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2024-03-31-annual-report

2023– 2024

34[th] Annual General Mee�ng

5[th] November 2024 Hosted by Ecclesville LOL 34 Fintona Orange Hall

Mahon, - OHLN Co-ordinator and Rural Development Officer, Mary T Conway - Network Manager and Claudine Devenney - Admin Officer

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Omagh Forum for Rural Associations Trustees Annual Report

Period ended 31 March 2024

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report of the charity for the Period ended 31 March 2024.

Registered charity name Omagh Forum for Rural Associations Charity registration number 100098 Company registration number NI042973 Principal office and registered Omagh Community House office 2 Drumragh Avenue Omagh Co Tyrone BT78 1DP The trustees Ann Doherty Dympna McCann George Kerr Monica Coyle Briege Kelly Cathal McEnhill Gerry McCaffrey Ann McSorley Audrey Adams Conor Keys Louise Leonard Kenny Fisher

Independent examiner Nial Colhoun

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Chairperson’s report

It is my pleasure to once again present the annual report for Omagh Forum for Rural Associa�ons, a detailed document focussing on the great work carried out by our staff in the year to April 2024.

Each year seems to throw up a new crisis with the pressure on our Health Service showing no signs of aba�ng and the cost of living crisis s�ll affec�ng many families. These issues impact directly on many of the services we deliver but we con�nue to be a leading voice for the many rural groups we support through advice, training and funding opportuni�es.

This �me last year, we were about to embark on a new DAERA contract delivered through a new partnership agreement with Fermanagh Rural Community Network. Whilst it was a short 11-month contract, it did pave the way for a more secure contract arrangement and we are pleased that it has been extended for another year. I would like to pay tribute to the staff of both OFRA and FRCN for their commitment to delivering this service for the benefit of all our rural community groups.

We also partnered with FRCN and a number of other organisa�ons in delivering the WRAP project on behalf of FODC – a project offering financial support to families in need. This was quite a demanding project but staff responded to the challenge, providing much-needed help to families over the winter months.

been very successful – consistently outperforming targets. The hard work and professional approach by the team is commendable with its benefits addressing a major health and wellbeing service gap in the wider Omagh area.

behalf of the Board of Directors of OFRA to publicly thank our dedicated and hardworking team, Network Manager Mary T Conway and Administrator Claudine Devenney, the Healthy Living Network team led by Tiernach Mahon along with Kerrie Grugan and Alaine Ward and a warm welcome to our newest team member, Catherine McManus, who joined the OHLN in September.

I would also like to thank my fellow board members who give their �me freely and are a great support to myself and to the staff. And finally thank you to our funders, detailed further in the report, who support the delivery of our work.

I would encourage any rural community in our area to get in contact with us to see how we can offer support. For more informa�on on our work please visit our website www.omaghforum.org or follow us on Facebook or X (twi�er) @ofrarsn.

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Structure, governance and management

i) Governing document

Omagh Forum for Rural Associa�ons is a Company Limited by guarantee, incorporated on 16th April 2002, and registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for N Ireland on 30th May 2014. The governing document of the charity is a Memorandum & Ar�cles of Associa�on which sets out the objects and powers of the charitable company.

ii) Recruitment and appointment of management commi�ee

The directors of the company are also trustees for the purposes of charity law. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Ar�cles of Associa�on the management commi�ee is elected for a year and must have between five and

iii) Trustees’ induc�on and training

An induc�on pack is available for new directors, and they are taken through this prior to them joining the management commi�ee. Many new directors will already be aware of the work of the organisa�on through the regular mail outs to member groups' and one to one support to groups.

iv) Risk management

The management commi�ee take risk management seriously and have in place a series of policies and procedures about how the organisa�on should be managed. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementa�on of procedures for authorisa�on of all transac�ons and projects. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers and visitors.

v) Organisa�onal structure

Omagh Forum has a management commi�ee of twelve trustees, eleven of whom are Directors of the company, and one is an advisor with no vo�ng rights. The commi�ee meet monthly with the excep�on of August and are responsible for the strategic direc�on and policy of the charity.

Day to day responsibility for the provision of services rests with the Network Manager, with an administrator suppor�ng the community development work. The Network Manager has responsibility for ensuring that the charity delivers the services specified and that key targets are met par�cularly in rela�on to the opera�onal plan for services being delivered for the main funder, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Omagh

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Healthy Living Network is a project within Omagh Forum receiving funding this year from the Na�onal Lo�ery Community Fund for four years. Three staff were employed in the financial year 23-24, a Co-ordinator, a Social Prescribing Link worker and a Monitoring and Finance officer.

Objec�ves and ac�vi�es

The company's objec�ve and principal ac�vity is to provide development support to rural community groups in the Fermanagh and Omagh district. They do this by:

a) The advancement of community development in Northern Ireland but par�cularly in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area (the area of benefit) and in par�cular the promo�on of the community and voluntary sector for the benefit of the public by providing services, training, support, informa�on, facili�es and ameni�es to community and voluntary groups and encouraging and assis�ng such groups and organisa�ons to cooperate to achieve their aims.

b) To develop the capacity and skills of residents of communi�es in the area of benefit that suffer social and economic disadvantage in such a way that they are be�er able to iden�fy and help meet their needs and par�cipate more fully in society.

c) The advancement of health and wellbeing.

d) The advancement of any other exclusively charitable purpose as the trustees may decide in accordance with the law of charity in Northern Ireland.

We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objec�ves and in planning our future ac�vi�es.

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Annual Report 2023-2024

South West Rural Community Development Service, working with groups across the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area. Mid-year we tendered for a new contract with Fermanagh Rural Community Network which began on 1[st] November 2023 with Omagh Forum as the lead partner.

This is the core work of Omagh Forum, funded by DAERA – the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, through the TRPSI Programme (Tackling Rural Poverty and Isola�on). We s�ll deliver MMC, Marginalised Minority Communi�es in Rural Border Areas but we had no Rural Micro Capital Grants Programme this year.

Having this core work enables us to deliver other smaller scales programmes such as Hunters Hill and Slieve Divena Wind Farm Community Benefit Funds and to develop new ini�a�ves, which we did this year with Omagh Healthy Living Network, and work on new ini�a�ves such as the WRAP Programme and so on. We will look at each in turn.

Rural Community Development Support Service

from Omagh Forum for Rural Associa�ons met with Fermanagh Rural Community Network to discuss submi�ng a joint bid for the area which we subsequently did on 20[th] September and the new contract began on 1[st] November 2023.

needs under the themes of Community Planning; Isolated Rural People; Sustainability for Rural Villages and MMC - Marginalised Minority Communi�es in Rural Border Areas.

This takes the form mainly of one to one mee�ngs with groups in their premises or our office in Omagh. We also talk by phone or over zoom. The most common supports are:

Governance issues governing documents; changes to organisa�onal structure such as changing from an Unincorporated Associa�on to a Co Ltd by Guarantee; succession planning for Officers, etc.

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Funding – over the year we provided six funding ebulle�ns packed with informa�on on grants and other useful support; we can’t complete an applica�on form for a group, but we have helped many to talk through an applica�on; iden�fy a funder and review applica�ons.

Informa�on provision – we issue ebulle�ns approx. once a fortnight to almost 1,200 recipients who are group members or organisa�ons working in the community and voluntary sector. We also regularly post on social media.

Poverty – this year we saw the challenges groups faced with cost-of-living increases and reduc�ons in funding meaning groups had to dip into reserves and some even decided to wind up their organisa�ons.

FODC Community Plan - We encourage groups to link into the Fermanagh and Omagh Community Plan and staff are represented on the Fermanagh and Omagh CVS Forum

Group ac�vity – We help groups consider how they might diversify their ac�vi�es and meet the needs of the community they serve.

O’Neill, from DAERA in the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre on 27[th] June 2023 with the other Rural Support Networks and DAERA staff. She was new to the work of the Rural Support Networks (RSN’s) and to community development and was impressed with what we do. A representa�ve form Seskinore Rural Community Group came along to speak of the work of their group and how Omagh Forum helped them.

Rural Micro Capital Grants Programme

claims from the 2022 programme well into June 2023. There were a total of 181 completed projects in the FODC area to the value of £314,434 and there were 34,503 total project beneficiaries.

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MMC, Marginalised Minority Communi�es in Rural Border Areas

Tiernach organised a visit for members of the MMC Community on 18[th] November 2023. Kirlish Ulster Scots travelled to the Ba�le of the Boyne sites and interpreta�ve centre. A representa�ve of Tievemore LOL led the tour and gave a very interes�ng insight into the history of the ba�le, its impact on Ireland at the �me and the se�ng up of the interpre�ve centre. The 25 a�endees found it most informa�ve with this being the first �me the majority had been to the Boyne. Several young people took part, and they found it most interes�ng. Thanks to Tom Buchannan MLA for his help in organising. This visit was funded by the Department of Foreign affairs (DfA).

Omagh Healthy Living Network

Omagh Healthy Living Network was formally launched on 17[th] May 2023 and was a great celebra�on of the efforts that went into its development.

The funding of £499,595 from the Na�onal Lo�ery Community Fund is for the delivery of a range of health promo�on programmes across the rural and urban areas of Omagh as well as the roll out of Social Prescribing.

Launch of Omagh Healthy Living Network

Three new jobs were created this year, and the following took up appointment in September 2023: Tiernach Mahon as Co-ordinator; Kerrie Grugan as Social Prescriber and Alaine Ward as Monitoring and Finance Officer.

people availed of our social prescribing service (41 predicted), 211 people a�ended our programmes (200 predicted) and 359 people availed of informa�on sessions (155 predicted) so we met our targets. Examples include Links to Wellbeing in September, with 14 par�cipants and Transform your Trolley in November hosted by Gor�n Men’s Shed with 13 par�cipants. Links To

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Wellbeing commenced in Dromore in March 2024, in conjunc�on with Dromore & Trillick GP Prac�ce, as did Smoking Cessa�on in Fintona on 13th March. During the year we iden�fied areas of health inequali�es and need and have addressed them when possible. For example the very successful event we held based around Living with Menopause and the followon programme ‘Your Time To Thrive’. We were asked to be involved in helping to develop a Traveller led Omagh Traveller group in conjunc�on with FODC and the Western Trust.

Living with Menopause Informa�on Session

rela�onships built up with other voluntary and statutory organisa�ons. During the first year we also developed our branding and building our name within the local community, local groups, the voluntary and community sector and the statutory organisa�ons.

We have been opera�ng these two Funds for many years now and they provide great financial support to the groups in the catchment area. We bring together a panel, including external representa�on, to assess the applica�ons. See below some successful projects

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Successful projects from the Wind Farm Community Beneft Funds

Tackling Poverty

This is an important context for the work we do in both the community development and Healthy Living Network aspects of Omagh Forum.

1 WRAP – Western Response and Ac�on on Poverty

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council issued a tender, through funding from the Department of Communi�es, for a Food Poverty – Financial and Wraparound Support programme. We became a partner with Fermanagh Rural Community Network leading a consor�um of six organisa�ons, also including Lakeland Community Care Limited; Erne East Community Partnership-OAK Healthy Living Centre; ARC Healthy Living Centre; and The Courthouse Kesh Limited.

The programme began on 21st November 2023 and across the district a total of 143 households comprising 411 individuals received direct support to maximise income and reduce household costs. Highlights were: 39 households to St Vincent de Paul and Bri�sh Red Cross for emergency fuel support; 69 households were referred to independent advice services based in the district, primarily for benefit advice and en�tlement checks; 70 households were referred to the Housing Execu�ve oil saving club and 60 were referred to the

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ea�ng, housing, physical and mental health referral, and educa�on, training and volunteering opportuni�es to enhance employability skills.

face visits and telephone calls over an 8 week period November ‘23 – March ‘24. The visits highlighted the many issues that families / individuals are facing like very poor mental health, social anxiety and struggles to pay bills.

2 Emergency Relief Cost of Living Ini�a�ve

We delivered this ini�a�ve in the Omagh area which involved the provision of assistance to those in urgent need of help to cover the cost of electricity. It lasted from October 2023 through to March 2024, targe�ng 14,400+ households across N Ireland with funding from a large charity. We supported 34 households in the Omagh area with electricity costs with a monetary value of £6,800, and this was a great support to people, one par�cipant said “I am employed but on a low wage, my husband can’t work due to ill health, and we are expec�ng our second child so it would be great to get this help, I won’t have to worry so much …”

3 FODC An�-Poverty Strategy working group.

Omagh Forum is part of this group who are mee�ng to dra� a strategy and ac�on plan for the Fermanagh and Omagh area. Others are involved such as the Advice Sector, Western Health & Social Care Trust, Community Transport etc. The food poverty tender – WRAP - came from the work of this group.

Other events and ac�vi�es

Cost of Living Crisis - We held a joint event with NICVA on 9[th] May 2023 en�tled “Cost of Living Crisis – Tough Times, Smart Solu�ons”. A number of local organisa�ons came together to discuss the challenges people were facing and we met the new NICVA CEO Celine McStravick.

wanted to hear the concerns of local people, so we brought in a few organisa�ons as well as some Directors. Those present talked about various

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community and voluntary (c/v) sector; loss of services from rural areas especially Banks and the problems that poses for people; the cost of living crisis; the lack of rural transport which heightens social isola�on; the Protestant community facing barriers in applying for grants and the need for public service transforma�on, among others. This has opened up a channel of communica�on between NIO and local communi�es.

People and Place Review - Cashel Community Associa�on helped us facilitate a mee�ng with the Department for Communi�es to talk to people about the issues they face in rural and border areas as part of their People and Place Review (known as Neighbourhood Renewal).

Networking visit - Directors a�ended a networking visit to Derry in August 2023 and met with representa�ves of groups in Sion Mills to learn from their experiences. This visit was funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and we gained an increased knowledge of our shared history through the walking tour guide and the hosts in the Siege Museum and the Museum of Free Derry.

Annual General Mee�ng

The AGM took place in October 2023 in Moun�ield with speakers Margaret McCloskey, from the Money and Pension Services (MAPS) and Edel Browne, Peace Plus, FODC and a welcome from Declan McAleer MLA. We also had the community group launch of Omagh Healthy Living Network.

Peace Plus Partnership

Our Network Manager, Mary T Conway, sits on the FODC Peace Plus Partnership. An ac�on plan has been agreed under three themes and working groups have been set up:

*Community Regenera�on & Transforma�on – up to 40%, €2.24m (2,450 par�cipants)

*Thriving and Peaceful Communi�es – up to 40%, €2.24m (2,250 par�cipants)

*Celebra�ng Cultural Diversity – minimum of 20%, €1.12m (980 par�cipants)

Groups interested in par�cipa�ng in delivery of the ac�on plan must be able to demonstrate the core requirement of cross-community and how it will lead to increased and sustained cross-community interac�on and make a las�ng contribu�on to peacebuilding in the district.

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FODC Agricultural Liaison Group Mee�ng

George Kerr, a long standing Director, has been represen�ng Omagh Forum at the quarterly WebEx mee�ng of FODC Agricultural Liaison Group.

Charity Commission

We held two sessions on Charity Commission Annual Repor�ng, one in Omagh Community House on 11[th] October 2023 and one for Fermanagh Trust on Wed 29[th] November. Staff help groups to register an Expression of Intent to register; we help them with the registra�on process and to complete their Annual Monitoring Return to Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, as well as other contact that a group might have such as upda�ng details with the CCNI or repor�ng a Serious Incident.

Our Network Manager, Mary T Conway, sits on the Charity Commission Stakeholder Engagement group which facilitates regular mee�ngs between community, voluntary sector reps and the Deputy Chief Commissioner and Charity Commission Staff. Discussions are detailed and varied, and we have been able to bring many messages from local groups to the ear of the Commissioners. I also reviewed 4 dra� documents and 3 le�ers as a Cri�cal Friend for CCNI.

Members survey

March - April 2024. It is important for our members and the groups we work with to take part and the results of these help to plan our work ahead and are used as evidence of need in funding applica�ons.

Area Integrated Partnership Board

Mary T & Tiernach were involved in the roll out of the AIPB’s – Area Integrated Partnership Board (AIPB) – which is a local planning body with the overarching aim of improving health and social care outcomes and reducing health inequali�es for its local popula�on. Tiernach was subsequently selected as a user representa�vre on the Western AIPB.

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Council Funding Fair

Funding and Advice Fair held in Omagh Leisure Centre on 13[th] February 2024 and had a lot of enquiries from groups.

Food Safety course

We ran the Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene course in St Patrick’s GAA Ta�yreagh in March which was a�ended by 13 people from groups across the district.

Members Mee�ng

April with 3 speakers – The Na�onal Lo�ery; The Fundraising Regulator - Code of Fundraising Prac�ce and FODC Sustainable Food Programme.

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Financial Informa�on

2023/24 was a successful year for Omagh Forum for Rural Associa�ons as we managed to have a surplus.

Principal Funding Sources

The main source of funds is from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), which equates to 42% of the overall income for the year with the lo�ery at almost 31% for Omagh Healthy living Network. The charity has always sought and secured funding from other sources to assist with ongoing expenditure by way of management of two community wind farm grant schemes, tendering opportuni�es, management fees of other projects and sponsorship to name but a few.

Reserves Policy and Going Concern

The trustees have examined the charity's requirements for reserves in light of the main risk to the organisa�on, namely the availability of funding from third par�es, and agreed that the unrestricted funds not commi�ed should be 6 months of the charity's annual expenditure. The reserves are needed to bridge the gap between the receiving and spending of income and to cover unplanned emergency spending.

Insert pie chart please

Income 2023 -24

Income 2023 -24
DARD RCDSS £130,736
Na�onal Lo�ery 96,077
Wind Farm community awards £41,515
WRAP programme £41,704
Other £3,093
Total Income £313,125

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Income 2023 - 2024

DAERA RCDSS £130,736
National Lottery £96,077
Wind Farm Community Awards £41,515
WRAP Programme £41,704
Other £3,093
Total Income £313,125

Expenditure 2023 - 2024 Charitable Activities £255,666 Support Costs £1,950 Total £257,616

EXPENDITURE

Charitable ac�vi�es £255,666 Support costs £1,950 Total expenditure £257,616

This generated net income and net movement in funds of £58,631. The majority of this is restricted as advance payment for programmes and £16,114 is unrestricted. At the yearend we had net assets of £198,591.

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Acknowledgements & Thanks

We wish to express our thanks to our Funders during the period April 2023 – March 2024.

Core funding:

Tackling Rural Poverty & Social Isola�on (TRPSI) Programme.

With project funding coming through

tender consor�um bid led by Fermanagh Rural Community Network - WRAP

Last but not least

Thank you to our hosts tonight – Ecclesville LOL 34.

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Omagh Forum for Rural Associations

Omagh Community House

2 Drumragh Avenue

Omagh BT78 1DP

Tel: 028 82 251559

Email: info@omaghforum.org Website: www.omaghforum.org

Twitter: @ofrarsn

Company Limited by guarantee – NI42973

Registered as a Charity by the Charity Commission for NI – NIC100098