# **Cohousing for Independent Living (CHIL) Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts 1 April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025** 

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## **1 Contact information** 

Cohousing for Independent Living (CHIL) Scottish Charity Number SC051399 


## **2 Our Trustees** 

Chair Secretary Treasurer Deputy Treasu Trustee Trustee Trustee Trustee 


to February 2025 

from November 2024 to June 2025 from December 2024 

## **3 Our objectives and activities** 

CHIL was established in 2021 and is run by parents and allies of adults with Down’s Syndrome.  It was set up to meet a gap in housing provision for people with Down’s Syndrome.  Our aim is to provide housing that is person-centred, sustainable, innovative and community led.  We aim to give individuals real choice of accommodation and support which enables them to live their best life and play an active part in their community. 

During 2024 our main focus was to consult with young people with Down’s Syndrome and their carers to produce the evidence to demonstrate both the need and demand for person centred cohousing.  We received feasibility funding of £10,000 from the National Lottery Awards for All Fund in December 2023 to carry out this consultation. We recruited n a consultancy basis as project coordinator to carry out this stakeholder engagement and to produce a final report with the evidence. 

## **4 Structure, governance and management** 

CHIL is a Scottish charitable organisation and is governed by its constitution.  The Trustees manage the organisation and there are no staff.  During this year a project coordinator was recruited on a consultancy basis and reported to the Board of Trustees through the Chair.   The Board met nine times during the year. 

During the yea oined CHIL as a temporary volunteer assisting greatly with administration and social media posts, developing some easy read documents and drafting the newsletter.  Her support in this area was much appreciated. 

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Trustee recruitment
In September 2024 we advertised for new Trustees on the Volunteer Scotland website.
Interviews were held in Octoberl November and fvrfo new Trustees appointed.
In Februa
stepped down as our Chair. We would like to
than
in ensuring the charity structures were in place,
relen
ess ne
or
Ing and guiding the organisation over her 3 years as Chair. In March
2025 we advertised for the Chair position on the Volunteer Scotland website and sent
links to this advert to all of our contacts. Despite having some interest, we have not
yet been able to recruit to this post.
2025
Achlevements and performance
This has been a busy, exciting and productive period for CHIL. In the early part of
the year the focus was on developing our communication materials for the stakeholder
engagement project. By April 2024 we had a website, Facebook page and an
introductory video to use as an introduction for discussion with people with Down's
Syndrome and their carers. Our main activities were" stakeholder consultation and
report. and wider networking and building partnerships.
stakeholder consultation and report
We worked closely with Down's Syndrome Scotland (DSS) and thank them for the
support and assistance to reach our stakeholders. DSS organised six online events
for us
five with young people with Down's Syndrome and one with parents and
carers. The primary method of engagement was visual facilitation drawing on the
principles of person centred planning this included activities such as "draw your
dream home". We conducted five 1-1 calls with parents.
In June 2024 a survey for parents and carers was distributed through DSS and all our
other contacts and social media. We received 74 responses.
We held three in person events:
the DSS Next steps group held at MacDonald school in Linlithgow (10 young
people involved and some parents)
DSS experts group held in Glasgow (five young people involved)
CHIL House party held in November
CHIL House Party
Our house party was the main consultation event held in Edinburgh wtth an amazing
60 participants from across Scotland. The event was run in collaboration with Imagine
If
a community engagement practice with an architectural background that
empowers communities to tum their ideas into reality.
The Imagine If game
challenges individuals to think about their home, what private areas they would like
and what areas they would like to share. The event was inspirational and validating

for the young people involved to be asked their views on where they would like to live and what support they need. 

_My place and yours – report on stakeholder findings_ 

In January 2025 presented the final report to the Trustees.  The comprehensive report outlined the findings from each of the stakeholder events, the survey results, outlined emerging themes and suggested next steps. A copy of the report can be found on our website (link) 

## _Wider networking and building partnerships_ 

Alongside the stakeholder engagement the project coordinator and all of the Trustees were involved in raising awareness of CHIL and building networks and partnerships. The main contacts were: 

- City of Edinburgh Council about the West Town development 

- Blackwood Housing association 

- Housing Options Scotland 

- Co-housing for Southern Scotland 

- Accessible housing network 

- Social Investment Scotland 

- ActionPorty 

- Land Fund 

- Netherurd House 

- Accessible Housing Scotland 

- Positive Paths 

Emer O’Leary finished as the project coordinator in January 2025.  Her commitment and enthusiasm in driving the stakeholder consultation project was a big step forward for the organisation. 

## 6 Financial review 

As per the financial summary on page 6 the charity has a surplus of £1598.94 at the year end. 

There is no formal policy on reserves 

## 7 Future plans 

The Trustees have held two planning meetings to discuss the report and plan the next steps. 

We need to source further funding to recruit a project manager.  We had hoped to apply for follow up funding from the National Lottery but unfortunately, we no longer 

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meet the eligibility criteria.   Obtaining grant funding will be one stream of work over the next year. 

We have decided to focus on developing a pilot of co-housing and to evaluate it.  Our focus for this will be in Edinburgh.  We will work in partnership with representatives from Positive Paths, Accessible Housing Scotland and Netherurd House. 

8 Declaration 


Date: 3/12/25 

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## **Co-Housing for Independent Living (CHIL)  SC051399** 

## **Financial Summary 2024/5** 

**Bank balance 1st April 2024** 10,205.00 Income Grants - - Fundraising Other Income - **Total Income -** Expenditure Bank Charges Advertising Consultancy Fee 7,621.90 House Party 984.16 - - - - **Total Expenditure 8,606.06 Bank balance 31 March 2025** 1,598.94 

_I confirm that the above summary is an accurate representation of Co-Housing for Independent Living (CHIL) cash movements for the year ended 31 March 2025, and that;_ 

- _All expenditure has been incurred solely in line with the objectives of SoS's constitution and that;_ 

   - _All expenditure has been incurred solely in connection with the business of the Charity and in line with CHIL's core objectives_ 

   - _All income raised locally has been accounted for_ 


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## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Co-Housing for Independent Living (CHIL) - Scottish Charity Number SC051399** 

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 which are set out on page 6. 

## **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) 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 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 

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, and 

   - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and 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. 


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