HEART OF THE GLENS FESTIVAL For The Year ended 31 March 2024 Trustees Annual Report Charfty Name:. Heart of the Glens Festival - NIC 103080 Charity Address:. Old Schoolhouse 25 Mill Street CUSHENDALL Co Antrim BT44 ORR Trustees:. The following served as trustees durlng the year and up to the date of this report Bernadette Delargy (Chairperson) Anne Quinn loanne Quinn (Chairperson) Shauna Mitchell Carmel McKeegan (Secretary) Aine Campbell Una Mccambridge (Deputy Secretary) Christine McAlister Susan McLaughlin (Treasurer) Kieran Dempsey lames Mccurry (Deputy Treasurer) Katrina Delargy Maureen McAlister Evelyn O'Neill Accountants:. Park McKillop and Company 51 Springwell Street Ballymena Co. Antrim BT43 6AT Structure, Governance and Management:. The Heart of the Glens Festival Group (also known as HOTGFrrhe Festival) was officially established on 15th April 1999 and constitution was amended in February 2015. The first festival was in 1990 under the guidance of Cu5hendall Development Group. Membership of the Festival shall be open to the followin& irrespective of age, gender, ethnic identity, nationality, sexual orientation, race, religion or political opinion. The Committee shall meet at least 6 times in the year and shall consist of not less than 5 member5 and no more than 15 members as per election atAGM. The Hon Treasurer keeps proper accounts of the finances of the group. The financial year of the group shall run from l April to 31 March annually.
The accounts are audfited by an auditor/s as appointed at the Annual General Meeting. A Bank account is held in the name of the group and cheques are signed by 2 out of 3 members of the group. Purposes and Objertlves of Heart Of The Glens Festlval To advance education, promote arts and culture and sporting activities and enhance the health and wellbeing of locals and tourists through the organisation of a community festival and various community events and activities in the Mid Glens area. To network with other local voluntary organisations to enhance the health and wellbeing of locals and tourists through the organisatlon of a community festival and various cornmunlty events and activities in the Mid Glens area. To recruit volunteers to support the work of the group and hold meetings for the group and other relevant parties to plan and facilitate events and activitles, To raise funds to invest in the work that we do, in the form of donations, grants, membership fees and fundraisers. Statement of Compllance:. In setting out our objectlves and carrying out our artivities for the year the trustees have glven careful consideration to the Charity Commission Nl's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity's purposes and provide a benefit to its beneficiaries, Achlevements and Perforniance:. During the year 2023-24 Heart of the Glens Festlval were delighted to see the continued success of the main festival in AugusL A full 9 days of events were organi5ed and were well attended by the vast number of people In attendance. In addition to our festival weeK The Heart ofThe Glens Festival Committee also organised a Christmas Late Night Shopping event at the start of December to encourage the community to 'shop local, and support our local shops who struggle to survive over the winter months. Families were encouraged to gather at the Christmas tree to see Santa, Shops were opened as normal to allow the local community to avail of the bargains on offer. Heart of the Glens Festival also provided selection boxes to the local primary schools, festive music for the vlllage and replaced more of the Christmas Festive lighting. Duringthe flrst months of the year Heart of the Glens Festival organised a Winter Wellness Challenge for the local community. Local people joined and availed of the health and wellbeing talks, walks and cookery demonstrations as well as the wide variety of exerclse classes on offer.
Flnanclal Revlew: . Causeway Coast and Glens BC Communfity Festlval Fund - £3000 Funding used to cover venue and equipment hire, workshop tutor and printing costs during the Heart of the Glens Festival 2023 Causeway Coast and Glens BC Festlve Fund - £2500 This money helped towards the costs of facilitating a Festive evening in the village. Northern Area Communlty Network-mental Health and Suldde preventlon Communlty Development support Model - £470 This money was secured to facilitate exercise classes and motivational talk during the Winter Wellness Challenge. Communlty Foundatlon Nl Mlcro Communlty Fund- £2000 This was used during the Winter Wellness Challenge and was used to facilitate exercise classes, wellbeing talks, cookery demonstrations, venue hire, and refreshments. Causeway Coast and Glens Pollclng and Communlty Safety Small Grants Fund - £999 This funding was used to purchase LED Reflective Sashes for the participants of the Winter wellness Challenge. Income for Heart of the Glens Festival totalled.. £36,787 Expenditure actlvfities, adminlstration, insurance, workshops, sundry expense, Christmas expendlture and malntenance, totalled: £40,605 Funds are held fin reserve to cover any unexpected expenses. This report was approved by the Trustees on 7ih Ottober 2024 and signed on its behalf by: Signed Signed loanne Quinn Susan McLaughlin Chairperson Hon Treasurer