## **Trustees’ Annual Report Year 2022/2023** 

## **1. BANI’s activities undertaken** 

BANI deliver over 16 online and face-to-face community events, activities and projects. These included the commencement of a unique artistic photography project entitled ‘Northern Ireland Through Our Eyes’ and a very successful Christmas celebrations event. All activities provided BANI’s members with the opportunity to again connect, network and socialise as well as recommence the valuable work of showcasing the best of the rich Bulgarian culture. 

- **21[st] May 2022** Bulgarian folk dance performance at the African Culture Day in Cavan, organised by the Latvian Community, Cavan and Northern Ireland 

- **29[th] May 2022** Participation in the ‘Raina Knyaginya’ Bulgarian Saturday School May Celebrations Event, Dublin 

- **2[nd] Jun 2022** Bulgarian community participation in the lighting of the 12 beacons ceremony for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in Enniskillen Castle, organised by Enniskillen Rotary Club 

- **7[th] Jun 2022** Delivery of an online Bulgarian culture session as part of the Grand Culture Café PEACE IV programme, organised by plannd of Belfast 

- **17[th] Jun 2022** Delivery of a Bulgarian culture presentation and a folk dance performance at a Culture Café event, organised by TADA Rural Support Network, Craigavon 

- **28[th] Aug 2022** Participation in and folk dance performance at the MELA 2022 Festival in Botanic Gardens, Belfast, organised by ArtsEkta 

- **28[th] Aug 2022** First professional photo session with Anita Hoppe Photography, at Queens University, as part of the ‘Northern Ireland Through Our Eyes’ cultural project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund 

- **22[nd] Sep 2022** Participation and folk dance performance at the Unification Day Celebrations at the Bulgarian Embassy, Dublin 

- **15[th] Oct 2022** Celebration of the Bulgarian folk dance club Chemshir’s 9[th] anniversary at Aughnacloy Golf Club 

- **16[th] Dec 2022** Bulgarian Community Christmas Celebrations Event in Armagh City Hotel, Armagh 

- **28[th] Jan 2023** Delivery of Bulgarian folk dance class in the ‘Raina Knyaginya’ Bulgarian Saturday School, Dublin 

- **26[th] Feb 2023** Second professional photo session with Anita Hoppe Photography, at Palace Demesne, Armagh, as part of the ‘Northern Ireland Through Our Eyes’ cultural project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund 

- **1[st] Mar 2023** Martenitsa workshop and cultural display at the Central Bank of Ireland Culture Event, Dublin 

- **8[th] Mar 2023** Participation in the International Woman’s Day Celebrations Event in Armagh City Hotel, Armagh, organised by ARTS 

- **17[th] Mar 2023** Bulgarian folk dance performance at the St Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Strule Arts Centre, Omagh 

- **1[st] Apr 2023** Support and assistance for the delivery of a Bulgarian Comedy Stand-up Show and social event in Armagh City Hotel, Armagh 



BANI continued to work in partnership with existing and new partners such as the ABC Council, Fermanagh & Omagh District Council, ArtsEkta, the National Lottery Community Fund, TADA, Latvian Community Cavan, Bulgarian Embassy in ROI, Bulgarian Saturday School in Dublin and many more. 

## **2 Receipt of payment and expenses in FY 21/22** 

|In FY|22/23 BANI received the following payments:||
|---|---|---|
||Opening Balance on 6thApril 2022|£1,142.00|
||Dance and Culture Performances|£1,200.00|
||Donations and Raffle Tickets|£   368.00|
||Grant (NLCF & ABC Council)|£7,700.00|



BANI was successful in its funding application to the Community Lottery Fund and ABC Council for this financial year. 

In FY 22/23 BANI had the following expenses: 

||Venue Hire|£2,192.00|
|---|---|---|
||Promotion & Advertising|£   315.00|
||Organisational Public Liability Insurance|£   199.00|
||Administration|£   190.00|
||Guest Groups Costs|£1,788.00|
||Travel Costs|£   300.00|
||Photography Project Costs|£   500.00|
|In FY|22/23 BANI accumulatively had the following assets:||
||3 x Sets of Costumes and Performance Materials|£4,492.00|
||Advertisement Materials|£   378.00|
||IT Equipment|£   780.00|
|In FY|22/23 BANI had no liabilities.||
||Closing Balance on 5thApril 2022|£4,926.00|



## 3 **What difference we made** 

Through its varied and innovative activities, BANI delivered, for its members, projects that met their needs and addressed their interests, and provided social and cultural community engagement. BANI sought new and innovative ways to widen its range of activities and appropriately respond to its community’s needs. 

BANI designed, secured funding for and commenced delivery of an artistic photography project entitled ‘Northern Ireland Through Our Eyes’. The project is a cultural fusion, featuring the beauty of the Bulgarian folk costumes and traditions on the background of iconic well-known locations and buildings in Northern Ireland. 

The new and creative project, the increasing number of new members, the heart-felt first-hand feedback and the invitation of many old and new partner organisations for joint work are a true measure of the real difference BANI made this year.