The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)".
The Company was established in August 2019 to acquire, equip and operate a facility in the Tillydrone area of Aberdeen to allow its sister charity, the Deeside Christian Fellowship, to run its Lighthouse Project, and to be used as a meeting place for Donside Community Church.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by OSCR in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
In November 2022, the Company became the legal owner of the former Tillydrone Library and Family Centre. Following a tender process, major refurbishment works commenced in July 2023 and were essentially completed by the end of 2023. The snagging work scope commenced in January 2024 and ran throughout the year. During the summer months the outside painting works were completed.
Temporary Occupation of the building was granted by Aberdeen City Council building control on 29 January 2024. Building warrant final approval was granted on 20 June 2024.
By 31 March 2024, all staff and volunteers for the Lighthouse Project, and Donside Community Church, were using the building to run their various groups and church services in keeping with the main objectives of the charity.
In September 2024, the garden area was revamped by installing new wooden fencing, returfing the creche play area, and laying a concrete area for cage football.
The now refurbished multi-purpose facility meets the trustees’ objectives of having a facility that is ideal for large church groups as well as smaller community focused ones. The building includes a well-equipped kitchen, café space, main hall, smaller meeting rooms, staff office, and creche space.
Besides being a warm, safe and welcoming facility, there’s a foodbank, laundry facilities, showers, pool table, carpet bowls, table tennis, cage football along with craft, and counselling rooms.
During 2024 there were no Health & Safety incidents relating to the Company. A Food Safety Management System was developed, and the Company was granted a Health & Hygiene “Pass” by the local council.
With the refurbishment works complete, capital expenditure is now minimal. The retention monies outstanding at year-end are largely as a result of intermittent failures of the heating system in the main hall area.
The organisation has strong cash reserves and fixed property assets.
Incoming resources during the period totalled £112,818 (2023: £835,850) which has been at a level sufficient to adequately achieve our commitments and undertakings. The significant decrease was as a result of the refurbishment works being complete and therefore a drive for additional funding no longer being necessary.
The Statement of Financial Activities shows a net decrease in funds of £36,162 (2023: net decrease of £333,445). The unrestricted general funds held by the charity at the balance sheet date was £183,046 (2023: £Nil). Due to the refurbishment work being completed, the restricted fund has been satisfied and subsequently transfered to designated funds within the Building Fund with a surplus of £578,626 (2023: £Nil). As a result, the restricted funds held at the balance sheet date were £Nil (2023: 797,834). The total funds held by the charity at 31 December 2024 was a surplus of £761,672 (2023: 797,834).
Going forward, operating expenditures are forecast to be in the order of £25,000 per annum. A licence fee to cover such running costs is payable by the users of the building, these being the Lighthouse Project and Donside Community Church.
Having considered the overall financial position of the charity last year, the Trustees have concluded to hold at least 12-months’ free reserves as the reserves policy now that the refurbishment work was completed in the year. This is in addition to any fixed assets held and used for the church's aims and purposes and any liabilities due. This level of reserves should ensure that at any time of the year the charity is in a position to cover costs in the unlikely event that there are no occupants of the building. The free reserves held at the balance sheet date was £30,522 (2023: £Nil).
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
The Lighthouse Support Centre is constituted as a private company limited by guarantee with Companies House under Company No. 640305 and governed by Articles of Association dated 30th August 2019. A full copy of the constitutional document is publicly available on the Companies House website. The Charity is also registered with the Office of Scottish Charities Regulator (OSCR) under Charity No. SC050042.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
The powers for appointment and removal of trustees are set out in the Charity's Articles of Association.
In early 2025, a community defibrillator was acquired and installed on the outside of the building.
During May 2025, the heating system failure in the main hall was resolved, and the warranty period triggered.
Whilst it had originally been the trustees’ intention to convert the upstairs area into a flat, from a financial and risk perspective, this can no longer be justified. Consequently, a building warrant amendment will be prepared reflecting the rooms being left as is. This will allow for the Completion Certificate to be issued, for the refurbishment works, by Aberdeen City Council.
On 26 June 2025, a License to Occupy was signed covering the use of the Company’s facility by the Lighthouse Project, and Donside Community Church, in keeping with the main objectives of the charity.
When the café space is fully occupied, noise levels are such that it has become apparent sound suppression measures are required. Following a tender process, it is planned to install acoustic boards on the roof of the café.
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of The Lighthouse Support Centre for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
I report on the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 6 to 15.
The charity’s trustees, who are also the directors of The Lighthouse Support Centre for the purposes of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investments (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(a) to (c) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the financial statements as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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 financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, 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 financial statements.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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 financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations;
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
Designated
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The Lighthouse Support Centre is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is Binghill Drive, Milltimber, Aberdeenshire, AB13 0JE, United Kingdom.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Articles of Association, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the organisation, are recognised when the organisation becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
Where there are performance related conditions attached to any grants or donations, income is recognised when the conditions have been met or when meeting the conditions is within the organisation’s control and there is sufficient evidence that they have been met or will be met, otherwise they are deferred. Where a grant condition allows for the recovery of any unexpended grant, a liability is recognised when repayment becomes probable.
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying value of its property to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). The carrying value of the property is reviewed for indicators of impairment on an annual basis taking into consideration any recent third party valuations and the knowledge of the trustees.
Donations and gifts includes amounts donated by trustees of the charity totalling £5,925 (2023: £11,960).
Unrestricted funds general
Charitable Expenditure
Charitable Expenditure
Sundry expenses
IT software and communication
Repairs and maintenance
Insurance
Sundry expenses
IT software and communication
Repairs and maintenance
Insurance
Training
Accountancy fees
During the year, trustees made donations of £5,925 (2023: £11,960).
No Trustees of any connected party has received remuneration or any other benefits from the charity.
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxationof Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
Impairment tests have been carried out where appropriate and the following impairment losses have been recognised in profit or loss:
In June 2024, an independent valuation was carried out by Shepherd Chartered Surveyors on the building. The deemed market value was £560,000. Therefore, an impairment charge of £1,137,151 was required to be accounted for in the prior year.
More information on the impairment arising in the year is given in note 10.
On 29 November 2022, The Tillydrone Family Centre & The Tillydrone Library located at Pennan Road, Aberdeen was transferred to the Charity from Aberdeen City Council via a Community Asset Transfer process. The fair value of the property transferred was deemed to be £360,000 by the trustees. The trustees viewed this as the deemed cost of the property and have capitalised further improvements carried out on the building at historic cost.
In June 2024, an independent valuation was carried out by Shepherd Chartered Surveyors on the building. The deemed market value was £560,000. The report was conducted on the assumption that the first floor of the centre would be upgraded to the same standard as the main building. This work took place in 2024. Therefore, the building was impaired beyond the valuation report to £512,000 in the prior year.
The Building a Brighter Future Project fund exists to cover the improvements required to the property in Tillydrone and the expenditure of the Charity in the initial start up phase.
The Building Fund exists as unrestricted funds set aside by the trustees to cover the carrying value of the property and property improvements. These funds had previously been part of the restricted Building a Brighter Future Project Fund, due to the refurbishment being completed in the year to 31 December 2024, the restricted fund has been deemed satisfied.
Deeside Christian Fellowship Church are a connected charitable company through certain directors of the support centre being trustees of the Church. During the year no donation income was received (2023: £221,463). Note that this was a one-off transaction in the prior year to transfer the remaining balance held by the Church on their Lighthouse Fund bank account. Deeside Christian Fellowship Church have been charged rental income of £27,500 by the Lighthouse Support Centre due to use of the property in the year (2023: £Nil)
Change Energy Limited (previously Fishbay Limited) are a connected company through a directorship held by M Laurenson (resigned 04/06/2025). During the year no income in the form of donations was received from Change Energy Limited (2023: £1,900).
Aberdeen Straight-Way Limited are a connected company through a directorship held by J Merson (resigned 04/06/2025). During the year there were landscaping services purchased totalling £16,104 (2023: £Nil).
L Merson is a connected person through marriage to P Merson. During the year no income in the form of donations was received from L Merson (2023: £100). However, L Merson was reimbursed £5,278 for the following expenses (2023: £Nil);
- Repairs & maintenance: £2,755 (2023: £Nil)
- Sundry expenses: £1,514 (2023: £Nil)
- Training expenses: £38 (2023: £Nil)
- IT equipment: £416 (2023: £Nil)
- Fixtures & fittings: £555 (2023: £Nil)