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2024-09-30-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01/10/2023 Period start date To 30/09/2024 Period end date

Charity name: Epistemic

Charity registration number: 1193217

Objectives and Activities

SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document		 Para 1.17 To act as a resource for young people living in
the United Kingdom by providing advice and
assistance and organising programmes of
educational and other activities, in particular
but not exclusively through workshops and
sessions in Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM) topics and careers as
a means of:
a) Advancing in life and helping young people
by developing their skills, capacities and
capabilities to enable them to participate in
society as mature and responsible individuals;
b) Advancing education;
c) Relieving unemployment.
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		 Epistemic aims to ensure that all young
people in the UK, regardless of their
geographical location, have the opportunity
to engage with professionals working in
STEM in order to inspire and encourage
them to pursue STEM careers. We do this
by providing a free service connecting
schools and youth groups directly to STEM
professionals via a video conferencing
platform. These sessions are flexible and
allow young people to engage in open
dialogue with those working in STEM
industries/academia.
The Epistemic trustees are focussing on
maturing the charity including finalising the
required policies, development of a logo and
aesthetics, applying for funding and carrying
out trials with schools and training providers.
Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit		 Para 1.18 The trustees of Epistemic have volunteered
their time and energy to the activities of
Epistemic so that the charity can fulfil its goal
to engage with and inspire young people into
STEM. The trustees have taken the
commission’s public benefit guidance into
account when making any decision it is
relevant to.
Epistemic is in a ‘maturation’’ stage where
the activities being carried out and decisions
being made by the trustees are to establish
the charity and will enable us to conduct our
main activities (providing interactive
sessions between young people and STEM
professionals to educate and advise on
potential career pathways) that will directly
benefit of all young people across the UK
that engage with our services. Unfortunately,
our trustees have had personal life changes
(e.g. children, going back to university part
time, bereavement) in the previous year and
activities were paused to allow the trustees
to focus their attention on these matters. The
trustees anticipate return to activity in the
near future.
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference
Policy on grant making Para 1.38 N/A
Policy on social investment
including program related
investment		 Para 1.38 N/A
Epistemic has been set up and is being
Contribution made by
volunteers		 Para 1.38 progressed entirely by the voluntary action of
its trustees. They commit their personal time
and energy to this endeavour and the
founding members of Epistemic are
extremely grateful for this so would like to
use this opportunity to once again express
their thanks and deep gratitude to them.
The scope for volunteers for Epistemic will
grow as it does and policies and strategies
have been worked up to help with
recruitment and management of said
volunteers. As mentioned above, the
volunteers have had personal life changes in
activities have been paused to allow the
volunteers to focus their attention on
extenuating personal matters. Epistemic
anticipates return to activity in the near
future.
Other Future Activity
The trustees of Epistemic previously laid out
a detailed action plan, before the formal
pausing of activities. This plan is still
considered to be valid however it will be
reviewed when the trustees are able to
resume volunteering activities.
When setting out this plan, the trustees of
Epistemic specifically considered the Charity
Commission’s guidance on public benefit to
ensure we align our targets.
The activities within the plan aim to transition
the charity from ‘maturing’ to full scale
delivery for public benefit. These activities
include:
●
More trial sessions with primary
schools
●
More trial sessions with secondary
schools
●
Publicity campaign to promote the
service within schools
●
Recruitment campaign for STEM
professionals
●
Update of all policies and regulations
●
Review of all policies and regulations
by a legal professional

Achievements and Performance

SORP reference As described above, the formal activities of Epistemic needed to be paused during due to personal life changes that occurred. The trustees anticipate return to activity in the near future. Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the Para 1.20 charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Unfortunately due to the pausing of activities, Epistemic were not able to achieve the objectives set. Epistemic hopes to be able to resume activities in the near future. Achievements against objectives set Para 1.41

Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set		 Para 1.41 As described above, Epistemic were
unfortunately unable to raise any more
funds. Epistemic hopes to be able to achieve
against these objectives once normal activity
can resume.
Investment performance
against objectives		 Para 1.41 N/A
Other N/A

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period		 Para 1.21 No change in funds.
Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held		 Para 1.22 Donation is being held in the business
account until Epistemic resumes activities so
that they can be spent on the further
activities for the charity, such as logo or
review of policies by legal professionals.
Amount of reserves held Para 1.22 £400
Reasons for holding zero
reserves		 Para 1.22 N/A
Details of fund materially in
deficit		 Para 1.24 No funds are materially in deficit.
Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern		 Para 1.23 While Epistemic has needed to take a pause
due to external factors, the trustees do not
have any concerns of the uncertainties about
the continuation of the charity.
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 1x previous donation business account, no
additional funds in this financial year.
Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted		 Para 1.46 N/A
A description of the principal
risks facing the charity		 Para 1.46 The key risk facing the charity at the moment
is the lack of funds secured at present,
which is holding up progress. This is the
main priority of the trustees at present and
will continue into the next reporting year.
While there is a risk that Epistemic have
needed to take a pause due to change of

circumstances of the trustees, it is expected to resume. N/A Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s
trusts:
Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)		 Para 1.25 Constitution, adopted 14/01/2021, updated
14/08/2022
How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)		 Para 1.25 Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
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 Trustees are appointed for a term of three
years and can stand down or stand for re-
elected by the remaining trustees at the end
of their term, as per the constitution. The
three founding trustees have been appointed
for 7, 6 and 5 years to ensure continuity. At
the end of their terms they may stand down
or stand for re-election.
Trustees are recruited in one of two ways:
●Skills Gap Analysis: a gap analysis of
the skills and experiences of the
current trustees to identify where
existing trustees skills are not
sufficient to progress Epistemic, for
example in this financial reporting
year we identified a gap for a
treasurer with financial
knowledge/experience. We then
reached out to our networks and
asked for applicants. The applicants
were then proposed and voted at an
Epistemic trustees meeting (in line
with the constitution) and an offer
made to the right applicant, who
accepted and joined the Board of
Trustees.
●Expression of interest: an individual
approaches one of the existing
trustees and is interested in
supporting. The trustees then discuss
this at the next meeting and vote to
determine if the potential trustee is
able to provide benefit to the Board
of Trustees and/or has the capacity
to support on-going activities (in line

with the constitution). A decision is then recorded in the minutes and the potential trustees informed of the outcome.

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
When a trustee is adopted, they must
complete a checklist for ‘onboarding’, which
must be signed by the new trustee and the
general secretary of Epistemic. This includes
reading/reviewing the Epistemic
Constitution, the government guidelines on
becoming a trustee of a charity, the Charity
Commission’s web pages on “public benefit”,
and HM Revenue & Customs’ ”Fit and
Proper Person” declaration, among other
requirements which are made clear to the
trustee.
The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works		 Para 1.51 The Board of Trustees of Epistemic are
structured with the following:
●A chair of the Board of Trustees who
is accountable for the progress of the
trustees
●A rotating ‘chair’ of the Epistemic
meetings
●A rotating ‘general secretary’ of
Epistemic meetings
●A treasurer responsible for all
financial elements of the charity
Additionally, the trustees are in ‘working
groups’ responsible for the following areas:
●IT & Website
●Grants & Funding
●Liaison with schools
●Liaison with STEM professionals

● Media & Marketing, including logo development N/A Relationship with any related parties Para 1.51 The Board of Trustees, in line with the voting described in the constitution, currently Other makes all decisions. There are no staff members currently employed by Epistemic.

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name Epistemic
Other name the charity uses N/A
Registered charity number 1193217
Charity’s principal address 12 Burrows Close
Penn
HIGH WYCOMBE
HP10 8AR

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
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20		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
year		 Name of
person (or
body)
entitled to
appoint
trustee (if
any)
Sophie Harker Chair
Andrew Hoang Treasurer
Anika Ved
Ryan Holmes
Nicola Gibbs
Thomas Taylor-
MacLean		 Founding Trustee
Laura Hoang Founding Trustee

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

N/A

Other optional information

N/A

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Thomas Taylor-MacLean Full name(s) Sophie Harker Position (eg Chair Co-founder Secretary, Chair, etc) Date 06/07/2025

Charity Name No (if any) Epistemic 1193217

Recei ts and a ments accounts p p y For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1/10/23 30/9/24

CC16a

Section A Receipts and payments

A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest
£		 Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest
£		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Last year
to the nearest £
- - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
_AR) _ £0 £0 £0 £0 400
~~A2 Asset and investment sales,~~
(see table).
-
- -
Sub total £0 -
Total receipts
A3 Payments		 0
£0

Annual Return Overdue Payment		 - - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

1

**Sub total ** - - - - - - - - £0
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
**Sub total ** £0 £0
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
-
- - - - -
-
-
- - -
400 - - 400 -
400 - - 400 400

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets		 Details
Business Current Account
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))		 Details
Business Current Account
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
400 - -
- - -
- - -
400 £0 £0
£0
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

2

B3 Investment assets

B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use

B5 Liabilities

- - -
- - -
Details Fund to which
asset belongs		 Cost (optional) Current value
(optional)
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Details Fund to which
asset belongs		 Cost (optional) Current value
(optional)
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Details Fund to which
~~liability relates~~		 Amount due
~~(optional)~~		 When due
~~(optional)~~
-
-
-
-
-

CCXX R3 accounts (SS)

3

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

Signature Print Name
Sophie Harker
Thomas Taylor-MacLean		 Date of
approval
Sophie Harker 06/07/2025
Thomas Taylor-MacLean 06/07/2025

CCXX R4 accounts (SS)

4