**The Hellenic Community of Edinburgh Trustees’ Annual Report** 1[st] March 2024 to 28[th] February 2025 **1** ## **Charity contact information** The Hellenic Community of Edinburgh Scottish Charity Number: SC048115 Website: https://hce.scot/en/home/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/399946286841198/ ~~+——~~ **2** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Charity Trustees
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Past Charity Trustees
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## **Objectives and Activities** The Hellenic Community of Edinburgh (HCE) aims: 1. To promote fellowship and strengthen the links among members of the Hellenic community residing in Edinburgh and surrounding area; 2. To foster and promote a better understanding and appreciation of the Hellenic culture by the local community; 3. To represent the Hellenic community of Edinburgh in any matter that the membership feels that is of common interest, also in cases where there is a collective view, which is deemed important to be stated. That includes communicating with the British local and national Authorities, institutions and other organisations worldwide; and 4. To not be involved in party politics i.e. the Community shall not actively participate in a campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office in any country. **3** In essence, HCE aspires to foster and support a reference point for Greeks, and friends of the Greek culture, within Edinburgh and the surrounding areas. To that end, HCE plans to carry out as many of, and not exclusively, the activities shown in the table shown overleaf. **4** |**Activity Type**|**Activity**|**Summary**|**Frequency**|**Location**| |---|---|---|---|---| |Hellenic
Tradition Event|Vasilopita|A customary event that involves the cutting of the Vasilopita
Cake (an equivalent to the western ‘King Cake’) to bring good
luck for the new year. It’s a gathering of HCE’s members, their
families and friends.|At the beginning
of each calendar
year (Jan-Feb)|At 14AUGB Centre,
14 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh, EH7 5AB| |Hellenic
Tradition Event|Tsiknopempti|A customary event that celebrates the last day of meat
consumption before a 59-day fasting before Easter, following the
Greek Orthodox Christian tradition. It involves a communal
dinner with grilled meats, together with the consumption of
traditional Greek accompaniments and all the trimmings. It is an
open event for HCE members, their families and friends.|Once every year
59 days before
Easter.|At 14AUGB Centre,
14 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh, EH7 5AB| |Hellenic
Tradition Event|Easter BBQ|A customary event that celebrates the resurrection of Christ at
the end of Lent, following the Greek Orthodox Christian tradition.
It involves a communal dinner with grilled meats, mainly lamb
together with the consumption of traditional Greek
accompaniments and all the trimmings. It is an open event for
HCE members, their families and friends.|Once every year
on Easter
Sunday.|In a park or an
outdoor, yet
sheltered space
depending on the
weather forecast| |Fundraising &
Cultural
Events|Variety of
activities|A customary event which involves live music and a communal
dinner with traditional Greek gyros, together with the
consumption of accompaniments and all the trimmings. It is an
open event for HCE members, their families and friends.|Ad hoc, usually
twice per year.|At 14AUGB Centre,
14 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh, EH7 5AB| |Cultural and/or
Educational
Events|Variety of
activities|Presentation of various topics to HCS members and friends from
professional or specialised individuals. Q&A follow.|Ad hoc, probably
once per month.|At 14AUGB Centre,
14 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh, EH7 5AB| |Community
Recreational
Events|Variety of
leisure
activities|Gathering of HCE’s members, their families and friends to catch
up, make new friendships and generally spend quality leisure
time together.|Every Thursday -
6-8pm|At 14AUGB Centre,
14 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh, EH7 5AB| |Non-partisan
Pressure
Group
Activities|Variety of
activities|Ad hoc activities that help promote the Hellenic community’s
interests to the Local Authority and other Government agencies.|Ad hoc,
depending on
needs.|Via post/email or in
person via HCE’s
representatives and
any advocates.| **5** |Community
Support|One-to-one
discussion
via
phone/email|Responding to enquiries on regular basis either from newcomers
or from people interested in immigrating in the UK, asking for
information and assistance on number of issues, ranging from
immigration rules, finding work, finding accommodation, access
to banking system, culture and lifestyle, education, access to
health care and more.|Ad hoc
depending on
needs.|Administered mainly
by the Secretary and
President of the
Community.| |---|---|---|---|---| **6** The activities shown in the previous table satisfy the four aforementioned aims of HCE. More in particular: Aim 1 can be fulfilled by the following afore-mentioned activity types: - Hellenic tradition events - Community recreational events - Community support Aim 2 will be fulfilled by the following afore-mentioned activity types: - Hellenic tradition events - Fundraising & Cultural events - Cultural and/or Educational Events Aim 3 will be tackled by the following afore-mentioned activity types: - Non-partisan pressure group activities Aim 4 is tackled by explicitly avoiding carrying out activities that fall within the area of party politics. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Type of governing document HCE’s governing document is its constitution. The constitution is public available at: https://hce.scot/files/HCE CONSTITUTION 20241110.pdf **7** ## **Achievements and Performance** The following summary presents HCE’s key achievements during the reported financial period. 1. HCE has now a dedicated space for its’ activities at 14AUGB Centre, 14 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh, EH7 5AB. 2. In last Autumn HCE organised a fundraising and cultural event “glenti refene” with about 80 participants (HCE members, family & friends), with live music, dance and traditional food. 3. HCE celebrated Christmas with an open event with traditional Christmas treats, inviting the ambassador of Greece in Manchester and the Honorary Ambassador of Greece in Edinburgh along with HCE members, friends & families. 4. HCE purchased the traditional vasilopita cake and organised an event inviting HCE’s members and friends. The lucky one who found the coin was given a £30 Amazon voucher. 5. HCE organised Tsiknopempti a very successful fundraising and cultural event with about 70 participants (HCE members, family & friends), with music, dance and traditional food. 6. HCE hosted an event involving a discussion between the Greek consulate in Edinburgh with Greek members of the public. 7. HCE continued to answer questions and provided feedback over emails and telephone calls to various individuals from Greece looking to migrate to Scotland. Ad hoc throughout the year and it was in the order of around 2 individual enquiries per month; 8. HCE continued to use our website and Facebook group to communicate with the public and provide updates on issues relevant to the community like for example news coming from the Greek Embassy. **8** ## **Financial Review** ## Statement of the charity’s policy on reserves HCE’s Council has not yet made any decision regarding a policy on holding reserves. This may be reviewed in the next accounting year. ## Details of surplus funds during this period The available funds (cash, Paypal and bank balances) at the end of the reporting period (28/02/2025) of this financial period is £465.53. Details of any deficit There is no deficit for the accounting period presented in this report. ## Donated facilities and services HCE does not have any donated facilities and services. The Council is keen to explore opportunities to that end. **9** ## **Future plans** HCE’s plans for the next year revolve around the activities shown within Table 1, as previously presented. Aside from that and more in particular, effort towards the following activities will be particularly amplified. - Ensure the Greek library is up and running and further develop HCE’s relationship (e.g. co-organise community events) with the City of Edinburgh Library Services; - Cultivate and deepen relationships with other Greek communities in Scotland and beyond; - Further forge HCE’s working relationship with the Greek Authorities and push for more efficient consulate services in Edinburgh. - Focus on fundraising and volunteer recruitment in support of specific activities, such as Yoga/Pilates, children education/play time, social media coordinator, etc. - To this end, communicate with Lord Provost providing a space and prepare funding applications to build the budget required for a 2-day Greek Festival in September 2026. ## **Additional information** HCE is keen to hear from organisations or persons interested to support, in kind or through financial support. **10** ## **Declaration** Signed on behalf of the charity trustees: Print name Designation [od **Council Secretary** [od Date [oT ~~_~~ **11** APPENDIX 2 **The Hellenic Society of Edinburgh** **SC048115** ## **Section B Statement of balances** |**Categories**
**Signed by one or two trustees**
**on behalf of all the trustees**
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Investments**
**B3 Other assets**
**B5 Contingent liabilities**
**B4 Liabilities**|**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**559**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**|**Expendable**
**endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Permanent**
**endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Total current**
**period**
**to nearest £**|**Total last period**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Cash and bank balances at start of year|||||**559**|**930**| ||Surplus / (deficit) shown on receipts and
payments account|||||**-**|**75**| |||||||**-**|| |||||||**-**|| ||**Cash and bank balances at end of year**
(Agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**|**466**|**-**|**-**|**-**|**466**|**1,005**| |||93|-|
-
**Fund to which**|
-
**asset belongs**|93|-| |||||||**Market valuation**
**to nearest £**|**Last year**
**to nearest £**| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||**Details**||**Fund to which**|**asset belongs**|**Total**
**Cost (if available)**
**to nearest £**|**-**|
**-**| |||||||**Current value (if**
**available)**
**to nearest £**|**Last year**
**to nearest £**| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||**Details**|||**Total**
**Fund to which l**|**-**|
**-**|
**-**| ||||||**iability relates**|**Amount due**
**to nearest £**|**Last year**
**to nearest £**| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||**Details**|||**Fund to which l**|**Total**
**iability relates**|**-**|**-**| |||||||**Amount due**
**(estimate)**
**to nearest £**|**Last year**
**to nearest £**| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||**Signature***|||**Print Name**|**Total**|**-**|
**-**| ||||||||**Date of**
**approval**| ||||||||| ||||||||| 2024 2025 HCE Accounts / Statement of balances 1 December 2007 ## **APPENDIX 3** ## **’ Independent examiner s report on the accounts V2** **Report to the trustees/members of** The Hellenic Community Edinburgh |**Registered charity**|**SC048115**| |---|---| |**number**|| |**On the accounts of the**|Period start date
Period end date| |**charity for the period**|Day
Month
Year
Day
Month
Year| ||01
03
2024
**to**
28
02
2025| |**Set out on pages**|(remember to include the page
numbers of additional sheets)| ||| |**Respective**
**responsibilities of**
**trustees and examiner**|The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance
with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the
Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the| ||audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It| ||is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the| ||Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.| |**Basis of independent**|My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities| |**examiner’s statement**|Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the| ||accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with| ||those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the| ||accounts and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The| ||procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit| ||and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.| |**Independent examiner’s**
**statement**|In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
1.
which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the| ||requirements:| ||•
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and| ||Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and| ||•
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with| ||Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations| ||have not been met, or| ||2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper| ||understanding of the accounts to be reached.| **Signed:** **Name:** **Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):** **Address:** *Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. If the words do apply, set out those matters which have come to your attention on the following page. APPENDIX 3 Disclosure section Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight material problems. Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose The accounts received by me on the 17th of October. I have reviewed the accounts and supporting records and found them to be accurate and consistenL No issues or irregularrlies came to my attention during my examination. The accounts appear to be in good order and consistent with th8 chaiyty's activities during the period.