## **SISCO**
**Trustees’ Annual Report For the year ended 31 March 2025**
1
## **SISCO**
## Trustees’ Annual Report For the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Contents**
|1.|Chair’s Report ......................................................... 3|
|---|---|
|2.|Reference and Administra�ve Informa�on ............ 4|
|3.|Structure, Governance and Management .............. 5|
|4.|Charitable Purposes ............................................... 5|
|5.|Ac�vi�es and Achievements .................................. 6|
|6.|CEO Report ............................................................. 7|
|7.|Financial Review ..................................................... 10|
|8.|Plans for the Future ................................................ 11|
|9.|Statement of Responsibili�es ................................. 11|
|10.|Signature ................................................................ 11|
2
## **1. Chair’s Report**
This year has reminded me, once again, why SISCO exists and why our work ma�ers so deeply. Every week, I see people who have survived trauma, addic�on, loss, and years inside the jus�ce system show up with courage and a willingness to try again. That spirit — the belief that change is possible even when life has been at its hardest — is what drives everything we do.
compassion, their honesty, and their lived experience create a kind of support you simply can’t manufacture. It’s real, it’s human, and it changes lives. This year, that has meant more hours in prisons, more support in the community, and more people finding stability, connec�on, and hope.
We’ve strengthened our presence in HMP Barlinnie, expanded our work in the Springburn Community Hub, and con�nued to build partnerships that open doors for the people we support. The School of Recovery has gone from strength to strength, and the development of the Fever Roadshow shows how crea�vity and collabora�on can shine a light on issues that are too o�en hidden.
None of this happens without trust — trust from the men and women who let us walk alongside them, trust from our funders and partners, and trust within our own team. I’m proud of the resilience shown across the organisa�on this year, especially in a landscape where demand con�nues to grow and the challenges facing people in custody and in the community remain complex.
funders, partners, and the people who allow us to be part of their recovery journey. Your belief in what we do keeps this work alive.
SISCO was built on lived experience, compassion, and the simple idea that everyone deserves a chance. This year has shown that those values are not just words — they are the founda�on of real, las�ng change.
Chair of the Board SISCO
3
## **2. Reference and Administra�ve Informa�on**
## Charity Name:
SISCO
## Sco�sh Charity Number:
SC050084
##
222 Springburn Way, Springburn, Glasgow, G21 1TS
## Trustees:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
(Chair)
(Treasurer)
g (Secretary)
(Vice Chair)
**----- End of picture text -----**
## Independent Examiner:
NGL Accoun�ng Ltd
## Accountants:
GN Accoun�ng Services Ltd
4
## **3. Structure, Governance and Management**
SISCO is a Sco�sh Charitable Incorporated Organisa�on (SCIO), registered on 20 April 2020 and governed by its cons�tu�on. The Board of Trustees is responsible for strategic oversight, financial stewardship, and ensuring that SISCO operates in line with its charitable purposes.
Trustees bring a blend of lived experience, professional exper�se, and community insight. New trustees are recruited through open processes and provided with induc�on and ongoing support. The Board meets regularly to review performance, risk, and organisa�onal development.
their own lived experience of recovery, trauma, and the jus�ce system. This creates a culture of authen�city, empathy, and trust that is central to our approach.
## **4. Charitable Purposes**
SISCO’s purposes are:
- other disadvantage.
- To advance ci�zenship and community development.
- To promote equality and diversity.
- To advance educa�on.
- To promote the relief of those in need by reason of having experience of prison and addic�on.
5
## **5. Ac�vi�es and Achievements**
## **5.1 Prison-Based Support**
Weekly delivery included:
- 144 hours of face-to-face support
- 105 hours of volunteer-led safe support
- 51 hours of therapeu�c input via Email-a-Prisoner
## **5.2 Community Support – Springburn Hub**
The Hub delivered:
- 70 hours of therapeu�c mentoring each week
- One-to-one mentoring
- Group sessions
- Peer-led recovery ac�vi�es
## **5.3 School of Recovery**
- 252 men completed the programme
-
- Delivered twice weekly in HMP Barlinnie
- Expansion to women’s services planned
## **5.4 Fever Roadshow**
- £10,000 funding secured
- Touring prisons and communi�es
-
## **5.5 Partnerships**
Strengthened collabora�on with NHS services, Life Link, Recovery Café, and the School of Recovery network.
## **5.6 Case Study: Tam**
addic�on-related behaviours, he engaged with SISCO in 2016. With con�nuous support, he secured parole and has now been in the community for four years. Today, he volunteers with SISCO in the same prison where he once served his sentence.
6
## **6. CEO Report**
The past year has been one of meaningful progress, collabora�on, and con�nued commitment to Sisco’s mission of suppor�ng individuals affected by trauma, addic�on, and the criminal jus�ce system. Our work remains firmly rooted in compassion, lived experience, and the belief that every person has the poten�al for change when given the right support.
## **Overview**
Sisco has maintained a consistent presence across Sco�sh prisons, par�cularly within HMP Barlinnie, while con�nuing to strengthen our work in the community. Each week, our dedicated staff deliver **144 hours of face-to-face support** , **105 hours of volunteer-led safe support** , and **51 hours of therapeu�c input** through the Email-a-Prisoner service. These efforts ensure that individuals at all stages of recovery receive accessible, trauma-informed support both in custody and during reintegra�on.
Our sessions span a range of key focus areas including harm reduc�on, a�achment, understanding addic�on, the impact of trauma on the body, emo�onal regula�on, emo�onal sobriety, and anger management. Each area is delivered through a trauma-responsive, person-centred lens — mee�ng individuals where they are, and helping them to develop selfawareness, stability, and healthier coping mechanisms.
## **Expanding Our Reach: The Community Hub**
This year marked the successful growth of Sisco’s work in the **Springburn Community Hub** , where our team now provides **70 hours of therapeu�c mentoring and support each week** . The Hub offers a safe, inclusive environment where individuals can con�nue their recovery journey post-libera�on, build community connec�ons, and access prac�cal and emo�onal support.
Through the Hub, par�cipants engage in one-to-one mentoring, group sessions, and peer-led recovery ac�vi�es designed to promote stability, confidence, and resilience. This communitybased approach ensures con�nuity of care between custody and community, reducing the risk of relapse or reoffending and suppor�ng individuals to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.
## **Programme Highlights**
The **School of Recovery** has con�nued to deliver excellent outcomes, with **252 men successfully comple�ng the programme** and gaining two accredited qualifica�ons through Fife College. Delivered twice weekly within HMP Barlinnie, this six-week course con�nues to be a cornerstone of Sisco’s in-custody work, promo�ng reflec�on, peer connec�on, and personal development. Plans are now underway to extend this programme to women, ensuring equal access to recovery-based educa�on and therapeu�c learning opportuni�es.
We have also advanced our crea�ve and awareness-raising work through the development of the **Fever Roadshow** , produced in collabora�on with BAFTA award-winning filmmaker
7
With £10,000 in funding secured, this project addresses the cri�cal issue of prison suicide and mental health through film, discussion, and educa�on. The roadshow will tour prisons and communi�es across Scotland, challenging s�gma and promo�ng open conversa�on around trauma, mental health, and the challenges of reintegra�on.
Our partnership work con�nues to be a key strength, par�cularly through collabora�on with NHS services, Life Link, the Recovery Café, and the School of Recovery network. These partnerships create clear pathways of support that extend beyond prison walls, allowing individuals to access consistent care and community-based resources.
## **Case Study and Impact**
_Tam_ (name changed). Sentenced at 17 and serving 27 years due to addic�on-related behaviours, Tam engaged with Sisco in 2016. Through con�nuous support, he successfully navigated parole and has now been in the community for four years. Today, he volunteers with Sisco in the same prison where he once served his sentence, using his lived experience to mentor others. His story embodies the transforma�ve power of compassion, trust, and opportunity — the very founda�ons of Sisco’s work.
## **Financial Overview**
are managed effec�vely and responsibly. The organisa�on remains commi�ed to reinves�ng the majority of its income directly into frontline service delivery, ensuring maximum impact for the individuals and communi�es we support.
Funding from statutory partners, charitable trusts, and community dona�ons has enabled the con�nua�on and expansion of our core programmes, including the School of Recovery, the Fever Roadshow, and the development of the Springburn Community Hub. Financial sustainability remains a strategic priority, and Sisco con�nues to ac�vely pursue partnership and funding opportuni�es to ensure the longevity of our trauma-responsive services.
con�nue delivering impac�ul, high-quality support while upholding the highest standards of governance and accountability.
## **Challenges and Organisa�onal Resilience**
We con�nue to operate within a demanding landscape where the need for trauma-informed, recovery-focused support is increasing. The prison environment and wider social pressures create complex challenges for those we support. Despite this, our staff and volunteers have shown unwavering dedica�on, professionalism, and resilience.
supervision, and organisa�onal care. We recognise that to support others effec�vely, our team must also feel supported, valued, and equipped to manage the emo�onal demands of this work.
8
## **Looking Ahead**
The year ahead presents opportuni�es for further growth and impact. Our priori�es include:
- Expanding the **School of Recovery** to include women’s services.
- Delivering the **Fever Roadshow** across prisons and communi�es na�onwide.
- Strengthening our **Springburn Community Hub** as a cornerstone of post-libera�on support.
- Enhancing partnerships with statutory and third-sector organisa�ons to improve con�nuity of care.
- Con�nuing to deliver trauma-responsive, evidence-based interven�ons that promote recovery and reduce reoffending.
## **Conclusion**
and partners for their excep�onal contribu�on over the past year. Your belief in Sisco’s mission and values enables us to con�nue this vital work.
Most importantly, we acknowledge the individuals who have trusted us to be part of their recovery journey. Their courage and determina�on to rebuild their lives are at the heart of everything we do.
Sisco remains commi�ed to providing compassionate, person-centred support that promotes recovery, builds hope, and contributes to safer and healthier communi�es across Scotland.
Sisco
_For the year ended 31 March 2025_
9
## **6. Financial Review**
## Income:
£ **154,339**
## Expenditure:
£ **148,243**
## Net Income:
£ **6,096**
## Reserves:
£ **79,755** (Unrestricted: £ 76,897 / Restricted: £ 2,858)
## Reserves Policy
SISCO aims to maintain reserves equivalent to three months of opera�ng costs. At year end, unrestricted reserves stood at £76,897. The trustees review reserve levels annually and formally review the policy every two years.
## Trustee Remunera�on and Related Party Transac�ons
No trustee received any remunera�on or reimbursement of expenses during the year.
No trustee or person related to a trustee had any personal interest in any contract or transac�on entered into by the charity during the year.
10
## **7. Plans for the Future**
- Expand School of Recovery to women’s services
- Deliver Fever Roadshow na�onally
- Strengthen Springburn Hub
- Deepen partnerships
- Con�nue trauma-responsive, evidence-based interven�ons
## **8. Statement of Responsibili�es**
statements in accordance with the Chari�es and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.
Approved by the Board on 30 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
**Dougie MacMillan** Chair of the Board SISCO
## **9. Signature**
Signed on behalf of the Board:
Chair of the Board
SISCO
30 December 2025
11
## **SISCO**
## **Charity No. SC050084**
**Trustees' Report and Unaudited Accounts**
**31 March 2025**
**SISCO Contents**
||Pages|
|---|---|
|Trustees' Annual Report|2 to 3|
|Independent Examiner's Report|4|
|Statement of Financial Activities|5|
|Summary Income and Expenditure Account|6|
|Balance Sheet|7|
|Notes to the Accounts|8 to 9|
|Detailed Statement of Financial Activities|10 to 11|
Page 1
SISCO
Trustees Annual Report
The Trustees present their report with the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.
## REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Charity No. SC050084
## Registered Office
272 Bath Street
Glasgow G2 4JR
## Trustees
The following Trustees served during the year:
## Accountants
GN Accounting Services Ltd
Clyde Offices, 2"? Floor
48 West George Street
Glasgow
G2 1BP
## OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The principal purpose of the charity in the year under review was to promote the relief of those in need by reason of having experience of prison and addiction.
## STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The charity was registered on 20 April 2020 as SISCO (Sustainable Interventions Supporting Change Outside). The charity became active on 20 April 2020.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the 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 (FRS102).
The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Page 2
**SISCO Trustees Annual Report**
Signed on behalf of the board
Trustee
29 December 2025
Page 3
**SISCO Independent Examiners Report**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of SISCO**
I report on the SISCO (SCO50084) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Summary Income and Expenditure Account, the Balance Sheet, and the related notes.
## **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) 2005 Act 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.
As examiner it is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under s.44(1) (c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005;
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's report**
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 connection with 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
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, 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 a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
NGL Accounting Ltd Suite G, 06 Red Tree Magenta 270 Glasgow Road Glasgow G73 1UZ
29 December 2025
Page 4
## **SISCO**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
## **for the year ended 31 March 2025**
|**Notes**
**Income and endowments**
**from:**
Donations
3
Grants
4
Bank Interest
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
6
**Total**
Net gains on investments
**Net income**
Transfers between funds
**Net income before other**
**gains/(losses)**
**Other gains and losses**
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted **
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
21,518
-
121|**Restricted Total Funds Total Funds**
**2025**
**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
21,518
41,058
132,700
132,700
116,703
121|
|---|---|---|
||21,639
-|132,700
154,339
157,761
148,243
148,243
107,552|
||21,639
-|(15,543)
6,096
50,209
-|
||21,639
-|(15,543)
6,096
50,209
-|
||21,639|(15,543)
6,096
50,209|
||21,639
55,258|(15,543)
6,096
50,209
18,401
73,659
23,450|
||76,897|2,858
79,755
73,659|
Page 5
**SISCO Summary Income and Expenditure Account**
## **for the year ended 31 March 2025**
|Income
Interest and investment income
**Gross income for the year**
Expenditure
**Total expenditure for the**
**year**
Net income before tax for the year
**Net income for the year**|**2025**
**£**
154,339
-
154,339
148,243
148,243
6,096
6,096|**2024**
**£**
157,761
-|
|---|---|---|
|||157,761|
|||107,552|
|||107,552|
|||50,209|
|||50,209|
Page 6
**SISCO**
**Balance Sheet**
## **for the year ended 31 March 2025**
|**Charity No.**
**SC050084**
**Notes**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
**Current assets**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Creditors:**Amount falling due within one year
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**Net assets excluding pension asset or liability**
**Total net assets**
**The funds of the charity**
**Restricted funds**
5
**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
5
**Reserves**
**Total funds**|**2025**
**£**
**2024**
**£**
-
-|
|---|---|
||-
-
79,755
73,659|
||79,755
73,659
-|
||79,755
73,659
79,755
73,659|
||79,755
73,659|
||79,75573,659|
||2,858
18,401
76,897 55,258|
||79,755
73,659|
||79,755
73,659|
The trustees have prepared the accounts in accordance with section 44 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act.
Approved by the board on 29 December 2025
And signed on its behalf by:
## Trustee
29 December 2025
Page 7
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with receipts and Payments Accounts under section 44 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
## **Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash at bank and on hand,
## **2 Charitable status**
The Charity is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), governed by a constitution.
## **3 Income from Donations**
|**3 Income from Donations**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Donations
**4** **Income from Grants**
Big Lottery
Robertson Trust
Corra Foundation
**5 Funds note**
**Unrestricted Funds**
Donations
Bank Interest
**Restricted Funds**
Income from Grants
**Total Funds**
Total Funds balance for year
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**£**
21,518
**Unrestricted**
**£**
**Income**
21,518
121
132,700
154,339
**Unrestricted**
**£**
21,639
55,258
76,897|**Restricted**
**£**
|**Total**
**£**
21,518|
|||
**Restricted**
**£**
65,200
15,000
52,500|**Total**
**£**
65,200
15,000
52,500|
|||132,700|132,700|
|||
**Expenditure**
-
148,243|**At 31 March**
**2025**
21,518
121
(15,543)|
|||148,243|6,096|
|||
**Restricted**
**£**
(15,543)
18,401|**Total**
**£**
6,096
73,659|
|||2,858|79,755|
Page | 8
## **6 Other Expenditure**
|**ther Expenditure**|||
|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted**
**£**
Client Activities
Employee Costs
Rent and Rates
Motor and Travel costs
Office Costs
Professional Fees
Repairs and Maintenance
Bank Charges
General Expenses|**Restricted **
**£**
3,291
115,005
14,733
1,417
3,842
7,950
102
60
1,843|**Total**
**£**
3,291
115,005
14,733
1,417
3,842
7,950
102
60
1,843|
||148,243|148,243|
## **7 Staff Costs**
Salaries and Wages
|**Unrestricted**
**£**
-|**Restricted **
**£**
115,005|**Total**
**£**
115,005|
|---|---|---|
||115,005|
115,005|
Page | 9
## **Detailed Statement of Financial Activities**
|**Income and endowments from:**
Donations and Interest
Donations
Bank Interest
Grants
Big Lottery
Robertson Trust
Corra Foundation
**Total income and endowments**
**Expenditure on:**
Employee costs
Salaries/wages
Motor and travel costs
Travel
Premises costs
Rent and Rates
Repairs and Maintenance
Office Costs
Insurances
General administrative costs,
Volunteers
Cafe
Client Activities
Professional Fees
Bank Charges
General Expenses
**Total expenditure**
**Net income**
Net movement in funds|**Unrestricted**
**2025**
**£**
21,518
121
21,639
21,639|**Restricted**
**2025**
**£**
65,200
15,000
52,500
132,700
132,700
115,005
115,005
1,417
1,417
14,733
102
3,842
-
18,677
3,291
7,950
60
1,843
13,144
148,243|
|---|---|---|
||21,639|(15,543)|
||21,639|(15,543)|
Page | 10
|**Reconciliation of funds:**
Net movement in funds
Total funds brought forward
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**2025**
**2025**
**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
21,639
(15,543)
6,096
50,209
55,258
18,401
73.659
23,450|
|---|---|
||**76,897**
**2,858**
**79,755**
**73,659**|
Page | 11