Cairncastle Community Association Registered Charity number NIC 103512
May 2023 - 2024
Chair Report - BAGM for period May 2023 – May 2024
Background
‘ Cairncastle Community Association’ is a charitable, voluntary group. We are based in the rural hamlet of Cairncastle, outside the town of Larne and in the Mid and East Antrim Borough (MEABC) and our aims are non-sectarian and nonpolitical.
Our objective is to promote…
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The advancement of community development through the provision of social, educational, and recreational opportunities.
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Promoting the health and well-being of the residents of the area and working together as residents regardless of age, ethnic origin, ability, sex, belief, or political affiliation recognising the value of our many differences.
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The protection of the environment and facilitation of environmental improvements in the Cairncastle area.
To help support the funding of activities which promote the above we avail ourselves of local grants and the committee organise fundraising events.
Report 2023-2024
The details in the following report will outline what we as an association did within our community.
This report represents one year, following the exceptional AGM in 2023 with the changed position of chair from Siobhan Mulvenna to Mary O’Boyle. At the end of this year, May 2024, we currently have fourteen active committee members and nineteen active volunteers (plus many other helpers), not only maintaining our current membership but increasing it. Within these numbers we had two members who resigned from the active committee, one of whom continues to be a volunteer.
- All committee meetings were held in person. We meet in Matties Meeting house, regular meetings start at 2000hrs and last one hour. Committee
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Cairncastle Community Association Charity Commission Report 2024
Meetings this year were held on: 2023: May 9[th] ; September 12[th] ; November 14[th] ; January 9[th] ; March 12[th] . In addition, many sub- meetings were held to support the events that ran. Estimated volunteer hours for this year are five hundred, calculated value of £6875.00.
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Committee has on-going communications with MEABC and other public organisations to contribute to policy changes impacting community, give feedback on concerns within local area and ensure any information regarding our main objectives, listed above, are shared with all committee members and the wider public.
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May 2023 – CCA are active members in MEABC cluster group for the Larne area. This cluster group is where different community groups come together to share resources, ideas and collaborate going forward. As the cluster group has evolved it has become more meaningful for our group and Cairncastle Community Association are represented by our committee member Alison McKeegan who attends monthly meetings and feeds back to the committee. The chair, Mary O’Boyle, has also attended on several occasions.
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May 2023 : A successful Coronation event was had in the village, please refer to notes from 2022-2023 Chair report.
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May 2023: Mary O’Boyle attended Safeguarding training run by the cluster group. The outcome of this was the revision of the Safeguarding policy, led by Michelle Blair with contributions from all with planned training for all later in the year. Safeguarding officers were also appointed: Michelle Blair is the Safeguarding Lead with Lindsey Ward and Mary O’Boyle appointed as safeguarding officers.
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June 2023: Committee and volunteers’ social event, meal in matties and self-funded. Great night enjoyed by all to celebrate the magnificent work we do and continue to build relationships.
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August 2023: Ahead of a planned community event within the MEABC Cluster organisation, CCA decided that we needed a logo to visually match our strapline of ‘Working for the WHOLE community’. A subcommittee was created, led by lots of meetings held with the result of a great logo (which is shown at the top of this report on page 1). As well as designing the logo, we also designed a pop-up which we use at all public events.
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September 2023: Safeguarding training was delivered in Matties by Michelle Blair, who has extensive experience in this field. Nine committee members completed this training and launched the revised safeguarding policy.
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September 2023: MEABC Cluster held a Cluster fun day in Larne Football Club on 9[th] September where over 1300 people attended. This was aimed at raising awareness of all groups within the Larne Borough area and allowing them to network with other groups as well. We got funding to purchase a ‘popup banner’ which was unveiled that day at the stand we had staffed by four members.
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October 2023: Annual charity pub quiz was held in Matties on 17 October for the charity ‘Hope House’. This event raised £1432.00, £432 on the night and two anonymous donations of £1000.00 and £100.00. This was a successful community event and raised great awareness for this local charity. Refer to December for handover of cheque.
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November 2023: on 3[rd] November CCA organised a fundraising event in Matties – ‘a night at the races’. It was a packed house and was supported very well by locals. The funds raised £2075.00 for CCA. We also held a raffle and auction for Hope House which raised £1530.00.
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December 2023: Hope House, the charity we supported this year invited CCA to see their accommodation and the splendid work they do with the funding raised. Four members attended and were delighted to handover a total cheque of £2630.00 for the great work they do.
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December 2023: Christmas round the tree and in the church. It was an immense success and well supported with locals in attendance yet. The school children from Cairncastle Community Association joined in, music by ALS and the usual homemade delights. We had attendance from the local clergy as well. We believe the ‘good relations’ events held last year as well as our fundraising events has increased the profile of CCA along with our social media presence. It has really lifted the community spirit and added to the additional involvement by all. This event cost £660.00 and was 100% funded by MEABC.
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March 2024: With funding support from MEABC cluster group and Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) we hosted a youth event in collaboration with BCDA on 23[rd] March. Thirty-nine young people from ages 8-18 attended. We had a gaming bus, relay games by a personal trainer, Star Wars characters in attendance, PSNI community police with sniffer dog and visit from the Mayor of MEABC, Ald Gerardine Mulvenna. The event was held in Ballygally Hall, refreshments were available all day and finished with pizza for all involved. Committee members from both CCA and BCDA collaborated successfully to ensure this event was safely delivered, fun with excellent feedback from parents. Relationships were created and developed between CCA and BCDA as well as friendships built among the youth. Special mention to committee
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Cairncastle Community Association Charity Commission Report 2024
member Alison McKeegan who coordinated this event with the help of other members. The gathering of good governance documents (parent consent forms etc.) was aided by the introduction of electronic forms and electronic signatures. Alison worked closely with Ruth Patton to create this system, which really helped with the smooth running of this event.
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April 2024 : Village clean-up on 6[th] April including weeding at both village greens and a litter pick within the village boundaries was completed by committee members. It was noted, there was not as much rubbish as the Eco-rangers are doing a wonderful job locally. Members and volunteers enjoyed tea, buns, and scones in Joanne’s house.
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April 2024: Delighted after four years to be able to resume our annual Opera House event. This was held on 13[th] April, a bus full of 57 people was taken locally to GOH in Belfast to see the West end production of ‘Sister Act. Tickets for the whole event were £60.00pp. Matties offered a pre-theatre meal deal which some of the attendees availed themselves of and paid for directly. Asda Community Champion, Gail Caldwell, provided items for goodie bags for everyone and a hamper which we raffled along with other items donated by committee members to raise funds for CCA – this raised £257.00. Great feedback and lovely community spirit.
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April 2024: Committee induction was held for all members to review and understand the constitution, roles and responsibilities of members as well as understand grants available. Siobhan Mulvenna led this session, held in her house and the following members were in attendance: Alison McKeegan, Nicky Marcus, Mary O’Boyle, Mary Neill and William Patton.
18. April 2024 : On 30[th] April, the Mayor of MEABC invited committee and volunteers of CCA into her parlor to recognise the excellent volunteering efforts and work they do to keep ensure inclusivity and good relations for all those living within Cairncastle. The mayor said she “was overwhelmed by the work this small community group do and sees firsthand the difference this makes”
I would like to thank all the members, volunteers and Martha for their on-going commitment, support, and hard work to CCA as everyone is so willing to help. This report explains the busy year we had, the great fundraising and the difference our efforts make – this does not happen by accident, but rather through design and effort for all involved. It makes Cairncastle a wonderful place to live.
Mary O’Boyle (Chair)
Cairncastle Community Association
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Cairncastle Community Association Charity Commission Report 2024
14[th] May 2024
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Cairncastle Community Association Charity Commission Report 2024