2025-04-30-annual-report - Omagh Community House

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Omagh Community House (A company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital) DIRECTORS' ANNUAL REPORT

for the financial year ended 30 April 2025

The directors present their Directors' Annual Report, combining the Directors' Report and Trustees' Report, and the unaudited financial statements for the financial year ended 30 April 2025.

The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

The Directors' Report contains the information required to be provided in the Directors' Annual Report under the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) guidelines. The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purpose of charity law and under the company's constitution are known as members of the board of trustees.

In this report the directors of Omagh Community House present a summary of its purpose, governance, activities, achievements and finances for the financial financial year 30 April 2025.

The company is a registered charity and hence the report and results are presented in a form which complies with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and, although not obliged to comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland FRS 102, the organisation has implemented its recommendations where relevant in these financial statements.

Principal Activity

The principal activity of the company is to provide office, training and other accommodation and support services and facilities for the community, voluntary and charitable organisations who are members of the company.

Mission, Objectives and Strategy

Mission Statement

Omagh Community House was set up in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb in August 1998 and has as its Vision: “Omagh Community House is a networked centre for community contact, building on the past to promote a better future.”

The mission of OCH is articulated as follows:

“This House is home to our resident groups, and we are its guardians. Through innovation, partnership and best practice we will support the sustainable development of our resident groups.”

The core values which are intrinsic to the Strategy of OCH are:

Sustainability:
Partnership:
Responsive:
Proactive:
Supportive and Enabling:

Objectives

The aims of the Strategy are:

To establish OCH as a key player in the community and voluntary sector and the Social Economy in Omagh and the wider western region.
To ensure the sustainability of OCH and that of its resident groups, thereby contributing to the long-term development of the community and voluntary sector.
To work diligently and proactively in collaboration with key sectoral stakeholders at a local, sub-regional and regional level to provide a quality and value-added service to both resident groups and their members/clients.

Strategy

Following on from the aims, the subsequent strategic objectives were developed:

To implement actions that will enable OCH to work towards its financial sustainability and that of its resident groups (priority).
To continuously seek to provide the resident groups with quality accommodation at an affordable price within an environment that is supportive, and which encourages sharing, co-operation and financial sustainability. - To ensure that OCH is innovative and is widely regarded as a model of best practice within the sector.
To establish OCH as a key player in the social and economic development of Omagh and the wider western region

Omagh Community House (A company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital) DIRECTORS' ANNUAL REPORT

for the financial year ended 30 April 2025 through the creation of partnerships and networks.

To heighten awareness of OCH, thereby encouraging local groups and individuals to access OCH on a more regular basis.

Structure, Governance and Management

Structure

Omagh Community House is a Company Limited by Guarantee formed in 1998 and incorporated in early 1999. The Board has a good mix of commercial and community-based skills and experience in the world of Public Administration, Medicine, Legal, Accountancy and Leaders in the Community and Voluntary sector.

Governance

The charitable company is limited by guarantee, not having a share capital.

The charitable company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is giverned under its Articles of Association.

In accordance with the Articles of Association, the members to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last election, and the relevant motion will be put at the Annual General Meeting. A retiring member shall be eligible for re-election.

Review of Activities, Achievements and Performance

We continued to meet our original Objectives, and this year proved extremely difficult due to a slower recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic than expected. However, towards the year's end, some signs were evident through increased activity that next year should see us operating at pre-Covid levels.

The company's structure remains unchanged, and the Governance arrangements are strictly adhered to. Our accountant on the Board scrutinized the production of quarterly management accounts, which are then presented at the quarterly meeting.

Occupancy and agreements are scrutinised by our Board Members, and the impact of capacity is reported on quarterly.

The day-to-day management is provided by our administrator, and the Chairman is involved on almost a daily basis and makes emergency decisions when necessary which are reported to following Board meeting.

The Board also provides an opportunity for general office and cleaning duties for an adult with a Learning Disability.

Financial Review

In the financial year OCH has successfully kept its net position stable despite a massive reduction in income. resulting from loss of income on conference space, training room hire and voids. The Company just received notice at the end of the year that they have been successful in their bid to the Community Ownership Fund (COF) for the purchase of the ground-floor unit for £250,000 and this will translate into a savings of £18,000 per annum as we currently rent the unit. In addition a bid to the Peace and Reconciliation fund through the Council was also successful and a sum of £43,000 will be available for maintenance in this financial year, again a very positive outcome and one that will assist in strengthening the finances of the Company. Work has commenced on the re-organisation of our long-term debt and this should be concluded in the middle of this financial year with positive outcomes.

The Board continues to monitor the financial stability of the company on a regular basis and will refresh the Board during this year.

Financial Results

At the end of the financial year the company has assets of £1,665,623 (2024 - £1,694,274) and liabilities of £1,474,800 (2024 - £1,686,440). The net assets of the company have increased by £182,989.

Reference and Administrative details

The reference and administrative details of the charitable company are as shown on page 3.

Omagh Community House (A company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital) DIRECTORS' ANNUAL REPORT

for the financial year ended 30 April 2025

Directors

The directors who served throughout the financial year, except as noted, were as follows:

Aidan Joseph Bunting (Resigned 12 March 2025) Frank McCarthy (Resigned 12 March 2025) Conor Michael Keys Eamon Corry John McKinney George Kerr Dr Domingos Pinto

In accordance with the Constitution, the directors retire by rotation and, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.

The secretary who served during the financial year was:

Conor Keys

Compliance with Sector-Wide Legislation and Standards

The company engages pro-actively with legislation, standards and codes which are developed for the sector. Omagh Community House subscribes to and is compliant with the following:

The Companies Act 2006
The Charities SORP (FRS 102)

Public Benefit Statement

The directors of Omagh Community House confirms that they have complied with their duties in regard to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit and that the public benefit requirement have been achieved through the activities of the charitable company in the year ended 31 March 2019.

Purpose 1: To advance community development by providing office space, facilities and services and by providing a forum to share views. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include: tenant groups benefit from networking and information sharing of services, and provision of affordable and accessible office space. These benefits will be evidenced by retention of tenant organisations at full occupancy; substantial waiting list for office space; word of mouth feedback. We do not anticipate any harm leading from the purposes of our charity. The charity’s beneficiaries are primarily people in the Omagh District Council area as well as adjoining Council areas. The only private benefit flowing from this purpose is that a trustee may be paid for professional services required by the organisation. This benefit is incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries.

Purpose 2: To provide facilities by way of an inclusive and open venue for members of the community. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include groups/organisations/ individuals who hire the conference and training rooms benefit from a neutral venue which is accessible and affordable; participants have increased knowledge and skills through attending workshops, training, events etc.; local artists benefit from exhibiting their artwork in a large, visible and public area, increasing their profile and ultimately sales. These benefits are evidenced by return bookings for room hire, follow-up comment forms for those hiring facilities; word of mouth feedback; visitor/comment book. We do not anticipate any harm leading from this purpose of our charity.

The charity’s beneficiaries are primarily people in the Omagh District Council area as well as adjoining Council areas. The only private benefit flowing from this purpose is that a trustee may be paid for professional services required by the organisation. This benefit is incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries.

Approved by the Board of Directors on 9 September 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

Se Eamonn Corry _____John McKinney _____Eamon Corry Director Director