On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to present our Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Over the course of the year, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture made significant strides towards our vision of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes and people thrive. Our collective efforts have brought us closer to a Scotland in which rewilding is increasingly embraced as a practical solution to the climate and biodiversity crises.
Highlights of the year included our third Big Picture Conference, which welcomed almost 600 delegates, and the continued expansion of our Northwoods Rewilding Network to encompass 80 land partners—demonstrating the growing interest and commitment to restoring ecosystems at scale. As an active member of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, we played a pivotal role in advancing policy discussions and public engagement through initiatives such as the “Why Not Scotland?” film screenings and the “Rewilding Nation” campaign.
Equally important were our efforts to equip more people with the skills and knowledge needed to drive rewilding. Through an expanding programme of residential courses, study tours, and learning days, we are nurturing and broadening the community of advocates who champion progressive ecological restoration strategies.
From a financial perspective, we ended the year with a surplus of £155,623 on our unrestricted funds and £15,547 on our restricted funds. This strong outcome reflects prudent financial management. The surplus in restricted funds ensures we can continue to deliver the specific activities for which these funds were raised, while the unrestricted surplus affords us the flexibility to invest strategically in organisational growth in the coming year. Our reserves policy ensures that we maintain sufficient resources to manage any unexpected fluctuations in funding and finance our work.
Looking to 2025, our focus will be on scaling up the Northwoods Rewilding Network, delivering nature restoration in the Loch Abar Mòr partnership, securing wide-scale support for the return of lynx, and supporting more progressive dialogue around the management of deer through The Fiadh Project. Lisa Chilton became Chief Executive Officer in May 2025, steering SCOTLAND: The Big Picture into its next phase of growth and development.
None of these achievements would be possible without the dedication of our staff, donors, partners, and the many individuals, organisations, and communities who share our vision. On behalf of the Trustees, I extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supports our mission and look forward to working together to make rewilding happen across Scotland in 2025.
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 Memorandum and 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 company's objects are:
to advocate for ecosystem restoration, or rewilding, in order to re-establish biological diversity and abundance across Scotland; and in furtherance of this, to pursue the return of missing or threatened native species to their former ranges.
to promote the restoration of ecosystem health, function and completeness and the social, economic and heath benefits derived therefrom.
to collaborate with diverse stakeholders to deliver practical ecosystem restoration actions that benefit nature, climate and people.
Our vision
Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water across Scotland where wildlife flourishes and people thrive.
Our mission
We work to make rewilding happen across Scotland, as a solution to the growing climate and biodiversity crises, by influencing opinion and delivering practical change.
Over the course of 2024, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture continued its work to:
1. DRIVE SUPPORT FOR REWILDING
Across all our activities – from our writing, visual media and presentations, to our rewilding experiences and engagement events – we continued to push the boundaries for nature recovery, showcasing positive stories to demonstrate how rewilding works and the benefits it can deliver for Scotland. We also continued to facilitate progressive dialogue between groups and to play a leading role in the Scottish Rewilding Alliance (SRA), a coalition of like-minded organisations which advocates for rewilding at a policy level.
Highlights included:
The Big Picture Conference 2024 – Almost 600 delegates attended our 2024 conference, with 82% saying they were more likely to support rewilding following the conference, and 84% saying they were very likely to talk to others about rewilding in the future.
Why Not Scotland? – In addition to six hosted film screenings, 7,000 people attended 200 independent screenings of Why Not Scotland?, the feature-length film we produced for the SRA’s Rewilding Nation campaign. 60,000 people watched the film when it was made available online.
Rewilding Nation – As a member of the SRA, we supported calls for the Scottish Government to commit to nature recovery across 30% of our land and seas, and joined the presentation of 'Pathway to a Rewilding Nation' to the Minister for Climate Action.
Rewilding Training – 214 people took part in our growing programme of residential training, study tours and learning days to further their rewilding knowledge. We were particularly pleased to welcome 10 young trainees on a dedicated course to develop their rewilding communications skills.
Fiadh: Wild deer in a new era – For decades, discussions around deer management have been characterised by low trust and entrenched opinions. In 2024, we launched The Fiadh Project to encourage a more progressive conversation around the role of deer in the landscape.
2. COMMIT MORE LAND AND WATER TO REWILDING
Through our growing range of land partnerships, we increased the area of land and water committed to rewilding. We continued to collaborate with a wide range of partners, connecting people to expertise and resources to enable rewilding across different scales and settings. We also worked to recover wildlife populations, and on longer-term initiatives aimed at returning missing species, to restore ecosystem health, function and completeness.
Highlights included:
Northwoods Rewilding Network – By the end of 2024, Northwoods had grown in scale and impact to more than 80 land partners committing 26,000 acres to rewilding. A range of rewilding actions over 2024 saw habitats healthier and better connected, and wildlife populations recovering.
Loch Abar Mòr – May 2024 saw the launch of this landscape-scale partnership in the west Highlands, committing over 85,000 acres to nature recovery. The partnership will pave the way for collaborative nature restoration across Lochaber.
First community natural capital transaction – We were delighted to broker what was thought to be the first natural capital partnership in Scotland between an educational institution – The University of Edinburgh – and a community landowner – Northwoods partner, Kinloch Woodlands.
Funding rewilding interventions – Working with a growing community of donors, funders, agencies and business partners, we were able to secure more than £500k to invest in rewilding actions across our land partner networks.
Lynx to Scotland Study Tour – In May, as part of our work with partners on the Lynx to Scotland project, we hosted a group of Scottish farmers, hunters, foresters and agencies in Switzerland to learn more about the realities of living alongside lynx.
2024 saw an overall excess of income over expenditure of £171,170. We generated unrestricted income of £617,342 and spent £461,719 investing in further growth and consolidation of the core team and activities. Restricted income of £677,143 was secured to enable delivery of a growing number of funded projects, with £661,596 expended against these during the year, and the surplus retained for completion of these projects.
The Finance Team during the year consisted of Head of Finance and an Assistant, plus the Head of Projects overseeing restricted project income and expenditure.
Included in the accounts are VAT errors arising in previous periods. This is a liability payable to HMRC of £24,130 in VAT and £4,439 of interest.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three to nine month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year. As at 31.12.24 we held £369,101 in Restricted Funds and £312,472 in Unrestricted, of which £10,638 was designated against future spending on the Northwoods Rewilding Network, £40,000 for organisational development and £5,000 for the Wildlife Comeback fund.
The unrestricted free reserve of £257,834 represents 4 months of unrestricted expenditure against the agreed 2025 budget, which is within our target level.
Fundraising
SBP employs staff to raise income through applications to charitable trusts and foundations, and through engagement with corporate and individual donors. Our media presence, events and network of contacts generate leads and opportunities. Individuals are also engaged through our ‘Big Picture Community’ of followers. Targeted crowdfunding through Aviva has proved successful. We sometimes work in collaboration with other like-minded charities who co-fund projects. The charity also takes media commissions to produce visual content where this is in line with our own objectives, and generates charitable trading income from conference tickets, Rewilding Experiences and Training, film screenings and image licensing.
We take this opportunity to acknowledge the generosity of the following charitable trusts, foundations, businesses and organisations, from whom we received support in 2024:
Abernyte Brewery
Aviva Community Fund
Breathe HR
Burness Paull LLP
Cibus Foundation
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Future Woodlands Scotland
Garfield Weston Foundation
Grant Arms Hotel
Lammart Pollock Trust
Landscaping Your Life
McGowan Environmental Engineering
Meander Apparel
Nature Broking
Nature Picture Library
NatureScot
Rabbie's Tours
Rachel Davies Mosaics
Rewilding Britain
Rewilding Europe
SSEN Transmission
Soho Green
The Blackford Trust
The Carman Family Foundation
The Croft House
The Drinks Bakery
The DS Smith Charitable Foundation
The European Nature Trust
The Fishmongers' Company's Fisheries Charitable Trust
The Helvellyn Foundation
The National Lottery Community Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The Pebble Trust
The Swire Charitable Trust
Trees for Life
The charity has received no complaints in the year about its fundraising activity. The charity does not engage in direct mail campaigns and carefully monitors the content and tone of communications with existing individual supporters. We adhere to the Code of Fundraising Practice and its associated Rulebooks which outline the standards expected of all charitable fundraising organisations across the UK. The Trustees consider that the approach employed is unlikely to subject members of the public to undue pressure.
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.
Arrangements for setting the pay and remuneration of key management personnel
The Board of Trustees, Executive Director and Management Team comprise the key management personnel of the charity, in charge of directing and controlling on a strategic level and operating the charity on a day to day basis. Trustees and staff are fully aware that SBP is a charity, and this is the background to setting all staff salaries. SBP aspires to reward its staff with competitive salaries and a suite of benefits which recognise the expertise and commitment across the team, reflecting our ethos as a progressive charity, while at the same time ensuring financial sustainability and charitable impact for investment. In setting new salaries and reviewing existing ones we take into account:
The level of strategic responsibility
The number of staff reporting to the role
The level of budget management responsibility
The level of skill/experience necessary for the role
The salaries of others in the organisation doing similar work
The external market for the role – retention of good staff
Affordability within the agreed budget
Salaries of the Management Team are decided by the Executive Director within agreed pay bands and budget, and the Executive Director’s salary is decided by the Board of Trustees.
Here are our top five priorities to make rewilding happen in 2025, for nature, climate and people:
Scale up the Northwoods Rewilding Network to 100 land partners – Throughout 2025, we will continue to expand the network and to support Northwoods partners in funding and delivering actions that restore and connect habitats, and recover wildlife populations.
Deliver the first nature restoration projects within Loch Abar Mòr – This landscape-scale partnership in the West Highlands, convened and coordinated by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, is focused on actions that will benefit community, nature connectivity and climate.
Secure wide-scale support for the return of lynx – As part of the Lynx to Scotland partnership, we will spend 2025 engaging land managers, politicians and the general public to expand knowledge of lynx, while laying the foundations for its return to the Scottish Highlands.
Equip more people with the knowledge and skills to drive rewilding – The expansion of our Rewilding Training programme will provide more land managers and rewilding practitioners with the skills to deliver and advocate for nature recovery.
Promote more progressive dialogue around the management of deer – The Fiadh Project will produce a range of communication tools to help reduce long-term conflict around deer management and encourage more collaborative, solutions-focused conversations between different groups.
Lisa Chilton became Chief Executive Officer of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture in May 2025, following extensive discussions during 2024 about the charity's structure and leadership succession amid its recent growth and development. Recruitment began in late 2024 and culminated in her appointment ahead of her May 2025 start date.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. It is run in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Scotland: The Big Picture obtained charitable status on 3 September 2020.
The organisation is run by a Board of Trustees. Decisions are made by the Board at quarterly meetings.
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:
Management personnel to whom the charity Trustees delegated day-to-day management of the charity during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Mr P Cairns
Mrs L Chilton
Mrs E Razi
Mrs E Brown
Mrs H Gray
Ms B Stimpson
Recruitment and appointment of board of directors
Prospective directors are required to submit an application and be interviewed before being co-opted if a meeting of the Board agrees. They then need to stand for election at the next AGM.
Induction and training of directors
All new board members are provided with relevant information to help them familiarise themselves with the work of the organisation as well as an opportunity to discuss this with the Executive Director.
Ongoing training is provided to directors as required.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Scotland: The Big Picture 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;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 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 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.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that MacKenzie Kerr Limited be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Scotland: The Big Picture (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and the provisions available for small entities, in the circumstances set out in note 24 to the financial statements, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the trustees' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the trustees' report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the trustees' report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
As explained more fully in the statement of trustees' responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Identifying and assessing risks related to irregularities:
We assessed the susceptibility of the company's financial statements to material misstatement and how fraud might occur, including through discussions with the directors, discussions within our audit team planning meeting, updating our record of internal controls and ensuring these controls operated as intended. We evaluated possible incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements. We identified laws and regulations that are of significance in the context of the company by discussions with directors and updating our understanding of the sector in which the company operates.
Laws and regulations of direct significance in the context of the company include The Companies Act 2006, and UK Tax legislation.
Audit response to risks identified:
We considered the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our audit procedures on the related financial statement items including a review of financial statement disclosures. We reviewed the company's records of breaches of laws and regulations, minutes of meetings and correspondence with relevant authorities to identify potential material misstatements arising. We discussed the company's policies and procedures for compliance with laws and regulations with members of management responsible for compliance.
During the planning meeting with the audit team, the Responsible Individual (RI) drew attention to the key areas which might involve non-compliance with laws and regulations or fraud. We enquired of management whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations or knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud. We addressed the risk of fraud through management override of controls by testing the appropriateness of journal entries and identifying any significant transactions that were unusual or outside the normal course of business. We assessed whether judgements made in making accounting estimates gave rise to a possible indication of management bias. At the completion stage of the audit, the RI's review included ensuring that the team had approached their work with appropriate professional scepticism and thus the capacity to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Scotland: The Big Picture is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9WJ.
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 charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
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.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors 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.
Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received. Where these conditions are not met, income is deferred.
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.
Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. Grants are deferred where the performance conditions have not yet been met, although amounts have been received and are carried forward until these conditions are achieved.
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 that 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.
Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.
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.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
Conservation promotion and education
Conservation promotion and education
Rewilding experiences income
Sales and commissions
Talks, events and conferences
Grants received
Fundraising
Conservation promotion and education
Conservation promotion and education
Sales and commission costs
Conference costs
Subcontractor costs
Rewilding experiences expenses
Books and merchandise
Irrecoverable VAT
Other direct charitable costs
Conservation promotion and education
Conservation promotion and education
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The remuneration of key management personnel was as follows:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Included in other debtors is an amount of £125,153 for grants pledged (2023 - nil).
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
Northwoods Rewilding Network
Funding the establishment, growth and expansion of a varied community of medium-sized land partners across Scotland aspiring to rewild their land.
NextGen Rewilding Training
Grant from the Craignish Trust to facilitate participation of young people in our Rewilding Communications Training.
Riverwoods
Funding the production of a high quality feature length documentary focused on the decline in numbers of Atlantic Salmon and actions needed to restore the health of Scottish rivers.
Rewilding Fund (Previously Northwoods Rewilding Fund)
Fund established to make grants to Northwoods Rewilding Network partners towards the cost of “Rewilding Actions” on their land. Focus broadened to include Loch Aber Mor partners and direct payment of suitable contractors to deliver work as well as making grants to partners.
Tombane
Major grant for nature restoration at Northwoods Partner Tombane Farm handled by SBP.
Cranes Comeback (Previously Cairngorms Cranes)
Funding the planning for the return of the Eurasian Crane to the Cairngorms. This focus has now changed with the agreement of the funder to identifying and exploring a different location after initial scoping indicated that the Cairngorms might not be the best venue for the reintroduction.
Lynx to Scotland
Funding our role in the wider LtS partnership project (with Trees for Life and Lifescape) to deliver a social media campaign and a range of comms resources and events to fill knowledge gaps and inform perceptions about the reality of living alongside lynx.
Painting Scotland Yellow
Funding a project to raise awareness of aspen and boost aspen production, resulting in more people recognising aspen as a key component of healthy woodland ecosystems in Scotland, and more aspen in the landscape.
WnS (Why not Scotland) Production
Funding the production of a feature-length documentary that will be central to the Scottish Rewilding Alliance Rewilding Nation campaign, seeking to showcase the potential for rewilding in Scotland based on successful nature recovery in other counties and stories of hope already underway here.
Riverwoods 2022
Fund facilitating the distribution of the Riverwoods film.
Riverwoods 2023
Building on the interest generated by the Riverwoods film, funding the production of a series of Riverwoods short films aimed at landowners and managers to provide a practical view of how to drive change on their land.
Rewilding Reachout
Funding the recruitment and training of young people to promote and engage others in Rewilding.
Esmée Fairburn Training
Grant focussed on staff training and development.
Fiadh
Production of a range of communications tools to help reduce long-term conflict around deer management to encourage more collaborative, solutions-focused conversations between different interest groups. Funded by private donors.
Rewilding Nation Comms
Ongoing communication work on behalf of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance campaign to make Scotland a "Rewilding Nation", building on the "Why Not Scotland?" film.
Loch Abar Mòr
Fund to facilitate the establishment of a landscape-scale nature restoration partnership in
the Lochaber region, with initial partners eager to work together and enable local communities to thrive in an ecologically diverse and climate resilient landscape.
Make Rewilding Your Business (FIRNS)
FIRNS (Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland) funding from National Lottery to support activities aimed at helping us find businesses to invest in nature recovery and connect them with rewilding projects via our NRN, in a way that enables wider community benefits.
WnS (Why not Scotland) Distribution
Funding the distribution and promotion of the film.
Wildlife Comeback
General fund to promote and facilitate return of missing species to Scotland beyond the reach of the specific lynx and cranes projects.
Lynx to Scotland Study Tour
Part of the wider collaborative Lynx to Scotland project, we funded a trip for interested parties to visit Switzerland and engage with those living alongside lynx.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
Designated Organisational Development
2025 will see significant developments in the structure of the charity including the appointment of a new CEO. The Board agreed to designate some of the surplus from 2024 against upcoming costs.
Designated Wildlife Comeback
As the planned Wildlife Comeback work was not fully funded at year-end, the Board agreed to designate some of the surplus from 2024 to underwrite this fund if necessary
During the year Mark Hamblin Photography, a business owned and operated by employee Mark Hamblin provided goods and services to the charitable company of £3,060 (2023 - £720). At the balance sheet date, the charity owed £2,400 to Mark Hamblin Photography (2023 - £nil).
During the year Ballinlaggan Farm, a business owned and operated by employee Mark Hamblin provided goods and services to the charitable company of £nil (2023 - £144) and received a grant of £nil (2023 - £20,000) from the charitable company. At the balance sheet date, there were no amounts owed to Ballinlaggan Farm (2023 - £nil).
During the year Rivertrees Nursery, a business owned and operated by employee Mark Hamblin provided goods and services to the charitable company of £965 (2023 - £nil). At the balance sheet date, there were no amounts owed to Rivertrees Nursery (2023 - £nil).
During the year Caledonian Bird Surveyors, a business owned and operated by employee Aidan Mccormick provided goods and services to the charitable company of £33 (2023 - £10,992). At the balance sheet date, there were no amounts owed to Caledonian Bird Surveyors (2023 - £nil).
During the year Adoxa Ecology, a business owned and operated by trustee Gus Routledge provided goods and services to the charitable company of £nil (2023 - £200). At the balance sheet date, there were no amounts owed to Adoxa Ecology (2023 - £nil).
During the year Keerok Ltd, whom employee Peter Cairns is a director of, provided goods and services to the charitable company of £52,501 (2023 - £40,653). At the balance sheet date there were no amounts due to Keerok Ltd (2023 - nil).
During the year White Tip Media, a business owned and operated by employee Mat Larkin provided goods and services to the charitable company of £3,000 (2023 - £nil). At the balance sheet date, the charity owed £3,000 to White Tip Media (2023 - £nil).
During the year the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, whom Chairperson Karen Blackport (resigned as chair 27.08.24) is the vice-chair of, received payment for goods and services provided by the charitable company of £50,695 (2023 - £10,000). At the balance sheet date there were no amounts due from The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (2023 - nil).
During the year Bright Green Future, whom Chairperson Karen Blackport (resigned as chair 27.08.24) is the vice-chair of, received payment for goods and services provided by the charitable company of £2,366 (2023 - £nil). At the balance sheet date there were no amounts due from Bright Green Future (2023 - nil).
During the year Crossing Scotland Limited, a business operated by Sam Cairns, son of Peter Cairns Executive Director, provided goods and services to the charitable company of £2,013 (2023 - £nil). At the balance sheet date there were no amounts due to Crossing Scotland Limited (2023 - £nil).
During the year South Clunes Farm, whom employee Sofia Sosa Del Valle is a partner of, received a grant from the charitable company of £nil (2023 - £2,369). At the balance sheet date, there were no amounts due to South Clunes Farm (2023 - £nil).
In common with many businesses of our size and nature we use our auditor to assist with the preparation of the financial statements.