Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO
Trustees Annual Report for the Year Ending 31°' March 2026
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Introduction:
The Trustees have pleasure in presenting the annual report together with the financial statements for the year ending 31% March 2026. The Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO was registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) in 2023 (SC052301). This is the third report submitted in compliance with OSCR requirements.
Name and Address:
The Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO (BRG) may be contacted via the Secretary to the Trustee Board, Graham H Beastall, at Mayfield Cottage, Birdston, Glasgow G66 1RW. The email address for BRG is birdstonregenerationgroup@gmail.com .
The Board of BRG meets in the home of the Secretary. Public meetings of BRG, including the AGM, are held in the Village Hall, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow G66 8DD.
Constitution and Purpose:
The BRG constitution was prepared in compliance with the OSCR model constitution for Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIO). The constitution was approved by the
Board of Trustees of BRG and accepted by OSCR. A copy of the constitution is available, on request, from the Secretary.
The purposes of BRG are:
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e The advancement of environmental protection or improvement; promoting and encouraging biodiversity by supporting native plants and animals through the purchase and appropriate restoration of the former Birdston coup site to
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incorporate a varied, functional, and sustainable environment.
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e The provision of recreational facilities with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities are primarily intended; providing the local communities of Birdston, Milton of Campsie and Lennoxtown with free and equal access to well-connected, publicly owned recreational green spaces which improve quality of life.
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e The advancement of citizenship or community development; working in partnership with appropriate organisations, charitable bodies, and local community on an ongoing basis, in order that the legacy of the former Birdston coup site is upheld in keeping with the needs of local community and the natural environment.
Trustees:
The Trustees serving during the year were:
Graham Beastall Elected Fiona Hamill Elected Louise Nixon Elected. Chair Jennifer Reeve Co-opted Elizabeth Rowan Elected Neill Simpson Co-opted Isobel Stanley Elected
The Trustees were appointed in accordance with the BRG constitution.
Activities and Achievements:
During its third year of operation the BRG Board met on seven occasions and:
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e Complied with the requirements of the Office of the Scottish Charity Register,
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e Expanded the number of BRG Members from the community to >100, and sent them regular email updates on the work of BRG,
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e Devised a workplan for the year based on five workstreams,
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@ Communicated with external organisations and individuals, including:
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The current owners of the former Birdston Coup,
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The Planning Department of East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC),
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The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA),
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The Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS)
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Planning Aid Scotland and The Faculty of Advocates,
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Elected representatives, including the local MP, MSP and EDC Councillors,
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Oo Community Land Scotland,
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The Community Woodland Association,
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Walk, Run, Cycle East Dunbartonshire.
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e Represented BRG at relevant community events, including the Milton of Campsie Festival, and Festive Folk,
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e Obtained grant support to participate in the Scottish Community Land Festival,
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e Organised a Family Treasure Hunt in Birdston Wood,
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e Supported the Birdston Wood Community Group (BWCG) subcommittee, which took the lead role in the project to acquire Birdston Wood for the community.
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e Used a £9500 grant from the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) to confirm the feasibility of the Birdston Wood project, including options for ecological development,
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e Established a dedicated Facebook account for Birdston Wood,
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e Obtained BRG Member approval to submit a Stage 2 grant application to SLF for funding equivalent to 80% of the agreed purchase price of Birdston Wood,
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e Secured financial backing from almost 100 community members to guarantee the remaining 20% of the agreed purchase price,
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e Organised a highly successful ceilidh as a social and fundraising event,
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e In collaboration with the Milton of Campsie Community Council (MOCCC) organised and submitted a petition to lobby EDC to re-open the core footpath across the site,
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e Attended meetings with MOCCC and the Milton of Campsie Greenbelt Preservation Group to better understand the extent of testing that may be needed to clarify the degree of contamination on the site of the former Birdston Coup.
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e Conducted a detailed survey of Japanese Knotweed presence on the site and obtained a costed treatment schedule.
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e Convened and held a third Annual General Meeting at which the Board of Trustees for the year 2026-27 was elected,
Approval of annual report and accounts:
This annual report and the accompanying set of annual accounts have been approved by the Trustees of the Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO. The document is signed on their behalf by:
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ah Ns O}- OF-2626-
(Chair of Board of Trustees) (Date)
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Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2026
Independent Examiner’s Report
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO | report on the financial statements of the Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO (BRG) for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The BRG Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (’the Act’) and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (‘the Regulations’). The BRG Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(d) 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 the Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by BRG 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 | 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:
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Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect, the requirements:
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a. To keep accounting records in accordance with the regulations, and
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b. To prepare accounts which agree with the accounting records and comply with the regulations:
have not been met, or
- To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Examiner Name: Kerry O, GQILBE IT
Signed:
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Date:
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Birdston Regeneration Group SCIO (BRG)
Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2026
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Income
| Income | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Birdston | Total | 2024/25 | |
| Wood | ||||
| Donations to bank account | 1600.00 | 1015.00 | ||
| Transfer from Crowdfunder | 2601.23 | |||
| Donation (Festive Folk) | 101.91 | |||
| Grant (Scottish Community Festival) | 150.00 | |||
| Grant (Scottish Land Fund) | 9502.00 | |||
| Gift Aid | 400.00 | 10.00 | ||
| Ceilidh | 1608.00 | |||
| Grant (EDC Community Fund) | 2000.00 | |||
| Total | 2150.00 | 14838.14 | 16988.14 | 2000.00 |
| Expenditure | ||||
| Japanese knotweed survey | 1440.00 | |||
| Legal liability insurance | 76.16 | |||
| Treasure hunt | 155.10 | |||
| Publicity and promotion | 107.66 | 187.18 | ||
| Village hall booking | 54.00 | 27.00 | ||
| Independent valuation | 4560.00 | |||
| Ecological survey | 2934.00 | |||
| Feasibility study | 500.00 | 1996.00 | ||
| Administration | 84.99 | |||
| Payments to professional bodies | 15.00 | 34.00 | ||
| Purchase ofequipment | 1108.97 | |||
| 2432.91 | 9677.18 | 12110.09 | 1169.97 | |
| Balance Sheet | ||||
| Opening balance at01/04/2025 | 1323.98 | |||
| Surplus during year | 4878.05 | |||
| Closingbalanceat31/03/2026 | 6202.03 |