## **EPIC – Chairman’s Report: 2020-2021**
## **Mission Statement:**
_European Partners in Christ (EPIC) exists to promote links between churches in Britain and Eastern Europe, providing spiritual and material support through prayer, fellowship, teaching and financial aid, enabling church buildings to be available as centres of Christian worship and witness._
**Trustees:** Rodney Sexton (Chair) Bryan Hilton (Treasurer), Maureen Morris, and Heather Sexton
## **EPIC employee:** Chris Fox.
## **- Review of the 12 months: August 2020 July 2021**
The principle aim of EPIC is as outlined in previous annual reports: to link churches in the UK with churches in Eastern Europe on a one-to-one basis, and to support the English churches, once they are linked, by helping to arrange exchange visits and to provide information and updates on what is happening with the churches in Europe. In similar fashion the churches in Eastern Europe are given support materially, spiritually and by the mutual visits. New links are no longer established but EPIC continues to fulfil a vital role in servicing the current links and in identifying various needs within the churches as they arise.
Funds come from English churches supporting their partner churches, and from individual donors. There has been in increase in support for various projects undertaken by Eastern European churches; for example, in the construction of buildings and work amongst young people and refugees.
As stated above, one of the functions of EPIC is to organise visits to and from partner churches. However, it has not been possible for any visits to be made to Eastern Europe nor have any friends linked with EPIC been able to visit the UK. This has been due to pandemic restrictions on travel. Nevertheless, contact has been maintained throughout the year and financial help was sent to friends who contracted covid-19 and were hospitalised. Likewise, there were no opportunities for meetings or church visits during the year.
Income this year has been sufficient to maintain the same level of support as in previous years. The amount of money distributed to churches and individuals in Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, and Bosnia was £86,796.00. The need in many areas remains great. A summary of financial activities for the year to July 31[st] , 2021, and a financial statement for the same period accompany this report.
Ways of promoting EPIC include speaking engagements, regular reports and letters to churches, magazine articles and newsletters.
Rodney Sexton
Chair, EPIC Trustees
## **EPIC - REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1057592**
**Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31st July 2021**
|**Income**
Receipts
Interest
**Total Income**
**Expenditure**
Administration
Travel & Motor Expenses
Rent
Wages & PAYE
Trip Expenses
**Total**
**Fund Expenditure**
Gifts via transfer
Gifts via Trips
Church Fund Gifts
**Totals**
**Net Income**
Fund Balances Forward
Interfund Transfers
**Fund balances carried forward**|**31/07/2021**
**Undesignated**
**Restricted or**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Designated funds**
17895
76659
94554
0
**17895**
**76659**
**94554**
1055
1055
543
224
767
1440
1440
156
2410
2566
0
**3194**
**2634**
**5828**
21446
36989
58434
0
28361
28361
**21446**
**65350**
**86795**
**-6745**
**8675**
**1930**
13601
7080
20681
0
**6856**
**15755**
**22611**|**31/07/2020**
**Undesignated**
**Restricted or**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Designated funds**
31192
75310
106502
5
5|
|---|---|---|
|||**31192**
**75315**
**106507**|
|||1326
1326
1863
1863
1440
1440
156
2108
2264
1394
1394|
|||**6179**
**2108**
**8287**|
|||32580
41076
73656
2461
3999
6460
27168
27168|
|||**35041**
**72243**
**107284**|
|||**-10027**
**964**
**-9063**
23628
6116
29744
0|
|||**13601**
**7080**
**20681**|
## **EPIC - REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1057592**
## **Balance sheet for year to 31 July 2021**
|**Notes**
**Assets**
Current Account
Deposit Account
**Assets**
**Represented By :**
Undesignated Funds
1a
Restricted Funds
1b
Churches Funds ( Restricted )
1c|**31/07/2021**
11008
11603
22611
22611
22611
6856
4152
11603
**22611**|**31/07/2020**
15208
5473
20681|**31/07/2020**
15208
5473
20681|
|---|---|---|---|
||||20681|
||||20681|
||||13601
1607
5473|
||||**20681**|
## **Notes :**
- 1a Funds held which are unrestricted .
- 1b Funds held for restricted use
- 1c Funds held which are restricted for Churches abroad .
MRS. W S BAYLISS
11 MARLBOROUGH CRESCENT LONG HANBOROUGH WITNEY OXON OX29 8JP TEL: 01993 883120
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of EPIC – registered charity no: 1057592**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] July 2021 as set out on the attached two pages.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner.**
As the Charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2)) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent audit is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- Follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commissioners section 145(5)b of the 2011 Act and
- State whether particular matters have come to my attention
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report:**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
## **Independent examiner’s statement.**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention.
(1) Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material aspect the requirements
- To keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and
- To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records Have not been met; or
- (2) To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## _Wendy Bayliss_
Mrs. W S Bayliss 9[th] December 2021