Overall GiG Score: 16 ?
Finance Score: 3
Governance Score: 4
Support Score: 9
  • Fundraising costs low: +3
  • No PartB
  • Narrow trustee age band: -2
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Gender balanced board: +3
  • Grant maker support: +9

INTEREST LINK BORDERS 

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • There have been no material income shortfalls in recent years
  • Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • The Board has little diversity in terms of age
Established: 24 years
Scottish Charity RegulatorCompanies House
UN SDGs
?
Financial Data
Income & Spending ?
Period ending 31/03/18 31/03/19 31/03/20 31/03/21 31/03/22 31/03/23
Charitable activities £23,524 £23,247 £24,905 £22,020 £21,996
Donations & Legacies £276,060 £244,456 £291,966 £338,421
Other Income £4,687 £6,439 £6,409 £10,590 £5,944
Investment Income £630 £702 £1,750 £1,582 £4,381
Total income £304,901 £274,844 £325,030 £372,613 £300,999 £351,401
Charitable activities spending £267,953 £282,507 £281,571 £281,010 £337,906
Fundraising costs 5% 5% 4% 4% 5% 4%
Other spending
Total spending £281,757 £295,473 £295,558 £296,693 £309,922 £352,840
Surplus/deficit £23,144 -£20,629 £29,472 £75,920 -£8,923 -£1,439
What it does
  • It carries out activities or services itself
Who it helps
  • People with disabilities or health problems
Purposes
  • The prevention or relief of poverty
  • The advancement of education
  • The advancement of health','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','the relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
Where it operates
  • Wider, but within one local authority area, main operating location: Scottish Borders

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
National Lottery Community Fund£446,644
BBC Children in Need£103,849
Garfield Weston Foundation£50,000
RS Macdonald Charitable Trust£36,000
Rank Foundation£15,000
Co-Operative Group£10,057
Foundation Scotland£9,500
Scottish Government£9,500
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
Co-Operative Group - Grant to Interest Link Kelso
£1,639 21/10/2023
We would like to offer befriending group projects in Kelso for 14 members on climate awareness, healthy eating and home cooking.
Co-Operative Group - Grant to Interest Link Borders Tweeddale
£1,751 21/10/2023
We aim to provide befriending group projects for 24 members, promoting climate awareness and healthy eating, with input from Keep Scotland Beautiful and specialist tutors (e.g. arts & crafts, ....more
Rank Foundation - CoL Core Grant Interest Link Borders 2023 - Full
£15,000 27/04/2023
Interest Link Borders received a Cost of Living Grant to help cover core staff salaries.
Foundation Scotland - Children?s Befriending Groups
£9,500 30/01/2023
To contribute to the cost of delivering two befriending groups supporting forty children with learning disabilities and autism aged 8-16.
Co-Operative Group - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£1,959 22/10/2022
We wish to run outdoor group befriending activities for people with learning disabilities, including growing vegetables and flowers, outdoor crafts, picnics, walks and healthy eating workshops.
Garfield Weston Foundation - Multi-Year Grant (2 Years) award
£20,000 03/06/2022
Befriending service for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities
RS Macdonald Charitable Trust - Learning Disabilities Befriending Service
£36,000 26/05/2022
Core funding request for a volunteer befriending service for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities in the Scottish Borders. Over three years the social and emotional welfare ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - Learning Disabilities Befriending Project
£336,644 17/03/2021
35
This group will use the funding to continue to provide its children and young people’s befriending service for young people with learning disabilities aged 8-25 years and its adult befriending ....more
Scottish Government - Interest Link Borders
£9,500 18/02/2021
Detailed description not provided.
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£20,000 29/01/2021
Befriending Service for Children, young people and adults with learning disabilities
BBC Children in Need - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£18,616 09/09/2020
8
COVID19 - Peer befriending, one to one and in groups, for children and young people with learning disabilities, isolated due to Covid-19. The transition from distance support back to face to face ....more
BBC Children in Need - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£2,500 17/06/2020
6
COVID19 - This grant will provide activity packs plus additional staff hours to support befriending relationships online and by phone for children with learning disabilities, isolated at home by ....more
DCMS - VSCE CMC Fund
£2,500 03/06/2020
NET, Comic Relief and Children in Need will use this funding to provide: increased support to vulnerable people and hidden groups, thus reducing the burden on public services; reach local grassroots ....more
Co-Operative Group - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£4,709 15/11/2019
We want to run sessions in baking, film making and crafts with befrienders to reduce social isolation for those with a learning disability.
National Lottery Community Fund - Befriending Project For Young People With Learning Disabilities
£110,000 30/10/2019
22
This group will use the funding to continue to provide one to one befriending and group recreational and learning activities for young people aged between eight and 25 years living in the Scottish ....more
Garfield Weston Foundation - Main Grants award
£10,000 24/07/2019
Befriending Service for Children, young people and adults with learning disabilities
BBC Children in Need - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£82,733 26/06/2019
36
Young people with a range of disabilities and complex needs from across the Borders will have support from peer volunteer befrienders and access to activities. They will have fun, make friends, be ....more
Corra Foundation - HDG-19/255
£4,000 01/06/2019
Towards the running costs of the Roxburgh branch, providing befriending for people with learning disabilities for an additional 12 months.
Henry Smith Charity - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£90,000 12/12/2018
36
towards three years' continuation funding of the running costs of a befriending service for adults, children and young people with learning disabilities in the Scottish Borders
RS Macdonald Charitable Trust - Tweeddale Learning Disabilities Befriending Project
£18,000 28/11/2018
A volunteer befriending project for 65 children, young people and adults with learning disabilities living in the Scottish Borders, aimed at improving their happiness/mental wellbeing, confidence, ....more
Robertson Trust - Towards the Berwickshire and Central Borders Branch Coordinators and service delivery costs
£45,000 12/06/2018
Towards the Berwickshire and Central Borders Branch Coordinators and service delivery costs
Corra Foundation - HDA-18/285
£4,000 07/06/2018
Towards the running costs of the Roxburgh branch, providing befriending for people with learning disabilities.
RS Macdonald Charitable Trust - Tweeddale Befriending Project
£14,590 29/11/2017
A volunteer befriending project for 50 children, young people and adults with learning disabilities living in the Scottish Borders, aimed at improving their happiness/mental wellbeing, physical ....more
Corra Foundation - HDA-17/223
£4,500 08/06/2017
Towards the running of the Central Borders Branch to continue befriending support and group activities for children, young people and adults with a learning disability.
National Lottery Community Fund - Befriending Project for Adults with Learning Disabilities
£262,877 12/09/2016
59
Befriending Project for Adults with Learning Disabilities
Corra Foundation - HDA-16/466
£5,564 02/06/2016
towards running costs of the Tweeddale Branch to maintain befriending and group support to 50 people with a learning disability, thus closing the appeal
RS Macdonald Charitable Trust - Central Borders Befriending Project
£15,000 25/11/2015
A volunteer befriending project for 50 children, young people and adults with learning disabilities living in the Scottish Borders, aimed at improving their happiness/mental wellbeing, physical ....more
National Lottery Community Fund - Children & Young People’s Befriending Project
£314,946 08/10/2015
48
Children & Young People’s Befriending Project
Henry Smith Charity - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£70,000 17/09/2015
36
towards three years' continuation funding of the salary of the Branch Co-ordinator for the Adult Volunteer Befriending Project, supporting adults with learning disabilities in the Scottish Borders
BBC Children in Need - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£93,415 01/07/2015
This project will help young people with a range of disabilities and complex needs by providing the support of volunteer befrienders and access to activities. They will have fun make friends be ....more
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£74,103 16/10/2012
Towards the salaries of the local co-ordinator and assistant to deliver a befriending programme for 240 adults with learning disabilities living in the Scottish Borders.
Henry Smith Charity - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£76,100 13/06/2012
36
towards three years' running costs of a Volunteer Befriending Project that provides support to young adults with learning disabilities in the south of Scotland
Esmee Fairbairn - Grant to Interest Link Borders
£50,000 21/05/2008
36
Towards Project costs Towards the salary of the co-ordinator to support the transition befriending programme for young people with learning difficulties, and other associated project costs.
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Directors (6)
Current Directors appointed
Gender Split

Age Range of Directors: 56-70
Legal constitution
  • Charity registered in Scotland on 10/05/2000, number: SC030132
  • Registered at Companies House on 24/02/2006, number: SC297772
Filing Record
5 returns made; all on time
Main office

Volunteer Hall, Langtongate, Duns, Berwickshire, TD11 3AF

Objectives

3. Interest Link Borders' objects are, within the boundary of the area currently forming the Scottish Borders: a. to relieve the suffering and distress and promote the welfare of children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and their carers by the provision of befriending services and in furtherance thereof, but not otherwise, to secure the establishment, maintenance and management in that area of services to support the involvement of people with learning disabilities in social, recreational, educational and leisure activities and thereby improve their and their carers' conditions of life. b. to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of that area without distinction of race, political, religious or other opinions, by the advancement of education. the furtherance of health. the care of the aged. the relief of poverty, sickness and distress. the promotion of other charitable purposes.

Data Sources

Scottish Charity Regulator
360 Giving
Authorised officials of this charity can add information to this page (including a Donate Now button) for no cost

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