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 st￿t/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 ¢on￿U￿1ty 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 the￿￿elves. 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 y￿rth 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 hap￿Ded 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 ba￿1 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 otI￿r 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. Ho￿fillty 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 m￿ting. 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 commi￿oll for NOrtI￿ll 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 va￿Ille. 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 EurOv￿10n 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