SPAMOUNT & DISTRICT CROSS-COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 August 2024
The trustees are pleased to present their annual directors’ report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 August 2024 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors' report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities.
Our purposes and activities
The purposes of the charity are:
Spamount & District Cross Community Association organises a range of social educational recreation and environmental programmes and activities. Examples of these include;
© Holding a programme of events throughout the year e.g. Boot camp, Drama workshops, Cross
community schools
Samba workshop
¢ Organising local fund-raising activities.
¢ Representing the area at inter-agency meetings
e Linking in with voluntary and statuary organisations to avail of and to promote opportunities for our community.
¢ Supporting other local groups, e.g. joint partnership with Border Arts in provision of workshops, support of local soccer
team.
¢ Working with NIHE to transform a piece of waste ground and area of anti-social activity into a community garden.
We continue to work within the constraints of our Articles of Association and Charity Registration. To advance education: -the direct benefit that flows from this purpose includes linking in with other organisations and groups to provide educational activities and programmes, information and awareness sessions which participants would not otherwise have the opportunity to take part in.
SPAMOUNT & DISTRICT CROSS-COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 August 2024
Financial review
Against the backdrop of limited resources and ongoing insecurities over funding, the period to 31st August 2024, with the aid of sound financial management and the support of its staff, directors and volunteers the charity has been able to limit its overall deficit for the year recording an overall balance of free reserves of £291,339
Investment powers and policy
Aside from building up a prudent amount in reserves each year most of the charity’s funds are to be spent in the short term so there a few funds available for long term investment. A review of investment options is undertaken at the end of each financial year.
Reserves policy and going concern
The trustees consider that the recorded level of reserves as at 31st August 2023 is sufficient to sustain the charity in the short term. The trustees continue to review the activities of the Company/Charity and to monitor the use of[financial][and][staff][resources.][Thecurrent][opinion][of][ the][ trustees][is][ that][ the] Company/Charity has a sound future.
Reference and administrative details
Charity number: NIC103441
Company number: N1I032842
Registered office: 9 Mill Lane, Spamount, Castlederg, County Tyrone, BT81 7NS
Our advisors
Bankers: Ulster Bank Ltd, 27 Main Street, Castlederg, Co Tyrone. BT81 7AU
Independent Examiners: Community Accountancy Services , 47 John Street, Cityside, Derry. BT48 6JY
SPAMOUNT & DISTRICT CROSS-COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 August 2024
Directors and trustees
The directors of the charitable company (the charity) are its trustees for the purpose of charity law. The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:
Key management personnel - Spamount & District Cross-Community Association: Trustees’ and Directors
Damian Catterson Isabel Ann Doherty Jennifer Mcmenamin
Kathleen Catterson
Structure, Governance and Management
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 18th August 1997 and registered as a charity on 5th October 2015. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1
Appointment of trustees
The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purpose of charity law and under the company's Articles are known as members of the Management Committee. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association the members of the Management Committee are elected to serve for a period of one year after which they must be re-elected at the next Annual General Meeting.
The following Directors retire and offer themselves for re-election at the AGM of the Company/Charity
Damian Catterson
Isabel Ann Doherty Jennifer McMenamin
Kathleen Catterson
In order to promote a broad mix, members of the Management Committee are requested to provide a list of their skills (and update it each year if re-elected) and in the event of particular skills being lost due to retirements, individuals are approached to offer themselves for election to the Management Committee.
SPAMOUNT & DISTRICT CROSS-COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 August 2024
Trustee induction and training
New trustees undergo an orientation day to brief them on: their legal obligations under charity and company law, the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit, and inform them of the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the committee and decision making processes, the business plan and recent financial performance of the charity. During the induction day they meet key employees and other trustees. Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the undertaking of their role.
Related parties and co-operation with other organisations
None of our trustees receive remuneration or other benefit from their work with the charity. Any connection between a trustee, manager or staff member must be disclosed to the full board of trustees in the same way as any other contractual relationship with a related party. In the current year no such related party transactions were reported.
Pay policy for senior staff
The board of directors, who are the Trust's trustees, along with the senior management team, comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the organisation on a day to day basis. All directors give of their time freely and no director received remuneration in the year. Details of directors' expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in note 9 to the accounts.
Risk management
The trustees have a risk management strategy which comprises:
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an annual review of the principal risks and uncertainties that the charity face;
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the establishment of policies, systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified in the
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annual review;
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the implementation of procedures designed to minimise or manage any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise.
This work has identified that financial sustainability is the major financial risk for the charity. A key element in the management of financial risk is a regular review of available liquid funds to settle bilts as they falt due, regular liaison with the bank, and active management of trade debtors and creditor balances to ensure effective cash flow for the charity.
Attention has also been focussed on non-financial risks arising from fire, health and safety of staff, volunteers, and residents and young people accessing the centre. These risks are managed by ensuring accreditation is up to date, having robust policies and procedures in place, and regular awareness training for staff working in these operational areas.
SPAMOUNT & DISTRICT CROSS-COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 August 2024
The charity trustees (who are also the directors of Spamount & District Cross-Community Association
Ltd for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and
expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material
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departures disclosed and
explained in the financial statements;
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to
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presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance an integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
SPAMOUNT & DISTRICT CROSS-COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION Report of the trustees for the year ending 31 August 2024
Statement as to disclose to our independent examiners
In so far as the trustees are aware at the time of approving our trustees’ annual report:
- there is no relevant information, being information needed by the independent examiner in connection with preparing their
report, of which the charities independent examiner is unaware, and
- the trustees, having made enquiries of fellow directors and the charities independent examiner that they ought to have
individually taken, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the independent examiner is aware of that information.
By order of the board of trustees
K Cattewan
MRS K CATTERSON
i McMenamin
MRSJMcMenamin
Date: 31st August 2025