**Sandy Row Community Forum** Registered with Charity Commission NI – NIC101393 ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2017/2018** ANNUAL REPORT 17/18 **OFFICE:** 63/75 SANDY ROW, BELFAST BT12 5ER **BANK:** DANKSE BANK, UNIVERSITY ROAD, BELFAST BT7 1FY **ACCOUNTANT:** COMMUNITY ACCOUNTING SERVICES NI, 41 JOHN STREET, CITYSIDE, DERRY, CO. LONDONDERRY **SOLICITORS :** Reid Black & Co, 2 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 ## **TRUSTEES** - Mr Ernie Corbett MBE (Chairperson) - Mr Jim Dunbar (Treasurer) - Mrs Margaret McCann - Mrs Lynette Burrows - Mrs Margaret Gibson ## **SENIOR STAFF MEMBER** - Mrs Glenda Davies ANNUAL REPORT 17/18 ## **MEMBER ORGANISATIONS / COMMUNITY GROUPS** - Arellian Nursery - Belfast South Community Resources - Blythefield Primary School - Charter Youth Club - Friendship House - Maranatha Church Hall - REVITALISE Partnership - St Aidans Church - Sandy Row Residents Association - Sandy Row Tours - Sandy Row Women’s Group - Sandy Row Young Mums ## **POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES** - Emma Little-Pengelly MP / Consituency Office Rep - Christopher Stalford MLA / Consituency Office Rep - Richard Kennedy UUP ## **STATUTORY REPRESENTATIVES** - Sandra McKenna – Department for Communities - Henri Mohammed – Belfast City Council ANNUAL REPORT 17/18 ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT** Sandy Row Community Forum is a neighbourhood anchor organisation established in 1996 and based in the heart of the community within Sandy Row Community.SRCF’s role is to strengthen and consolidate its membership and work to BOND the community together; build BRIDGES with other traditional communities & communities of interest; ensure that Sandy Row is LINKED to city-wide and regional developments In this Sandy Row Community Forum will be consistently: ## **A VOICE to represent issues of local concern** Sandy Row Community Forum will provide a voice for local concerns and for people whose views may not always be heard. ## **An INDEPENDENT and politically neutral organisation** Sandy Row Community Forum will remain independent and politically neutral with a powerful commitment to democratic principles. ## **A SERVICE developer for local people** Sandy Row Community Forum will work with local voluntary organisations and statutory agencies to inform & shape the delivery of local services ## **An INITIATOR of projects to meet locally identified needs** Sandy Row Community Forum will initiate new projects and request services that respond to local needs. ## **A BUILDER of partnerships with other local organisations and groups** Sandy Row Community Forum build partnerships with other local organisations and groups. ## **A strong LOCAL network of people and organisations** Sandy Row Community Forum will provide a strong local network of people and organisations working together and supporting each other. ## **A way to ENGAGE local people to become active in their communities** Sandy Row Community Forum will provide ways of engaging people to become active in their communities SRCF employ 1 Full Time Development Manager who reports directly to the Chair & Trustees. The Forum retain the services of external HR support & other external consultants as required to support the Development Manager to deliver in relation governance issues. ANNUAL REPORT 17/18 The Forum Trustees meet monthly and the membership meet quarterly. There is an annual public meeting, normally issue based, for residents to attend. The overarching strategic vision for the area is ‘ Sandy Row – THE place in the city to live, work, visit & invest.’ SRCF has responsibility as the neighbourhood anchor organisation to chart progress in relation achieving the community vision and to do this it worked with the community to set out 7 ley strategic outcomes ## **OUTCOMES FOR OUR RESIDENTS – By 2030** _1._ _**A Connected & Engaged Community** - Sandy Row is recognised as a vibrant community hub which is connected economically and culturally to the wider development of the city. It is seen as an area that embraces new initiatives and opportunities. Citizens actively participate in community & civic life and social capital is in abundance._ _2._ _**A Culturally Confident & Safer Community** - Residents state that they are proud of their area; People feel safe to live and work in the area; There is growth in tourism and visitors to the area; Diversity is embraced_ _3._ _**A Financially Thriving Community** - Entrepreneurship & self-employment are promoted as the first option for residents; The area encourages inward investment and is business friendly; There are opportunities for employment and support for local people to access jobs; skills development programmes are mindful of emerging opportunities and career opportunities; individuals are supported to thrive financially_ _4._ _**A Healthy & Resilient Community** - Residents have access to well-being programmes and services that ensure they are physically, emotionally & spiritually ‘well-off’. Sandy Row is recognised a community that supports and promotes the physical and mental well being of its residents as central to everyday life_ _5._ _**A Greener & Sustainable Community** - the physical & built environment is conducive to a healthier community through the provision of green spaces; new green technologies are present in households and new developments to ensure that running costs are reduced and environmental impact is low; the residential population is sustained through the provision of affordable mixed tenure homes ensuring housing needs are met into the future;_ _6._ _**An Age Friendly Community** - Sandy Row is a community built on equality for all people regardless of age; Opportunities are provided for everyone regardless of age to access basic services and to be involved in community life_ _7._ _**A Learning Community** - Education & learning are key priorities locally; Children are supported from birth in relation to their learning outcomes; Key Transition years are supported (nursery to p1/ P7 to Year 8/ Year 10 / Year 11 to 6th Year; College; or employment) Parents are supported to understand and navigate the education system. All abilities are supported to engage in learning & contribute to community life through an emphasis on life long learning_ The 2030 report can be found at www.sandyrow.co.uk This is a first steps to implementing an outcomes focused approach to SRCF Work ANNUAL REPORT 17/18 ## **Programmes & Performance** **Neighbourhood Renewal** is the core programme of work for SRCF. Funding for the Development Manager and operational costs are received from Department for Communities under the Community Renewal Theme in the South West Belfast Neighbourhood Action Plan. This funds the SRCF community development role within the area. Under this programme SRCF - 32 people participating in community bonding activities. These are internal community activities that engage with local residents & community activism - 38 people participated in community development / community capacity programmes. These are initiatives that develop skills of Trustees, volunteers & member groups - participated on 12 community/ voluntary partnerships . The Development Manager or another SRCF Trustee actively participated during the year on initiatives across south Belfast the city or region to ensure that the ‘community voice’ was represented - launched the Connecting the Row Report to a citywide audience This report can be found at http://www.sandyrow.co.uk and highlights those key strategic projects within the area, sites of vacancy & dereliction and makes recommendations to ensure that Sandy Row connects the community back into the growing city - participated in Good Relations initiatives SRCF is a key strategic member of the South Belfast Urban Villages Steering Group which works to build connections between Sandy Row, The Markets & Donegall Pass - supported 33 local volunteers across a range of projects & areas of work - managed the organisations engagement across social media **Sandy Row Tours** were established under Heritage Lottery Funds in 2015/2016 and we continue to support this project with a view to developing it as a social enterprise business. The project has a lead volunteer tour guide and promotes Sandy Row as a destination within the city with a rich heritage. The project this year had a total of 35 walking tours with 113 visitors **Community Capacity Programme** is funded through Belfast City Council Community Support Programme and it supports the Forums work in developing key skills within the community for staff & volunteers. It also facilitates additional technical support where there is a skills gap and seeks to build on the Forums role as a community voice. Over the year under this programme the Forum delivered a number of initiatives - Facilities Management & Governance ANNUAL REPORT 17/18 - Retail Skills Development for Community Shops – generating sales/ world host/ visual mechandising - Level 2 qualification in Housing Management - Outcomes Based Accountability Training - Social Return on Investment Training - Planning Workshops for a number of large scale planning applications - Consultation Workshops - Handling internal Community Engagement on Sensitive Issues **South West Capacity Programme** which is the community health & wellbeing programme funded by the Public Health Agency. SRCF delivered under this programme - Calm in the Chaos – this is Sandy Rows flagship mental health & emotional wellbeing programme which promotes resilience within yourself, family & community. This year a focus was on upskilling internal volunteers to develop their skills as mindfulness practionners - Physical Activity Programmes – the roll out of some physical activity for young males within the community to support their wellbeing - Shoulder to Shoulder – this was a revisit to the report published 2 years previous and checked in with the participants around key issues that were facing ex-combatants ## **YEAR 2018/2019** SRCF continue to work with funders in planning for the delivery of core mission in the incoming year and seek adequate resources to do so in uncertain times ANNUAL REPORT 17/18 ## **TRUSTEES REPSONSIBILITIES STATEMENTS** Sandy Row Community Forum and its Trustees understand the importance of their responsibilities under charitable law and make this submission of its Annual Report with the undertakings that 1. They select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently 2. Observe the methods & principles applicable to the method of reporting 3. Make judgements & accounting estimates that are reasonable & prudent 4. Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless its inappropriate to presume the charity will continue in business 5. Make all relevant information available to the independent examiner 6. Take all necessary steps to ensure that as individual trustees they are aware of all relevant information in relation to the running of the Charity This report is deemed to be submitted on behalf of the SRCF Trustees as part of their annual reporting to stakeholders and the Charity Commission for NI ## **Ernie Corbett MBE** ## **Chairperson/ Trustee** ANNUAL REPORT 17/18