## **EPIC – Chairman’s Report: 2023-2024** ## **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), Sheila Hilton, Maureen Morris, and Heather Sexton ## **EPIC employee:** Chris Fox. ## **- Review of the 12 months: August 2023 July 2024** The main 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. Likewise, the churches in Eastern Europe are given support materially, spiritually and by these mutual visits. Although new links are no longer established, EPIC continues to fulfil a vital role in servicing the current links and in identifying various needs within the European churches as they arise. This work has continued through the above year. Donations come from UK churches supporting their partner churches, from churches giving into the general fund and from individual donors. Support for various projects undertaken by Eastern European churches has been ongoing; for example, this has, once again, particularly included work amongst young people and refugees, and the provision and maintenance of buildings. Chris Fox visited our partner churches in Eastern Europe in the autumn of 2023. During this trip she had the opportunity to particularly review the ongoing work supporting deaf children and refugees in, and from, Ukraine, particularly as this relates to churches in Romania and Poland. (See last year’s annual report.) Unfortunately, Chris Fox had to cancel her planned trip to Eastern Europe in the spring of 2024 at the last minute, due to the sudden onset of illness. However, she remained in sustained personal communication with many of the partner churches in Europe through email and telephone conversations, ensuring that contact, donations and visitations between those churches and British churches continued unhindered. Income this year, as last year, has been more than enough to maintain, and even increase, the level of support given. Current account level is approximately £84,000. 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 Stat•mont of FlnAnclal Actlvltl•s for the year to 3110712024 3110712024 Total 3110712023 Total Incom• und￿Ign¥t•d Funds Re8trlcted or Deslgnated fund8 Undeslgnatod Fund• Re8trlcted or D•8ignat•d fund• Recélpt8 Interogt 52451 76190 101 128641 101 44099 57309 92 101408 92 Tot•1 In6om• 52451 76291 128742 44099 57400 101499 Exp•ndltur• Admlnlstratlo Motor Expense8 Ront Wages & PAYE Trlp8 & Vlslti Expens88 251 1262 1440 251 1262 1440 2716 2805 1670 934 1440 156 5083 1870 934 1440 2420 5083 2716 2264 2805 Tot81 5758 2716 8474 9283 2264 11547 Fund Exp•ndltur• Glfts vla transfer Glfts given vla Trfps Church Fund Glfts Totals 46217 2469 34983 81180 2469 26316 109965 45992 4109 29330 75322 4109 22426 101857 26316 61279 22426 51756 48686 50101 Net Income -1993 12296 10303 .16285 3380 .11905 Fund Balances Forward Interfund Transfers Fund balances Carrled forward 9877 15503 25380 25162 12123 37285 7884 27799 35683 9877 15503 25380 MRS. W S BAYLISS 11 MARLBOROUGH CRESCENT LONG HANBOROUGH WITNEY OXON OX29 8JP TEL: 07826054446 ## **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 2024 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. Mrs. W S Bayliss 30/05/2025 ## **EPIC - REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1057592** |**Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31/07/2024**
**31/07/2024**
**Income**
**Undesignated**
**Restricted or**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Designated funds**
Receipts
52451
76190
128641
Interest
101
101
**Total Income**
**52451**
**76291**
**128742**
**Expenditure**
Administration
251
251
Motor Expenses
1262
1262
Rent
1440
1440
Wages & PAYE
2716
2716
Trips & Visits Expenses
2805
2805
**Total**
**5758**
**2716**
**8474**
**Fund Expenditure**
Gifts via transfer
46217
34963
81180
Gifts given via Trips
2469
2469
Church Fund Gifts
26316
26316
**Totals**
**48686**
**61279**
**109965**
**Net Income**
**-1993**
**12296**
**10303**
Fund Balances Forward
9877
15503
25380
Interfund Transfers
0
**Fund balances carried forward**
**7884**
**27799**
**35683**|**31/07/2023**
**Undesignated**
**Restricted or**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Designated funds**
44099
57309
101408
92
92| |---|---| ||**44099**
**57400**
**101499**| ||1670
1670
934
934
1440
1440
156
2264
2420
5083
5083| ||**9283**
**2264**
**11547**| ||45992
29330
75322
4109
4109
22426
22426| ||**50101**
**51756**
**101857**| ||**-15285**
**3380**
**-11905**
25162
12123
37285
0| ||**9877**
**15503**
**25380**| **31/07/2023** ## **EPIC - REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1057592** ## **Balance sheet for year to 31/07/2024** ## **Notes 31/07/2024** ## **Assets** |**Assets**|||| |---|---|---|---| |Current Account
Deposit Account
**Assets**
**Represented By :**
Undesignated Funds
1a
Restricted Funds
1b
Churches Funds ( Restricted )
1c|24736
10947
35683
35683
35683
7884
16852
10947
**35683**|11729
13651
25380|| ||||25380| ||||25380| ||||9877
1852
13651| ||||**25380**| ## **Notes :** - 1a Funds held which are unrestricted . - 1b Funds held for restricted use - 1c Funds held which are restricted for Churches abroad .