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← New Lodge and Duncairn Health Partnership

2025-08-01-annual-report

NEW LODGE & DUNCAIRN COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIP

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The Management Team of New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership has met regularly over the reporting period to pursue rigorously their responsibility for the overall direction and control of the organisation’s financial stewardship and community led initiatives. Running alongside this Trustees have also embarked on a continuous review of the developments and activities of the Digital Transformation project designed to secure organisational sustainability.

Over the reporting period the Trustees have continued with their robust review and renewal of risk assessment and governance policies. The day-to-day management of New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership is led by the manager with authority delegated by the board of trustees. In relation to the organisations overall financial control procedures, the charity has in place a comprehensive action plan supplemented by an annual budget approved by the Board of Trustees. Action results are reported against the budget on a bi-monthly basis and projections to year end are reviewed by senior management and the Board of Trustees at an appropriate point of their meeting cycle. The charity’s day-to-day financial processes are governed by the financial regulations outlined in the Financial Policy and Procedures document, which is reviewed every 2 years and approved by the Board. The financial policy and procedures are then monitored by the Management Team and implemented by the nominated staff member during the day-to-day operations of the organisation.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of north Belfast (the “area of benefit”), but particularly the New Lodge and Duncairn areas, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, or political, religious, or other opinion by associating with the statutory authorities, voluntary and community organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to:

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership is one of a growing Healthy Living Centre Alliance, currently with 29 members across the region. Healthy Living Centre’s [hereafter referred to as HLCs] are tasked with translating high level government policies into accessible and practical community-based initiatives. HLCs’ work across four key health pillars:

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The Public Health Agency [PHA] continues to commission core staff services therefore the Charity must conform to external social policy determinants on health promotion and prevention. The PHA has challenged HLCs’ to focus their activities on key risk factors which can lead to the development of chronic conditions. HLCs’ address key health inequalities within their own localities, applying skills, experience and acquired knowledge to strengthen commonalities and promote best practice across the region. The approach to these and other areas of health improvement is based on achieving high standards in prevention, self-care, and health restoration within a context of social disadvantage.

The Belfast HLC Network is made up of 9 HLC’s across the city which comes together on a bimonthly basis with invited guests, information and explore collaborative opportunities.

NLDCHP facilitate several projects designed to address the prevalent health inequalities in North Belfast, these include:

New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership works in both formal and informal partnerships with community, voluntary and statutory partners across North Belfast. This partnership approach ensures innovative, accessible, and responsive cross sectoral services right in the heart of local communities. Staff within the organisation actively participate in the following partnerships:

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With over 1462 hours of direct community delivery over the last 12 months it’s clear that New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership remains to the fore of health preventative and promotional activity through the delivery of 200 community health programmes supporting 3408 participants over 16575 attendances.

Totals 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 5 year
cumulative
figures
Programmes 189 202 220 189 200 200 232 1339
Participants 5345 4102 3257 3469 3408 3511 4056 28885
Attendances 17227 11570 10661 16032 14588 16575 21828 109173
Hours 1503 2101 4251 5154 2321 1462 1727 17057

As a rolling comparison with previous years, New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership has seen:

These figures acknowledge a broader programme portfolio, and participant levels over a longer timeframe. The 7-year cumulative figures illustrate the impact and strength of communitybased interventions provided by New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership, with 2 full time and 2 part time staff members supported by a 6 strong sessional team.

Of course, the level of service provided is not clinical in nature nor is it suggested that we compare it with like but, rather a more community led holistic approach which invests time and provides support to explore the underlying symptoms as well as presenting needs. In adhering to this community-based assets approach NLDCHP seeks to complement the clinical role of primary services, in the hope of providing the level of support necessary to meet and address need and prevent ongoing long term condition management.

On a positive sustainability note New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership have been able to secure funding streams in direct relation to gaps identified in strategic planning processes:

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The work activity outlined above ably demonstrates that New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership continues to uphold the ethos of a community health development organisation, and all service delivery is underpinned by community development principles and values. We are cognizant that community development practice occurs against a backdrop of continual change both positive and negative for individuals and communities- so through programme delivery we try to ensure that we are responding to community articulated need. New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership is clear that its body of work is firmly fixed in early interventions, preventative and health promotion initiatives- understanding clearly that building trust and positive relationships with service users best enables meaningful community empowerment. Often this essential work isn’t articulated or measured yet is intrinsic to working practice.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The statement of financial activities (SOFA) and the balance sheet illustrate the financial position for the charitable company.

This year the results of the charity show a net increase/decrease in funds of £??? over the previous year, which is largely reflective. This outcome was in line with predictions from the financial forecasts given to the trustees throughout the financial year.

During the period, the incoming resources of the charity decreased from £291771 in 2024 to £??? in 2025, an increase/ decrease of £??? . Total resources expended increased/decreased by ?% between 2024-25, these percentages can partly be explained by increasing/decreasing funding streams and thereby expenditure. Governance costs have decreased from £3455 in 2024 to £?? In 2025, amounting overall to ?% of income.

Overall, the SOFA highlights that the results for the year have led to an increase in general funds to the charity of £???, so that they stood at £???? at the end of the year. General funds therefore represent ?% of incoming resources from continuing activities. Financial forecasting was implemented in 2020-21 to ensure that steady increases to the general fund reserves continue to be made despite the difficult economic climate that pertains.

RESERVES POLICY

New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership has reviewed its previous Reserves Policy with the help of Suzanne Villiers of AAB accountants, whereby unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets held by the charity should be between 13-26 weeks of expenditure. The generic reserves policy adopted no longer meets our needs as a small charity with fluctuating income streams, as our unrestricted funds are matched by a similar amount of restricted programme funding which significantly increased our expenditure. Since the Trustees Report 2023-24 we have reviewed the reserves policy with a view to having a situation more in keeping with the needs of a small charity. We seek to hold unrestricted reserves to cover the charity in the event of exceptional circumstances, to this end we will hold in reserve the amount needed to cover all our liabilities as follows:

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In the accounting period 2024-25 New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership have set their reserves policy to note that unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets should be between 13-26 weeks of organisational running costs. Organisational running costs for 2025-26 are estimated at £184,000 therefore the target is to have between £46,000 and £92,000 in general funds. The reserves are required to meet the working capital requirements of the charity, and the trustees are confident that at this level they would be able to continue the current activities of the charity in the event of a significant drop in funding. The present level of unrestricted liquid reserves is £55,000 representing approximately 15 weeks, exceeding the lower target level. The strategy is to continue to build reserves through planned operating surpluses.

RISK ASSESSMENT

The board has an established programme of risk management and mitigation which includes ownership of these risks by the Manager, providing assurances to the trustees that the major risks which have been identified have been reviewed and that systems and controls are in place to mitigate them. Risks are reviewed across board, operational and project activities at bimonthly meetings. Identified risks are evaluated, including mitigating activity, and planned future action. These risks are prioritised and major risks to which the charity is exposed are determined and reported regularly to the trustees. In this way the trustees are satisfied that the risk management strategy is appropriate to the charity, and they have gained assurance regarding the effectiveness of the risk management processes adopted. The ongoing risk assessment measures will ensure that our responsibilities towards staff, funders and the service users are carried out to ensure the safety of all as far as possible. More recently the Trustees have appointed Peninsula Business Services for Human Resources for a year-long contract to offer support on legal issues and health & wellbeing support for staff members.

VOLUNTEERS

The community health partnership acknowledges with grateful thanks the support of volunteers who have contributed to the work of the charity. Most of the voluntary activity within NLDCHP is through membership of governance committees. The community health partnership is indebted to each volunteer for their support and remains committed to their continuous support and skills development.

EMPLOYEES

Upholding equality and diversity are key priorities for New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership. Notwithstanding current high staff retention levels the organisation believes it is important to have an ethnically diverse workforce reflecting the communities it serves. New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership promotes best practice in the recruitment and retention of staff. The New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership continues to maintain its policy of being an equal opportunities employer and strives to give full and fair consideration to all applications of employment, training, and promotion irrespective of disability, race, gender, colour, age or sexual orientation.

EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT

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Regular meetings with staff are held to provide employees with information on matters which may be of concern to them as employees, to consult with them so their voices are heard before making decisions that may affect their interests and to promote a common awareness on the part of all employees of the financial and economic factors affecting the performance of the charity.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

Work on the forthcoming strategic plan for 2024-27 is underway and the focus for the future is listed below:

listed below:
Strategic objectives
2024-27		 Supporting
objectives		 How will we measure success?
Ensure that everything we do
represents value for money,
to be proactive and flexible
in our application for
funding, and work in a way
that is financially sustainable
in both the short and long
term, maintaining good
governance in all the we do .

Annual Fundraising plan for programmes
Core cost plans staff & services
Accurate reporting & impact
measurement
Plans enabling specific responses to
community identified need		 Funding secured for all aspects
of programming including
children & young people, older
people; families; carers;
nutrition; physical activity; stop
smoking pain support, women’s
health to meet targets. Maintain
& improve achievements to date
To build on the success of
the Digital Transformation
project, embedding systems
and processes to deliver
greater quality, capacity, and
connectivity.
Time for implementation & training- staff
& sessional workers
Aiming for paperless office by 2027
Continued development of social media
and website profiles		 Appoint DTP Champions to drive
the system implementation for a
12–24-month period beyond
current funding.
To build community capacity
by developing and delivering
services that address local
health issues, enhance
opportunities, and support
our community		 Robust project wide evaluation processes.
Improved impact measurement with DTP
tools. Lived experience driving services &
feedback mechanisms to decision making
tables
Review of evaluation tools to
ensure fitness for purpose. Staff
learning support groups for
impact
measurement. Production of
case studies & best practice
examples
To demonstrate leadership in
influencing and lobbying
stakeholders, developing
strategic partnerships, and
showcasing best practice
within the sector
Staff team to identify partnerships and
collaborations for exploration
Staff encouraged to participate in relevant
partnerships & collaborations
Participation & Training part of Continued
Professional Development		 Set & meet a partnership
target across staff team
To be an employer who role-
models best practice in
supporting and developing
our own staff, so that they
can best deliver for the
community we serve.		 Blended Working Policy approved to
December 2024
Training opportunities circulated regularly
Support & supervision and consideration of
additional therapeutic support		 Staff retention
Training uptake
Regular supervision
opportunities

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The trustees will achieve these aims by continuing to deliver against the New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership Strategic Plan 2024-27, this plan is due for review in January 2026.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees (who are also the directors of the New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under the law the Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements the trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

AUDITOR

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AAB Accountants Limited are deemed to be re-appointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

Registered office: 206 Duncairn Gardens Belfast BT15 2GN

Signed on behalf of trustees

William Hutchinson (Chairperson)

…………………..

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