THE BIRCHES COSY CLUB & DAY CARE CENTRE ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2023
CHARITY NUMBER 101621
Flnancial year from l January 2023 until 31 December 2023
Public Benefit
In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given
careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public
benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity's purposes and
provide a benefit to the beneficiaries. All our activities are related to one or more of the
followirng charitable objectives,
l. The advancement of citizenship or community development
2. The advancement of health or the saving of lives
3. The advancement of arts, culture, heritage or science.
Our New Year started on the 10th January when John came and entertained us with his
singing. We had story telling with Steve Lally, Bingo and Natural Home Care Products which
brought us to the end of January. In February we again had John, cooking with Pauline
Skelton, then music, song and story telling with Mary Fox, Mary had a super group of young
people of all ages who were really very talented.
March carried on with a similar theme with Pauline back with more cooking skills, which we
got to sample. We had a morning with the Maghey group and got to hear Mary Fox with her
music group again.
April we had an outingto Woodlawn Garden Centre after which there was an Easter break.
On opening up again after Easter Hazel Boland taught everyone how to make flowers with
wet felt. The month ended with Bingo as our arranged story teller didn't turn.
th
But he did appear the first week in May and told his stories. On 9 May we did a tea party to
celebrate the Coronation of King Charles. Our guest was Jim Smart who entertained us with
son8,poems and his ukulele.
More crafts brought us through May and into June when the AGM was arranged for 6th

Outgoing secretary Edith read her report before treasurer Emma, Chairperson Mrs
Hawthorne Hynds had stepped down due to her being resident in a nursing home. Elections
then took place and the following were elected into office;
I Chairperson. Miss Harriet Millsopp
Secretary; Mrs Mary Stafford
Treasurer; Mrs Emma Doyle
Committee;
Mrs Margaret Boyd
Mrs Mrytle Bell
Mrs Sandra Ogibly
Mrs Reba Jackson
Mrs Margaret Wilson
Mrs Lucy Tate
Mrs Edith Stevenson
Mrs Evelyn Millar
Miss Sally Murphy.
Outgoing ladies were thanked for their work over the years and gifts were presented to Mrs
Edith Stevenson who was secretary from the Cosy Club from it began.
Our weekly meetings carried on as usual for a few weeks as usual before the summer recess.
On 13th June we all went to Birches School, where the Armagh Rhymers and the school
children provided excellent entertainment and we had brilliant fun. On the following two
weeks the Lough Neagh Boatbuilders helped members to make wooden planters which were
finished off with lovely spring flowers. This brought us into July and we had Bingo on the last
Tuesday before summer break.
th
We opened up again on 15 August when Bruce White came along to help everyone finish
drawings which were started earlier in the year. The following week we set off on our summer
outing to Downpatrick. Stopping for morning tea/coffee in Downpatrick centre. On we went
to Newtownards to shop, then to McKee's farm shop for our evening tea. From 28th August
we settled into our weekly routine with Bingo Boccha, Music, Games and Quizzes. At the
beginning of October we had visitors who read poems and reminisced over olden days. Cathy

Devlin from ABC Council came regularly to do exercise and light dance movements to help
with strength and balance. Halloween brought the Playgroup children over to decorate apples
for us all and usual everyone got an apple home with them. In November we started
Christmas activities with Molly and Me, then Mary Benson did her card making.
On 12th
December we all went to The Royal Hotel in Cookstown for our Christmas dinner. This
was a wonderful event and the suburb food was set off by the Christmas atmosphere. This
finished our programme for year 2023.
The Craft Club continued to meet every Tuesday afternoon to continue with their Quilting etc
for the Linus Trust and knitting of Trauma Teddies. They joined with mornin8 group for
outings, parties and dinners.
Signed.kn..
q ...lo)L*...

TRUSTEES
The trustees who served during the year l January 2023 to 6 June 2023
Hawthorne Hynds
Edith Stevenson
Emma Doyle
Reba Jackson
Myrtle Bell
Evelyn Miller
Lucy Tate
Margaret Boyd
Sandra Ogilby
The trustees who served from 6 June 2023 to 31 December 2023
Chairperson. Miss Harriet Millsopp
Secretary; Mrs Mary Stafford
Treasurer; Mrs Emma Doyle
Committee;
Mrs Margaret Boyd
Mrs Mrytle Bell
Mrs Sandra Ogibly
Mrs Reba Jackson
Mrs Margaret Wilson
Mrs Lucy Tate
Mrs Edith Stevenson
Mrs Evelyn Millar
Miss Sally Murphy.
There were no funds held by the charity that was in any way deficit at the end of our financial
year and we had a closing balance of £2648.54. We have also included a list of outings and
activities on a separate page to the report.

All trustees have agreed to this report.
Signed by on behalf
Date..
Harriett Millsopp
Chairperson
Mary Stafford
Secretary

THE BIRCHES COSY CLUB
AcfiviTIES & OUTINGS 2023
January 10
th
Music
January Ifh
Story Telling with Steve Lally
January 24
th
Bingo
January 31
St
Natural Home Care Products by Molly & Me
February 7
th
Music
February 14
th
Week I Cook it Programme with Pauline
February 21
st
Week 2 Cook it Programme with Pauline
February 28
th
Music, song & story telling with Mary Fox
March 7th
Music
March 14th
Bingo
March 16th
Morning invite to Maghery - music etc with Mary Fox
March 21
st
Week 3 Cook it Programme with Pauline
March 28
th
Week 4 Cook it Programme with Pauline
April 4
th
Outing to Woodlawn Garden Centre, Carryduff
April 11
th
Easter Break
April 18
th
Art - Wet Felting with Hazel Bowland
April 25
th
Bingo
May 2,
Story Telling with Steve Lally
May9
th
King Charles111 Coronation Tea Party + Jim Smart
May 16
th
Candle Making with Molly & Me
May23&30
th
Art delivered by ACNI
June 6
th
AGM & Music
June 13
th
Armagh Rhymers at The Birches Primary School

June 20 & 27
th
Wooden Planter making with Maghery Boat Builders
July 4
th
Bingo
Summer Break
August 15
th
Art
August 22,
Summer Outing- Downpatrick/Newtownards
August 29
th
Bingo
September 5
th
Beetle Drive/quiz
September 12
th
Beauty Session
September 19
th
Chi Me/Strength & Balance with Cathy Devlin ABC
Debt/money advice- Citizen Advice
September 26
th
October 3
rd
Poetry & Readings
October 10
th
Chi Me/Strength & Balance with Cathy Devlin, ABC
October 17
th
Scams & Safety- PSNI
October 24
th
Intergenerational Halloween activity with playgroup
Chi Me/Strength & Balance with Cathy Devlin ABC
Music
October 31
st
November 7
th
November 14
th
Christmas Craft Activity with Molly & Me
November 21st
Chi Me/Strength & Balance with Cathy Devlin ABC
November 28
th
Christmas Crafts
December 5
th
Card Making with Mary Benson
December 12th
Christmas Lunch at Royal Hotel Cookstown
Closed