement of Financial Activities For the period ended 30 April 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Income | ||
| Charitable activities | ||
| Donations | 580 | 440 |
| Restricted donations received – GFOI | 4396 | 500 |
| Gift Aid | - | 276 |
| Total charitable activity income | 4976 | 1216 |
| Other income | - | - |
| Net income | 4976 | 1216 |
| Expenditure | ||
| Charitable activities | ||
| Trustees’ expenses – travel | 132 | 310 |
| Accountancy fees | 50 | 150 |
| Subscriptions | 187 | 187 |
| Restricted donations given – GFOI | 650 | 500 |
| Restricted donations - Conference cost | 3,746 | |
| Computer costs | 324 | |
| Postage | 15 | |
| Total expenditure | 5,104 | 1147 |
| Net income and net movement in funds | -128 | 69 |
| Funds reconciliation – General fund | ||
| Total funds brought forward | ||
| Total funds carried forward | 296 | 424 |
| Funds reconciliation – Restricted fund | ||
| Total funds brought forward | - | - |
| - | ||
| Total funds carried forward | - | - |
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Confederation of Friends of Israel in Scotland
Balance Sheet as at 30 April 2025
| 2025 | 2024 | £ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | |||
| Current Assets: | |||
| Bank Balance | 296 | 574 | |
| Cash | : | - | |
| Total Current Assets | 296 | 574 | |
| Less Creditors falling due within one year: | |||
| Accrued expenses | - | 150 | |
| Other Creditors | - | : | |
| Total Creditors | - | 150 | |
| NETASSETS | 296 | 424 | |
| Financed by: | |||
| GENERAL FUND | |||
| As at 1 May | 424 | 355 | |
| Surplus/Deficit foryear | -128 | 69 | |
| TOTALFUNDS | 296 | 424 |
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| have produced these accounts for the Trustees of COFIS based on the information supplied to
me and verified wherever“|
a
22 February 2026
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Signed on behalf
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;
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Independent Examiner’s Report
to the Trustees of the
Confederation of Friends of Israel of Scotland
My report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2024, as set out on pages 7 to 8.
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 trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) 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 Examiner’s Statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts 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 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 maintain accurate accounting records within all the relevant Charitable Accounting Regulations have not been met.
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Clapham Accounting Services
38 Fruin Court
Newton Mearns, G77 6HJ
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Notes to the accounts
1. Accounting Policies
The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
2. Tangible Fixed assets
estimated useful life:
Equipment - 25% reducing balance
Changes to the tangible asset basis of the organisation during the period:
| Plant, | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| mach., etc. | ||
| £ | £ | |
| Cost | ||
| Balance brought forward | - | - |
| Additions during the year | - | - |
| Disposals | - | - |
| Balance carried forward | - | - |
| Depreciation | ||
| Balance brought forward | - | - |
| Disposals | - | - |
| Charge for the year | - | - |
| Balance carried forward | - | - |
| Net book value brought forward | - | - |
| Net book value carried forward | - | - |
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