**The Bellman (SCIO) Trustees** ’ **Annual Report August 2024 - 2025** ## **Charity contact information** The Bellman (SCIO) Scottish Charity Number: SC050368 Address: 18 South Lodge Drive, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Postcode: AB39 2PN Telephone number: 07828 202 888 Email address: mike.duncan23@outlook.com Website: www.thebellman.co.uk 2 ## **Charity Trustees** 1. George Reid, Chair 2. Jane Cruickshank, Secretary 3. Mike Duncan, Treasurer 3 ## **Objectives and activities** Launched in July 2019, the Bellman was established as a SCIO on the 10th August 2020 for the purpose of representing local news, interests and amenities of the community in Stonehaven and promoting community development in South Aberdeenshire by providing a free **digital news website** . The Bellman (www.thebellman.co.uk) provides information from a community perspective in the areas of: - Town news, events and activities - Sport, health, wellbeing & lifestyle - Science, environmental protection and improvement - Arts, culture, heritage and religion - Public interest journalism, covering the activities of the Community Council, Local Authority and its elected members. The Bellman is a free to access site that also allows the community to comment on and submit items of news and general interest. It also provides a platform for local groups and associations to promote their activities and events, to encourage participation in events and community affairs and promotes a sense of community welfare and responsibility, enhancing social connections within the community. ## **Bellman Activity Overview** The Bellman website remains the only source of dedicated local news and community affairs in Stonehaven. In our first year of operation site statistics demonstrated that the readership of the Bellman was already reaching beyond the population of Stonehaven (circa 12,000) and while readership isn’t a specific target in itself, the monthly average for unique visits has increased by over 300% since we began in 2019. it is encouraging that reader numbers continue to grow, reflecting the demand and interest for a local news service in the community. 4 |**Month**|**Unique Site visitors**|**Page reads**| |---|---|---| |Jan-24|15463|85650| |Feb-24|14618|75718| |Mar-24|12996|52650| |Apr-24|16997|73607| |May-24|16265|67870| |Jun-24|17237|69227| |Jul-24|17839|74836| |Aug-24|14628|61804| |Sep-24|13052|53420| |Oct-24|15957|63162| |Nov-24|19089|61319| |Dec-24|11491|45351| |**Total For Year**|**185632**|**784614**| |**Monthly Average**|**15469**|**65385**| |||| |Jan-25|11238|33864| |Feb-25|12733|54559| |Mar-25|17886|97065| |Apr-25|13677|66000| |May-25|13884|85964| |Jun-25|17971|129701| |Jul-25|17916|95814| |Aug-25|20239|79668| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**Total For YTD**|**125544**|**642635**| |**Monthly Average**|**15693**|**80329**| 5 ## **Bellman Accounts - Nature & Purpose of Funds** The Bellman’s sole purpose, as described above, is to provide and maintain a local news and community service within Stonehaven. As in previous financial years the Bellman has been able to cover its annual operating costs through grant funding, supplemented by income from local interest advertising. During the financial year reported, the Bellman: - Incurred no other expenses - Was in receipt of income from a local business grant and advertising - Did not support any other organisation via grant funding - Paid no remuneration or expenses to any of the three SCIO Trustees (or anyone connected to a charity trustee) - Recruited no staff paid or otherwise Bellman income in 2024 - 2025 together with the funds held n our bank account was sufficient to cover our annual operating costs for the year, and leave a surplus in our bank account to be carried forward of £2,104. ## **Structure, governance and management** Type of governing document The Bellman SCIO is governed under a single tier Constitution which sets out the organisation’s purpose, structure and describes how it will operate. Governance is discussed as a regular agenda item at Business meetings and there were no issues arising during the period of this annual report. Trustee recruitment and appointment The Bellman operates under the guidance and direction of three Trustees and no additional trustees were recruited during the period of this annual report. The recruitment process is at the discretion of the existing Trustees and should the organisation require additional skills or experience, any new recruitment would be discussed and agreed at a Business meeting. External organisations are not allowed to appoint charity trustees. 6 ## **Achievements and performance** One of the primary aims of the Bellman has been to establish the site as the ‘go to’ trusted destination for local community news and interests. The site stats show another year of strong growth in monthly unique site visits with the average now in excess of 15,500 a month (up from 14,000 in 2023/4). The Bellman continues to report widely on local community news and interests in the areas of: - Community news, events and activities - Sport, health, wellbeing & lifestyle - Science, environmental protection and improvement - Arts, culture, heritage and religion - Activities of the Community Council, Local Authority and elected members The Bellman has also encouraged community development by enabling residents to comment on and submit items of news and general interest. 7 ## **Financial review** Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves As reported in the Use of Funds section, above, the Bellman did not generate any income from business activity during the financial year and annual operating costs were met through a mix of grants secured and advertising on the site.. At the end of the financial year, the Bellman recorded a surplus of £2,104. The ongoing expenditures and costs of operating the Bellman site are readily identified and stable and the trustees do not envisage any unanticipated expenditure or operating costs. The business is now supplementing funding from local sources with advertising on the site. Should the Bellman generate a modest surplus at the end of any financial year, then these funds may be retained as a reserve to meet future contingencies, should they arise. With our key financial goal each year to cover our operating costs, it would not be our aim to create substantial reserves. Our reserve policy will be reviewed from time to time to ensure that it continues to be relevant for the needs of the business. Details of any deficit The Bellman was able to meet its annual operating costs through advertising, donations and grant funding. Donated facilities and services No facilities or services were donated during the period of the annual report. 8 ## **Future plans** Plans for 2024/5 include: - Maintain &/or grow the Bellman readership - Encourage greater participation in the site form local sporting, social and cultural groups to share news of the events and activities - Continue to expand our network of volunteer authors - Secure sustainable funding to cover the Bellman’s operating costs 9 ## **Declaration** Signed on behalf of the charity trustees: Mike Duncan Print name Trustee & Treasurer Designation 10th May 2026 Date 10