Another year is coming to a close, but not before Santa came bearing an early Christmas present for the charity!!
The Trustees met at Castlebrae for the Annual General Meeting in November as planned where the charities accountants were able to report a clean bill of health again for the charity in regards to its financial responsibilities and status in respect of OSCAR compliance. The governing body that regulates charities in Scotland.
(Our Trustees in attendance at AGM)
We also were delighted to welcome Matt Hamilton, Secretary of the Retired Police Officers Association Scotland, Tayside Branch.
Matt attended to listen to the AGM report, but also kindly came to present a cheque on behalf of the members of the Tayside Branch of the RPOAS, who donated £2,000 to the SPBF. This was very unexpected but much appreciated donation and the Trustees would like to thank Matt and the members of the Tayside Branch for their kindness. We shall certainly put it to good use, and of course the charity continues to support our retired members and their families in times of need. Thanks again Matt and all at Tayside.
Matt (without the Santa suit!) presenting the cheque to our Chair, Lynne Gray
If you would like to make a donation to the SPBF then simply click on the donate link in the menu and follow the easy to use instructions. It really is as easy as that, and rest assured your donation will make a difference to our officers and support staff, who work to keep everyone safe 24/7, but sometimes need someone looking out for them too. It is only through such kind donations SPBF can continue to make that happen.
On behalf of all the SPBF Trustees, our staff and of course our local volunteers in the three areas without whom we couldn’t operate, we wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.
The Scottish Police Benevolent Fund is pleased to announce that the 2023 Annual General Meeting will take place on Monday 21st August 2023. The meeting will take place at The Police Treatment Centre, Castlebrae, Auchterarder. This meeting is scheduled to commence at 10 a.m. All members are invited to attend.
This years AGM was successfully held at the Police Treatment Centre, Castlebrae in Auchterarder. As ever we were well looked after by our hosts, providing us with excellent facilities and refreshments to allow us to finally hold a meeting in person.
After such a long time due to Covid restrictions, it was lovely to get back to an actual meeting in person and catch up on what has been happening with the charity and its Trustees.
A special thanks must go out to our Treasurer, Mairi, who as always has put in so much time and effort to keep our cogs and wheels moving smoothly, especially over such a difficult period for everyone involved.
The good news is that the charity remains well placed to support its members and their families and continues to provide invaluable financial support to those in need.
The Trustees wish to thank all those who volunteer at a local level across Scotland, providing support to the charity and doing much work behind the scenes to ensure our members are given the necessary support and assistance they deserve.
At the recent 2019 AGM held on Monday 19th August at The Scottish Police Treatment Centre, Castlebrae, Auchterarder, Nigel Bathgate, the Chair of the SPBF gave his annual address to those in attendance, a copy of which is replicated below:
“May I take this opportunity to extend a further welcome to you all for attending this year’s, which will be our seventh, Annual General Meeting of the Scottish Police Benevolent Fund.
Reflecting on this year’s activities, it has been both a successful and challenging year where the number of beneficiaries has trebled on the previous year. The charity has paid out a significant amount of financial support to individuals and families in need. I will leave Mark to deliver the financial status of the charity over the last year. Please be assured, however, the charity is functioning as it should be, delivering financial support to those who need it most. It is however important to reflect that we are a charity of last resort and do not become the first port of call for those in financial need. We are also not the provider of financial advice; there are many organisations that can provide that before this charity becomes involved.
During
the meeting that follows, we will discuss the need for business planning and
develop a long-term strategy which we have not previously had.
The
charity also needs to identify funding sources and not simply be the charity
that provides to other charities. Overall,
we have been a charity that is a victim of its own success in terms of
promotion to the wider police family. It
is also interesting to note that the Police Service of Scotland has not donated
to this charity over the seven years of its existence, although it gives to the
Police Treatment Centres and other worthy causes.
Since
our last AGM, the charity has developed a ‘Bad
Debt Policy’. This remains a rarity,
however, for the Benevolent Fund to have to enact this policy.
The
charity is also heavily involved in the progressing of Restitution Orders.
Restitution Orders arrived with a fan fair at this very location in 2012,
introduced by the Scottish Government but, has lain dormant until it was raised
by the Scottish Police Federation with the Justice Minister a year or so ago.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following individuals and organisations who provide support to the Scottish Police Benevolent Fund:
Mairi McGregor,
the charities Treasurer for all her efforts throughout the year to liaise and
direct payrolls, manage the applications, negotiate with auditors and generally
provide a well-stocked library of historical but relevant information which
guides many a Trustee.
Mark Mulholland, our
Auditor for his continued association with this charity, for providing the
annual accounts and for leading us comprehensively through them.
Further
thanks go to the Scottish Police Federation, Association of Superintendents and
the Retired Police Officers Association who all provide their support directly
and indirectly through promoting the charity and providing personnel so that
the local committees and the Board of Trustees can deliver and support beneficiaries.
In continuing that theme, the members of the local committees and those who are on the Board of Trustee similarly deserve recognition for the hours that are committed to delivering essential assistance throughout the year. Time is an underestimated resource but it is often time that impacts most significantly on our beneficiaries or, potential beneficiaries and it is the time spent with Local Reps that deliver significant assistance.
It
would also be remiss of me at this AGM to not acknowledge the significant
contribution over many years of our colleague and, Charity Trustee, Gary Brown.
Can I wish Gary our best wishes for his
retirement from the Police Service.
It
is difficult in terms of our charity to talk about success. Our constitution provides that the purpose of
the Scottish Police Benevolent Fund is the prevention or relief of poverty and
the relief of those in need.
During this last year, the charity is supporting a number of new individual beneficiaries. I will let Mark highlight the amounts involved. I should stress that the sums involved are not insignificant and highlight this charities commitment to supporting our members and, often members of the wider police family in times of tragic need. That commitment will never cease.
In
relation to our investments, the headline figures appear satisfactory. At 31 March 2017 the invested fund was worth
£1,920,832. The fund has grown and now
sits as of the 31 March this year at £1,972,547. Therefore, growth is reflected in the
generated income in excess of £50,000.
Out with the individual beneficiaries that the charity provides, assistance to the charity continues to support a number of external causes all of which have a direct link to the Police Service.”
