This was the Esperanto Association of Britain's site from 2005 to 2018. You will find its current site at esperanto.org.uk.
ESPERANTO-ASOCIO DE BRITIO Registered Charity no: 272676
(also known as Esperanto Association of Britain, EAB, Springboard, Esperanto-GB.)
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st October 2009. A full copy of the report and financial statements may be obtained from Esperanto House.
[This report was published in EAB Update No. 49 (April-June 2010)]
To advance the education of the public in the international language Esperanto in the furtherance of international communication without discrimination, and of the natural right of all people and peoples, their languages and cultures to be treated equally.
In setting objectives and planning activities the trustees have given consideration to the Charity Commission's general guidelines on public benefit, and in particular to guidance on advancing education. EAB does not exclude anyone for any reason.
Springboard: Four pilot primary schools have an Esperantist teacher, although in two the teaching is shared with school staff. A Home Education Group began in April 2008. Four of the five groups plan to continue next year (one school will cease after the two-year pilot programme). One school is gradually becoming self-sustaining with class teachers taking over more and more of the teaching.
In August 2008, a group from a Cambridge pilot visited a partner school in Herzberg. In April 2009 the same school welcomed children and staff from Germany and Hungary for a 5-day Comenius visit. In October 2009, Cambridge children and staff visited the Hungarian school.
A secondary school has recently adopted Springboard as part of a skills-based learning programme for Year 7s; the teacher is enthusiastically learning Esperanto and has attended courses at Wedgwood Memorial College (WMC). A Home Education group in Southern England is showing interest. Warm thanks are extended to all the Development Associates who help with the Springboard, Comenius and Education projects.
A 10-week booster course to help transition from primary to secondary school is nearing completion.
Key Stage 1 course, including 5 cross-curricular language posters to support KS1, was completed.
Manchester University is undertaking a long-term independent evaluation of the programme and is preparing their third year report, due November 2009. Manchester is listed as an associate partner in the Comenius Application and is evaluating the two-year project.
Courses and Exams: exam uptake is steady, and it is now possible to take an international exam linked to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference).
Residential Courses: This year's Summer Festival at WMC was successful and EAB hired the whole college.
The beginners' Course-You-Can and Drondo (discussion group) were so successful that we will be hiring the whole college for the January 2010 Ni Festivalu event, where Drondo and Drondido (for beginners) will run together with Ni teatramu. Derek Tatton secured funding for the Drondo Courses from the Raymond Williams Foundation.
The telephone Buddy system runs effectively and is much appreciated.
Publishing: Mini Course, based on Butler's 'Esperanto for Beginners', was completed in April 2009 with tutor support and on-line answers offered. Mini Dictionary was reprinted in May 2009 and a Mini-Grammar (to complete the mini-series of books for learners) is in hand.
Conversational Esperanto was published in a slightly revised second edition.
Promotion and publicity: At the CILT Primary Languages Show in Liverpool, March 2009, a publisher's presentation was given jointly by Springboard and the team from Manchester University. Several talks were given to secondary schools in the Essex area as part of the European Day of Languages.
The London Language Show, Olympia, took place over three days in early November 2008. The team spoke to one another in Esperanto, which aroused interest.
A professional PR company, Encore Communications, was hired in October 2008 with the intention of raising the profile of Esperanto in the U.K. They sent out several press releases, with some impact, particularly in local media. Interest was shown about Universala Kongreso in Poland by the British media, partly as a result of Encore's activities, partly as a result of direct contacts with the media by various British Esperantists. But overall the trustees were not satisfied with Encore's value for money, and collaboration with them ceased in July 2009.
An advertising postcard was produced for free distribution. A more up-to-date CD A taste of Esperanto was prepared ready for free distribution at the 2009 Language Show.
An Internet Facebook group called "Esperanto UK" was started by Encore and taken over in July by Clare Hunter. Anyone who has a 'Facebook' account will be able to search and find it straightaway.
Clare also launched a Twitter group, relaying EAB news snippets as "tweets" to subscribing readers. https://twitter.com/Esperanto_UK . It already has more than 100 followers.
La Brita Esperantisto (LBE) was redesigned and the associated LBE website given a makeover see: https://esperanto.org.uk/lbe/index.html.
EAB website: the website's EAB Update section was expanded to include (previously missing) back-issues. The main pages on the website are being checked and upgraded to confirm to Web (W3C markup) standards, to assure a reliable presentation irrespective of the user's choice of browser.
Butler Library: Concise and full catalogues are being combined. Catalogue entries are being converted to MARC format. The concise catalogue may be consulted online or downloaded.
British Esperanto Congress April 2009. Several overseas visitors took part including a member of the World Congress team from Bialystok, Poland. Over 80 people attended and all elements went smoothly, including visits in and around Salisbury.
Carol Smith was appointed College Principal on a 12 month contract. Stoke-on-Trent City Council continue to explore options for the future of the college, as they have for the past two years. EAB is represented on their Advisory Committee.
Life members 24, full members 331, family members 17, supporters 58.
Several members of venerable age died during the year. We welcomed new recruits and people rejoining after some years' absence. Members and supporters receive EAB Update newsletter (English and Esperanto) quarterly. In addition, full members receive an all-Esperanto journal La Brita Esperantisto twice a year, and are automatically affiliated to Universala Esperanto-Asocio. Full members are entitled to vote at the AGM. Services include transfer of payment for international Esperanto events via the UEA credit system. The modest subscriptions have not increased for several years.
Income is derived from investments, membership subscriptions, sales, bequests and donations and spent on charitable objects.
Economies: (1) Independent Examination. The treasurer was given advice on how to reduce costs. Keeping records of 'designated funds' for the Independent Examiner was considered unprofitable, so they have been amalgamated back into General Funds.
Reserves. The Association has good financial reserves. This enables the trustees to plan activities which once started must be continued for several years to bring results. 'Free reserves', or uncommitted funds, are required to meet any emergency or shortfall in income. £150,000 is considered sufficient cover for 18-24 months.
Scout Esperanto League of Britain entrusted money to EAB in 2002. If the Scout League in Britain has not been restarted within seven years the money may be used for other youth activity.
Investment policy. The Constitution states that the trustees have power to make investments as they see fit. Their duty is to seek both adequate income and capital growth. Capital is invested in deposit accounts and unit trusts specifically designed for the charity sector, which are for the greater part socially responsible. The split between asset classes is approximately:
The Butler section of EAB's website received a refreshed presentation.
There was a lot of local publicity. A meeting for the public was arranged to explain the nature of Esperanto. The mayor attended our opening dinner. Filming for an independent documentary took place during most of the weekend - results awaited.
Plans for 2009/10 and further
Future of Wedgwood Memorial College
Membership
Financial Review of the year
A grant of €3,000 was received from the Esperantic Studies Foundation.
Donations totalling £ 5,929 were received and acknowledged with thanks.
Deposit account income dropped abysmally during the year. The trustees took financial advice and invested small amounts regularly in equities whilst unit prices were very low - a total of £45,000. This is for future growth. Signs of a slow recovery are discernible in unit values, which rose overall by £54,114 since previous October.
(2) Depreciation of the lease will continue, but not depreciation of equipment purchases - unless they cost more than £1,000. This is just an accounting procedure.
(3) One meeting of the trustees was held via e-mail, as an experiment, partly to save travel costs.
| Cash & Deposit | 28% | |
| Fixed Interest (bonds) | 20% | |
| Equity (shares) | 31% | |
| Global Equity | 9% | |
| Property units | 12% |
Total value of cash and investments at 31st October 2009: £1,361,188
In accordance with 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 41 of the Act; and
- To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the Act 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 is reached.
N. St.J. Brooks
Kingston Smith LLP
Chartered Accountants
February 2010.