Ah(BER COMMLfNfry DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 209 RODENSTREET DONEGALL ROAD BELFAST BT12 5QB TEL NO.. (02890) 203500 LVLAMD REVEbtUE NO.. XR14423 CHARITYNO.. NIC 103302 E-MAIL.. in mberhouse.or IYEBSJTE." www.amberhouse. o 26Yh ANNUAL REPORT2023 "GOD ISLOVE" St4mmer 2023
CO]VTENT'S CHAIRPERSON'S REMARKS DR CAROLINE BINGHAMPh.D. 2.0 SECRETARY'SREMARKS MRS EILEEN DONAGHY 3.0 TREASURER'SREMARKS MRS M4NDYDLYON 4. 0 VOLUNTEERS REMARKS MISS ELIZABETH JOAN BINGHAM Dip.I. T. 5. 0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 6. 0 LIST OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
CHAIRPERSON'S REMARK'S DR CAROLINE BINGHAM PH Welcome to the 2e Annu Gener Meeting of the Amber Community Development Agency. We were formed and consituted on the 26th June 1996. In 5 days we are 27 years operating on the peaceline in the Rodea stt/west Link area of Southlwest BelfasL During that time we have embraced CA)mmuDity development projects in a prayerful way. We bave won awards for our work. The most prestlglous one being the NICCI American award for the best ¢onU1ty group in Northern Irelan(L Our are inthe glass case in Amber House. Part of Roden Street bas been rebuilt in recent years and our first after schools members have beme adulty some are parents theelves. Our Inaswal MtttiDg w&8 in the Railway Misslon Donegall Roa(L The 'Eurospar' stands where the missIon w&8 for many years. Pastor Robin Hunniford was our first cbairyn of the agency. He has since gone to the Glory Land. We carried out yrth wort community world development inatitives along with counselling and advice surgeries etc for over 20 years and then fimding started drying up about 5 - 6 yearJ ago. Then the pandemic hapDed and we IHd to firstly downsize and secA)ndly start working from home. We don't have any paid staff but myself and our long terni volunteer carry wt Si8D P08ting and payer support along with visits ( if requested). We are seeking Gods will forthis next year. Thank yo Caroline Bingham CHAIRPERSON
SECRETARY'S REMARK'S MRS EILEEN I)ONAGHY As the Chair has said we have for over a quarter of a century been ba1 in the Roden Street a& We bave seen rebuilding and road works carried OUL Ow bus trips used to be able to drive unto the Westlink Motorway but that is closed off. We have seen a lot of people needing prnyer and visits following the that the Covid 19 pandemic has had everywhere it hiL What we sometimes overlook is that the Covid 19 8enn was a world-wide pandemic which took lives and also caused dreadm side effect& An article (in a magauDe) recendy stated that there bas been a lot of lon tern] covid conditions endured by some people o were severly affected by the virus. A lot of people find that although we are not wearing face masks in the community that they find people reluctant to stand too close to otIr people in shops etr. Doctors surgeries stin encourage face-mask wearing (as do clinic and out patients) and seats are well spaced out in waiting 8T We have fowl out that a lot of elderly are wanting it to go back to 'WORMAL". Others feel it will never be nornd agaiTh The doctor and dentist appointment on the phone to surgerAes. Then there is the long waiting periods to secure and appointmenL Mrs Eileen Donaghv SECRETARY
MRS MANDY DIXON The situation our community (and others) find themselves in is one which due to the high )st of gas and electricity, they must decide if its heat or food that takes priority. Our aTra has many elddy who are not getting as nutritional a diet as they should This is also to the rate of infiation which is at 10. l•/th We have hwd people say tbat basic items of shopping have doubled in this last year. The government food parcels and help towards gas and electric has been very welcome. We need the government to continue this support until g4 electricity, food comes down in wic¢. As our assembly is still not silting a lot of the decisions they could make have fallen onto the senior civil servants. It is strange in thi8 democracy that wa8ed Civil servants are being made to decide what pensioners and unemployed groups of people need to live 0 for pension age disable people appearn to be the nornL Luxuries are becoming athing of the pasL The mandates that people voted for are not in effect bein8 enforced because the politrian that vKre voted into the assembly att not Xlleeti A huge incre&se in the "Block Granf, from Westmiri is needed to increase the benefits that people are asked to ty to exist on. Hofillty wlwi the ' Executive" sits again in Stomwnt a realiytic budget will come on stream Thank You. Mrs Mandv Dixon TREASURER
VOLUNTEER'S REMARK'S MISS ELIZABETH JOAN BINGHAM DIP.I.T. It Iw been a very quiet year as we are still recovering 3 years from the eA)ronavirus trandemic, and Covid 19 vaccine& In March I Lryiled the a¢counts for 2023 then in June it is that time of the year again wben we ourAnnual Genernl mting. 1 compile Agendas and Minutes in relation to th meetings. The Annual Report also 8ets complied and typed Then at the end of the year we do our yearly return to the Charity commioll for NOrtIll Ireland. They aIso get a copy of ourAnnual Accounts together with a copy of the Annual RyrL Trse are tasks that need to be done every year in Marcty June and December. There are still people working from home 3 plus days a weeL Conor Building are still doing monthly Si8Ding on days aud times for people Claiming Job Seeker's Allowance . Work has began to extent the local EurospaL Life is very slowly 8ettin8 back to the way w¢ are used to living. Our lives (on a daily basis) I belleve some peoples health feels bad still that maybe bad the covid vinL8 and the vaIlle. I would like to take this opporturrity to praise all the cbartiable and voluntary wups in the area that kept on going when linK were rougb due to the pandemic. All their help and support wothg in the community helping the people with food parcels gas and electric. We hope and prny that the badtimes are behind us andthe good times are ahea Elizabeth Joan Bingham (Miss) Volunteer Adminithtor
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Committee wish to thank the following people/agencies who have supported our efforts in the Iyestlink Interface South-west Belfast. (a) Elizabeth Joan Bingham Dip.I. T. Administrator Volunteerfor 23 years) (b) Trevor A Aitkenhead B.A. (HONS) P. GC.E. (Formulating our Accounts) (c ) Paul James Bingham H.N.Dip (Computer Support Volunteer 20 years) (d) Northern Ireland Council Voluntary Action (For always being therefor us) (e) Ministries whoprayfor Camline ( our Chairperson daily) Jesse Duplantis Ministries Kenneth Copeland Ministries Daniel Kolendo Christlor all Nattons David Hathaway EurOv10n Ministy David Cernllo Morris Cen4110 Fyorld Evangelism Ministy
Amber Commun Develo meniA en List o Mona emenl Commi Chairperson Dr Can)line Bingham PILD. 3'ecretary Eileen Donaghy Treasurer Mandy Dixon Address 209 Roden Street Belfast BT12 5QB Honotry Auditor Trevor A Aitkenhead B.A. (HopLs) PGC.E. Principal Bankrs First Trust Bank 35 University Road Belfast BT7 IND Charity Number NIC103302