Charity number: SC053351
## **Riverview Community SCIO**
Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements For the period ended 31 March 2025
Riverview Community SCIO
**Contents of the Financial Statements** for the period ended 31 March 2025
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the Trustees|1|
|Report of the Independent Examiner|8|
|Receipts and Payments Account|9|
|Statement of Balances|10|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|11|
Riverview Community SCIO
**Report of the Trustees** for the period ended 31 March 2025
The Trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial statements of the Charity for the period ended 31 March 2025.
## **Principal office**
c/o Riverview Church 61 Stewart Avenue Bo’ness EH51 9NJ
## **Status of Charity and Governing Document**
Riverview Community SCIO was registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 14 May 2024. The charity registration number is SC053351.
## **Why Riverview Community SCIO was formed**
Riverview Community SCIO was formed as a response to the growing needs within our town of Bo’ness. As many of the essential services needed by the most vulnerable and isolated people in the town are not available in the town, Riverview Community SCIO was formed to address this gap. Rooted in Christian values, our mission is clear: “to show and share the good news of Jesus Christ by actively loving and serving the people of Bo’ness.” Founded by Riverview Church, but run by and for the community, our charity serves as an umbrella for a wide range of community-focused projects designed to meet real and pressing needs with compassion, dignity, and hope and without discrimination or prejudice. In a short time, we’ve laid strong foundations for long-term impact in the town we love. We have put in place the required governance procedures and policies and have launched our first major project, ‘The Junction’.
## **Trustees and Office Bearers**
The Trustees who served from the date of registration to the date of this report are:
## **Appointment of Trustees**
The individuals who signed the charity trustee declaration forms which accompanied the application for incorporation of the organisation shall be deemed to have been appointed by the members as charity trustees with effect from the date of incorporation of the organisation.
The board may at any time appoint any person to be a charity trustee – by way of a resolution passed by majority vote at a board meeting.
A person will not be eligible for election or appointment to the board if they are: -
- a) disqualified from being a charity trustee under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005; or
- b) an employee of the organisation (unless they have previously been appointed as a Salaried Leader); or
- c) do not agree nor accept the Statement of Faith and the Purposes.
The maximum number of charity trustees is 12 and the minimum number is 7.
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Riverview Community SCIO
**Report of the Trustees** for the period ended 31 March 2025
## **Objectives and Charitable Purposes**
Riverview Community exists to carry the light of the good news of Jesus Christ through practical love and service. Our charitable aims include:
- Alleviating poverty and hardship in Bo’ness.
- Providing access to support and education without discrimination.
- Encouraging mental wellbeing and social inclusion within the community.
To achieve these, we work in close partnership with like-minded organisations to connect people with resources that can improve their lives. Our activities are designed to be flexible and responsive, always keeping the unique context and challenges of Bo’ness and the individual in view. We have committed to provide our essential services free of charge.
## **Activities and achievements**
During this first year, on 23[rd] July 2024, we secured the lease for a standalone building in the heart of Bo’ness which now acts as a hub for many of our charitable activities. Named ‘The Junction’, this welcoming space enables us to run and host a range of initiatives that serve the community in a nonjudgmental, relational way. During the first few months we decorated, furbished and furnished the Junction into a welcoming, safe, café-style flexible space.
Since opening the Junction in November 2024, we have launched two regular community initiatives:
- **Warm Space** : A relaxed, café-style drop-in where anyone in Bo’ness can find a warm welcome, a listening ear, and practical support. Since launching, over 50 unique visitors have attended, not including people we already had connections with. This initiative has helped reduce social isolation and acted as a first point of contact for people in need of further support.
- **Connect2 TC Forth Valley** : A partnership programme hosted in our space, offering support, advocacy, and rehab services for those affected by addiction. A growing number of participants are finding breakthrough in their recovery journeys, with some already experiencing significant freedom from addiction and ongoing support in rebuilding their lives.
Alongside our core activities, we have developed strong and meaningful connections with local businesses, organisations, and individuals. These include our local councillor, who intends to hold his community surgeries in our building, and the Bo’ness Accordion Band, who—after struggling to find a suitable rehearsal space—will begin using our premises from June 2025. We’ve also partnered with Bo’ness Food Pantry and Falkirk Food Bank, both of whom have generously supplied goods that we are able to offer free of charge to anyone in need.
These early milestones reflect our heart to meet people where they are and journey with them towards hope and transformation. The stories emerging from these groups affirm our approach: small, community-rooted steps can lead to life-changing outcomes.
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Riverview Community SCIO
**Report of the Trustees** for the period ended 31 March 2025
## **Activities and achievements (continued)**
The photos below show the Junction before being transformed into a café-style centre for our charitable services to the people of Bo’ness.
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Riverview Community SCIO
**Report of the Trustees** for the period ended 31 March 2025
## **Activities and achievements (continued)**
The photos below show the Junction being transformed.
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Riverview Community SCIO
**Report of the Trustees** for the period ended 31 March 2025
## **Activities and achievements (continued)**
The photos below show the Junction being used.
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Riverview Community SCIO
**Report of the Trustees** for the period ended 31 March 2025
## **Activities and achievements (continued)**
The photo below shows the outside space of the Junction being used in good weather.
## **Future plans – the Junction**
Looking ahead, we are eager to grow our reach and deepen our impact. Our strategic priorities for the coming year include:
- **Expanding our volunteer team’s hours** to increase our capacity and open our drop-in café more frequently.
- **Launching new support groups and workshops** , based on identified community needs, in particular English conversation groups for migrant workers, and a partnership with Bethany Christian Trust to help ex-offenders reintegrate into the community after prison.
- **Employing two part-time staff members** to coordinate activities, manage the premises, and strengthen local partnerships.
- **Enhancing signposting and advocacy services** , ensuring that everyone who walks through our doors can be connected with appropriate help.
- **Developing sustainable funding streams** to support our work long-term and remain a reliable presence in the heart of Bo’ness.
We remain committed to collaborative working, responding creatively to emerging needs, and offering a consistent, hope-filled presence to the most vulnerable in our town.
To strengthen the financial sustainability of the Junction and the services provided through it, we are applying to Falkirk Council to convert our current Business Lease to a Community Benefit Lease or a Community Asset Transfer. This is on the basis that we are not a business. We are a not-for-profit organisation providing essential services free of charge to the most needy and disadvantaged people of Bo’ness without discrimination, and we are dependent on volunteers to deliver these services. We are seeking letters of support from key charities and organisations of Bo’ness towards this aim.
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Riverview Community SCIO
Report of the Trustees for the period ended 31 March 2025
Other future plan5
Our priority during our first year was to establish firm foundations for the charity and begin meeting the
urgent needs of the town through our first major project, 'The Junction,. Our priorities beyond the
Junction during our second year include:
Strengthening ourcharityfoundations through establishing a unique branding and web/social media
presence and building on our relationships with like-minded local charities and organisations.
Preparing the way for the next major projects, based on identified community needs through our
continuous community engagement. One idea that will be explored during the year is to provide
woodworking taster sessions to help young adults who are struggling with mainstream education to
gain new skills and a sense of community and belonging. The aim is to give them hope and support
towards a more fulfilled future.
Finanaal revlew
Results fvr the year
The financial statements for the year are set out on pages 9 to 11. The Receipts and Payments Account
on page 9 reflects a surplus for the year of £4,022. Total reseNes. including restricted funds, amounted
to £4,022.
Reserves pollry
The Twstees have agreed during the first year of the charity as we become established, to build up
reserves through unrestricted funds, and then maintain unrestricted funds reserves of between three
months and six months of annual operating expenditure. This will allow sufficient unrestricted fvnds to
enable the ongoing work of the charity.
Thanks
The Trustees are grateful for the financial support of individual donors, churches and other funders who
provided us with funding during the year.
th
The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 5 June 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
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Riverview Community SCIO
Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees for the year ended 31 March 2025
I report to the Trustees on the accounts of the Charty for the period ended 31 March 2025 which are set
out on page 9 to 11.
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The Charitvs trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the
requirements of the Charities and Trustee Investment IScotland} Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts
{Scotland) Regulations 2CM)6 (as amended}. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of
Regulation 10{1) (d) 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 Examinerfs statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts IScotland}
Regulations 2006 (as amended). 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
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 Examinerfs Statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respert the requirements:
to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) lal of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4
of the 2006 Accounts Regulations (as amended), and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of
the 2006 Accounts Regulations {as amended)
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.
The Old Manse
11 Erngath Road
Bo'ness
EH519DP
Date: 6 June 2025
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ornerstone
ACCOUNTING
Riverview Community SCIO
## Receipts and Payments Account
For the period ended 31 March 2025
|**Notes**
**Receipts**
Donations
Individuals
Churches
Community organisations - Branches
Grant income
**2**
Fundraising income
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Junction expenses
Equipment costs
Insurance
Legal expenses
Printing and stationery
Rent
Repairs and maintenance
**Total payments**
**Surplus for the year**
Transfer between funds
**Surplus after transfers**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**2025**
**funds**
**funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**4,992**
**-**
**4,992**
**5,417**
**-**
**5,417**
**500**
**-**
**500**
**1,000**
**-**
**1,000**
**494**
**-**
**494**
**12,403**
**-**
**12,403**
**744**
**-**
**744**
**2,598**
**-**
**2,598**
**395**
**-**
**395**
**800**
**-**
**800**
**30**
**-**
**30**
**3,572**
**-**
**3,572**
**242**
**-**
**242**
**8,381**
**-**
**8,381**
**4,022**
**-**
**4,022**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**4,022**
**-**
**4,022**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**4,022**
**-**
**4,022**|
|---|---|
The notes on page 11 form part of these financial statements.
Page 9
Riverview Community SCIO
## Statement of Balances
As at 31 March 2025
|Riverview Community SCIO
Statement of Balances
As at 31 March 2025|||
|---|---|---|
|**Notes**
**Cash at bank and in hand**
Current account|**Opening**
**Surplus**
**balance**
**for year**
**£**
**£**
**-**
**4,022**
**2025**|**Closing**
**balance**
**£**
**4,022**|
|**Total cash at bank and in hand**|**-**
**4,022**|**4,022**|
|**Represented by:**
**Unrestricted fund**
**3**
General fund||**4,022**|
|**Total funds**||**4,022**|
|**Statement of assets at 31 March 2025**
Gift aid due||**2025**
**£**
**895**|
|||**895**|
|**Statement of liabilities at 31 March 2025**
Accounting and independent examination fees||**2025**
**£**
**100**|
|||**100**|
The financial statements on pages 9 to 11 were approved by the Trustees on 5th June 2025 and signed on their behalf by the undernoted:
The notes on page 11 form part of these financial statements.
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Riverview Community SCIO
## Notes to the financial statements
for the period ended 31 March 2025
## **1. Accounting policies Accounting convention**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, on a receipts and payments basis and in accordance with the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
## **Receipts and Payments Account**
For the purpose of the Receipts and Payments account as shown on page 9, funds are defined as follows:
_**Unrestricted**_ funds comprise donations, grants and other income received for the objects of the charity without further specified purpose and are available as general funds.
## **2. Grant income**
We are extremely thankful for receipts of the following grants:
|Arnold Clark
**3. Unrestricted funds**
General fund
**Total unrestricted funds**|**Balance at**
**14.05.2024**
**£**
-
-|**Receipts**
**£**
12,403
12,403|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
1,000
**1,000**
**Payments**
**£**
(8,381)
(8,381)|**Restricted**
**2025**
**funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
-
**1,000**
**-**
**1,000**
**Balance at**
**Transfers 31.03.2025**
**£**
**£**
-
**4,022**
-
**4,022**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
## _**Explanation of funds**_
The _General fund_ represents all income and expenditure relating to the primary focus activities of the charity, other than those for which funding is restricted.
## **4. Trustee and related party remuneration and expenses**
There was no remuneration paid to any of the Trustees. One trustee ( ) was paid expenses of £81 during the year
ending 31 March 2025 for buying the wood for the café refurbishment.
Unrestricted donations by Trustees of the Charity amounted to £755. Riverview Church, which founded the Charity and is considered to be a related party, donated £5,000 in the year.
## **5. Volunteers**
The charity has benefitted greatly in it's first year from the services of many volunteers: in helping with the set up of the Junction, in helping to run the drop-in café and warm space, and in being available to serve during the Connect 2 programme. We are indebted to all those who are serving the charity in this way.
## **6. Comparatives**
As this is the first year of the organisation, no comparatives have been provided.
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