TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
ECP - Education Centre Scio
Unincorporated Association Register Charity Number: SC047747
Period of accounts Start date: 01 October 2024 End date: 30 September 2025
The organisation is an unincorporated association with annual turnover below £250 000 and as such is eligible to prepare its accounts on a Receipts and Payments Basis. The governing document does not require the organization to prepare fully accrued accounts and neither does it require an audit.
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Charity contact information
ECP - Education Centre Scio Unincorporated Association Registered Charity Number: SC047747
Address: 8 Burdiehouse Street, Edinburgh, EH17 8EY
Charity Trustees :
| Charity Trustees: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Office | Dates in the Office |
| Wojciech Firlit | Chair | 01/10/2024 – 30/09/2025 |
| Julita Spychalska | Trustee | 01/10/2024 – 30/09/2025 |
| Maciej Markowski (Resigned as at 01/09/2025) |
Secretary | 01/10/2024 – 01/09/2025 |
| Katarzyna Ikhlef | Trustee | 01/09/2025 – 30/09/2025 |
| Tomasz Schabowski | Trustee | 01/09/2025 – 30/09/2025 |
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Objectives and activities
The purpose of the charity as set out in its governing document.
ECP-Education Centre is a social organisation, which aim is to cultivate and sustain the memory of Poland by offering Polish language tuitions and celebrating the Polish heritage. Also, further charitable purposes primary by operating to promote and support the integration of Poles living in Edinburgh and surrounding area with the local community.
The main activities undertaken in relation to those purposes during the period.
The main aim of ECP-Education Centre SCIO is to promote Polish language, culture and to support integration of Polish minority children with local community.
In the 2024/2025 school year, we achieved our goals through the following activities:
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We provided Polish language classes, both in-person and online, for a total of 423 students: 240 in Dalkeith, 75 in Musselburgh, 90 in Edinburgh, and 18 online.
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We purchased books for children to support their reading development and the learning of Polish history, geography, and language.
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We organised additional classes in art, sensory activities, and coding (logical thinking).
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In October 2024, we organised the 4th Polish Song Festival for all Polish community children living in Scotland. The chairman of the jury was the Polish singer Andrzej Krzywy.
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We took part in inter-school competitions, including Poloniada, Gżegżółka (spelling competition), and the Theatre Review. Our students achieved high rankings in all of these competitions.
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We organised educational activities as part of the Daffodils Campaign (Akcja Żonkile).
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We organised carnival parties for children in Dalkeith, Edinburgh, and Musselburgh.
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As part of a grant from Poland, we organised a trip to the Great Polish Map of Scotland in Peebles.
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Through grants from Poland, we organised two international educational trips: to Gdańsk in September 2025 and to the Presidential Palace in December 2024 for a meeting with the First Lady.
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Through grants from Poland, we organised a theatre performance of “The Snow Queen” in December 2024.
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We organised a competition dedicated to Fryderyk Chopin.
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We organised a sports day for children, during which students participated in sports games and activities.
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We organised a physics workshop about black holes, inviting physics student Ms Hanna Goławska.
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We organised workshops for children and young people with psychologist Ms Jolanta Małecka-Tomaszewska.
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We visited the graves of Polish soldiers.
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We celebrated: Bilingualism Day, Earth Day, Grandparents’ Day, and Mother’s and Father’s Day.
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We organised two concerts for parents: a Winter Concert in December 2024 and a Summer Concert in June 2025.
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We organised therapeutic sessions funded through a grant from the Fun Lottery.
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We organised a family picnic in June 2025, during which a theatre performance took place.
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We invited psychologists from the Family Support Centre in Edinburgh to conduct workshops for young people.
The degree to which the achievements and performance during the period have benefited wider society.
It was a very successful year. The children especially enjoyed the trips, all of which were connected to Polish history. During the trip to Peebles, students learned about PolishScottish history related to the fate of Polish soldiers and the history of the Great Polish Map itself.
Students were also very pleased with our theatre performances, sports day, carnival parties, and additional classes. Children attending our schools enjoy the lessons and are eager to learn the language of their ancestors, as well as discover the history and geography of Poland. They enthusiastically learn how to use maps, explore fascinating legends connected with Polish cities, and happily celebrate Polish holidays and traditions.
During the workshops with the psychologist, students had the opportunity to identify and name emotions and learn how to cope with them effectively.
The therapeutic sessions were also extremely valuable. It was clear that the participants benefited greatly from them and are now more open to expressing their emotions and better able to cope with difficult situations.
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Financial review
1. Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
2. Nature and purpose of funds
Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. The trustees maintain a single unrestricted fund for the day-to-day running of the organisation. Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for specific purposes.
Related party transactions
No remuneration was paid to the trustees or any connected persons during the year.
Policies on reserves.
The trustees believe that around one month of annual expenditure on running costs, including wages is an appropriate level of reserves to cover timing differences between receipts and payments and to allow for any unexpected items of expenditure or reduction in income.
Reserves position
General reserves £64,347
Financial review of the position at the reporting date.
The Trustees consider the financial performance by the charity during the year to have been very satisfactory.
Total receipts for the year were £325,262 consisting of school fees, donations, and grants. The main spending was on wages, rent, purchase of books and school activities. Charity has been using unrestricted funds to cover overall charitable expenditure of £288,146, leaving a surplus of £37,116.
The positive operational result for the 2024–25 period was primarily driven by increased income from school fees, reflecting the growing number of students and school activities. In addition, grants received during the year helped finance a portion of the school’s activities and operational costs. Overall, the improved financial performance was supported by stronger revenue streams and external funding that contributed to the continued development of the school’s educational programs and activities.
The main source of the Charity will continue to be school fees and grants related directly to charity’s activities that involve offering Polish language tuitions and celebrating the Polish heritage.
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Structure, governance and management
Bankers Barclays Bank Accountants J&K Accounts Ltd Honeysuckle Cottage Carnbo, KY13 0NX
Examinator: Krzysztof Borkowicz, Qualified Accountant
Declaration
Signed on behalf of the trustees:
Print name: WOJCIECH FIRLIT Designation: CHAIR Date: 18.05.2026
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