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2025-09-30-annual-report

174 TRUST

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2025

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174 TRUST

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees

Mr Gavin Pantridge Rev. Prof J Patton Taylor MBE Mrs Heather Carey

Directors

Rev. DR. Bill Shaw OBE (retired 30 June 2025) Mr Tim Magowan (appointed 1 July 2025) Mr Geoffrey Kerr Mr Ray Giffen Principal Office Duncairn Complex Duncairn Avenue Belfast BT14 6BP Northern Ireland Charity Number XN62669A/AR NIC 100531

Auditors Harvey & Co Accountancy Services Ltd 5 Willowbank Road Millbrook Larne Co. Antrim BT40 2SF

Bankers Danske Bank PO Box 183 Donegal Square West Belfast BT1 6JS

Solicitors Hewitt & Gilpin 14-16 James Street South Belfast BT2 7GA

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174 TRUST

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25

The Trustees present their report along with the financial statements of the Trust for the year ended 30 September 2025. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the Trust's trust deed and The Charities (Accounts and reports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015.

174 Trust is approved by the NI Charity Commission and registered NIC 100531.

Chair’s Report

Structure, governance and management

The 174 Trust was established in the Duncairn / New Lodge area of Belfast, in 1983, with a commitment to working for the good of the local community. The mission statement highlights the aim of the Trust’s work in stating “174 Trust is committed to a process of community development based on building relationships with local people, working together to identify and meet local needs”. The Trust works towards this, keeping in mind the Trust’s value base of “The proclamation of the Kingdom of God through demonstrating Christ’s value in action’.

The trustees are appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Trustees during the year 2024/25 were: Rev Prof Patton Taylor MBE Chair Mrs Heather Carey Mr Gavin Pantridge

Statement of compliance with the duty to guidance

have regard to the Commission’s

“In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity's purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries.”

The day to day management of the trust has been delegated to the Management Committee.

Chair: Mrs Heather Carey Treasurer: Mr David Van der Merwe Member: Mr David Read Member: Mrs Audrey Petersen Member: Mrs Jane Grey Member: Ms Aisling McCormick Member: Rev Prof Patton Taylor MBE

Secretary: Mr Geoffrey Kerr

Senior Management Team:

Director/CEO:

Operations Director:

Rev Dr William Shaw OBE (RETIRED 30 JUNE 2025) Mr Tim Magowan — until 30 June 2025

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Mr Tim Magowan — Appointed 1 July 2025

Executive Director:

Deputy Director/Secretary: Mr Geoffrey Kerr P/T Creative Director, Duncairn Arts Centre: Mr Ray Giffen

Risk Management

The trustees have considered the maior risks to which the trust is exposed and established systems and procedures to manage those risks.

The trustees have a risk management strategy which comprises: e An ongoing review of the principal risks and uncertainties that the charity faces. e The establishment of policies, systems, and procedures to mitigate those risks identified. e The implementation of procedures designed to minimise or manage any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise.

A significant amount of work has been completed to enable the organisation to become more financially sustainable, with good cashflow and budget in place’.

Over the last year, all the health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments were updated, strengthening the organisation and reducing risk considerably. We have also updated all of our HR policies, procedures and staff contracts, ensuring good practice and high levels of compliance

Objectives and activities

‘Our mission is now to support thousands of people to survive and thrive together, in North Belfast and beyond’. People from diverse communities across North Belfast and beyond benefit from our arts, community and tenants’ programmes over 65,000 times each year.

The Trust seeks to do this by providing an inclusive, non-threatening and shared space environment for individuals and groups to access programmes and to be involved in a wide range of activities covering every age group from parent & toddlers to Senior Citizens.

The Trust’s local community work is focussed on North Belfast where there are few cross-community groups and where there are very few, if any, shared venues.

Public Benefits

The advancement of citizenship or community development. The advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity. The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or another disadvantage. The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage, or science. The advancement of education

The Trust has developed the Duncairn Complex, and now the Macrory Centre, as shared spaces / neutral venues in North Belfast.

Achievement and performance

Each year, people benefit from our programmes over 65,000 times. These include

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Over 8,000 people each year come to concerts and classes in our Duncairn Arts Centre.

100 disabled children and adults attend our clubs, providing them with a fun, nurturing environment and their carers with much needed respite. 24 children from diverse and often marginalised backgrounds are supported to thrive in our nursery.

Our clothes bank provides clothes and support to 2,500 vulnerable and marginalised people each year.

Over 200 people each week attend our 12 AA groups, which take place on site. 100 people each week benefit from our 2 boxing clubs and gym. 24 children from diverse and often marginalised backgrounds attend the Naiscoil onsite. We provide a home for Tides training, Northern Ireland Mental Health festival, Embrace, each of whom support thousands of people to live better together.

Activities

The Trust operates several projects including:

Preschool Nursery

Nursery Leader — Kelly Burke

The Nursery/Preschool was established in 1995 to address the needs of the children in the New Lodge/Duncairn area of North Belfast.

It was registered with Social Services for 24 children in this reporting period, aged between 2 and 10 months and 4 years old. All staff have the required qualifications, with the Deputy Leader currently undertaking a Master’s in Education at Queen's University Belfast and the Leader undertaking a Master’s in Early Childhood Studies at Stranmillis Belfast.

The Preschool operates Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 12:30pm within the former church halls of the Duncairn Complex. During this period the preschool was part of the government preschool expansion programme with preschool children attending under this programme and younger children being allocated self-funded spaces at a cost of £160/£255 per month over 10 months. The number of children attending through DE funded spaces is assessed annually by Education Authority. During this period all DE funded spaces where allocated and filled.

All children attending were assessed using Wellcomm Speech Assessment, with 100% of children making progress with their use and understanding of speech and all English as first language children leaving the setting at their appropriate age level. These assessments were used to inform planning and support children’s needs.

The preschool took part in the Getting Ready to Learn programme and signed up to 3 of their focuses: Happy, Healthy Kids, Education Works in Preschool and Big Bedtime Read. We hosted parent workshops on the importance of reading to your child, positive sleep habits, oral health and how children learn through play. Some of these workshops were led by staff and others by external agencies such as the Health Visitor or Oral Health team.

The following extracurricular activities and experiences took place during this reporting year: Jump, Jiggle and Jive, Nina’s Notes, Sonal Sports, Wee Critters, Amazon Jungle, Kidzfarm, Belfast City Council Christmas Elf, Belfast City Council Scoop Dog, PSNI, a visit from a Doctor and Dental nurse.

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Parents also attended Stay and Plays and parents/grandparents sessions. We hosted a coffee and art morning for Mother's Day and a Father’s Day Stay, Play and Plant morning. All events were very well attended. We continued to have a good relationship with Cinemagic, who continued to offer our families free tickets to their events.

During this time, the preschools development plan has focused on 3 areas. Firstly, staff have audited sand and water play in the preschool setting. This has led to an engaging and rich environment and has supported children’s development as they have explored the areas. Secondly, the staff have continued to audit SEN provision and practice. The staff now have increased and up to date knowledge and have grown in confidence. The team are very well placed to support children with a variety of needs and see those children develop and grow at their pace. Thirdly, the team have untaken training with regards to Music and Movement within the setting. This ongoing practice is rich and stimulating, supporting children across all areas of their development and curriculum. The team are looking forward auditing and enriching the outdoor play environment as they avail of further training.

The preschool, alongside 174 Trust Disability projects, have been able to install 2 new sensory rooms. These spaces mean that all children can avail of a variety of experiences to support their development. It also means that we have a richer environment to meet needs of children with Special Educational Needs, presenting with SEN, with emotional wellbeing challenges or who have experienced trauma in their lives.

There is a concern that an increase in statutory preschool provision in the north Belfast area could impact our numbers, however, applications and particularly 1* choice applications remain steady and encouraging.

Staff continue to have a strong relationship with parents and guardians, with strong partnership comes positive outcomes for children. Staff continue to offer advice and support for families, referring families to a variety of external agencies and professionals. The preschool has developed a positive relationship with Toybox and community projects such as 174 Trust Disability project and 174 Trust Clothes for All.

Feedback from parents and families continues to be extremely positive and a great encouragement to staff. The feedback informs us that our vision statement continues to underpin our practice:

“A welcoming, child centred and safe learning environment where individual needs are met and children can flourish.’

Disability Project

Disability Team Leader — Linda Duffy

For over 30 years we have been involved in running activities for people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, sensory disabilities and challenging behaviours. In partnership with BHSCT and Awards for All we aim to make issues like integration, inclusion, self-confidence, individual dignity, and respect for others, accepted as normal within society.

To this end we run the following clubs during the school term:

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Monday 2.30pm — 5.00pm Afterschool’s project for children aged 5 — 11 yrs old. Monday’s 4.30 — 7.30pm Young Adult club for adults aged 18 — 30 years.

Tuesday 2.30pm — 5.00pm Afterschool’s project for children aged 5 — 11 yrs old. Tuesday’s 4.30 — 7.30pm Youth Club for young people aged 11 — 18 years. Wednesday 2.30pm — 5.00pm Afterschool’s project for children aged 5 — 11 yrs old. Wednesday 2.30pm — 5.00pm — bespoke service for very challenging child. Wednesday’s 4.30 — 7.30pm Junior Club for children aged 5 — 11 years. Thursday 2.30pm — 5.00pm Afterschool’s project for children aged 5 — 11 yrs old. Thursday 4.30pm to 7.30pm Young adult club for adults aged 18 — 30 yrs old Monday 10.00 — 12.00 noon — Parents/carers group

Three weeks summer scheme for 5 — 18 years.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings are given over to the Junior, Youth & Young Adult Clubs with the aim being the integration of able-bodied and disabled people through a wide range of activities provided in our large indoor hall and a variety of trips and leisure experiences throughout the year. Our youth and young adults took part in educational sessions where we looked at personal hygiene, independent travel, money management and what make a good friend. We have over 100 children & young people from 5 — 30 years old involved in these 9 clubs.

We continued to maintain our new group for 18 — 30-year-olds in this period, even though we had to continue to find the funding ourselves to do so. There were a growing number of young adults aged 19 — 30 years who had previously come through our youth programme and were finding great difficulty in finding support once they reached adult age. This group meet on a Monday and Thursday evening. We catered for approximately 25 young adults and as the year progressed, we found that the group became a great support mechanism for each other.

Our parents/carers club has been invaluable to our families. A place where they can be with people who understand how hard it is having a disabled child.

“Really good to meet other carers and be able to talk to them about our struggles. Give and receive advice on how we cope. Something to look forward to. | feel it has improved my mental health Fiona is a great facilitator and the arranged activities where very enjoyable.” (From a mum of two disabled daughters).

“| have been a carer for 27 years. Nobody has ever reached out to me. This is the first time | have had the chance to be part of a group of carers. Really enjoyed doing the crafts and talking to people who are going through the same situation. Fiona has been great with us arranging all our activities. Really enjoyed the Christmas wreath making.” (from a mum of a disabled young adult).

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We ran a three-week summer scheme for children and young people aged 5 — 18 years. This summer scheme allows much needed respite for the parents who struggle during the summer when school is closed. A break in routine can be traumatic for some of our young people, and this shows itself in more challenging behaviours. The summer scheme gives the young people some routine and structure to the day helping them regulate their behaviour.

Led by our vastly experienced coordinators, the very dedicated teams of trained and caring helpers & volunteers organise a range of activities focussing on life skills, health & educational classes, social interaction, mixed with special trips out to add a little bit of excitement for these very special people. ...and give some much-needed respite for family and carers.

Both the Nursery & Disability programmes implement a range of policies including Equal Opportunities, Behaviour Management and Child Protection to name only a few. Parents are given a copy of all relevant policies and an information booklet when their child first starts. Parents are always welcomed into the groups and the staff recognises that parents are the first educators and carers of their children.

The Duncairn Centre for Culture and Arts

Creative Director — Ray Giffen

2024/25 has been an exceptional year for The Duncairn and the 174 Trust. While there have been challenges along the way, the organisation has responded with creativity, resilience and a strong commitment to the communities we serve. Above all, it has been a year defined by ambitious programme delivery, meaningful partnerships and the continued growth of our creative networks.

Throughout the year we supported young and emerging artists while also providing a platform for established practitioners and international performers. Workshops, community gatherings and family-focused events ensured that our programme remained welcoming and accessible, enabling many people to take their first steps into creative participation while strengthening connections with our regular audiences.

A particular highlight has been the development of The Ties That Bind, our Shared Island collaboration with Levis’ Corner House in Ballydehob, County Cork. Through residencies, collaborative programming and exchange weekends between Belfast and West Cork, the project has created powerful opportunities for artists and communities to connect, learn from one another and build lasting relationships.

Alongside this work, support from the Irish Government’s Department of Culture, Communications and Sport Cooperation with Northern Ireland Scheme enabled the creation of The Hills Are Alive, a new partnership with Wexford Arts Centre and Wexford-based artists. Additional support from the Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund supported We Must Create, bringing together creative practitioners from across these islands.

As these relationships deepen, The Duncairn continues to grow as a positive cultural influence within North Belfast and across the island of Ireland. We remain committed to nurturing artists, building partnerships and ensuring that The Duncairn develops as a welcoming shared cultural space where creativity, curiosity and collaboration can flourish.

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We remain deeply grateful to our partners, funders and community whose continued support makes this work possible.

Stories at The Duncairn report: Oct 2024 - Sep 2025

Coordinator: Marnie Kennedy

The quality of silence that descends when you are properly inside a book... a closing off of the noise of the world, a narrowing of attention to the page. [Ireland Reads Day article, Irish Times 28 Feb 2026]

Shared Reading groups continue to bring people together to spend meaningful time, through reading aloud and conversation.

Volunteers deliver 3 weekly ‘drop-in’ sessions, in The Duncairn (Monday 3 pm, Tuesday 7 pm, Marnie Kennedy, Michael Crozier), and in Belfast Central Library (Fri 2.30 pm, Sue Donaghy).

Sessions take place year-round and are free and open to all. They continue to attract new members and are a safe space for those who struggle with being social. Weekly attendance totals around 35; occasional attendance is closer to 60. Many participants have been attending for over 10 years.

In January 2025, Marnie Kennedy delivered an online UK-wide masterclass for The Reader attended by 37 people, featuring Irish writing.

Volunteers also deliver other regular sessions with the 174 Disability Group (AnneMarie Kerr), with Mindwise (Kathy Cairns), and with Mill Court on the Falls Rd (Maighread Kennedy).

Christmas reading events drew over 50, with participants coming from all the Shared Reading groups. Volunteers produced a stunning anthology of Christmas and winter poetry and fiction.

Jane Lugea, an academic at Queen’s University Belfast, has conducted research into the benefits of Shared Reading with groups living with the dementia. A staff member from Dementia NI plans to train with The Reader so they can continue these sessions and a conference is planned in 2026.

The Duncairn groups raised £1,487.25 in Dec 2024 through the Big Give.

Future Plans

Under the leadership of a new Executive Director the Senior Management team have agreed on the following actions:

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providing more support for children and young people with additional needs.

Financial Review

The trust is reliant on the income from its donors which amounted to £1,180,528 during the financial year.

Reserves

Whilst it is the intention of the organisation to have a minimum of 6 months operational costs set aside as a Reserve, it is generally accepted that in reality the ongoing cash flow situation of the Trust will determine how much of a reserve is actually set aside.

As the Trust is the owner of the Duncairn Complex, it is recognised that the capital asset of the Duncairn Complex will be used to cover any reserve that may be required in an emergency. The present value of the asset is in excess of £4M.

The Trustees and Senior Directors of the Trust are continually searching for sources of funding to establish a cash reserve of 6 months operational costs. At the end of this accounting year, we had a significant reserve of £177,867set aside.

Trustees’ responsibilities in relation to the financial statements

The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the affairs of the trust and of its financial activities for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

The Trustees and management committee are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the trust and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with United Kingdom Accounting Standards, The Charities (Accounts & Reports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, and the provisions of the trust deed. The trustees are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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Signed by:

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Trustee: Rev Prof omental
Dated 31 MARCH 2026
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Trustee: Heather Carey }
Dated 31 MARCH 2026
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