British Friends of Quaker Council for European Affairs
Registered charity 293776
Registered Address: C/O Finance and Property, Religious Society of Friends, Friends House, Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ.
ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2023
1. Purpose, Objectives and Activities
British Friends of Quaker Council for European Affairs (BFoQCEA) is a Quaker charity whose main purpose is to promote Quaker values at the European level. These values are based on Quaker testimonies to peace, integrity, simplicity, equality and good stewardship of the planet (sustainability). The Charity is also referred to as the British Committee of Quaker Council for European Affairs in our Governing Document.
The purpose of BFoQCEA is achieved primarily by supporting the work of Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA), an international non-profit association, registered and based in Brussels, Belgium, and by promoting the work of QCEA within Britain Yearly Meeting, the national Quaker Church in Britain. Detailed information about the work of QCEA can be found here: https://www.qcea.org.
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BFoQCEA raises sterling funds largely through donations from individuals, Quaker Meetings and Charitable Trusts; acts as agent in the collection of some direct grants to QCEA such as that made by Britain Yearly Meeting; acts as agent in the collection of some membership and service fees charged by QCEA and makes sterling payments on behalf of QCEA such as the rent for Quaker House Brussels where QCEA is based.
BFoQCEA participates in the governance of QCEA by appointing a member of its Council, as do Britain Yearly Meeting and each of the Quaker Yearly Meetings in Europe. QCEA relies for funding entirely on the Yearly Meetings, local and regional Quaker Meetings, individual Friends and Quaker and other Charitable Trusts. BFoQCEA promotes the work of QCEA so that British Friends and other interested people are aware of the importance of speaking truth to power at the European level.
The appointment by QCEA of a Communications Officer, who has attended meetings of BFoQCEA since July 22, has enabled us to be well informed about the ongoing work of QCEA. QCEA has also hired a new member of staff to work on its project on climate change.
In March 2023, QCEA adopted a strategy for 2023-2026, entitled “Justice and Peace in a Time of Climate Crisis”. There are now three major strands to QCEA’s work: Climate Justice and Peace, Migration and Peace, and Dialogues for Transformation. Work over the past year has included: the publication of ‘Storytelling from the Frontlines: Forefronting the voices of communities most affected by militarism and the climate crisis’, which brings a selection of stories from communities in disparate locations of the world who are united by the connecting thread of militarism and the climate crisis. The report was promoted by an online launch event in March 2023, in which many British Friends participated, and was also sent to 200 contacts in institutions and civil society organisations. In the second part of the year, Saskia Basa, Migration and Peace Coordinator, was working with partners to influence the EU Pact on Migration to ensure safe pathways for everyone.
Subsequently, QCEA hired a Climate Justice and Peace Coordinator, who has developed this strand of work. QCEA also organised several other events, including events in collaboration with Young Professionals in Foreign Policy to explore conflict mediation, and a series of dialogues on borders. In August-September, Quaker House Brussels organised a ‘Loving Earth’ exhibition, to explore the threats to the natural world through environmental
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degradation and celebrate the wonderful things we cherish and love. Later in the year, and continuing in to 2024, QCEA began the implementation of a programme of work to become an anti-racist and anti-oppressive behaviour organisation.
BFoQCEA participated in the Yearly Meeting (annual gathering) of Quakers in Britain in April 2023, by holding an online event or ‘special interest group to present ‘Stories from the Frontline’ and to inform participants about other aspects of QCEA’s recent work. BFoQCEA helped with the distribution of ‘Around Europe’, the quarterly newsletter of QCEA, and prepared an appeal leaflet for insertion in ‘the Friend’ (Quaker weekly publication) which appeared in January 2023.
Since July 2022, British Friends of QCEA has been a ‘Quaker Recognised Body’ within Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
In April 2022, BFoQCEA agreed to a request from Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) to act as the collector of sterling donations to the FWCC appeal for funds for Quakers in Poland, Georgia and Estonia who were supporting Ukrainian refugees fleeing the effects of Russian warfare. This role came to an end in 2023 with all the remaining funds disbursed.
Governance
The Trustees of the charity met eight times during 2023 via Zoom and Teams video-conferencing. In addition, an Annual General Meeting of the Charity was held on Friday April 28th 2023 at Birkbeck College, University of London, and online. At the AGM, Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick was reappointed as clerk (chair). Martin Ford was re-appointed as treasurer and Elspeth Wollen as note-taker (secretary). Martin Hughes was appointed as assistant clerk (assistant chair) and re-appointed as the Charity Commission Contact.
As at 31[st] December 2023, the trustees were:
Keith Archer
William Becher
John Crosfield
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Martin Ford
Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick
Martin Hughes
Sue Myers
Marcie Winstanley
Elspeth Wollen
As noted in our 2022 Annual Report, trustees accepted the recommendations of a small group set up to review the existing constitution that no changes to the appointment and terms of service of trustees be made in the near future. Meanwhile, we developed some rules of good practice, such as the length of terms of service of our trustees, to guide the way we operate.
A copy of our Governing Document and annual financial returns can be found on the Charities Commission website here: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/cy/charity-search/-/charity-details/293776.
2. Financial Summary
The Income of the charity during 2023 was £ 63,757. This compares with £59,299 in 2022. Donations from Quaker Meetings were £10.885 (including part of Ireland Yearly Meeting), donations from individuals £13,269 and donations from Quaker and other grant-making Trusts £35,000. A total of £1,376 was received on behalf of QCEA acting as agent for membership and publication payments and a total of £10,135 in disbursements was made on behalf of QCEA. This included rent payments to Britain Yearly Meeting for the use of Quaker House in Brussels.
In this year Britain Yearly Meeting made a direct donation to QCEA to support their work rather than making the payment via BFoQCEA.
We were able to make donations to QCEA of £54,000 in 2023 as compared with £50,000 in 2022.
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| Donations to QCEA |
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling | 54,000 | 50,000 | 182,798 | 63,000 | 83,000 | 88,000 |
A total of £893 was received on behalf of the FWCC Ukraine appeal. This sum, together with the £721 remaining from 2022 was distributed under the direction of FWCC during the year. The balance held was therefore reduced to £nil and this role Acting as Agent came to an end in September 2023.
At the end of the year, our General Fund reserve was £9,493 the DW Saunders Fund was £17,456, the Ramallah bursary fund £1,102 and the FWCC fund £nil.
These funds were held as £18,651 cash in the charity’s two CAF Bank Accounts and as a fixed asset bond.
3. Looking ahead to 2024
During 2024 we will continue our core work of supporting, promoting and fund-raising for the work of QCEA with Quakers and Quaker Meetings throughout Britain.
4. Public Benefit
The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. British Friends of QCEA supports work that benefits the public in Britain as a part of Europe’s sphere of influence and elsewhere in the world by promoting the values of peace and human rights embodied in the Quaker testimonies to peace, simplicity, integrity and equality.
Signed
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Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick, Clerk, 10 June 2024
5. Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of the British Committee of the Quaker Council for European Affairs
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023 .
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
As the charity's trustees of the British Committee of the Quaker Council for European Affairs 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 British Committee of the Quaker Council for European Affairs accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner'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:
- accounting records were not kept in respect of the British Committee of the Quaker Council for European Affairs as required by section 130 of the Act;
or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
-
the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports} Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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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.
David Olver, 10 Daleside Road, Riddlesden, Keighley, BD20 5ES
19 February 2024
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| Statement of Financial Activities for the Year | Statement of Financial Activities for the Year | Statement of Financial Activities for the Year | Statement of Financial Activities for the Year | Ending 31st December 2023 | Ending 31st December 2023 | Ending 31st December 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Friends of Quaker Council for European Affairs (BFoQCEA) |
Unrestricted funds | Restricted funds | Total 2023 | Total 2022 |
|||||
| Reg Charity: 293776 | General fund |
QCEA fund | FWCC for | Ramallah Bursary |
DW Saunders | ||||
| Ukraine | Capital | Income | |||||||
| Income | Note | ||||||||
| Gifts and donations | 2/7/8 | 62,050 | 893 | 0 | 62,944 | 61,575 | |||
| Conference fees | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Interest | 2/7 | 330 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 330 | 275 | ||
| Receipts for QCEA | 2/6 | 1,376 | 1,376 | 5,470 | |||||
| Total incoming resources | 62,381 | 1,376 | 893 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64,650 | 67,320 | |
| Charitable Expenditure | |||||||||
| QHB rent paid by BfoQCEA | 4 | 6,881 | 6,881 | 8,630 | |||||
| BFoQCEA grant to QCEA | 3/4 | 45,241 | 45,241 | 50,114 | |||||
| Acting for FWCC (Ukraine) | 8 | 1,614 | 1,614 | 6,561 | |||||
| Bursaries | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,385 | |||
| Acting for QCEA | 6 | 3,254 | 3,254 | 6,418 | |||||
| Sub-total | 52,122 | 3,254 | 1,614 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56,990 | 73,109 | |
| Governance | 100 | 100 | 148 | ||||||
| Bank charges | 60 | 60 | 81 | ||||||
| Admin & publicity | 1,293 | 1,293 | 0 | ||||||
| Total resources expended | 53,576 | 3,254 | 1,614 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58,444 | 73,338 | |
| Net incoming resources | 6 | 8,805 | (1,878) | (721) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,206 | (6,018) |
| Gains/(losses) on investments | (86) | (86) | 450 | ||||||
| Net movement in funds | 6 | 8,805 | (1,878) | (721) | 0 | (86) | 0 | 6,120 | (5,568) |
| Transfers between funds | (1,878) | 1,878 | 0 | 0 | (1,878) | (1,173) | |||
| Brought forward 1st January | 6 | 2,565 | (0) | 721 | 1,103 | 17,570 | 58 | 22,018 | 27,586 |
| Carried forward 31st December | 6 | 9,493 | (0) | (0) | 1,103 | 17,484 | 58 | 28,138 | 22,018 |
| Balance Sheet as at 31st December 2023 | |||||||||
| 2.5% Index Linked Treasury 2024 | 9,487 | 9,487 | 9,573 | ||||||
| Fixed Assets | |||||||||
| CAF Bank current account | 100 | 100 | 100 | ||||||
| CAF Bank Gold account | 9,393 | 0 | 0 | 1,103 | 7,997 | 58 | 18,551 | 12,344 | |
| Debtors & prepayments | |||||||||
| Current Assets | 9,493 | 0 | 0 | 1,103 | 7,997 | 58 | 28,138 | 22,018 | |
| Less creditors due within one year | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Net Assets | 9,493 | 0 | 0 | 1,103 | 17,484.06 | 58 | 28,138 | 22,018 | |
| Note: QHB = Quaker House Brussels, QCEA= Quaker Council for European Affairs and FWCC=Friends World Committee for Consultation |
Note 1 Accounting Policies
A) Basis of accounting: The accounts have been prepared:
1) on a cash basis
2) Under the historic cost convention, but with investments shown at market value B) Foreign currencies
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are converted into sterling at the rate of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction.
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Note 2 General Fund Income
Gifts & donations 2023 2022
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) £ - £ -
Trusts £ 35,000 £ 31,000 112.9%
Quaker Meetings £ 10,035 £ 10,127 99.1%
Individuals £ 13,269 £ 7,504 176.8%
From part of Ireland Yearly Meeting £ 850 £ 950 89.5%
Other donations £ 2,896 £ 4,180 69.3%
Conference fees £ - £ -
£ 62,050 £ 53,761 115.4%
Interest
Bank interest £ 330 £ 68
£ 62,381 £ 53,829 115.9%
Receipts for QCEA
Direct Grants £ - £ - £ - 0 112.9%
£ 62,381 £ 53,829 115.9%
Associate Membership subs 1,376 1,162
Supporting Membership subs 0 0
Around Europe subscriptions 0 16
1,376 £ 1,376 1,178 £ 1,178 116.8%
£ 63,757 £ 55,007 115.9%
QCEA Study Tour - UK participants 0 4,292
QCEA Conference Fees 0 0
BYM for European Peacebuilding Liaison
Office (EPLO) 0 0
BYM landlord's expenses 0 0
Miscellaneous Inc received for QCEA 0 0
Sub-total £ 1,376 £ 5,470 25.2%
Total income £ 63,757 £ 59,299 107.5%
----- End of picture text -----
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| Note 3 Periodic transfers to QCEA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Periodically, BfoQCEA make a a transfer to QCEA comprised of some or all of the following: | |||||
| A) A grant made by BFoQCEA to QCEA to fund its work (Notes 4 and 5) | |||||
| B) Add amounts received in Sterling on behalf of QCEA and transferred to them | |||||
| C) Deduct Sterling expenses incurred by QCEA and paid on behalf of QCEA | |||||
| Payment | BFoQCEA grant | Bursaries | Sterling receipts |
Less Sterling expenses |
Total |
| 04/07/2023 | 10,042.52 £ |
- £ |
1,056.00 £ |
3,098.52 £ |
8,000.00 £ |
| 13/09/2023 | 10,000.00 £ |
- £ |
- £ |
- £ |
10,000.00 £ |
| 20/12/2023 | 33,957.48 £ |
320.00 £ |
7,036.72 £ |
27,240.76 £ |
|
| 54,000.00 £ |
- £ |
1,376.00 £ |
10,135.24 £ |
45,240.76 £ |
Note 4 BFoQCEA grant to QCEA
Over 2023, BFoQCEA made grants to QCEA totalling £54,000. Separately BFoQCEA paid the rent for QHB totalling £6,881. This is considered to be a further indirect grant payment.
| Note 5 Transferring Sterling payments to QCEA in Euros Payment Exchange rate 04/07/2023 1.142400 13/09/2023 1.138500 20/12/2023 1.135100 Totals |
Note 5 Transferring Sterling payments to QCEA in Euros Payment Exchange rate 04/07/2023 1.142400 13/09/2023 1.138500 20/12/2023 1.135100 Totals |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | Sterling Payment |
Euro equivalent |
Sterling transfer |
Euro equivalent |
|
| 1.142400 | 8,000.00 £ |
9,139.20 € |
8,000.00 £ |
9,139.20 € |
|
| 1.138500 | 10,000.00 £ |
11,380.00 € |
10,000.00 £ |
11,380.00 € |
|
| 1.135100 | 27,240.76 £ |
30,920.99 € |
27,240.76 £ |
30,920.99 € |
|
| 45,240.76 £ |
51,440.19 € |
45,240.76 £ |
51,440.19 € |
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Note 6 QCEA Fund
In 2023, BFoQCEA received a total £1,376 on behalf of QCEA and made payments on behalf of QCEA totalling £3,254. This generated an in-year QCEA fund deficit of £1,878. To reset the QCEA fund back to balance, a journal transfer of £1,878 was made from the General Fund into the QCEA Fund. This in effect represents a further donation to QCEA.
Note 7 DW Saunders Fund
The DW Saunders Fund is restricted for use in providing bursary support to individuals to enable them to participate in QCEA Study Tours or other educational purposes. There was no Study Tour held during 2023. The Income Fund value at the end of the year therefore remained unchanged at £58. The DW Saunders Capital Fund decreased in value during the year by £86 due to loss of investment value, therefore ending the year with a total valuation of £17,484.
Note 8 Acting for FWCC (Ukraine)
In 2022, BFoQCEA agreed to receive funds on behalf of FWCC generated as a result of their Appeal for public donations to support Quakers in Poland, Estonia and Georgia working with refugees from the war in Ukraine. In 2023, a total of £893 was received for this purpose. A total of £1,614 was transferred to charitable recipients in the three stated countries as directed by FWCC. The balance held was thereby reduced to £nil and this role Acting as Agent on behalf of FWCC came to an end in September 2023.
Signed
Martin Ford, Treasurer, 27 May 2024
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