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SUFFOLK
COMMUNITY FORUM
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, 8th January 2025 at 6.30pm
124 Stewartstown Road, Belfast, BTI 19LY
The Queen's Award
for Voluntary Servlce
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Suffolk Community Forum
Annual General Meeting
Agenda
Wednesday 8th January 2025 at 6.30pm
Welcome & Apologies:
Minutes of previous:
(AGM) 22nd November 2024
Presentation of Annual Report:
Cathy Wilton - Outgoing Chairperson
Presentation of Annual Accounts:
Sammy Wilson - Outgoing Treasurer
Attounts haw& been compilÈdanclaudiledby mCc￿ery, Turkington Stockffnan LTD. (Chartered Accountants)
Update on Projects:
Nominations for new Committee:
Election of officers will take place at next Forum meeting.
Any other business:

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COMMUNITY FORUM
CHAIRPERSON'SADDRESS
Suffolk Community Forum is pleased to present its Annual General Report for the year
2024 and whilst it can only provide a snapshot of work, we hope you find it encouraging.
Over the year we have welcomed new faces on our management committee and want to
thank all of those who have given of their time and energy to serve the community well.
We would also like to thank our staff, without whom most of what we do would not be
possible.
Over the past year we have seen some big changes in the Forum. Our previous employee
Caroline Murphy retired, and Terry Donaghy took over the position of Community
Development Worker. Caroline sadly passed away in March. I want to remark on the
dedication shy showed Suffolk over the years. Caroline worked hard for the betterment of
Suffolk's residents. She will be sadly missed by the people who knew her.
One of our biggest roles continues to be that of making sure that Suffolk is represented
and has an opportunity to have its voice heard in the broader arena. This is critical as we
want to bring the best benefit to the community that we can. I personally would like to
thank the Forum staff along with Committee Members who have represented our
community and are willing to give up valuable personal time.
Our current core funding with Dfc through the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme has
been extended several times but we are expecting that a new strategy will be
implemented in April 2025.
The reality is we are continuing to live in difficult Financial Times, and it is unrealistic to
think this will not impact on our organisation. Funding is increasingly difficult to find for
everyone and we have been extremely fortunate to have access to significant funding
from SRRP over the past number of years that others have not. However, as the following
report will show, we are responding to the new challenges with creative and realistic
solutions.
Cathy Wilton
Chairperson
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Annual Accounts 2023-2024
Sammy Wilson went through the accounts from last year with the group and asked
members to read through them.
Cross-community Projects:
For a number of years Suffolk and the Men's Sheds, particularly the Half Moon Lake and
The Plough, have been working together on a range of projects. Friendships have been
made and trust built. We have received various amounts of funding from BCC Good
Relations and through these funds, have been able to run courses, making traditional
Leather Satchels which have been very popular. We have been successful with a second
application. The next round will see thirty students attending Leather Workshop classes.
Classes begin in January 2025.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/rpPxjGkvCioazLjv/?mibextid-WC7FNe
Fight2Thirve boxing programme. This is a mental health program delivering help to young
people using boxing as a bonding mechanism. This programme has been cross
community with kids from Colinmill. Fight2Thirve founder Colin Ward is running three
cross community programs at the moment. We are currently looking at bringing the three
classes together for a day. This will bring Suffolk children together with children from
Londonderry and Dungannon.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1 CYy8nN9tb/?mibextid=wwXlfr

The Forum applied to the National Lottery for funding on behalf of the Children's Project.
The application was successful, and it assisted the Group in running Circus Skills classes.
This funding seen our kids take part in the St Patrick's Day Parade. For some of Suffolk's
children it was the first time experiencing a St Patrick's Day Parade.
This successful application enabled the Group to develop and grow. With the Forum's
help they successfully applied for their own funding for a second Circus Skills
programme. We are delighted to announce that they have been awarded funding from
Belfast City Council for a second term. Congratulations to the Committee and volunteers.
Lidl:
This year has seen big changes and challenges for the residents of Suffolk. Lidl closed in
July and began construction of its new store. The distribution on residents was inevitable.
Lidl completed the new store and reopened in December. One week ahead of schedule.
The distribution of the new build was greater than anticipated. Cars, vans and lorries
parked everywhere.

Construction was heavy and noisy. Residents had to endure it for several months.
Thankfully the new store opened ahead of schedule and looks great. I think everyone is
happy it's over and the new store looks great
Malinmore Land:
During the construction of the new Lidl store, Suffolk Community Forum insisted the
remaining part of the Malinmore Land gets a facelift. The work has begun and will finish
when the weather turns a little better for planting trees.

During this part of the development the Kells Avenue peace gates were opened of heavy
machinery. These gates have never been opened before.
MUGA:
The plans for our MUGA development our with Belfast City Council planning committee.
There have been a few obstacles to overcome and it's taking a little longer than
anticipated to get the planning permission we need. We are confident that we can meet
these obstacles and get the permission. It is just taking a little longer than expected.
The link and reference are below for anyone to look at.
https://planningregister.planningsystemni.gov.uldsimple-search
LA0412024112811F

School Site:
Suffolk primary school site has seen big change's also this past year. This whole new
development has been very quick and unexpected. No real consultation took place and
everyone we asked for help with the new St. Gerard's School ignored our requests or
didn't bother to help. No planning permission was granted before the work began. Suffolk
residents basically woke up one morning with a new school being constructed on their
doorstep.
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Damage has been reported to resident's properties and still no ￿SpOnSe from the
Education Authority.
No one from Suffolk opposed the new school development. It just would have been nice
if they had of engaged with residents to make the process easier for everyone.

Representation of Committee:
Each Group within Suffolk was asked to nominate two representatives to the Forum.
Group
First Nomination
Second Nomination
Suffolk Woman's Group
Ladies Dart Team
Lesley Skey
Cathy Wilton
Joanne Moody
Sammy Wilson
Roby Orr
Neil Douglas
Sandra Craig
Missy Spence
Shalyn McKinley
Maureen Appleton
Naomi Cassidy
e decided
Suffolk Children's Project
U.F.P.B. Flute Band
Suffolk Football Club
17th Boys Brigade
St. John the Baptist Church
ided
Suffolk Residents Association
Suffolk Bonfire Committee
Jason Spence
Suffolk Events Circle
Rachel McDougall
Brian McDougall
ided
Upp/Falls Historical Society
o be decided
Election of Officers will take place at the next Forum Meeting on Wednesday 11th
February 2025.

Meetings Attended:
SRRP Board of Directors
NIHE Central Housing Community Network
Lenadoon Neighbourhood Partnership Board
West Belfast and Shankill Housing Community Network
PSNI Neighbourhood Teams
David Robinson, Chief Executive, BCC Good Relations
South-west Community Project
Lenadoon Housing Environment Community Safety Group
Belfast Bands Forum
Areema Advisory Group
We wish to thank the following:
Edwin Poots, MLA
Councillor, Sarah Bunting
Councillor, Tracy Kelly
Henderson's Spar
Jim and Matthew Walker, Henderson's
Michael Mccorry, BCC Community Outreach Officer
South-west Foodbank
South City Resource Centre
John Hoey, Stewartstown Road Regeneration Project
WB Cleaning Services
Department for Communities
BCC - various funding mechanisms including Good Relations
David Robinson, Belfast City Council
Grainne O'Hare, Belfast City Council
Suffolk Community Centre
The National Lottery
Norman Mccleery
Our thanks go to Stewartstown Road Regeneration Project for their special funding
arrangement.
Dfc
Belfast
City Council
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