Scottish Charities Conference
Our one day charities conference has been specifically designed for partners and senior managers with responsibility for a number of charity clients.
*If you are based in England please see our Charities Conference alternative.
Who should attend the conference
Mercia's Scottish Charities Conference is a must-attend event for any accountancy firms with Charity clients based in Scotland.
Through this one-day virtual conference, you will get practical advice about all the latest changes and challenges currently facing the charity sector. Hear from financial experts and charities on how you can add value to your clients.
Online Conferences
The on-demand version of this conference is now available to purchase separately from the Mercia Live event. This gives you the ability to catch up on technical updates at your convenience. If you've already registered for the live event, you'll now receive complimentary access to the recording.
Spring Offer: Save on your conference place
Enjoy a 15% discount on all one-day conferences - members save an additional 10%
The standard price is £415, but with this offer you'll save £62 per place. No codes needed - the discount is already applied. Members will get a further 10% discount when logged in.
More savings
Book three or more places and receive 20% off. Simply complete our form to claim this discount
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Full conference agenda
9.30am
Welcome and Introduction
Laura Anderson, OSCR
This session will provide an update on what has been happening at OSCR including changes to the annual return and new publications from OSCR. It will also look ahead at changes coming up that Scottish charities and their advisors should be aware of.
Alan Eccles, BKF
This session will consider changes coming into force under the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Act 2023 together with other legal developments. This will include governance and risk matters arising from OSCR and Charity Commission inquiries. We will also consider what is on the horizon for charities to bear in mind to remain compliant and also to harness the law to help achieve their aims.
11.25am
Refreshment Break
James Hurst, Mercia Group
This session will cover:
A selection of VAT issues commonly encountered by charities. It will include an update on relevant topical items such as recent VAT tribunal decisions and HMRC policy changes that impact charities.
Sarah Martin, Bumblebee Conservation Trust
This session will cover:
Charities are facing a very challenging time and we use our Risk Management arrangements to manage and mitigate both financial and other risks. We will look at a real Risk Register and how the risks identified impact on the management accounts and financial statements of an organisation. This session will also consider the steps required to mitigate risks, put in place sustainable action plans and adapt to change whilst continuing to deliver impactful delivery of charitable objectives.
12.50pm
Lunch Break
Peter Herbert, Insight Training
This session will cover:
- The preparation and scrutiny of charity accounts throws up many challenges. It will also update you on recent and forthcoming rule changes and deal with a number of common problem areas. Topics will include:
Latest updates on implementation of the revised SORP – effective 2026. Changes to charity audit limits – the direction of travel. Tricky accounting, audit and independent examination issues and how to tackle them. Latest professional body feedback on charity audits and independent examinations.
2.50pm
Refreshment Break
Jon Daley, Crowe U.K. LLP
This session will cover:
- Provide a general update of recent tax developments relevant to the charity sector, together with a refresh of key tax pitfalls and opportunities for charities.
3.45pm
Refreshment Break
Gemma Archer, Mercia Group
This session will cover:
- Examples of recent regulator caseworks and decisions to identify the lessons for both trustees of, and auditors, independent examiners and advisors to charities and the responsibilities of independent examiners and auditors to report matters of material significance
CPD Hours: 6
Conference speakers
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Laura is the Senior Manager for Higher Risk Cases & Quality Assurance at OSCR with responsibility for the most serious and complex cases as well as OSCR’s work in relation to charity annual reports and accounts and annual returns. Laura trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Pricewaterhouse Coopers and worked in private practice until 2007 when she joined OSCR. She is an active member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland and is the joint-Chair of the UK Charities SORP Committee. . |
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Alan Eccles specialises in advising charities and individuals and is a partner with Bannatyne Kirkwood France & Co. Legal directory Chambers says that Alan advises on a range of issues and has particular expertise in charities work noting he is a “professional, dedicated and professional lawyer” and has “excellent experience and technical knowledge, and he is very generous with his time”. He teaches charities and trusts at Strathclyde University, is a charity trustee and is a member of the Law Society of Scotland’s charity law committee. |
James joined Mercia in October 2022 as VAT trainer and consultant. His role involves writing technical material as well as devising and delivering VAT training courses. James has a wide experience of VAT and indirect tax, beginning his VAT career with HM Customs & Excise (as it then was) before moving to the private sector in 1995 and gaining his CTA qualification. Latterly, he had VAT partner and head of VAT roles in Grant Thornton and Mazars. James was actively involved with the Charity Tax Group for a number of years and has presented on VAT topics for the Charity Finance Group.
Outside of work, music remains a keen interest. Aside from playing jazz on the tenor sax, James is a regular member of the trumpet section of the Leeds Project Big Band.
Sarah started her accountancy life over 30 years ago as an auditor in a medium sized accountancy practice. Shortly after qualifying she moved into the not for profit sector. Initially this was still as a specialist not for profit auditor but 10 years ago she took the leap and began working for a charity. She has been Head of Finance and Operations at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust for just over 2 years and loves this job. The role has a wide remit encompassing not just Finance but HR, Digital and Operational activities, this allows her to have a good overview of the whole organisation.
Peter qualified as a Chartered Accountant with an international accountancy firm before working in industry. He has over 20 years of training experience. He writes and presents technical updates for firms of accountants and qualified accountants of private and listed companies. Peter specialises in financial reporting, auditing and practice regulation. Peter also regularly carries out compliance reviews for firms of accountants, which provides him with an invaluable insight into the practical financial reporting and auditing issues that they face.
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Jon has advised charitable organisations for over 14 years on a broad range of tax matters such charitable trading reviews, corporate restructures, international operating structures, Gift Aid processes and creative industry tax relief claims. At Crowe UK Jon works closely with advisers in the firm’s social purpose and non-profits function to provide complete advice to charities which cover tax issues in parallel with regulatory, commercial and other matters. Jon has a wide variety of experience across the charity sector, working with NGOs, educational bodies, grant making organisations, members’ clubs, religious orders, social enterprises and arts and cultural organisations. Jon is qualified as a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser and has presented and contributed to a number of technical commentaries and seminars including with the ICAEW and Charity Finance Group. |
Gemma jointly leads the team responsible for Mercia’s file and compliance reviews, including performing reviews at client sites or remotely. She also lectures on Mercia’s Early Careers Programme and on specialist areas such as charities and academies, ESG and Mercia methodology, as well as advising clients on technical queries.
Gemma joined Mercia from audit practice in January 2021, where she had worked for 13 years, specialising in not-for-profit and charity clients for over a decade. Gemma has a keen interest in academies and sits on several ESFA working groups.
One Day Conference
Previous Scottish Charities Conferences
Explore the programme of our previous Scottish Charities Conferences:
