Charity Registration Number 1168672 Polish Saturday School in Darlington Trustees, Annual Report and Accounts Period 01 April 23 to 31 March 2024
Polish Saturday School in Darlington Charity registration number 1168672 Period 01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Trustees, Annual Report ObJertives and artivities The charity was established forthe public benefitto advance education, culture, and heritage, and to promote racial harmony, particularly by: a) Establishing. maintaining, and developing the Polish school In Darlington, and providing resources and teaching as necessary to support the education and development of its pupils and children. b) Assisting pupils and chlldren attending the school, along with their families, to Integrate into the local cultural environment and British society; c) Helping children attending the school to sustaln their own cultural identity, ensuring that Polish cultural heritsge is handed down for the benefit of future generations and posterity. and d) Nurturing Polish culture, traditions, and values. Nothing In the constitution allows the application of the charity's property for purposes that are not charitable. The trustees have complied with the duty in the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. Achlevements and performance The period, which marked our eighth operatlonal year. was the first yearthe school recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully increased its turnover to pre-pandemic levels. The number of pupils and attendance rates also returned to their pre-pandemic levels. For the academlc year 2023-2024, we have enrolled a total of 93 pupils, the same number as the prevlous year. The school continues to operate as normal. In November 2023, we organized another celebration of Polish Independence Day. This event was open to school pupils and their parents. It proved to be a great success and encouraged the school to plan more open performances in the future. In December, the school also organized Santa Claus Day, which was open to external guests as well. Thi5 event took place in the Main Hall and Dining Hall of the school premises. Santa Claus visited and gave all participating children small gifts. We managed to raise extra revenue by selling these presents at £10 each. There was a tombola, traditional Polish food, and plentyof games forthe children. We also secured live music, which proved to be a great Success. From January• we started preparations for our main annual event- Polish Heritage Day, which took place in May 2023. As every year, local officials from Darlington Borough Council and representatives frorn the Polish Consulate in Manchester were invited and attended. Approximately 300 participants attended this event. Page2of6
Polish Saturday School in Darlington Charity registration number 1168672 Period 01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 In addition to the regular classes where education in Polish language, history, geography* and culture was delivered, we reintroduced our 'Meetings with Interesting People, series. This year, we hosted local police officers from both the UK and Poland, as well as a special education teacher visiting from Poland. For the second time, the school was able to secure the Green PowerGoblin projectfor building an electric car, which later participated in national racing at Croft Circuit. Eight children from the 'Bociany' class volunteered and participated. They attended extra one-hour sessions for 12 weeks to assemble the car from scratch and then test run it on the school premises. This became a great success, and the school plans to run it again next year with another class. Flnanclal review During the perlod, Income received from school fees, grants, and other events was £25,939. while expenditure amounted to £25,143. Trustee5' paymentforteaching services were £1015. This created a surplus of £796. This change is due to the increase in school fees by £10 per child per year, while the number of children remained the same. Additionally, as in prevlous years, the school was able to secure extra funding from the Pollsh Consulate in Manchester and Wspolnota Polska, a Polish government-associated body. As predicted the year before, the budget is more balanced. The surplus from the previous year has been reduced In the current year as the school spent more on teachers, fees and classroom rental. The school also organized an end-of-year event for teachers, volunteers, and school supporters, costing an extra £1,000. This amount included costs of venue rental, drinks, food, and gifts for teachers and volunteers. The bank and cash balance brought forward on 31 March 2024 was £19,088. Thls amount secures the school's operation for the year ahead. The restricted funds included two grants from the Polish Consulate in Manchesterto help cover the cost of organizing Polish Heritage Day, as well as a grant from Wspolnota Polska, which subsidizes classroom rentsl. The school also opened a savings deposit account, which currently has a balance of £10,211. This is to keep extra funds separate from the current operational account and also to generate some interest. This year, extra income from interest was £297. The account has been put into an 18-month bond. which will generate higher interest, and the funds will be available in September 2025. Reserves The charity aims to adopt a policy to malntain reserves at a level that enables continued operation for a period of one year. These reserves are kept In a savings account with a balance of £10,211 Risk management The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate these risks. Page3of6
Polish Saturday School in Darlington Charity registration number 1168672 Period 01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Structure, Governance and Management As at 31 March 2024 the Charity Trusties are: Mr Z. Krawiec Mrs A. Kindel Mrs A. Wieckiewicz Mrs E. Mozdynlewlcz Mrs M Palucha Mr P Urban There must be at least 3 trustees and a maximum of 9. A quorum for meetings is 2. New trustees are provided wlth information about the organization, its objectives, and constitution, and are informed of the responsibilities of trustees In line with the Charlty Commission's published guidance. Currently• there are 6 trustees. The charity relies on volunteers to provide services and offers remuneration for professional services rendered by teachers. The school currently has 10 teachers, 3 asslstants, and 5 volunteers. Reference and Adminlstratlve deta115 Charity name: Polish Saturday School in Darlington Registered charity number: 1168672 Charity's principal address: Polish White Eagle Club 2 Maple Terrace Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7SF The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above: Name: Zbigniew Krawiec Trustee Narne: Piotr Urban Trustee Zbigniew G. Krawiec, PhD Digitslly signed by Zbigniew G. KrawieG PhD Date: 2024.09.16 21:26:49 +01,00, Page4of6
Polish Saturday School in Darlington Charity registration number 1168672 Period 01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Pollsh Saturday School In Darlington I report to the trustees on rny examination of the receipts and payments accounts of the Polish Saturday School in Darlington ('the Charity,) for the year ended 31 March 2024. Responsibilities and basls of report As the charity trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation 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 sertion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under settion 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent examlner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: l. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act: or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Catherine Milbanke Bsc FCA 3 S Accountancy Services Chartered Accountants Date: /*/1 Page5 of6
Polish Saturday School in Darlington Charity registration number 1168672 Period 01 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 Polish Saturday School in Darlington Year ended 31 March 2024 Receipts and payments accounts . Unrnstricted l Restricted 2024 Total 1 2023 Total funds £ Lfunds £ Recelpts School fees Events Bank Interest Grants Other Total recelpts 1 17 185.00 4 696,00 297,00 17 185.00 114401.00 4 696,00 1 4 585,00 297.00 13 750,80 1 3 751,00 10.00 25 938,89 .1_ 24 051.00 22 188,00 13 750,80 Payments Printin& post and stationery Classroom resources Trainlng Insurance Teathersfees Room hlre Events Volunteerexpenses Otherexpenses Totsl payments 313.36 634.00 425,00 313,36 132.97 634,00 418,14 425,00 483.79 547.00 531.84 1 14 902,00 14902.00 1 13630.00 1879,00 13 151,00 5 030.00 1 4 293,00 2 431,00 600,1)0 3 031.00 1364,20 120,00 120,00 130,00 141,00 1 141,00 368,(X) I. 21392.36 1 3 751,00 1 25 143.00 21352,00 Net Income / (expendlture) 795,64 796,00 1 2 699,00 Bankand cash balanos broughtfonvard 19 088,00 19088,00 1 16389,00 Bank and (ash balances at 3L03.2024 119 883,64 1 19 884,00 19 088,00 Note: Restrlrted funds are grants received to support the Polish Herlta8e Day from Pollsh Consulate In Manthester 'and from Wspolnota Polska to payforclass hire. Cash funds 8alance at bank Cash balances 19 622,(Xl 261 64 261 18 826,Q) 261( 1 884,Q) I 1 884, 19 Page6of6