2025-04-06-accounts

GREEK CULTURAL SOCIETY OF BIRMINGHAM "ITHACA"

Trustee Annual Report and Financial Statements

For the Year Ended 6 April 2025

Charity Number: 1183839

Greek Cultural Society of Birmingham “Ithaca”

Trustee Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 6 April 2025

1. Reference and Administrative Information

Charity name

Greek Cultural Society of Birmingham “Ithaca”

Other name the charity uses Ithaca

Registered charity number 1183839 Charity’s principal address BIRMINGHAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 75 HARBORNE ROAD BIRMINGHAM B15 3DH

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity:

Trustee name Office Konstantinos Anastasakis Assistant Treasurer Athanasia Evlampia Davies Vice Chair Kalliopi-Paraskevi Charitaki Secretary Ioannis Karavias Chair Ioanna-Kleopatra Kouremenou Social Media Lead Andreas Sakketos Social Media Assistant Maria Emmanouela Terlektsi Class Manager Antonios Theodoromanolakis Head Treasurer Panagiotis Vakirtzis Vice Chair Dimitris Themistokleous Music Band lead Themistoklis Deloudis Membership manager

2. Structure, Governance and Management

Type of governing document: Constitution Charity type: CIO

Appointment of charity trustees: The structure and governance of the charity is detailed in the charity constitution. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees

must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

3. Objectives and Activities

Objectives:

Our charity’s aim and purposes as set out in the objects contained in the Ithaca’s constitution are to advance education of the public concerning Greek culture, traditions, language, history and arts in Birmingham and such parts of the United Kingdom as the trustees may from time to time determine through the provision of courses and activities.

Activities:

In setting our objectives and planning our activities the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance.

Ithaca has been steadily navigating the evolving landscape shaped by Brexit and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many young professionals took advantage of furlough schemes and the slower pace of lockdown life to establish new beginnings in Greece. Combined with the country’s improving economic outlook, this has led to a growing number of young Greeks returning home. Meanwhile, Brexit has significantly reduced the number of Greek students enrolling at Birmingham’s universities and, consequently, the influx of young Greek professionals to the city. As a result, the Greek community in Birmingham today is largely comprised of families with children. Reflecting this demographic shift, the majority of participants in the society’s events are Greek-speaking individuals, often accompanied by non-Greek partners or friends who are eager to explore and embrace Greek culture. Naturally, this has prompted a reorientation of the society’s activities, now more thoughtfully focused on family-oriented events and experiences.

Overall, the main activities were:

1. Ithaca collaborated with Birmingham’s Greek Club to organize the following free seminars on the public’s education. The seminars were given in English and took place at the University of Birmingham, and were observed by a diverse audience.

2. a. Seminar on the Aidonia Tresure

3. b. Fiscal and Monetary Policy in the Ancient Greek World Seminar

4. c. A Greak Symposio

5. d. Rembetika – a historical introduction

6. Greek dancing lessons: What started as the most successful year ever was followed by returns to Greece by several key members of the dance team. Still many remained close peaking at 35 participants in a seminar for Cycladic dancing.

7. Ithaca presented a remarkable performance at the Parish of the Holy Trinity in Stratfordupon-Avon — the birthplace and resting place of Shakespeare. The evening celebrated the Greek tradition of St John’s Klydona, featuring the symbolic act of dancing over a (mock) fire and the playful rituals through which young women seek to discover their future partners. The celebration continued with a feast and a captivating display of Greek dances, performed by Ithaca’s dancers proudly dressed in their full traditional costumes, acquired the previous

year. The hall was filled to capacity, and by the night’s end, the joyous spirit of the occasion drew everyone to the dance floor, united in music, movement, and celebration.

1. Greek dancing workshops with external teachers:

2. a. Trip to the Greek Seas

3. b. Cyclades from Yesterday to Today

4. Ithaca’s football team: Ithaca proudly formed its first football team to take part in the Midlands Greek Cypriot Association’s “Estia” tournament. Wearing the society’s signature shirts, the team represented Ithaca with spirit and determination, delivering an admirable performance on and off the field.

5. Ithaca’s music band: In response to a long-felt gap in the local community, Ithaca took the initiative to establish its own music band. Although many in Birmingham love to listen and dance to Greek music, there had been no organized effort to bring this tradition to life locally. Ithaca’s vision soon blossomed into a successful endeavour — the creation of a new band dedicated to performing traditional Greek music. Since its formation, the band has enlivened Ithaca’s own events with vibrant performances and has been warmly welcomed as a guest ensemble at the Greek School of Coventry and the Greek Festival of Droitwich Spa.

6. Iconography: Ithaca, together with the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity and St Church co-funded the classes. Ithaca did not take any fees for this class.

7. The organization hosted a Greek Summer Photo Competition. The winner of the competition won a prize of £30. The judge was professional photographer Kyriakos Iliou who Ithaca thanks wholeheartedly.

8. Free coffee events and get-togethers were organized:

9. a. "Fthinoporino Synapantima" (Autumn Gathering) at Bar Estilo.

10. b. “Speedfriending Café” was held to facilitate connections within the community, at Bar Estilo.

11. c. “Vasilopita 2025” celebration, a traditional New Year's cake cutting ceremony, at Bar Estilo.

12. d. Christmas Melomakarona, at the Malt House.

13. Greek nights: To further strengthen bonds and attract new members, Ithaca organised a Greek “Apokriatiko” party which included a display of traditional Greek dances and Greek music. More than 140 individuals attended.

4. Achievements and Performance

The performance was overall positive. In what was arguably the most active period in Ithaca’s history, Ithaca managed to attract new audiences, with the biggest loses coming from members moving back to Greece. The seminars were well attended with 20-30 individuals. The Greek dancing and Iconography classes had many students. Ithaca’s music band had a stable form with 5 musicians, meeting regularly. The Greek night was successful having about 140 participants. The coffee get togethers attracted between 30 and 70 participants. Overall, we achieved reaching many more people.

5. Financial Review

In the period April 7[th] 2024 – April 6[th] 2025 Ithaca had a total income of £7822.71 and a total expenditure of £7,662.71. The reserves are equal to £5,320.64. As can be seen, the total income almost doubled since the previous financial year, although the net income was only £160. The financial position is considered satisfactory because currently the aim of Ithaca is to attract as many individuals as possible, and not to raise funds towards a specific purpose.

Income was generated through the following methods:

1. Classes: Iconography and Greek Dancing lessons cost £50 and £30 per person per month. 2. Greek nights.

2. Fee’s from Ithaca’s team dancing at the Apokriatiko party function and at the “Enchanted Evening event”.

3. Donations

The expenditures were generated as follows:

1. Communications cost: Ithaca has a dedicated mobile number which is used for communications with our members and public. Furthermore, Ithaca built and maintains its own website.

2. Costs for promotional materials: Ithaca’s t-shirts, and the calendars had to be paid for.

3. Charitable activities: this is the cost for booking the Midlands Greek Cypriot Association space for iconography, as well as the costs for renting the dancing room at the Hippodrome Theatre, and the dance instructor renumeration. The iconography instructor is paid directly by the students.

The policy on reserves is to hold them and increase them until we are in a position to secure a place which can host all of Ithaca’s activities. Currently the activities are spread in various locations in Birmingham and this has an economic cost both for us who need to rent space and our community which have to travel to different locations.

6. Plans for Future Periods

The main objectives for future periods will be to become widely known to the public through activities of greater visibility. Ithaca will enter a transition period in the next year as many of the long-time serving trustees may step down to allow new ones with fresh ideas to join the team and carry the charity forward. Ithaca’s strength is that it carries no debts or obligations, only a good reserve of unrestricted funds.

7. 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) Position Date
	Ioannis Karavias	Antonios Theodoromanolakis
	Chair	Head Treasurer
	1/2/2026
	1/2/2026

Greek Cultural Society of Birmngham “Ithaca” Statement of Financial Activities (including Income & Expenditure Account) for the year ended 6 April 2025

			Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Total Funds	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Total Funds
	Notes		Funds	2024	2024	Funds	2023	2023
Incoming Resouces			£		£	£		£
Incoming resources from
generated funds
Charitable activities		1		7822.71	7822.71		4592.5	4592.5
Total Incoming
Resources				7822.71	7822.71		4592.5	4592.5
Resources Expended
Costs of generating
funds		2		595.61	595.61		2926.29	2926.29
Charitable activities		3		7067.1	7067.1		3785.18	3785.18
Total Resources
Expended				7662.71	7662.71		6711.47	6711.47
Net Income of the year				160	160		-2118.97	-2118.97
Total funds carried
forwards				5320.64	5320.64		5160.64	5160.64

Greek Cultural Society of Birmngham “Ithaca” Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the year ended 6 April 2025

	2025	2024
Current assets
	5320.64	5160.64
Cash and cash at hand
Total Funds	5320.64	5160.64

Greek Cultural Society of Birmingham “Ithaca” Balance Sheet as at 6 April 2025

	Balance Sheet	as at 6 April	2025
Notes		Unrestricted Funds 2024	Total Funds 2024	Unrestricted Funds 2023	Total Funds 2023
	Income
1	Memberships and Donations	220	220	966	966
	Classes	3485.14	3485.14	3526.5	3526.5
	Greek Nights	4117.57	4117.57	100	100
	Ithacia Festival	0	0	0	0
	Expenditure
2	Costs ofgeneratingfunds
	Communication Costs	55	55	60	60
	BroadcastingCosts	23.88	23.88	2816.29	2816.29
	Advertisement costs	516.73	516.73	50	50
3	Charitable activities
	Classes	4013.3	4013.3	3592	3592
	Greek Nights	3053.8	3053.8	193.18	193.18
	Ithacia Festival	0	0	0	0