Damask Community Outre#¢h Report of the TTUSttts ror tht Year Ended 31 March 2022 The trnstees who are also dir¢¢tOTS ofthe charity for the PuseS of the Companics Act 2006. present their report with the fitl¢la] staiem¢nts of th¢ charity for the year ended 31 March 2022. Th¢ trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and R¢porting by Charities: Statement of Recomtn¢nded PT8cIi¢¢ applicabl¢ to charities preparing their accounts in accordan¢¢ wÈth the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland {FRS 102) {effectiv¢ l January 2019). OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES ObJectlve$ #nd alrn$ Damask Community Outreach was fom]ed in July 2011 to work primarily in the community of East Lisburn. The mission statetnent of Damask Communiry Outreach is "Dedicated io providing safe, inclusive and challenging opportunities that are changing lives and building futures in our community." Th¢ key purpose And servi¢e$ provided by Damask were established in r¢sponse io an audit carried out in the community. The public b¢n¢fii d¢livcrcd by Damask provides support for old¢r p¢opl¢. paTents and carers and young people through a range of activiti¢s and progranunes. logeiher with advice seiCe$ and support to those experiencing health problems. lon¢liness. unemploent, age related problems. pov¢rty. and finan¢ial ditTicultie5. Damask Commtsnity Outreach is a Chrisiian faith-based organisation, working in partnership with Seymour Street Methodist Church, but 1$ open to all ond Commilted to equality of opportunity for all peopl¢, r¢8ardless of religious belief. political opinion, ra¢¢, oge, m4rit41 slalus. sexual orientation, gender, disability, or dependency. Damask is ¢ommilled to building partherships in the community. with Statutory agencies and with other relevant groups and or8anisations to ensure that it can offer a wide range of 1¢¢$ th81 m8t¢h the needs of the community and help with thc lSOn development of individual$. Ensurlng the Work Dellven ¢he Alms of tht Company The aims. objectives and activities ar¢ r¢vi¢wed throughout ihe year at Damask Board Manag¢m¢nt meetings h¢ld monthly, looking at what has bttn achieved and the oui¢omes of the work. The effect of each key programme and service and ih¢ benefits they have brought io the community and the groups are reviewed systematically. This proce&s helps eSure thai Aim$. obje¢tiv¢s. programmes. and setvices remain fo¢used on the 5t4t¢d PUTposes. The Board refers to th¢ 8uidance coniained in the Charity Commission's general guidan¢¢ on public benefit when reviewing its aims and obJe¢tiv¢s, and in pla[]ng its programmes and services. CoronAvITUS-19 During th¢ period of this report the COVtD restrictioThs were 8radually lift¢d. Th¢ Advice Service resumed face to face interviews, lh¢ youth programme resumed indoor activities and in January 2022 the Mother5 and Toddlers group resumed. The Tea Dan¢¢5 have no¢ resumed but a new Community Wellbeing Programme has been developed to help people emerge from the restriction5 of COVID and return to enjoying healthy activities with friends. The Advice Service while still deating witb enquiries via the lelephone helpline started to conduct face-to-face interviews where appropriate utilizing a larger room allowing social distancing to be obs¢ryed along wilh other COVID precautiotLS and also with a separate entranc¢. How¢ver. Therese Milligan resigned her post from the end of April to move to a new fu114ime job. and Damask is gratefvl to There5e for the 7 years of servi¢¢ she gave io our local community. As il was not possible to get short temi ¢over the Advice Service was closed until w¢ w¢r¢ abl¢ to appoint a new Adviser in September 2021. This took two rounds of advertising and the decision to appoint someon¢ who first r¢quired additional Welfare Benefits training. Febbie Francis, who has qualifications in Human R&sources Martageent and worked in the NHS has now been fvlly in post for seYeTal month5 and is dotng well. Page I
Damask Community Outreach Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2022 Volunteerj Volunte¢rs contiDue to provide a vitsl backbone to our a¢ts"vities. The D8mask Board. wbicb is made up of voluntary members. continued to provide management and administration via online meetings. and the time spent on administration retnain¢d high due io additional fundtng applications and the n¢¢d to keep altering and re-developing our activities. In most month$ we hAV¢ held a car boot sale which depends on voluntary support, as does the Mothers and Toddlers group whftch resum¢d in January 2022. The new Wellbeing group has voluntary leadership as does the Advice Service. and the youth programm¢ d¢peDds on young volunteers who have come up through th¢ group. The below table showing year on year volunteermg hours with Damask Community Outreacb.. 2021122 211211121 2019120 Youth Projects Advic¢ S¢rvi¢c Befriending Service Community Services Covid Food box dcliveries Manag¢m¢ni & admin Car Boot Sal¢ Food Bank collection 1,020 2.160 750 80 567 2C 30 364 3CKI I.CK18 400 150 50 50 50 Total 4J14 3250 5,115 (• Including Mothers & toddlers and the Wellbeing Progrgmme) P#ld Staff Sesslon Workers At the end of March 2022 Damask had on¢ contracted siaff member. Febbie Francis, Advice Service Adviser, working 16 hour5 per week and one contracted SlOnal worker Rebecca Will$, Youth Worker, working l O hours p¢1 w¢¢k on the Go Proje¢t (Children in Need). Seuion workers ar¢ also employed where necessary and fijnding is &vailabl¢, io deliver specific progTrnunes such as Pilates, the Wellbeing progratnme, crafi activities, and youth outreach. Grant applictlon$ aod dontlotys The Damask prOamMe over 2021122 has b¢¢n supported by a range of fiding l)odies and we are gratefijl to these bodies for their grants. These include Lisburn and Castl¢r¢a8h City Council. The Education Authority, The Halifax Foundation. The Housing Executive, Lisbtsrn and Castlereagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership and Youth Initiatives. As well as private individuals we hav¢ re¢¢ived donations from Seymour Stred Meth(Mlist ChurcK Youth Initiatives and the'Love Lisburn, project,. ObJe¢tlve$ for 2021122 The main objertives for 2021122 have continued to relate primllY to supportin8 families incluth'ng older people, parents and carers and young p¢opl¢, those exFeriencing health problems, loneliness, unemployment. ag¢ related problems. povety. and financial th"ffi¢ulti¢s. All th¢ ¢haritabl¢ activitie5 focus exclusively on me¢tÈng needs and providing support in the local community 8nd are undertaken to further our charitable putposcs for the public benefit and within the criteria that defines public benefit outlined in the statutory guidance. As we saw th¢ COVtD restTictions being reduced, a ptimary focus was to encourag¢ those in our community back into activiti&s that would improve their phy5i¢41 and mental wellbeing. In addition. th¢ Damask Board aimed to mairLtain the 2021122 balance sheet iti credit L5 had been achieved in 2019120 and 2020121. Page 2
Damask Communlty Outrea¢b Report of tbe Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 21122 2022 Programtnes and Activities The Damask Response to the needs of Community during 21122. Advite Service When Therese Milligan left our employment two rounds of adverts failed to result in a qualified applicant coming forward. However, we did eventually find a suitable candidate, bul sh¢ required 3 months training in welfare benefits. Thus it was not possible for us to restart the Advi¢¢ Servi until the beginning of September. With support from the Halifax Foundation. we were aiming io start new Advice Clinic Sessions in the Low Road area to r¢a¢h mor¢ ¢li¢nts, but il proved difficult to fmd a suitable lo¢ation. tn5tead. wc fomied a partnership with the Lisburn F(MKI Bank. From November 2021 we started a clinic ea¢h week at thc Food Bank, and ihey referred to us clients needing help wilh welfare benefits. This has been very su¢c¢s5ful with the Food Bank reporting that their clients bave been gr¢atly hclpcd, while from Damasvs perspectiv¢ w¢ are reaching a wider rang¢ of local clicnls. We continued to recetve PCSP fvnding ¢0 enable us to 5UPPOrt clients who are victims of Dom¢8ti¢ Violence. Due to our Change of staff and period of closure, Io8¢th¢r with the reduced face to face interactions resulting from COVfD we havc had fewer such victims coming forward compared with previou5 years. However, w¢ intend to remain focu&sed on this issu¢ which is still widespread in the community. Youth ProgrAmme The main programme led by Youih Initiaiives for 15,$ 10 18's was Peace 4 Transforni which cottcluded at the end of the 2021 calendar year. This Damasklyouth Iniliatives partnership had a strong cross community elemeni and like the programme at other Transforni groups. helped 5evernl cohorts of young people realise their own abilities and gain valuable qualifications. From JAnuary 2022 Youth Iniliatives has maintained a programme of evening groups for 15's 10 18's and is now looking for support funding for this programme. Go Project.. Our BBC Children In Need funded GO Project (After S¢hwl. two aftemoon$ per week), Working with I14S and young volunteers has conlinued throughout the year. With Education Authority funding a joint Damask and Seymour Sireei Methodist Church Summer programme was Jun for a week and Ih¢r¢ wa5 cxcellent collaboration beiween the leaders of th¢ Go Proj¢¢t with Church leaders durin8 thj's. Outreach.. Youth Initiatives maintained weekly enga8emeDt with youn8 people on th¢ str¢ds of Lisburn at the weekends with support funding from the PCSP. Mother's and Toddler$ Due to concems over the transmissibility for COVID among young children and families the M&T group had to restrict the numbers attenditig the weekly s¢ssions when they restarted. This was done by asking members to b4)ok their places each week online. Thus a manag¢able system ha5 been developed which achiev¢s th¢ maximum possible COVID safety ID the circumstanc¢s. Community WellbeiDg Projects Walk5 for Wellbeing: _ During August 2021 a seri&s of w¢¢kly ¢v¢ning Walk5 for Wellbeing from the Church car park w¢r¢ h¢ld and proved very popular. encouraging the community to ¢otn¢ out, sociali5e in safe outdoor environment. and take exercise. From September onwards, fortnighily afternoon walk5 have been held with the same purpos¢ and 4 regul•r walking group has now been developed. P#g¢ 3
Dwnask Community Outre•¢h Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2022 Communlty Wellbeing.. - With fuoding SUPEN)rt from the Housing Exc¢ulive a 20-wttk programme was initiated from October 2021 to March 2022 with a weekly prOt on Tuesdays including Pilates {with professional Coach). infonnal coffee and ¢hat. ¢pet E¥)wls. craft s&ssioA]s, hetY eating and cookery sessions. This h&8 b¢¢n linked with the Walks for W¢llb¢ing. This whole programme attracled a very regular group of about 20 attendinB the Pilate5 and about 50 overall including the walking group. A survey of th¢ ¢lients showed that they all indi¢ated improvements in their physical and menlal health from attending the programm¢, and they were keen for the Wellbeing group to continue m¢¢ting. Damask Board and other aspects of Damask Th¢ Damask Board continued to m¢¢t approximately monthly onlin¢ via Zoom throughout 2021122. The Befriender Serv5ce had very little aciivity duTing 2021122 but could be reviv¢d if it was felt there was sufficieni demand. During the summer of 2021 two outdoor Car Boot Sales were held io th¢ Church car Park. They were successful and attracted a good level of support. Between September and March 2022 four Car Boot sales were held indoor5, although the number of trad¢rs s¢lting up stalls was fewer tlwi b¢fore. Nevertheless, they have still been a valuable source of fundraising for Damask mainly from the continued sal¢ of iiems donated by Church members aud others and ihe efforts of the catering t¢am sellin8 hot dogs and refresbm¢nts. Damask has ¢ontinued io support the Llsburn Food B4nk by 88thIng food donations from Chur¢h members and others and passin8 them on. FUTURE PLANS With the one-year grant from the H4lifax Foundation now drawing to a close, and the 3-year Children tn N¢ed grani finishing at the end of 2022 a priority for Damask is lo secure continued ndIng for its youth programme and Advi¢e Service. We hope to continue our partnership with the Housing Exe¢utiv¢ in the Wellbeing Programme and will conlinue to seek support from th¢ LCCC and PCSP through annual applications. Darnask forbjnately has sufficieni reserves to see it through any ditTiculiies in securing fiJndin8 but with th¢ very su¢¢¢ssful outcomes of our pro8rwnm¢ we are hopefiJl thal new OJndin8 sources can be found. APPRECIATION The Damask Board wish to place on record our deep appr¢ciation and thanks io all our Volunt¢ers who give of their time so freely, to the staff providing the Damask Advi¢¢ and Counselling, the Community activilies and l¢ading the youth programme and to those who give donations regularly and generously to support th¢ work of Damask Community OutreaclL Page 4
Damask CommuDity Outreatb Report of tbe Trnste¢s for the Year Ended 31 March 2022 FINANCIAL REVIEW Floancial Review and Reserves Policy In partnership with OUT principal nderS as detsiled in th¢ notes to the finan¢1 statements we delivered an agr¢¢d programmc. The amount directly expended on ChItable a¢ts"viti¢S in ihe 12 tnonths to 31 March 2022 amounted to £42.935 (£50,664 MaTch 2021) We maintained light control over our financ¢s and ar¢ s¢¢king to efjtsblish a reserves policy. which will mAintain ihe fin4n¢i#l siability of the charity. We will continue to keep our Prin¢ipal Funders fully infornd through briefing and progress reports lo agreed timetsbles. Flnanees The Statement of Financial Aetivities reflects a general reserve increase of £4.147. from £24.297 on 31 March 2021 to £28.444 on 31 March 2022. The R¢stri¢t¢d Funds ¢arricd fonvard on 31 Pdarch 2022 decre¥ by £6.108 from £7.298 on 31 March 2021 to £1.190 on 31 March 2022, due lo r¢stri¢ied grnnts coming lo an end. Although ihe Statement of Financial Activities reflects an overall d¢fi¢it of £1.961, of Resour¢es Expended over Incoming Resources. the board maintained the 8ener81 reserv&s in CTedit. as achi¢v¢d in 2019120 and 2020121. Rlsk Man4Eement The Board continue to revi¢w the major risks to which the charity is expose4 and they endeavour to maintain control procedures and systems io mi(igat¢ those ri$ks. Responslbllltles of the Board of Dlrectors Company Law requires the Board io prepare financi41 stsiements for each financial Ye that give a true atid fair view of ihe state of affairs of the charitable cornpany as ai the balance sheet dat¢ gnd of its incoming resources and appli¢ations of resour¢¢s. including income and expenditure. for the financial year. In preparing those finkncial stat¢ments ih¢ Board follows besl practice and selects suitable accounting policies. makes judgements, and esttmates that are reasonable and prud¢nt and prcpar¢5 financial statements on the going concern basis, unless It is not appropriate to assume that the company will ¢onts"nue on that basi5. The Board of Directors is responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accurdcy at any time the financiat positiot) of the ehan"tabl¢ ¢ompany and to ¢nable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with all legal obligations. The Board of Dire¢tots is also r¢sponsibl¢ for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and therefore for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularitie5. Page 5
Damask Communlty Oytrea¢h Report of the Trustees for the Y¢sr EDded 31 March 2022 STRUCTURE, GOVERI¥ANCE AND MANAGEMEiYr Governing document Thc charity is controlled by its governing d(KumenL a deed of trus¢ and ¢onstitut¢s a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by th¢ Companies Act 2C#)6. Damask Community Outr¢ach is a charitable company limited by guarnnlee. incorporated on 22 July 2011 and registered as a Charity by the Charity Commission Northern Ireland NIC102073 on 6 March 2015. It is r¢oognised by HMRC as a chariry for tsx purposes. The company was established under a M¢moTandum of Association, which established the objects and POW¢TS of Damask as a charitable company and is gov¢med under its Arti¢les of Association. Thc Articles of Association w¢r¢ amended by a Special Resolution of th¢ Company ai a Special General Meeting held on 21 October 2013. Recruitment and appolntmtnt of new trustees The Dircctors of the company ar¢ 9150 known as charity InteeS and under th¢ Company'5 Articles are known a5 the Board. Members of the Board ar¢ elected by the decision of the Dire¢tors, or by an ordinary resolution. All m¢mb¢rs of thc Board of Directo ve their timc voluntarily and receive no benefjts from the charity. Ai present there arc Icn Board members who hav¢ s¢rv¢d during this past year who are listed on page 7. The Board seeks to enstsr¢ thai there is an appropriate mix of skills wiihin the trustee body and that it adequaiely reflects the nature and div¢Tsity ofthe work of the company. Org4niJational structure The Damask Community Outreach Board of Dire¢tots, who met every 6 to 8 weeks during the y. is responsible for the strategic direction and policy of thc ch4nty. A s¢heme of delegation through an ¢stsblish¢d management structure is in pla¢¢. During ihe period of this report the Advice Service was managed by Jim Invin, Ihe Youth Programme by Dr Lindsay Easson. the Befriending S¢tvi¢e by Harold Baird and the Toddlers. and Tea Dance by Shirley Carrington. Each of th¢se Board Members reported to the Board on these areas a¢ each Board meeting. Inductlon Ind triining of new trustees Trustees are encouraged to familiarise ¢hem5elves with the obligations of m¢mb¢rship of the Board of Directors. They are also encoura8¢d to be awarc of charity legislation. to attertd training relevant to their position and be aware of the current fmancial N)sitioN r¢souwin& future plans, objectives. policies and procedures of the company. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Comp#ny number N1608313 (North¢rn Ireland} Registered Charity number 102073 Page 6
Damask Communfity Outreach Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2022 Reglstered office 16 Adlon Cr¢ent Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 2EG Trustees Dr David Lindsay Easson Reiir¢d Rev David Lee Turtle Minister Miss Jennifer Michelle Baird Certified Chartered Accountant Mr John Harold Baird Chartered Management Accountaoi Mrs Shirley Atme carrinon Director Mr James Edward Invin Retired MT William Donald Kinghan Engineer Ms Al¢ T¢sU Maxwell Retired Librarian Mr William Eric Rainey Relired Mrs Janet Adrienn¢ St¢wart (appointed l.11.21) Independent Ex4mlner Mccleary & Company Lid Chartered Accountants Garvey Studios 14 Longston¢ Streei Lisburn Co. Antrim BT28 ITP Bankers Danske Bank POBOX 183 Donegall Square West Belfast BTI 6JS Solicitors Carson McDowell Murray House 4 Murray Str¢¢t Belfgst BTI 6DN Cb2lrper$on Dr David Lindsay Easson Approved by order of the iK)ard of trustees on 10 June 2022 and si8ned on its IKhalf by. Dr David Lind5a Eosson- Ttee Page 7