Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01.04.2023 To: 31.03.2024 Charity name: THE FEDERATION OF POLISH STUDENT SOCIETIES IN THE UK
Charity registration number: 1166785
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | Our purpose is to advance education for the public benefit, in particular but not exclusively by providing guidance, advice and other support to Polish student societies. The Federation, for example, brings together members of Polish Student Societies that are active at the UK universities. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
We played an active role in fostering connections within the Polish student community in the UK by organising and supporting several flagship events. We organised the LOC Christmas Dinnerat Villa Foksal, a festive networking event that brings together Polish students and young professionals from across Europe in a celebratory setting. In addition, wesupported the organisation of the UCL Leaders Conference, a high-profile, student-led initiative that gathers leaders from business, academia, and politics to engage in discussions around leadership, innovation, and public affairs. We alsohosted our annual Christmas Dinner at Ognisko Restaurant in London, a long-standing tradition that brings together Polish students in a warm and festive atmosphere. Throughout the 2023–2024 reporting period, we continuously supported Polish Societies across universities in England and Scotland, assisting them with the organisation of meetings, workshops, and other in-person and online initiatives aimed at community building and student development. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance |
Para 1.18 | We hereby confirm that the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. |
issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers Other
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | 1. Organisation of the LOC Christmas Dinner (Warsaw, Poland) – We organised the LOC Christmas Dinner at Villa Foksal, a major networking event for Polish students and young professionals. –_Impact:_Created opportunities for cross-border networking, mentorship, and cultural exchange. Strengthened ties between UK-based students and the wider Polish diaspora. 2. Support for the UCL Leaders Conference (London, UK) – We supported the organisation of the UCL Leaders Conference, a leading student-led forum focused on leadership, innovation, and public affairs. –_Impact:_Enabled students to engage with high-level speakers and develop insights into leadership and career pathways. Fostered intellectual curiosity and civic engagement among Polish and UK-based students |
3. Hosting of the Annual Ognisko Christmas Dinner (London, UK) – We hosted our annual Christmas dinner at Ognisko Restaurant, a well-attended community event celebrating Polish culture and fostering connections within the student network.
– Impact: Combated loneliness and isolation during the holiday season, particularly for international students. Reinforced a sense of cultural identity and belonging
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
|---|---|
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives Para 1.41 set
| Investment performance | Para 1.41 | |
|---|---|---|
| against objectives | ||
| Other |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | We maintained healthy finances. As of 31.03.2024 we had a sum of 1,987 GBP GBP in our account. This sum has been meant to cover expenses of conferences, events and student societies’initiatives. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | There were no reserves as at 31.03.2024 |
Amount of reserves held |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | We prepared a budget and stick to the financial plan |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | Sponsorship from external partners regarding supporting individual Polish student societies or general events. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | |
| Other | ||
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Federation |
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Elected by 5 representatives from each Polish society present at AGM. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
||
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 |
|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | THE FEDERATION OF POLISH STUDENT SOCIETIES IN THE UK |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
Registered charity number |
1 1 6 6 7 8 5 |
| Charity’s principal address | POSK 238-246 KING STREET LONDON W6 0RF |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marta Stępniewska | Co-president | |||
| Jakub Babuśka | Co-president | |||
| Natalia Deptała | Treasurer | |||
| Stanisław Kopyta | Vice-president | February 2023 – July 2023 |
||
| Sebastian Bartuzi | Social Media Coordinator |
February 2023 – July 2023 |
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
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| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | |||
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
~~-~~
Signature(s) Full name(s) Jagna Schmude Position (eg Secretary, Treasurer Chair, etc) Date 24.04.2025 ~~aa~~
Charity Name No (if any) THE FEDERATION OF POLISH STUDENT SOCIETIES IN THE UK 1 1 6 6 7 8 5 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To ee from es 01/04/2023 31/03/2024 ~~a~~ Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Endowment Restricted funds Total funds Last year funds funds to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEECIR | - | -- | - | 216- | - | -- | - | 216- | - | -- | ||||
| UCL LEADERS | - | -- | - | 30,663- | - | -- | - | 30,663- | - | -- | ||||
| VXI Congress | - | -- | - | 6,219- | - | -- | - | 6,219- | - | -- | ||||
| FED | - | -- | - | 45,171- | - | -- | - | 45,171- | - | -- | ||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- |
-82,269- - - 82,269- - Sub total (Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - -- - -- - -- - - - - -- - -- - -- - - - - -- Sub total [-] -- - -- - -- - - - - -- S Total receipts ~~S~~ [-] -- ~~SSS~~ 82,269-82,269- ~~=~~ -A3 Payments CEECIR -242- - - 242- - UCL LEADERS -34,601- - - 34,601- - VXI Congress -6,472- - - 6,472- - ———— FED -44,550- - - 44,550- -
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
27/04/2025
1
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
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| **Sub total ** | - | -- | - | 85,865- | - | -- | - | 85,865- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A4 Asset and investment | ||||||||||||||||||||
| purchases, (see table) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||||
| **Total payments ** | - | -- | - | 85,865- | - | -- | - | 85,865- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | - | -- | - | 3,596- | - | -- | - | 3,596- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| **Cash funds this year end ** | - | -- | - | 3,596- | - | -- | - | 3,596- | - | -- | ||||||||||
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Restricted funds | Endowment | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | |||||||||||||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||||||||||
| B1 | Cash | funds | N/A | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | |||||||||||
| Total cash funds | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account (s)) |
OK | Agreement Error | OK | |||||||||||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Endowment | ||||||||||||||
| funds | funds |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
27/04/2025
2
| B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ |
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| N/A | - -- |
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CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
27/04/2025
3
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
Fund to which Amount due When due Details liability relates (optional) (optional) Funds for the conference belonging to CEECIR CEECIR 587- Funds kept for conference next year UCL Leaders 1,077- Funds kept for conference next year XVI Congress 323- - - - - SSE Signature Print Name Date of approval Jagna Schmude 27/04/2025
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
27/04/2025
4
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report Report to the trustees/ Charity Name THE FEDERATION OF POLISH STUDENT SOCIETIES IN THE UK members of On accounts for the year 31/03/2024 Charity no 1 1 6 6 7 8 5 ended (if any) Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2024. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Date: 29/05/2025 ~~|~~
Name: Tymoteusz Gozdzik ~~pt~~
1
October 2018
IER
Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): ~~BS~~ Address: 32 Dalehouse Lane Kenilworth, CV8 2HX Section B Disclosure ~~-—~~ Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
2
October 2018
IER
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
Receipts that were provided to the independent examiner were properly classified and entered into form CC16a.
3
October 2018
IER