Trustees Annual Report 2023 - 24 Reference and Administrative Details Company Name: The Confederation of Community Groups (Newry & District) Company Number: N122294 Charity Number: Registered as a Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC 101359) Accepted as a charity for tax purposes by HMRC under its reference XR40558 Registered Office: Ballybot House, 28 Cornmarket, Newry BT35 8BG Maureen Ruddy (Chairyerson) Colin Hanna (Vice Chairperson) Directors: Rosemarie McDonnell (Treasurer) Kathleen Lowry Ewan Morgan Deirdre Shields Maureen Ruddy Anne Woods Marie-claire Fitzpatrick (appointed 1417123) Kerrie Havern (appointed 26110123) Moira O'shea (appointed 26110123) Co. Secretary and CEO: Raymond Jackson Malone Accountants, 12 New Stree( Newry BT35 6JD. Auditors: Bankers . Bank of Ireland, 12 Trevor Hill, Newry
Structhre, Governance and Management Governlng Document The Confedffttion of Commupity Groups is a company limitedby guaLtee which was incory)oratsl on 12 Jamwy 1989. The con]pany was ethlishd aManOnd of AsgKyciation which estab]ished theobjects andwwa3 ofthe ChItable and is govemed under its Articl&s of Association. The Articles were amended by special resolution on 30 October 2014. In the event ofthe company being would up members are required to <x)ntribute an amount t exLieeding one wund. Management The companyism£lltyby aVolUntyB0a OfDirtOrS which is deLtsI fiDm themanboship or by the ditOrS. Th¢ Board ofDirectors are directors ofthe company under (x)mpany law and are also charity tsustees for the puw of charity law. The Board 0fD1red is dectol annually from the MaDShIp ofthe cOmY and oxntsists ofup to twelve I1VIdUal and t than four. Up to 0nfrdrri of the diTrS retire from office at each Annual General Meetin& those longest in office rdiring first. Reliiing directors are eligbL le for Trelection ifnomin hOWen0 director shall s¢ more than twelve (J)nsecutive years. Whnew d1cth aLE apWInt to theBo&dthey receive an itU10n whithknirfs the memb&3 on their n)les and rcsp)nsibilities as members ofthe boalll and company dire(*0 and out]ines the company's strategic planning proc. fi]ndll]g aanen project seltIOn wlicy, staffing Strl and wlicy woA(. All manbers ofthe Bo&d of Directh give theIrtin voluntsily andreceive no ba]efits { ranation fiDm the (X)mY. Directors nllll]1 fromApll 2023 to Mah 2024 andw)tothedthofthis rep)rtwere as foIlows: Kathleen Lowry, Ewan Morgan, Rosemarie McDonnell, Rosemary Rooney, Deirdre Shields, Anne Woods, Maureen Ruddy, Colin Hann4 Marie-claire Fitzpatrick (from 1417/23), and Kerrie Havem and Moira O'shea (from 26110123).
Directorsl Responsibilities accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law luireS the DI to prq)aTr financial statema]ts for each financial year. Under that law the Dir have elected to the fincial statements in aCrdanCe with Unit Kingdom Gern11Y Accepted Aco)unting Practice (unit Kingth A(WltIng Sth(Lths a applicable law). uer LX)mpany law the Dir* mustnot appLDvethe all¢la1 statemLIts lesS they are Satisfi they give attue and fair view ofthe state of affairs ofthe company and of the profit or loss of the (x)mpany for that year. In pr4)aring thase financial statements, the Director3 select suitable accounling wliciag and apply them consistently, make judgeMts and tljat are reasonable and pnthi¢ state whethff appllcableuKA(wrtlng Staths havebeen follow&l SlJe£l to any matla1 depart disclos&J and explained in the finCial statements" prepare the financial statements on the going concem basis unle&s it is inapwpriate to prasume thatthe o)mpany will contiwe inbusin The Directors are ragponsible for keqiing adequate accounting reixirds that atr suffiathtto slM)W and cxplainthewiHstransadions aul discloWithrS0nab1e acclwacy at anylime the financi tx)sition ofthe company and athle than to aUre that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2(M)6. They are also reswnsible for SafegUding the &ssds of the company and hence for taking nable steps forthe prevention and ddection of fraud and other iegularltiI Policies and Procedures The company h&8 a nU1r ofy)lIci andprocUR$ in placeto which Dirthr3 and staff adhere. These reviewed periodically to ensure they continue to meet the neats ofthe company and current legislation and include policies and ptt)Cur0S relating to declaring confiicts of interests. levels of company reserves, risk managan( disclosu. fraud. quality equality, hdth Risk Management The (x)mpany regulartytakes an 8&8&qna]tofrisks to which itrn1grtbecon exposed. It has a Risk Management Plan in place which identifies and categorises eachp)kntialiisk the ]ll(e]ih(KKI ofthe riskoccwrin& causes arAd llnpj1cIons thereofand the actions to mitigate the risks. The Directors reviewed and approved the (x)mpauYs Risk Manag&nent Plan in March 2023. Related Parties The company establish a 10(P/o wholly owned knding subsidiary - Ballybot Community Projects (BCP) in July 2015. The dIt0 of the Confolerthon of Community Grnups are also directh of BCP. The tsadti subsidiary, alw a company limit] by sranteE donat&g its profits to
the charity by way of a gift. Objectives and Activities Objectives The obje(ives of the (x)mpany- as defined by its govaning documart- are: (a) To develop programmes and services to advance community development, citizenship and educatio promote volunteering, relieve poverty and distress, youth and the aged, and for the promotion of good health, and the promotion of racial harniony and diversity. To promote and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of charities and voluntary and community groups by the provision and management for such organisations of office accommodation, daycare facilities, conference, training, inforniation, advice, payroll and other facilities, services or support. (b) Activities CCG regularly review all activities as part of a strategic planning cycle - we currently have in place a Strategic Plan 2024 - 28 encompassing our statd aims: To support the development of connected and vibrant communities. To address issues that give rise to social isolatioffj deprivatio disadvantage and poverty at a local level. To help create inclusive communities which embrace diversity. To empower civic society through the development of appropriate physical and community infrastrncture. Public Benefit Inplanning and diting the WO of the company the Board ofDire(or3 has Cx)nSid and dem&]ts ofthepubjicba1efftwuinent-that is d]at ate dllwtknefits whid] are idartifiable and are availabletothepublicor a section ofthe pub]ic. The company has identifid the befitS for pIc and con]munity wups as: Increased numbers of volunteers and volunteering oppoitunities, the empowennent of individuals, an increase in social investment /activities, a more inclusive society, a rduction in the fear of clime and an enhanced quality of life.
Increased effectiveness of local charities, community groups and associations and their effective use of charitable resources, an increase in c4)mmunity infrastructure and facilities, an increase in partnership work and increased engagement with statutory bodies Sustaining and increasing individual and collective knowledge and the development of individual capabilities, competences, skills and understanding through community education and life-long learning. Awareness raising of existing and emerging needs within communities, the enabling of people to overcome barriers to services and the identification of new services to meet gaps in provision The beneficiaries ofthe companys services are the Community & Voluntary sector and people living in Newry and its environs and the wider region in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Any private benefit is incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries. Main Activities, Achievements and Performance Dthing the year weprovitsl high quality projects and services and combined this work with our role as a sub-regional network and community development support organisation. We collaborated with a wide range of partners, hosted several seminars and responded to a range of consultations. We continued to advocate on behalf of the Com/Vol sector in relation to economic development, community infrastruclure, health & wellbeing and community engagement. Through our social enterprise (Ballybot House and An Storas) we delivered affordable office accommodation, retail, day-care and venue hirelconference facilities. These revenues together with other generated income in our Resource centre and back-office generated approximately 53 % of total 'knornial" revenues (excluding Hardship / cost of living funding) in the period. We provided capacity building, advice and support to a wide range of local community groups in areas such as . Assistance with drafting Constitutions Guidance on organizational structure and development Internet access and training Risk assessments and Insurance, Financial control and managemen¢ Grant-tracker advice and help with grant applications for project activity, Access N.I. Enhanced Disclosure Checks. Throu7 the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme the Confederation has been able to offer weekly support to community associations in the most deprived areas of Newry City. This work has seen continued improvement in governance structures within local oups and has facilitated the delivery of a varied range of services and activities in local areas. Outside Newry City we worked with a wide range of additional community and sporting oups in 2023124 including. Soul Sisters (Cullyhanna), WALD Centre (Cullyhanna),
Newtown(Hamilton)Together - Women, s group, Denmmore Men's shed (Bessbrook), Lislea Men's Shed, Newry Street Unite (Kilkeel), Moneydarragh Community Hub, Clonduff GAC (Hilltown), Brookvale Youth Club (Bessbrook), Derramore Training & Development Association {Bessbrook), Craobh Rua Hurling Club (Bessbrook), Oriel Traditional Music Archive (Annagh / Louth/ Monaghan), Swagath Indian Group (N&M wide), Tinnitus Group (Newry & Mourne wide). We assisted 16 groups in relation to Charity Registration, accounting, reporting and compliance. We provided additional training, operational planning and sourcing of nding with many groups. We continued to take an active role in Community Planning (in particular with the engagement process between the statutory bodies and the com/vol sector) throu} our membership of local DEA Forums. We delivered 12 Community Development courses focusing on good governance and compliance issues to 17 groups. We also delivered courses in Safeguarding Training and First Aid. In the period CCG facilitated & delivered training to 280 participants across the Newry and Moume area in the above courses. We have been working and delivering on the cross-border Cirele of Learning project for the past number of years and were delighted to continue this work into the 2023 to 2024 period. This innovative project is funded by the Department of Forei Affairs, Reconciliation Fund, and project managed by Co-operation Ireland. CCG are one of four Hubs involved with the project, the other Hubs being County Arn]agh Community Development, Dundalk Youth Partnership and the Clones Family Resource Centre Each group received bespoke community development support tailored to their individual needs, and it helped them complete Baseline Skills Audits and Action Plans for the groups. CCG then assisted with the design of individual Social Adion Plans to address key development issues in each locality to compliment the thematic pillars of the Reconciliation Fund, enabling groups to address issues of peacebuilding, networking and growing connections. Older Peoples Community Programme: Our Good Day Good Carer service came to an end and has been merged into the new Good Morning contract. During the period up to November 2023, when the new service came into being, The Good Day Good Carer Service made a total of 3813 calls to older carers rilt across the Southern Trust area. The average call time was 15 minutes, and this equated to 953 volunteer hours engaging with and lending support to older isolated carers in the comrnunity. The CCG'S Good Morning project in Newry and Mourne has been consolidating our volunteer base which now stands at 75 volunteers, expanding our volunteer network in hubs, and continuing our work engaging with key trust teams. We have been active in engaging with a number of community groups to forni as Community Volunteering Hubs as part of the CCG'S Good Morning programme. Community Hubs for the Good Morning programme are now developed in the Newry & Mourne area with groups including WALD Centre (Cullyhanna), Lislea Men's Shed, Newry Street Unite,
Kilkeel, and Clonduff GAC. In the ABC Council area we are actively working with ABC Network Portadown and the West Arn]agh consortium, Armagh nien's Shed and The Vibe Amiagh. 23573 calls were made in the year by our volunteers devoting 3066 hours to the service. Cost of Living / Hardship Issues: We continued to act as com/vol sector representatives on NMDDC'S Community Coordination Hub (CCH) and have engaged with statutory departments and others to help coordinate the response to th'e cost-of-living crisis. CCG, together with SSF colleagues, helped co-ordinate a "cost of Living" {COL) funding programme (approx. £180k) via our established "Eof, and 'Trusteed Partner scheme" and engaged with the com/vol sector in the Newry, S Arn]agh and S Down area including food banks, SVdP etc. We completed the distribution of a £25k funding programme for people struggling to pay utility bills (funded by Newry Credit Union). This funding complemented the Dfc "COL" funding (which was restricted to Food only). As lead partner on behalf of the Strategic Stakeholder Forum (SSF) for Dfc's "Hardship Fund" programme we were able to co-ordinate a further £383k funding in the period Oct 23 - Mar 24 period. We helped coordinate Norbrook's "We Care at Christmas" programme (including distiibution of cooked food,. food hampers and toys) over a six week period up to Clllisth]as and included 3 "older peoples" meals hosted at Norbrook headquarters. We also coordinated Norbrook's Easter Good Friday meal on wheels (150 meals distributed 2613124). Civic Policy / Wider engagejllent We attended Community Development Network Forum (CDNF) meetings throughout the period and attended meetings with NICVA and Dfc (CSSP) to discuss Cost of Living (COL) crisis, civic infrastructure, and VCD llaing issues. CCG staff attended "People & Place Review" meetings and regional meetings of the 36 NR Partnerships throughout the year as part of the wider review of regional support programmes and met with Colm Boyle (Pemianent Secretary Dfc) and Jayne Brady (Head of Civil service). Financial Review Prillcipal Funding Sources The cowy core fiing andpTrJ fill1 fiDm anumbff of SA)eS thlligthe PQi(Kl wveLEdby this report. Core Funding was received from: Dfc - The Department for Communities, NMDDC - Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, SHSCT - Sothern Health & Social Care Trust It earn income fiDm Ballybrt House & An StOrn8 (its social teise) fit)m thepN>vision of Offi acconllncthion, day care faci]ities and venue Hire and from its resA)urce center, back office supwrt and facilitstio
Reserves Policy The DIreth have ass thern riskg to the organisational desig7at funds needed to meet . Theyhave establishd wherd)y the unrestiiLtted fi]nds not committed or invested in tanble fixed assets held by the clwity should be between thrtt and six months ofthe annual expenditure. Expenditure fortheyear to 31 March 2024 was £,750 aThl thefffl the tty is from £227,437 to £454,875 in ga]eral fill]d8. The reserves are to meet the wodiing capital requrnfflts ofthe ch&ity and the Di L))nfida]t that at this Ievd theywouldlK abIe to (x)ntinued¢TCllt activities of the charity for some lime in the event of a significant drop in fLll]ding. WhItl(* fi]nds thjd at £1,537575 ad•ion of£l265219 ratsKrsthe rv available to the clMity of£272J56 (Free Reservcg figlre as at 31/24 equatas to £257,836) which is in ]ine with thetty level. Plans for Future Periods The ConfalrtionofconmtyGtt)ups Mall continuetopmvide its c(xrnrrity deVd(YnL (n]mnityW0A(& thcati(x] and capacitylxrilding and support servicds to disadvantagalpwle and coi]]murrities. The ComybaS akn Sknthng and income fit)m seVal to o)able itto devdop its olderwle9pTr and to Contin its WO to supwrt its Community Planning and community engagement activities. Declaration Illls w)rtwas appmvbythCBOd atitsmtingffl 21'Novanber 2024 alldtherea Si1ed on its bd]alfby." Maureen Ruddy Ewan Morgan