## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's [governing document], the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). ## **Objectives and activities** ARC Healthy Living Centre Ltd was registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (NIC100857) in February 2015. Application Number: 2001257 ## **The objects of the charity as stated in the memorandum of association are:** To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland and the bordering counties of the Republic of Ireland by establishment of a centre (the ARC Centre) and the provision of holistic health improvement programmes, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions, by associating together the said inhabitants and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advice education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants. ## **Public Benefit** We have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on Public Benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the Trustees have considered how the planned activities of the organisation will contribute to the aims and objectives that have been established for the charity. ## **Public benefit statement (cross referenced against objects)** To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland and the bordering counties of the Republic of Ireland by establishment of centre (the ARC Centre), the benefits are derived from the additional services delivered to the community from within the centre and staff and services outreaching from the centre: in the case of the advancement of holistic health improvement, individuals become well, or their health improves as a result of receiving pulmonary / respiratory support, breast feeding support, falls prevention programmes, smoking cessation support, cancer awareness, diet and nutrition advice and stress management support. Harm associated with chronic addiction is reduced to individuals, families and the wider community because of supporting those excluded from participation, the reduced consumption and harm caused by alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit substances, the provision of befriending, advocacy, recreational programmes and food. Children (including those with disabilities) benefit through the provision of specialist childcare, development and sensory support and obesity prevention. Adults and children benefit through the advancement of education, enhanced knowledge and understanding through receiving education and awareness raising in relation to addictions, sexual health, mental health and training and employment opportunities. ARC facilitates engagement between service providers and the communities of benefit. There is a direct benefit through ARC facilitating quarterly meetings between statutory agencies and residents the benefit being greater community participation and empowerment and the advancement of citizenship and community development. In the case of improving the conditions of life, ARC supports the relief of poverty through the provision of food and recreational opportunities to people who would otherwise be excluded from participation as a result of poverty or lack of access to services. ## **How are the benefits capable of being demonstrated?** These benefits are demonstrated through feedback from families and service users. We measure impact using a range of tools (impact measurement tool, family star, teen star, alcohol star) and regular independent evaluations of our services are commissioned. We engage with service users through established forums and our service users participate in regional service user networks. We evaluate all programmes and make changes as appropriate, based on participant feedback. We attend bi-monthly community forums where we answer to the community in relation to the services we provide. - 3 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ ## **Who are the intended beneficiaries?** - The elderly (Long term conditions, pulmonary support, falls prevention, telephone support) - Rurally isolated (Area of benefit is predominately rural) - Young people (range of services: Surestart, EDGE, summer programmes, child contact etc.) - Short and long term unemployed - People with Drug / Alcohol dependencies - Those with mental health problems - Families on low incomes - All sections of the Northern Ireland community - Adults and Children with special needs ## **Achievements and performance** Over the course of the year, we have begun to action our organisational review, and we are reshaping our service to evidence excellence in community-based health and social care provision. We have successfully expanded Cherish Surestart into 3 additional wards, 1,317 children are registered, and our family percentage uptake has increased to over 68 %, our ante natal uptake is 91.3% now we are starting to see key outcomes from sustained early intervention. We have specifically tried to target dads and the percentage uptake has increased from 255 to 32% over the course of the year. Our crèche and 2-year-old programmes in Irvinestown are operating from purposefully designed spaces. Within Cherish Surestart we have invested heavily in staff training over the course of the year, supporting our people to support the community we serve. Our staff have enthusiastically taken up this opportunity, many investing long unpaid hours to ensure the rigorous requirements of portfolios and evidencing competency was achieved. Our social enterprise projects Active Allsorts and SSAVI are running successfully without state subvention. Active Allsorts in now the longest established out of schools setting in Fermanagh. As a direct consequence of Covid, we invested heavily in improving the premises, doubling the floor space and expanding our outdoor offering. Whilst this was a rapid response to minimising covid risk to children and staff, this expense and effort has paid dividend, the improvements have enabled us to increase our registered numbers from 24 to 30. In the past year Our summer Scheme registration of 175 primary school children and almost 50 teenage peer mentors. This year continued with a series of health improving behaviours incorporated into our programme and once again we measured behaviour and attitudinal changes. In order to gauge how effective our methods in improving wellbeing are, at the start of the summer scheme each child, and peer mentor, filled out a simple questionnaire asking how they are feeling, with different questions aimed at different aspects of mental health for example, confidence, friendships, interest in others etc. This questionnaire was based on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, and it gives us some idea of the current state of wellbeing of the children. Participants completed the same questionnaire at the end of the summer scheme to see if there was a difference in overall group morale and confidence. Results demonstrate methods we employ work, with children and young people reporting significant improvements in feeling helpful, energetic, cared for and connected. Solace has delivered service to over 110 vulnerable people and engaged with and supported their families. The service funded under Public Health Agency via New Strategic Direction Low Threshold fund (lead partner De Paul). This service is delivering across a wide rural geography to a particular vulnerable client base. The service provides home and telephone support and has staff available daily from the Irvinestown Site, in this year Solace reestablished a satellite base in Enniskillen, we have no assurance of funding for this service in the next financial year. We have seen changes in our Access Child Contact Centre team, with the retirement of 2 staff and successful recruitment and induction of the partial new team. At the end of March 2023, we had a total of 9 families using our service regularly. - 4 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ ## **In cost support to other services via the use of our space has increased we provide a warm space facility, with free hot drinks and Wi-Fi during the winter month proving daily service to vulnerable people.** - We engaged 44 People through the Stepping On falls programme. - All targets relating to the Community food initiate project were exceeded, delivery of 4 small events, 2 large events and essential training to staff and community. - We managed 60 referrals to social prescribing; we have no assurances on ongoing funding for this important primary care facing service past June 2023 - With support of staff and 1 trained volunteer 2,600 calls were made via CHIT CHAT to address loneliness and rural isolation. - 183 participants completed Rethink Resilience training; this project will cease next financial year - We are working in partnership with CDHN, and 3 groups have been mentored through the PHA Funded Elevate initiative. - We are placing increasing focus on quality assurance and are widely regarded as an exemplar placement for health and social care students with under and post graduate opportunities provided across a wide range of disciplines (nursing, social work, physio, medicine etc). - We have invested in training to ensure the quality of our leadership and governance, we have 2 registered nurses and 1 registered dietician on the team. - 2 staff members commenced a Post Graduate training in Public Health. - We have strengthened our board with the addition of 2 new Directors from education leadership who are engaged in the Surestart consortia and community food imitative steering group. ## **Future goals 2023 24:** 1) Expand Social Enterprise relationships and activity. - 2) Build upon wellness and ill health prevention by the proactive use of wellness checks and screening. 3) Achieve quality accreditation. - 5 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ . - 6 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ ## **Financial review** With the aid of sound financial management and support of both its staff and directors, ARC generated a positive financial outcome for the period with a net increase in funds. Principal funding sources are outlined under core programmes, in addition a percentage of core costs was supported by PHA the shortfall met by full cost recovery principles applied to core programme support. ## **Reserves Policy** A formal policy on reserves was agreed at the 10 October 2005 meeting of the Audit committee. It states: - “The trustees of ARC HLC have set a reserves policy which requires that: - Reserves be maintained at a level which ensures that the organization’s core activity could continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty. - A proportion of reserves be maintained in a readily realisable form. - The calculation of the required level of reserves is an integral part of this organisation's planning, budget and forecast cycle. The policy considers the risk that annual income could vary substantially at short notice from that budgeted. The reserves accordingly should reflect three to six months expenditure. The Board will now annually demonstrate the ARC Healthy Living Centre Ltd redundancy liability and present this as part of the annual accounts. ## **Investment Powers and Policy** A review of investment returns was conducted by the Audit Committee and funds allocated to the best rate on return with exiting bank The Company has no external investments other than those reported on in the financial statements. ## **Risk Management Strategy** The Charities SORP requires the trustees of all charities to produce a statement confirming all the major risks to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the trustees; it also requires that systems are put in place to mitigate those risks. A risk assessment should be carried out and approved by the board annually. Major risks have been identified and having analysed those risks in terms of their likelihood and potential impact on ARC HLC LTD a risk register has been drawn up in order to prioritise risks which require action this year. A key element in the management of financial risk was the development of a reserves policy which is reviewed regularly by the board. The risk register was updated quarterly and presented to audit committee ## **Vision** During the year ARC board and senior team worked to define exactly what ARC meant to them, what mattered most and collectedly agreed a strategy compass, the compass has been shared and is now displayed in all settings. ## **Plans for future periods** ARC has ambitious plans for the future, we wish to actively reduce health and educational inequality. We continue to be committed to serving our community with high quality, relevant and cost effective services and remain grateful for the help we receive from an assortment of funders and supporters to help us achieve that aim. The ARC Centre’s principal focus is on people experiencing health inequality, who are often hard to reach through conventional health sector channels or services. We recognise that we need to work hard to make contact with those who need our services most and that they will often have a complex range of problems. Invariably, this means they will require different types of services and that we need to work with them over an extended period of time to enable them to bring about positive transformation in lives. - 7 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ Our approach is therefore based on 3 key features: - Accessibility: an emphasis on making it easy for people to access the support that they need. We remove barriers by bringing projects and services together and by being friendly, open and accessible. - Life Course Services: an ability to offer a very broad range of projects and services, so that users can find help at all stages of life, from Sure start to our chit chat services we want to be consistently there to support our community. We want to deliver specific services and be flexible enough to support with related or underlying issues. - Longevity: a recognition that people will often need to undertake a long and slow journey with the Centre in order to gradually build up the skills and self-confidence they need to overcome challenges and that our support and forward strategies as an organisation need to be configured to encourage this. These three features make the ARC Healthy Living Centre an extremely effective community hub operating in deprived areas. ## **Structure, governance and management** ## **Governing Document** ARC Healthy Living Centre is a company limited by guarantee and accepted as charitable by the HMRC under reference XR 46779. The ARC Healthy Living Centre is registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC100857 The company was incorporated on 15 November 2000, as Irvinestown Community Partnership ARC Ltd, the memorandum and articles of association were updated in May 2006 to note the change of name to ARC Healthy Living Centre Limited and to increase the area of benefit. The liability of members is limited in that every member of the company undertakes to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 in the event of the company being wound up. The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were: Terry Magee (Chairperson) Dr Laura McDonnell (Vice Chairperson) Wesley Knox (Audit Committee Chairperson) David Monaghan Terence Maye Trevor Kirkpatrick David McDowell Mannix Magee Andrew Magee Anne Molloy Edwina Read (Resigned 1 September 2022) (Appointed 7 September 2022) (Appointed 6 October 2022) - 8 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ ## **Recruitment and Appointment of Directors** The directors of the company are also charity trustees and under the company’s memorandum and articles of association are known as members of the company. Under the requirements of the memorandum and articles of association at every AGM one third of the directors who are subject to rotation shall retire and may be re-elected if they are so willing and accepted by the board. ## **Directors’ Induction and Training** All new directors are given an induction by the Chairperson and CEO, significant emphasis being placed upon the legal obligations under company and charity law. Areas covered during induction include: - Governing document - Strategic plan - Company financial procedures, including account presentation - Current sponsors and supporters - Staff introductions - Tour of projects - Core policy and procedures We have continued to develop our policies and practices and indeed this year’s annual report takes us further along the line of good practice in terms of reporting and disclosure. ## **Qualifying third party indemnity provisions** The board currently consists of nine highly skilled directors who administer the charity. The Team are: **Chairperson: Terry Magee** is Chief Superintendent with An Garda Síochána and is Divisional Officer in charge of the Donegal Division and has 500 staff and 45 Garda stations under her direction. In addition she has extensive experience of EU funding in the border context having served as a member of the Partnership Board for the Peace 3 Programme financed by the EU programme for Peace and Reconciliation. Under Mrs Magee's direction her division successfully completed a pilot for the National Children Services Committee developed by the Office of the Minister for Children. This framework allows cross agency focus on strategic management of services. As a consequence of the positive evaluation of this pilot the framework was rolled out nationally. Mrs Magee served as a member of Donegal County Development Board and this provides an effective interagency platform for strategic collaboration on joint priorities in relation to county Development. Terry joined the ARC board in 2005 and has acted as Vice Chairperson for three years before assuming the role of Chairperson. **Vice Chairperson: Dr Laura McDonnell** , GP partner and Regional Clinical Lead for the Western Integrated Care Partnership, specialist interest in early intervention, maternal services and palliative care. Dr McDonnell is pioneering the use of new technologies and mobile apps, innovating and responding to a new generation to support health care delivery, Dr McDonnell administers and quality assures the NI breastfeeding support on-line forum, this was a direct response to the lack of traditional support to new breast feeding mothers after hospital discharge. **David Monaghan BEM** is Company Secretary has been involved in Scouting for almost 30 years, both local and national level, holding the position of National Commissioner for Ventures (16-21 years old). In 2020 Scouting Ireland bestowed upon Mr Monaghan the Order of Cu Chulainn, the highest honour in Scouting. Mr Monaghan is also current Chairperson of the Rural Transport Company for Fermanagh and is acutely aware of the rural geography and infrastructure problems in the area of benefit. Mr Monaghan was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2015. **Mr Trevor Kirkpatrick** is a long serving director at ARC and also director of an international children’s charity that delivers health and social care relief in an international context. **Mr Mannix Magee** , is a serving Director of ARC and has a background in Education. Mr Magee has fostered collaborative working with primary and post primary education institutions and recognises the value of health and education sharing and exchanging information and ideas. Mr Magee has a special interest in community approaches to addressing addiction and established a low threshold service which now covers the southern sector of the western Trust. Mr Magee is a Trustee of Irvinestown Fairs and Markets Trustees, a community owned trust with the potential to invest in projects that promote social change and is a serving director of Irvinestown Trsutee Enterprise Company Ltd, an award winning, non profit taking social enterprise. - 9 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ **Mr Ted Maye** is an ARC director and chair of the Community Partnership (36 voluntary groups that meet bimonthly). Mr Maye ensures public involvement is “real not rhetoric” in ARC, the service user voice is at the table at all times. Mr Maye is particularly engaged in the development and delivery of services to marginalised communities. Public involvement in ARC is paramount to the success and design of project delivery, our projects are shaped ‘with’ or ‘by’ members of the public rather than ‘to’,‘about’ or ‘for’ them. Whilst all of us are actual, former or indeed potential users of health and social care services, there is an important distinction to be made between the perspectives of the public and the perspectives of people who have a professional role in health and social care services. **David McDowell** is a serving ARC Director who practiced dentistry on both sides of the border and is familiar with regulation and reporting requirements in both jurisdictions. Mr McDowell is a Trustee of Irvinestown Fairs and Markets Trustees, a community owned trust with the potential to invest in projects that promote social change. **Wesley Knox** a highly experienced accountant , having spent 28 years with a local Structural Steel Engineering Company operating in International markets, fulfilling the role of Finance and Personnel Director. He has extensive knowledge in Quality Management Systems. Currently Finance Director and Company Secretary of Fisher Holdings (NI) limited a local Investment Company. Wesley is also Trustee of Irvinestown Fairs & Market Trustees.. **Andrew Magee** has been in legal practice since 2000. He has in recent years specialised in Family law - children and matrimonial. Andrew a trained mediator - civil and family - and is a member of Barrister Mediation Service. **Anne Molloy** Having studied at St. Mary’s College in Belfast, after graduating, Mrs Molloy spent a year on sabbatical when she was president of the Students Union. Her first teaching job was at St. Aidan’s High School in Derrylin, where she spent a year before accepting a position at her old school in Irvinestown in 1984. She said: “I’ve always had a connection with my local community and I was delighted to get employment in Irvinestown.” She was subsequently appointed as vice-principal of the school for 14 years before becoming principal in 2017. Anne retired in 2023.Anne is involved in Parish work within Irvinestown and was a past recipient of the Margaret Wilson Award for voluntary endeavour. Anne has been a supporter of ARC activity since its inception and agreed to act as Trustee in 2022. **Edwina Read** is current principal of Irvinestown Primary school, she completed teacher training at Stranmillis College Belfast and graduated in 1990. Edwina has taught at Irvinestown Primary schools since 1992 and was appointed Vice-Principal in 1999 and Principal in 2017. Edwina has always been interested in developing the school, whilst keeping the child at the centre and has been a long time supporter of ARC services for children and families, she was nominated to the board at the AGM in 2022. ## **Organisation** In the year 2022-2023 the format of board meetings followed a “RAG” performance management review system by which targets were coded Red, Amber and Green. RAG status reporting is widely used within ARC and project managers are asked to indicate how well a project is doing using the series traffic lights. A red traffic light indicates problems, amber the target is not fully met and, green indicates things are going well. The RAG reports given instant indication of areas requiring board attention. Greater focus was placed on strategic direction at board level with operational activity presented monthly at a senior management team meeting, one week prior to the board meeting, whereby senior staff identified key areas requiring board input or ratification. To ensure compliance with governing documents and the main aims and objectives of the healthy living centre, ARC HLC Ltd has complied with governing documents and adhered to requirements of charitable status. Following on from strategic review and in line with good governance the timing of bard meetings was altered to quarterly and to be conducted the week before the return of quarterly submission to funders, so with full data and information board could sign off on and authorise reporting. - 10 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ ## **Governance Overview** Board meetings - Q1 2022/23 - 11th April 2022 - AGM - 22nd June 2022 - Q3 2022/23 - 10th October 2022 - Q4 2022/23 -11th January 2023 Audit Committee meetings - 22nd June 2022 - 10th October 2022 ## **Senior Management Team (SMT)** Whilst the Trustees are responsible for all the charity’s actions, day-to-day operations and decision-making continue to be delegated to a Senior Management Team who report directly to the Board. The Senior management team are supported by a range of external service providers (IT EOS Systems, Allen People Solutions Payroll services Moore NI). The board has established appropriate controls and reporting mechanisms to ensure that the SMT operates within the scope of the powers delegated to it. All matters not specifically reserved to the board and necessary for the day-to-day operations of the charity are delegated to management. Specifically, the responsibilities of management are: - Operate within delegated authority limits set by the board - Reporting to the board in a timely manner and against agreed criteria - Formulating and recommending the strategic direction of the charity - Translating the approved strategic plan into annual operating and financial plans - Managing the human, physical and financial resources - Compliance of the charity with relevant laws and regulations - Deliver agreed performance measures - Develop, implement and manage the risk management and internal compliance and control systems - Develop, implement and update policies and procedures ## **Related Parties** ARC HLC has a close relationship with Irvinestown Trustee Enterprise Company Ltd. (ITEC). Both organisations actively promote the well-being of the people of Irvinestown. ITEC provides ARC with essential gift aid; comparative to its surpluses created through non-profit taking economic development. Furthermore, ITEC provides invaluable inkind resources including corporate services support. Two of the directors of ARC HLC are currently also directors of ITEC. ITEC is landlord to the ACTIVE ALLSORTS Project and Cherish Creche / 2-year-Old based in the Market Yard. - 11 - ## **ARC HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023**_ ## **Statement of trustees' responsibilities** The trustees, who are also the directors of ARC Healthy Living Centre Limited for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **Auditor** In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Moore (NI) LLP be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting. ## **Disclosure of information to auditor** Each of the trustees has confirmed that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, but of which the auditor is unaware. They have further confirmed that they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to establish that the auditor is aware of such information. The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees. Terry Magee (Chairperson) **Trustee** 20 December 2023 - 12 -