2024-03-31-annual-return - G-old Community Partnership

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Draft Financial Statements at 03 August 2024 at 16:02:22 G-OLD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TRUSTEES REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Background

SureStart projects are targeted at the 0-4 age group in areas of deprivation, measured in terms of the current impact on children's life chances and the shortfall in fulfilling children's potential. SureStart projects work with parents and children to promote the physical, intellectual, social and emotional development of children - particularly those who are disadvantaged - to make sure they are ready to make the most of opportunities when they get to school.

The G-old Community Partnership Sure Start Initiative has been in operation since February 2001.

Structure, governance and management

The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association.

The appointment of trustees is in accordance with the charity's Articles of Association, whereby the trustees of the charity shall comprise of no more than one person from each of the organisations/agencies/bodies represented.

The trustees can also appoint representatives from other organisations as trustees if the organisation supports the objects of the charity and have an interest in the area of benefit, providing that a resolution for such an appointment is approved by not less than 75 per cent of the trustee’s holding office at that time.

Objectives and activities

The objects of the charity are to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Oldtown, Gortalowry, Killymoon, Ardboe, Dunamore, Pomeroy, Maghera and Town Parks East 2 and in particular but not exclusively antenatal parents, children under four years of age and their families, without distinction of sex, age, race, or political, religious or other opinions by associating together with the said inhabitants, local authorities, public agencies and voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to relieve poverty, preserve and protect health, advance education and provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.

It aims to achieve these objects by:

improving health by supporting parents in caring for children and promoting children's health and development.
improving the ability to learn by encouraging stimulatory play, improving language skills, and the early identification and support of children with learning difficulties.
improving social development by supporting the development of early relationships between parents and children, good parenting skills, family functioning, and early identification and support of children with emotional, learning, and behavioral difficulties.

Trustees

The trustees (who are also the directors for the purposes of company law) who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

Frances McKenna Martina Watson Sharon Burnett Rioghnach Murphy Patricia Lewsley-Mooney CBE (appointed 08/03/24)

Draft Financial Statements at 03 August 2023 at 16:02:22 G-OLD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TRUSTEES REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Achieve and performance

G-old Community Partnership – Surestart charitable activities have experienced some changes due to the impact of the ongoing COVID 19 Pandemic. However, activities continue to benefit the inhabitants of Gortalowry, Oldtown, Killymoon, Ardboe, Dunamore, Pomeroy and Maghera wards. In August 2021 additional funding was provided to roll out services in an additional ward -Town Parks East, Magherafelt, this continues as expansion funding.

During 2023-2024 G-old Community Partnership had a slight decrease in number of children registered (1377) and increase in parents registered (1684). Service uptake by families was 59%, an overall decrease of 5% on the previous year. Staff vacancies and recruitment difficulties did significantly impact on service delivery in particular the lack of available Outreach Play staff who were required to cover sick leave and maintain ratios in the Developmental Programmes for 2-3 Year Olds, hence reduced crèche-based activities for families.

The Surestart Developmental Programmes for 2–3-Year-Olds were delivered to 98 children across 6 sites, i.e., 2 programmes in both Ardboe Resource Centre and Cookstown Primary School, 1 programme in St Joseph’s, Killeenan, St Mary’s, Dunamore, Rowantree Centre, Pomeroy and The Lurach Centre, Maghera. As with every year some programmes were oversubscribed with a waiting list in place. Staff worked flexibly across all sites to ensure programmes kept open. Health and Safety issues forced the programmes in Cookstown to relocate to a classroom within Cookstown Primary School as the mobiles were deemed unsafe for use by Barnardo’s Property Advisor.

Repairs were also carried out to the heating system in St Marys Dunamore, and a new front door installed. Patio doors were installed at the Rowentree Centre, Pomeroy to enable children to directly access the outside play area from the room used for the Developmental Programme.

Gold Community Partnership along with the other SureStart projects in the Northern Trust continues to promote breast feeding support for mothers and maintains UNICEF Baby Friendly Stage 3 status. Two breast feeding groups run weekly in Cookstown and Magherafelt and generally are well attended.

Progress has been made with the introduction of evaluative processes including Microsoft Forms and QR codes to evaluate program impact and outcomes.

Annual Inspections of all registered sites were carried out by NHSCT Early Years Social Work team in January and February 2024 with acknowledgment of the high standard of service delivery. Some policy updates were suggested.

As parents continue to experience financial pressures due to cost of living crisis Gold continues to seek to identify support such as food hampers, food vouchers, fuel stamps etc from other charitable organisations including Baby Basics, Antioch and Liberty Churches, SVP.

During the past year 3 staff were on long term sick leave leading to dismissal of 2 on health grounds. 4 staff resigned and 2 staff returned from long term sick leave and fostering leave. At year end there were 42 posts filled and 5 vacant posts. It has been another very stressful year for the staff team and sincere appreciation is extended to all who worked with commitment and passion to support families.

Absence of confirmation of budget for 23/24 and concern for potential reduction in funding did impact on timely recruitment and planning activities for the year ahead is very difficult.

In July 2023 Causeway and Mid Ulster Womens Aid provided the Childcare Partnership with notice of their intention to withdraw from the role of Accountable Body. This has led to significant discussion and negotiation with Department of Education and Childcare Partnership to identify the process for Appointment of Accountable Body and impact of this change. These discussions are ongoing and in the interim Causeway and Mid Ulster Womens Aid continue as Accountable Body.

Gold Community Partnership Management committee continues to support staff and provide effective oversight of the programme delivery and accountability for use of funds.

Despite the challenges outlined Gold Community Partnership has offered substantial support to families throughout the past year and signposted to other agencies for additional support.

Draft Financial Statements at 03 August 2024 at 16:02:22 G-OLD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TRUSTEES REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Future Plans

Approval from DE/Childcare Partnership on process for replacing Causeway and Mid Ulster Womens Aid as Accountable Body
Increased programme delivery to children and their families to increase uptake of service
Increased service delivery in Town Parks East 2, Magherafelt.
Development of Sensory space provision in Cookstown and Magherafelt for children with emerging needs
Recruitment of staff for vacant posts in Admin, Outreach Support, Childcare, Team Manager and SLC.
Identification of suitable accommodation for Developmental Programme for 2-3 Year Olds in Cookstown.

Financial Review

The bulk of the charitable company's income is funded by the Department of Education via the Health and Social Care Board, and this is matched by expenditure in the year to achieve a break-even result. This is in line with the conditions of the funding provided by the Department of Education (via SPPG) and does not allow the company to accumulate reserves.

Auditor

The auditor, David Lyttle + Co Ltd, are deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

Statement of directors' responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the surplus or deficit of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Statement of disclosure to auditor

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.

Draft Financial Statements at 03 August 2024 at 16:02:22 G-OLD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TRUSTEES REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

By order of the board

.............................. Mary Tennyson Secretary Date: .........................