ERSKINE COMMUNrrY ALLOTMENTS SCIO SCOThISH CHARITY NO - SCO52678 Annual Report and Financial Ststsments Forthe year ended 31 October 2024
Trustees. Annual Report For the year ended 31 October 2024 The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together wrth the financial statements for the year endaj 31 Octotw 2024. Reference and AdminSstrallve Informatlon Charity name Erskbne Communty Allotments SCIO Charfty No. SC052678 Address Current Trustees Resignations No resignations to report Appointments
Structure, Governance and Management Constitution The Charity's slatus has changed to a Scottish Charitable Incx)rKxwated Org8nisation and was registered on 12 July 2023 moving it from its fonner Unincorporated Association status vthich Nvas registered on 12 June 2016. The assets of Erskine Community Allotments Sc046634 were transferred to Erskine Community Alotments Sc052678 on registration. It has a two tier structure and as such, the trustees are also members of the Charily. Prior to registration the Charty previously operated as Lamont Gardens. with the assets of Lamont Gardens transferred to the Erskine Community Allotmenls Sc046634 on registration. Appointment of tn The Board, which nomially meets on the second Sunday of each month, are the Charity's trustees. Membership of the management committee is open to all members. Trustees are elected at the annual general meeting by its Members which are held in November. There must be a minirnum of four and a maximum of eight trustees on the Board Objectives and Activities Charitsble purposes a) The advanrnent of communty development, through provision of and participation in communty garden spaces in a sustainable and indusive manner. b) the advanrnet of education of the general public in agriculture. horticultu. sustsinable development and the prot&Xion and improvement of the natural environment through good environmental praCtIS by encouraging and teaching a range of outdoor skills and pursutts, promoiing the beneffts of the natural environment and living more sustamably. c) to advance environmentsl improvement through the growing of food locally. leading to a reduction in (xrtM)n footprint, increased resilience, and opportunities for recyding organic and other materials and by promoting the benefits of and demonstrating a range of good environmental and horticultural practices such as organic growing, composting. and through reducing. re-using and recyding of r&sources
d) To provide recreats'onal faalibes, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the cx)nditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activrties are primarily intended by providing affordable allotment spaces, opportunrties for people to grow their (fvn focyj and to keep physi(3lly and socially ive. Activitles The charity provides allotment plots for the cultivth'on and growing of frurt, vegetables and ftchvers based at the allotrnent site, to improve the )ndrt10nS of life for members generally have a need for such facilrties to enhan their health and wellbeing. During 2023 the members requested that the trustees apply for SCIO status in order to secure the allotment site. This request was carried out and application made. The annual judging of the allotments conts'nues as a bit of fun and enjoyment for the plot holders and 2 extemal independent judges carry out the judging for us. Plot Judging takes place in early August when the plots look go(Kl and full of vegetables, frurt and flowers. It has also rneant a rise in better looking plots from the previous year. Our Polycrub {Poly tunnel) sts'll proves to be a massive asset to the Charity and has been well used. So much so that Spa is at a premium with more and more members wishing to use it to grchv tomatoes, chillies aubergines and a fig tree. With the move to SCIO sLatus in July we were able to hold two Open Days one on 2 September 2023 and one on 7 September 2024. We norrnally hold this in earfy September to ensure that we have some surplus produ that we can sell in our main fundraising of the year. 2023 year saw the charity start to recover after Covbd and the recovery continued into the 2024 Open Day. Any surplus fresh fruit and vegetables after the open day a distribut to groups Wt support those in need. Achievements and Perforniance In late 2023 the members requested that V apply for a Communrty Asset Transfor for the allotment site and an adj8nt piece of ground to come under ownership of the allotment site to ensure the secuiity of the charty as we move fOrd. This request was carried out and applicats'on was made to Renfrewshire Council and our applicats'on for Community Asset Transfer approval was granted in January 2024 to proceed the transfer of ownership.
Dernand for allotment plots sbll remains very high. The popularty in food growing is still growng and is encouraging you families nN wanting to tske parL Our waiting continues to grow. similar groviing groups gather every 3 months to exchange ideas and tske part in Renfrewshire's Food Growing Strategy for the Scottish Govemment. Still no face to face meetings, things are still not back to nomal with the Forum and still only meet via zoom meetings. It is good to catch up, but it just feels strange not meeb'ng up face to face. We continue to fundraise through our seed scheme where members cx)mpile their order for seeds and we o)mpile one main order through a seed catsl&Jue from which we eam a discount on the purchases and this in tum helps to bc#)st our funts. The Community Payback Scheme continues to support us whenever they can to help us if they have supervising staff available to cary out the requested. Financial review Our main source of funding is fees which are charged to plot holders for membership. Fees still remain the same at £20 for full plot arKI £10 for a half plot and there is no indiczb'on that these will iise in near future. We presently do rK)t have a Treasurer and Smtsry has stepped in to carry out these duties and were checked by myself (as Chairperson) and passed to our auditor for verification. We will continue with our Secretary as acting Treasuror and l as Chairperson looking after the financial arrangements until our AGM in November 2025 unlil a new Treasurer can be aprminted. Reserves policy The trustees, policy is to retain £500 in wder to meet (x)mrnitments and to cover any unexpected expendrture. The tTUStees tel that this is an 8ptable range but will continue to monitor the kThiti'on. Plans for future period Continuation wilh the Communty Asset Transts buy (Krt will (y)ntinue in 2025 between our solicrtors and the Council's legal servIs, hopefully wrth the completion of the transfer finalising by mid June. on the Communrty Asset Transfer is completed we hope to stsrt fundraising and applying for grants to start work on what will be the extension to the allotments arKI
build 24 raised stsrter to errable us to bring in 24 rneTT tt) join us in grOvng food. received funding Sate October 2024 to enable us to upgrade one of the plots with learning centres. schcx>ls or rf possible to wple sufferw)g from Dementia groups. DeperKJing on weathw CL)ndrtions this will be completed earfy 2025. We have been asked to up with an early leaming group and primary schoc4 with both visits and assistance when they start their o•m gardens. We are all looking fopABrd to the new challenges ne( year. We wil be Sd)edul1 datas in 2025 for. Our Annual Plot Judging - August Annual Open Day - September Seed Scheme - September Position: ChaIrpSOn
XZAPPENDIX 3 OSCR tth tyL8tor Independent examinefs report on the accounts Report to the Clwlynllme 1rusteeslmem1rS ol ERSKINE COMMUNrrY PLLOTmEls SCIO SC052678 On the accounts of th¢ chartty forth8 pfrriod Penod eTrJ (late Mcffih Morth Year 01 31 10 Sgt out on pago5 responsibili"eS of wlh1he tm of the Chanlies and Trustee Investment IS¢otland) 20J5 Act and It trustees and examiner Chanties Accounts (Scotland) Regulat 21Th. The d)arrty tAteeS that the aLKIrt rwJiremI of R&3atOn 10(11 {d} of Ihe Accourts Rg2ulatiws does not apply. li is my reS[L1lIty lo examin8 the nIS as re4ur8J un(Èr 44111 {cl of Aci d lo state Whe1h pts(lar matters have o)nE lo my attenlicn. Basis of independent My examinaiion is cwried ¢yJt in rdance wlh Regubts"on 11 of the Charibes éxaminee• Statement AccoJnt3 ISethL8nJl Regulatscwis 21x6. An examination iLje 8 review of the acrojnbng records kept by the th9rty 8ThJ a crYnpari¥on of the accounts presented those reoJrd$. k aso indude5 corrideration of any Lual items or disdosures in the 8(wunls aTrY seeks gxplanab.ons from the Inlee$ wcwning ary matters. proc8dLrgs wdertaken do not all the evid that would be rwirèd in audit atvj. nSeqUentY, I do not eyyass an Op1Th on ts accou)ts. Indepen4J•nt Xannes In the cour¥e of my examination. no matttt to rny attents'on Iclher lh Ihal stat•m•nt diad0j on ts athed paJo1 whK gives rrE rs>ascKthle CPAM8 ts) Ihat in any material respect th rewirefferrts.. to keep accxxthng rec)rds in aLx¢xd8nee wrth ¥edion 4411) la) of tho x)S Act 8Th R8gul"on 4 of the 2Cth knounts Regulath"ons, aTrJ to prepare acLJJunts whith ac¢ord w7th tho accounl.ng rgc(Yds and ccthpty wth Raguktion 9 of the 2C(6 Aeeourts Ragdal5 have not fft. c to in my ry)iniory #ttenliop slKNJld dTw•n in orthr to enablo a wepor &gned'. Name.. Relevant professional quallficationls) or body lif any).. Address.. 'Plea8edeweih• worth hlhe brackers IT trey do ioi appty It the words do apply. sel )uithc68 malknAlich ce tr) altethn on th fknn9 p•9e.
APPENDIX 3 Disclosure section Onty complete rf the examiner needs to hh1m Matla1 [Qbs. Glve hor• brf•f detalls of any items that the exarninor wishes to disck>se
APPEtr4DiX2 SCO52678 OSCR Receipts and payments accounts Forihe pwd 31 Section A Statement of receipts a nd payments ilnthstrkts Permanè Toiai ftvvjs ts#t A1 R•¢•l tradmg recepts by I Stotr 17 11.162 Al Sut lOtsI 17 1404J 2 Sub 11.102 S14 A3Subts 4474 3.111 A5 TrMfw• trlfftoml lund•
SC052678 Section B Statefflenl of balance5 Tolil ¢LYrinf l•#pwbxl T•W T41 1{12f 2 IL35 3hc-iJ FTLo•2 oo rEa¢l as til355 •-5
APPEND2 SC052678 Section C Notes to the Accounts C1 N&ture and purpose ol funds (maybe stated Grant fund5 are for a Furth to bE due tothe weaUET and floNI1j t•l•a¢h •aty ¥miry gwrg d8W De ol ci. Il* ?1 ¢.fC>It ¢1 Grnnl• Tot•1 C3• Trust•• r•muMr4tfjon If rn femunwation wa5 p&k1 dunroJ the wiryj to any thanty trwt¢e or penm C¢1 to nder V•li Qlb Tru•ta• r•fflyn•rallon. d•trl (o roJt•t•TrJhW4t C5 Transadon$ with SCIO on 2kn Fetrrfuary 2024
SC052678 crn ¢Jw D*y2024+ 17 •••#• 47B 471 T¢•1
SC052678 Additional an3iy51s12 To 11.112
SC052878 Addiiional analysis 131