Community Relations Forum Ltd Company limited by guarantee Trustees report Year ended 31st March 2023 Achievements and Performance Whilst Covid hit hard over the past few years, this year has seen us up and fully running again. We have still found that many people are still unsure about going out we have had to look at different ways to help hall users feel safer and this seems to be working as numbers are starting to get back to pre pandemic . The Barron Hall is opened 6 days a week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday being from 9 am to 9 pm. We host visits from other groups {USA, Dublin and Newry} who call to have a chat about the work that we do and to build up new friendships. We have representation on PCSP. Peace 4, Grange Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership, Ballyclare and Glengormley Place Shaping Forums, Greater North Belfast women's Network and advisor to many groups throughout the borough. Our project manager has also delivered programme to Shankill Womens Group, Queens Park Womens Group on topics like women's role in peace building, women into politics and women peace builders. We are still working in partnership with Epilogues (Gaslight) with Shankill and Falls Womens Centre and have been placing many ladies on this great training. Friday nights still see us in The Lilian Bland Park due to ASB but we hope to be starting a new programme in the autumn. Our Grest Glengormley Get Together had to be changed this year due to the death of Queen Elizabeth. We moved to a Christmas Get Together and worked in partnership with ANBC at the turning on of the Christmas Tree lights. We still had stalls with half community and half business (youth with teas and coffees, tuck shop - women's group. We also ran, as part of Community Relations Week our Togelher for Ballyclare event that took place at The Ballyclare Town Hall and we had a great lurn out for it. Plans for Future periods We secured funding from CRC for our Project Manager for 2023 - 25. Outreach and Involvement grant, premises grant and festival grant were from ANBC. We will continue resourcing funding to provide a dedicated project manager to work alongside CRF volunteers to deliver good relations in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. Structure. Governance and Management Currently the Forum is govemed by 9 voluntary board I committee members (we are elected annually) The Forum has currently 1 full time worker (Project Manager) who is line managed by the CRF Chairperson. Public Benefit Statement The public benefits that flow from the purpose are.'_ Improved relationships in the area Increased knowledge on history of the country, improving divisions between different cultural communities, Helping local communities in the area, these are evidenced through questionnaires, feedback from users. the number of service users and those accessing the seNices on offer and evaluation forms. Promoting civic responsibility. Increased opportunities to engage in activities regardless of gender, sexual orientation. disability I ability, race, political, religious or other opinion Provision and use of local facilities for the social welfare, education, recreation and leisure time with residents Page 2
Community Relations Forum Ltd Company limited by guarantee Trustees report Year ended 31st March 2023 Partnership working with community I voluntary groups and organisations that also use the facilities. resulting in a more efficient and quality service delivery, an improved quality of life and raised awareness of good relations and its benefits across the borough. The beneficiaries are the general public and locally based community and voluntary groupings. No private benefit arises from these purposes. Improve relationships between busiriess. church. statutory agencies and communitylvoluntary sector J Barrow (Trustee) Date: 4th December 2023 Page 3