01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC024686
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Wider, but within one local authority area
- Volunteers
- 1-50 volunteers
- Staff
- 10
- Postcode
- PA23 7BN
OSCR note: This SCIO was incorporated on 5 March 2013 as a result of a Change to SCIO application by SC024686 Cowal Elderly Befriending Scheme, which was an unincorporated association registered as a charity since 29 March 1996.
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
The Cowal Elderly Befrienders project is based on two interlinked strands of befriending – traditional 1-2-1 befriending support and minibus-facilitated peer-befriending community support. We provide flexible services for referred elderly people living at home in Cowal and Bute and identified to be experiencing the negative effects of loneliness and social isolation. The social circumstances of the elderly people we support have often been limited by health factors and rural isolation. We have developed our work to provide the social support requested by our clients. this development is ongoing and guided by those we support and changes in the locale. The majority of our those supported are in their 80s and 90s. around 30% of clients have a dementia diagnosis. Our resources included experienced staff members, trained volunteers, wheelchair accessible vehicles and a specially designed centre/office in Dunoon.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of citizenship or community development
- the provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended
Beneficiaries
- Older People
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
4 .1 To provide a range of Befriending services designed to improve quality of life, reduce isolation and loneliness and keep older people independent and active in the community. 4.2 To provide clients with support to access opportunities fo~ social and leisure activities and developing peer support networks. 4.3 To liaise and work with other organisations to develop joint working to maximise benefit to support offered. 4.4 The advancement of the education of the general public, influential individuals and relevant organisations on matters relating to the social welfare of older people. 4.5 The advancement of citizenship through volunteering in the delivery of services.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Total income | Donations | Charitable activities income | Trading income | Investment income | Other income | Total expenditure | Raising funds | Charitable activities spending | Other spending | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | £212,056 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £234,194 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 10 | 27 November 2025 |
| 31 March 2024 | £150,957 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £187,532 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 10 | 15 December 2024 |
| 31 March 2023 | £210,146 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £185,941 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 10 | 31 January 2024 |
| 31 March 2022 | £145,507 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £171,538 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 10 | 20 December 2022 |
| 31 March 2021 | £195,333 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £179,084 | £0 | £0 | £0 | 10 | 16 December 2021 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- 128 John Street , Dunoon , Argyll
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.cowalbefrienders.co.uk
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.