2024-04-05-accounts

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

ANNUAL REPORT | 2023 - 2024

The EPIC Charity – Bristol | Registered Charity No. 2 1193713 Email: info@epiccharitybristol.org.uk | Address: B Bond, Smeaton Rd BS1 6XN

OBJECTIVES | ACTIVITIES | VALUES 2. CARE EXPERIENCE | THE CONTEXT 3. IMPACT ASSESSMENT | MAKING A DIFFERENCE
FINANCIAL REVIEW | ACCOUNTS 5. STRUCTURE | GOVERNANCE | TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES 6. EPIC PRIORITIES | LOOKING AHEAD

1. OBJECTIVES | ACTIVITIES | VALUES 2

The EPIC Charity– Bristol, was established in 5[th] March 2021, and is informally known as ‘EPIC’.
EPIC is a small grant-giving charity supporting careexperienced children and young people.
Our grant-making policy and funding criteria can be found on our website, in brief, the charity provides grants of up to £500 to children or young people who have grown up in the care of Bristol City Council Local Authority. On occasion EPIC may provide larger grants to organisations or groups working specifically with Bristol's care-experienced young people.
EPIC’s values centre around promoting access to activities and opportunities, as well as inspiring memories.

2. CARE EXPERIENCE | THE CONTEXT

Internationally, nationally, and locally in Bristol, the number of children in care increases year-on-year.
This also means young people aging out of the care system, around age 18 and known as care leavers, is a growing population.
It is understood that that care-experienced young people experience disproportionately worse outcomes in adulthood than general populations, for example financially, risk of homelessness, risk of involvement in criminality, and poorer physical and mental health.

----- Start of picture text -----
3. IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 2
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
----- End of picture text -----

In 2023-24 we approved and processed 20 grants including an educational trip, holidays, days out, bikes and sports equipment.

As the grants are experience-based rather than goal-based the success of the grant-making programme is determined largely on feedback received from beneficiaries.

Feedback from young people and their social workers:

“The kids had a really nice time. It was nice to get away”

“E absolutely loved her trip to Longleat!”

“C was desperate to learn piano – on my last visit to see her she played us a song – it was lovely!”

“J really enjoyed his young driver lessons. He wants to be in the police and thought learning to drive early would be great. He has a massive smile on his face when he told me about it. It was lovely to be able to fund something to enrich his life.”

“It was great for R to be able to get surfing lessons before she moved down to the coast. She’s had a tricky year at school so it was good to be able to provide something extra for her.”

4. FINANCIAL REVIEW | ACCOUNTS

During the previous financial year EPIC received a significant start-up grant which allowed us to begin issuing grants to care-experienced children and young people. We are now dependent mainly on ‘payroll giving’ and oneoff grants.

A challenge in the current financial year has been generating sustained funding which will allow us to continue to give grants once the start-up fund is used up.

Cashfow summary table:

		2023-24
Total I	ncome	£1612
Total e	xpenditure	£9372
Reserv end	es at year	£22,584

Cash f end	unds at year	£14,825

The board have agreed a Reserves Policy is not yet necessary but will require further consideration upon more consistent funding.

Grant making windows

During 2023-24 EPIC ran two grant cycles giving out a total of 20 grants to 20 individual young people.

5. STRUCTURE | GOVERNANCE | TRUSTEES’ RESPONSABILITIES

Over 2023 – 2024, the EPIC board of Trustees was made up of seven Trustees. There were no starters or leavers during this period. The board meets six times per year.
EPIC established a Finance Committee made up of four Trustees who meet after every application window to make decisions regarding funding applications based on the relevant criteria. The Funding Policy is on our website.
Trustees are generally sought based on experience and by word of mouth, as well as advertising on volunteer forums. The Trustees regularly review the make-up of the board to ensure it is representative. New Trustees have an introductory discussion and are invited to observe a meeting. Formal training is planned for 23/24 financial year.
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the Financial Statements in accordance with charity law and accounting standards. In preparing these reports the trustees are required to:
Apply policies appropriately and consistently
Comply with the Charity Commission requirements
Confirm appropriate accounting standards have been followed

o Complete them on a going concern basis

The Trustees are responsible for keeping financial records that will accurately disclose the financial position of the charity, as well as safeguarding the assets of the charity – and detecting and preventing fraud.

6. EPIC PRIORITIES | LOOKING AHEAD

Raising EPIC’s profile via a new website Establish a greater social media presence Awareness-raising Recruit a Patron

Embed more dynamic fundraising efforts Further develop our Trustee board

	Epic Charity Bristol 1	Epic Charity Bristol 1	Epic Charity Bristol 1	No (if any) 193713	CC16a
	For the period from	Period start date 4/6/2023	To	Period end date 4/5/2024

Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts		to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Restricted funds	to the nearest £ Endowment funds	Total funds to the nearest £ 1,612 - 1,612 - - 1,612 30 69 9,273 - 9,372 - - 9,372 - 7,759 - 22,584 14,825	Last year to the nearest £
Donations,legacies andgrants	1,612		-	1,612	-
	-		-	-	-
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	1,612		-	1,612	31,473

			-	-	-
			-	-	-

			-		31,473

			-	30	-
			-	69	-
			-	9,273	-
			-	-	-
			-	9,372	10,237

			-	-
			-	-	-

			-	9,372	10,237

	- 7,759	-	-	- 7,759	21,236
	-	-	-	-	-
	22,584	-	-	22,584	1,348
	14,825	-	-	14,825	22,584

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

Details Details Details Details Details Signature #VALUE! #VALUE! *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	to nearest £ to nearest £ 14,825 - - - 14,825 - OK OK to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - Cost (optional) - - Cost (optional) - - - - Print Name Liz Small Mike Starr Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional)	to nearest £ Endowment funds
		-
		-
		-
		OK
		to nearest £ Endowment funds
		-
		-
		Current value (optional)
		-
		-
		Current value (optional)
		-
		-
		When due (optional)



		Date of approval
#VALUE!	Liz Small	17th Jan 2025
#VALUE!	Mike Starr	20th Jan 2025

CONTENTS