Breezemount Community Association Charity No: 102860
Trustees Report – Year ending 31 March 2023
Group Purpose
Breezemount Community Association provides a service for all the residents within the Breezemount area of Bangor, North Down, for example, advice services, projects promoting health and well-being and informal educational classes for residents. We also carry out community initiatives for the benefit of the area and access any relevant funding to endorse the work of the Association.
Group Public Benefits
The public will benefit from programmes, projects and activities which we will provide within our local community, with priority on the following purposes:
Purpose 1 – to relieve poverty, sickness and the aged, and promote the benefit of the inhabitants of the Breezemount Estate and district of Conlig. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include reducing social isolation, improvement of the quality of life for those in need, reduced levels of stress and anxiety and increased mental health among those in need.
Purpose 2 – to provide community facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and other leisure time, education and improving the conditions of life for inhabitants. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include improvement of the quality of life for residents, increased visitors to the area, reduction of anti-social behaviour, an increase in safe areas for the local community and reduced levels of stress and anxiety among the local community, therefore a more settled area.
Purpose 3 – to provide social services, education, environmental, recreational activities and practical assistance for elderly and disabled people within the area of benefit. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include the creation of new or enhanced skills, increased self-confidence, and increased access to training opportunities, increased uptake of training or educational opportunities and a reduction in isolation.
These programmes provide social connection, improved health and well-being, essential support, skills and knowledge. We also work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary agencies to provide essential advice and support, including advice clinics on benefits, crime prevention, housing, drug and alcohol, and will provide a sign posting service for any public services available which our local community that residents may require. Fees are not charged for this service and none of our committee members will obtain any private benefit. There is no harm flowing from our purposes. The beneficiaries are the residents within Breezemount and its surrounding areas in Bangor.
Trustee board
Sharon Davison Chairperson Claire Crozier Secretary Colin Vance Treasurer Jayne Niblock John Boyd Iris McGrath
Financial Year 1[st] April 2022 – 31[st] March 2023
Please see the financial report and independent examinations of accounts for full details. Our Community Association has assets worth roughly £1,000 to include tablets and furniture.
Activities
Breezemount is a working-class area with great people and potential however there remains challenges such as unemployment, educational underachievement, mental health issues and physical health issues, causing increased isolation and loneliness. Through the use of the Community House, local Community Centre and surrounding green areas, we continued to run activities across the generations to provide social connection, improve health and well-being, support people living with poverty, address inequalities and instil community spirit.
We continued to work in partnership with North Down Community Network to run our weekly DICE youth club offering a safe, fun and welcoming space to young people in the area. This has been a great opportunity for young people to build friendships and take part in activities and informal training to increase their social skills, confidence and self-belief.
Our weekly over 50s group gives older residents in the area the opportunity to meet their neighbours, build friendships and take part in activities for their health and well-being, reducing isolation and loneliness. The group continues to be a socially conscious group, dedicating their time to helping others, including making premature baby clothes for the Ulster Hospital Premature Unit, helping out with the annual summer scheme and community events and cooking warm meals for older isolated residents. We were delighted to welcome new members to the group this year.
This year, we were delighted to be able to deliver our annual summer scheme again, funded by Halifax, engaging with 51 children over 2 weeks. With such hardship and uncertainty for many families in the area, the scheme gave children the chance to step away and just be kids for 2 weeks; playing and having fun with their peers and mixing and learning from others, through educational trips, sports days, arts and crafts and music. We hope to run the summer scheme again this year, funding permitted.
Last year, we were able to deliver an 11[th] July celebration, Jubilee celebration and Winter community festival. These events have been so important in providing light relief and positive community spirit amongst residents across the generations. This year, we hope to deliver more fun days, festivals and community events so residents can build friendships with new neighbours and reconnect with those who they haven’t seen in a long time.
We continue to have an important role advocating for the Breezemount area at the likes of interagencies, the Housing Executive’s Housing Community Network and estate inspections. We work closely with statutory and voluntary agencies such as NDCN and the other local voluntary Community Associations in Bangor to ensure residents have the knowledge and information they need to live a better quality of life.
We are so thankful to our funders this year including, Lottery Awards for All, Ards and North Down Borough Council and Halifax and we couldn’t have continued to run our services without the support of charities like North Down Community Network and Storehouse North Down. A massive thank you of course to our dedicated Committee and volunteers, who give so much.
Approved by the Trustees on 25[th] July and signed on their behalf by
Sharon Davison Chairperson