NORTH WEST
COMMUNITY
NETWORK
ANNUAL REPORT
Dec 2022- Dec 2023
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## **Chairperson’s Message**
I am delighted to report on another year of achievement for North West Community Network (NWCN). The challenges for the community and voluntary sector over the last year have been significant and the environment within which we work and deliver our programmes is constantly changing. Our collaborative work and partnership approaches are needed more than ever.
To amplify the voices of our members with regard to the funding crisis for the sector we facilitated conversations with our local MLA’s as well as highlighting challenges in the local media. This work is set to continue into 2024. We worked in partnership with NICVA to highlight the impact of the cost of living crisis on community and community organisations.
One of the highlights this year for NWCN was to secure £90K in partnership with Developing Healthy Communities and Ulster University to focus on strengthening collaborations between communities and researchers for the benefit of local communities. This work has come about from the learning through the Ideas Fund which highlighted the deeper, structural issues and barriers that often prevent community/research partnerships from developing. This work will contribute to change and the enablement of an improved system to shift and challenge traditional hierarchies around research. We continue to deliver our development coordinator role within the Ideas Fund. Many of these projects are having life-changing impacts in the Derry & Strabane area and communities have told us they feel valued and welcome the community-led collaboration. This type of work is at the core of the ethos of NWCN, community-led approaches and by starting with what matters to them.
We secured Awards for All (NLCF) funding this year to continue our Human Library project. This work continues to challenge stigma and our unconscious bias. It helps to widen perspectives on relevant societal issues and has a significantly positive impact on both participants and our Human Books.
Thank you to the Board of Management for all your hard work over the last year. Particular thanks also to our funders - Department for Communities, DC & SDC Community Support Fund, National Lottery Community Fund and Halifax Foundation whose valuable support enables us to work in the way we do. And thanks to our members and partners for their invaluable collaboration. Finally and importantly, I wish to thank our staff Roisin and Neola for their hard work, commitment and resilience over the last year.
Liam Milligan, Chairperson NWCN
Page 2
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## _**Dec 2022 – Dec 2023 Top Achievements**_
_‘Our vision is of a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable community and voluntary sector in the North West region’_
- 371 participants benefiting from NWCN activities
- 9 x NWCN (stand-alone & partnership) events delivered
- 10 x Human Library Sessions
- 46 x E-bulletins disseminated
- 11 x Consultation bulletins disseminated
- 17 x groups received 1:1 support
- 6 x NWCN attendance/representation on public bodies & Cross/Sectoral forums
- Fulfilling role of Development Coordinator, in partnership with Developing Healthy Communities for the Ideas Fund (15 groups receiving support)
- Securing £90K funding from British Science Association for Infrastructure Project in partnership with Ulster University & Developing Healthy Communities
Page 3
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## **NWCN ACTIVITIES DEC 22-DEC 23**
- REACH Across
- Red Cross
- St Columb’s Park House
- The Junction
This period saw Network involvement in the following range of activities:
## **Engagement events:**
- AGM & Hope Workshop
- Cost of Living Crisis Workshop
- Financial Training Workshop
- Funding Fair with Supp Comm’s
- Good Friday Agreement Session
- Human Library Events
- Hustings Event
- MLA Funding Crisis meeting
- PHA Integrated Care Partnership Focus Workshop
- • Red Cross & NW Volunteer Centre Volunteering Event
## **NWCN has productively engaged with:**
- British Science Association - The Ideas Fund
- CHOICE
- Community Development Networks Forum (CDNF)
- Collaboration for Change
- Community Dialogue
- Community Places
- Derry City & Strabane District Council: Strategic Growth Partnership
- Developing Healthy Communities
- The National Lottery Community Fund
- Ulster University
- Western Trust Local Planning Group
- Youth Action NI
## **Group Support:**
## Below are some examples of local groups that NWCN has supported, this includes:
- Clarendon Medical Community
- Compassionate Communities
- Forum for Ageing Better (FAB!)
- • Fountain Street Community Association, Strabane
- Foyle Friends of Ukraine
- Foyle Women’s Information Network
- • Lawrence Hill Residents Association
- Strabane Health Improvement Project
- • The Big Lunch
## **Through the Ideas Fund:**
- ARC Fitness
- Dennett Valley She Shed
- In Your Space Circus
- Informing Choices NI
- Parenting NI
- Sion Mills Community Forum
- The Yellow Wood Group
- • YMCA
- DiverseCity Community Partnership
- Equality Coalition
- Forum for Ageing Better (FAB!)
- Holywell Trust
- Northern Ireland Office
- NI Anti-Poverty Network
- NICVA
- Northern Ireland Public Health Research Network
- Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) – Study Abroad Programme)
-
## **Policy/Surveys Submissions & Workshops:**
- DfC Infrastructure Review
- DfC People & Place Review
- EQIA Planning Advice Service
- NIPSO – Improvement & Engagement Consultation
- Response to NICVA’s Cost of Living Survey
Page 4
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## **NWCN PUBLIC BENEFITS:**
**The public benefit requirement is defined in the Charities Act and states that purposes must be for the public benefit to be charitable.**
Below are some examples of how NWCN met the Public Benefit 2022/2023
- **The advancement of citizenship or community development** • Advice such as Governance, Setting up a charity for the first time, Constitutions etc.
- • Advice & hands-on assistance on writing funding applications
- • Assistance with Interview Panels • Monthly Consultation Bulletins
- • Signposting
- • Sharing of relevant information on social media
- • Sharing of information such as providing Policies, Articles of Association etc. to member groups
- • Strategic Growth Partnership: DCSDC
## **The advancement of education**
- Consulting with members regarding training they require
- Future Leaders Mentor
- Good Governance Training
- Hope Project
- Human Library Events
- Staff Attendance at training/seminars & workshops so that our knowledge, understanding and skills can be developed & shared where needed, such as First Aid Training
## **The prevention or relief of poverty**
- Assisting groups with funding applications
- The Ideas Fund
- Active response to the Cost of Living Crisis
- Participation in the Cost of Living Reference Group
- • Funding Crisis Response
- Weekly E-bulletins
## **The advancement of health or the saving of lives**
- British Science Association – The Ideas Fund
- Ongoing assistance with the Forum for Ageing Better
- Promoting groups such as HURT & Macmillan etc **.** regularly
- • Providing Networking opportunities through our events
Page 5
||North West Community Network
Al R|
|---|---|
|nnua eport 2023
**NWCN INCOME & EXPENDITURE**
**(as at 31 March 2023)**
**Unrestricted**
**Income**
**Restricted**
**Income**
**Total Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2023**
**2023**
**2023**
**2022**
**Restricted Income**
Dept for Communities
-
60,394
60,394
54,830
Awards For All
-
7,107
7,107
1,270
Big Lottery Fund
-
-
-
620
British Science Association
-
-
-
13,057
John Moores Foundation
-
529
529
568
DCSDC
-
3,677
3,677
2,862
-
**71,707**
**71,707**
**73,207**
**Voluntary Income**
Membership Fees
96
-
96
475
British Science Association
26,613
-
26,613
-
Pacific Lutheran University
7,100
-
7,100
Other Income
6,872
-
6,872
2,125
40,681
-
40,681
2,600
**Totals**
**40,681**
**71,707**
**112,388**
**75,807**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Total**
**2023**
**Total**
**2022**
Wages & Salaries
1000
48,626
49,626
47,748
Programme Costs
-
1,030
1,030
13,057
Programme Costs: John Moore
-
529
529
-
Programme Costs: Awards for All
-
7,107
7,107
-
Programme Costs: PLU
7,100
-
7,100
-
Programme Costs: BSA
13,037
-
13,037
-
Rent & Utilities
-
5,520
5,520
3,950
Insurance
7
1,011
1,018
895
Pension Costs
-
3,068
3,068
2,286
Printing, Posting & Stationery
211
-
211
251
Conferences & Seminars
785
-
785
1,223
Accountancy
60
900
960
840
Training and Course Fees
-
-
895
Computer Costs
324
-
324
757
Bank Charges
395
-
395
305
Subscriptions
60
-
60
60
Sundry
187
-
187
105
Depreciation
-
657
657
673
**23,166**
**68,448**
**91,614**
**73,045**
**Current Liabilities**
**2023**
**2022**
Debtors
761
-
Grants Due
5,794
9,184
**6,555**
**9,184**
Creditors
Deferred Income
387
11,751
Accruals
2,733
1,657
**3,120**
**13,408**||
Page 6
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## **NWCN BALANCE SHEET**
|**(as at 31 March 2023)**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**Fixed Assets**
Tangible Assets
890
**Current Assets**
6,555
9,184
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
46,582
32,810
**53,137**
**41,994**
**Creditors: amounts falling**
**due within one year**
(3,120)
(13,408)
**Net current assets**
50,017
**Total assets less**
50,907
**current liabilities**
**Net assets**
**50,907**
**Funds**
Restricted
10,783
Unrestricted
40,124
**50,907**|**2022**
**£**
1,547
28,586
30,133
**30,133**
7,524
22,609
**30,133**|
|---|---|
Page 7
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## **NWCN Membership 2022-2023**
|Ally Foyle|Lettershandoney & District
Dev Gp|
|---|---|
|ARC Fitness|Lifestart Foundation Ltd|
|AWARE Defeat Depression|Mary O’Dwyer|
|Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum|Maydown CommunityAssoc|
|Bridge Accessible Transport|North West Disability Forum|
|Cathedral Youth Club|North West Forum for Older
People|
|CAUSE NI Ltd|North West Methodist Mission|
|Derry Youth & Community
Workshop|North West Volunteer Centre|
|Eden Place Arts Centre|Oban on the Foyle|
|Eliza Browning|Parenting NI|
|Far and Wild|Shelter NI|
|Focus on Family|St Columb’s Park House|
|Foyle Friends of Ukraine|The Churches Trust|
|Foyle Hospice|The Playhouse|
|Guildhall Press|Waterside Women’s Centre|
|Hillcrest Trust|Women’s Centre Derry|
|HURT|YMCA|
|Institute Football Club|Youth Action NI|
|Kinship Care|Zero Waste North West|
_We recently began a new membership drive, and we would like to express our gratitude to the above groups for renewing membership with us. We would of course like to expand our membership so that our voice and reach can be further._
Page 8
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## **Acknowledgements**
Many thanks to our Management Committee for their continued support of the organisation:
- Liam Milligan – North West Methodist Mission (Chair)
- Patricia Bray – NW Disability Forum (Treasurer)
- Donna McAnneny – John Moore’s Foundation
- Martin McCartney – Maydown Community Association
- Mary Scally – NW Forum For Older People
- Eliza Browning – CAJ
- Nuala Crilly – Waterside Women’s Centre
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Vice Chair Emma Johnston for her years of service to NWCN as she moves on. Emma brought a lot of sunshine to our Committee, hard work, and support, we all miss her.
We would also like to welcome on board Eliza Browning and Nuala Crilly as recent Committee members.
We were delighted to welcome a new member of staff to the NWCN team, Ian Lennox. Ian is a student placement who is working hard with us on our new Infrastructure Project, we would also like to thank our recent intern from Denison University, Ohio through the HECUA programme, INCORE – Ricky Gutierrez who was a great help to the work of NWCN.
Page 9
North West Community Network Annual Report 2023
## **During this period NWCN received core & project funding from:**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Community Investment Fund
**----- End of picture text -----**
North West Community Network 10-14 Bishop Street Derry~Londonderry BT48 6PW Tel: (028) 71261941 Email: info@nwcn.org Web: www.nwcn.org
**Co-ordinator Administrator** Roisin McLaughlin Neola Nelis McCrossan roisin@nwcn.org info@nwcn.org Accountants: Banking: McGroarty McCafferty & AIB (NI) Company Limited Strand Road 2 Carlisle Terrace Derry Derry BT48 6JX
Page 10