## **Martins Lane Area** 

## **Community Association** 

**Trustees Annual Report 1[st] April 2021 to 31[st] March 2022 NIC:  103596** 

**Together Everyone Achieves More** 



## **Charity Details** 

**Charity Name:** Martin’s Lane Area Community Association **Charity Number:** Registered as a charity in Northern Ireland - NIC 103596 

**Purpose:** The Association is established to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of the Martin’s Lane area; that is the inhabitants of Martin’s Lane, Altnaveigh Park, Castlekeele, Corrinshego and The Demense, (hereinafter called the “area of benefit”), without distinction of age, gender, sexuality, nationality, ethnic origin, political or religious opinion, by associating the statutory authorities, voluntary organisations and the inhabitants in a common effort to relieve poverty,  advance education and to provide or assist in providing facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life of the said inhabitants. 

## **Charity Trustees as of 31st March 2022** 

Mrs Maureen Ruddy (Chairperson) Mrs Kathy Mackey (Vice Chairperson) – retired during year Mrs Linda Devlin (Secretary) Ms Francine Ruddy (Treasurer) Ms Michelle Kennedy Mrs Fiona Brothers Mrs Deborah Mc Shane Miss Aimee-Lee Mc Shane Mr Frank Ruddy Mr Paul Byrne Mrs Ciara Byrne Mrs Laura Toman Mr Geared Mackey – retired during year Note:  No other Charity Trustees in the Year to 31st March 2022 

## **Accountant / Independent Examiner** 

Mc Cann & Teggart Ltd 53 Patrick Street Newry BT35 8EB TEL: 02830269765 

## **Insurance Broker & Underwriter** 

Marsh Insurance Ltd (Ecclesiastical Brokers) Bedford House 16-22 Bedford Street Belfast 

## **Bank** 

Danske Bank, Business Banking PO Box 183, Donegall Square West, Belfast 



## **Chairpersons Report** 

This has been another busy year for everyone involved with community work and we hope our Annual Trustees Report will provide you all with a flavour of the types of different activities, events and trips we have been able to offer.  I would like to thank everyone who has supported our work over the past year; we really do appreciate all that has been done to help our Community Association and we have tried to ensure that everyone gets a mention in this Report. 

With support from the Confederation of Community Groups, we continue to fulfil all good governance requirements and ensure that the Community Association is operating within the guidelines laid down by the Charity Commission NI.  Our accounts have again been independently examined by Steven Mc Cann, from Mc Cann & Teggart Ltd. 

We continue to work in partnership with a wide range of agencies and organisations for the benefit of our whole community and despite having no community base and limited access to alternative venues we have been able to facilitate a wide range of different activities. Through our partnership work, we have been able to bring training and employment opportunities to the area that never would have otherwise been available.  We promote and encourage inter-community activities and events as well as information sharing because it will only be by working together that we can achieve societal changes. 

The aim and culmination of all our work has to be the creation of a stronger, more vibrant community where all are included and respected.  While we are making good progress, much more needs to be done, we have attracted a number of new volunteers whom we hope will become new charity trustees, and we hope these new members will come to the table with new ideas and new energies. 

I’d like to thank all our funders, in particular the John Moores Foundation and Awards for All NI; although some of this funding was awarded in the previous financial period there were delays with spending due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and we are grateful to the funders for affording us the flexibility to carry over spending into this financial period to ensure the original grant conditions were met. 

We’d also like to acknowledge our core running costs funding awarded through the Department of Communities and managed by NMDDC; we are very grateful for this vital continued support.  The community development support provided by Cathy Mc Mahon at the Confederation of Community Groups and the support from Sean Mc Kevitt, Neighbourhood Renewal Coordinator with NMDDC, has also played a key role in helping our community association and community to grow and thrive. 

Without the support from all external funders, our work would be severely curtailed and as you can see from our Annual Report, we have been busy with a wide range of activities, events and trips on offer.  Once more we availed of vital Covid community response funding, managed by the Confederation of Community Groups, and this allowed us to respond to emerging needs primarily related to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 



pandemic.  The long-term impacts of the pandemic will no doubt be felt for many months to come, and we would remain concern about many of our more vulnerable residents and families. 

We are already planning for the year ahead and look forward to another action-packed programme of activities that will offer opportunities for all ages and abilities within the local community. 

I’d also like to thank all our ‘partners’; the other members of the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Board, statutory Bodies, voluntary & community organisations, local residents and businesses, all our dedicated volunteers, our senior and junior youth groups and, of course, all the residents of the Martins Lane Area.  We look forward to working with all as we move forward together. 

## **Maureen Ruddy** 

## **(Chairperson)** 



## **Public Benefit Statement** 

The Trustees of Martin’s Lane Area Community Association confirm that they have complied with their duty under Section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and that the public benefit requirement has informed the activities of the Martin’s Lane Area Community Association in the year to the 31st March 2020 . 

In evaluating public benefit the Trustees note that membership of the Association is open to all residents in the ‘area of benefit’ - (Full Members aged 18 and over, Junior Members under age 18) - and we strive to provide a wide range of activities, events, trips and group sessions that will cater for all ages . We are in the process of establishing an over 50’s group and we now have 40 older people that we are in contact with. Note that some necessary and reasonable restrictions have been put in place; for example, some of the youth groups’ personal development programmes would not be age appropriate for younger children. 

## **Summary of Main Activities** 

This has been another busy year for the Trustees and volunteers at Martin’s Lane Area Community Association with a bumper schedule of activities, events and trips on offer to the whole community. 

As the restrictions of lockdowns began to ease, we were delighted to resume many community activities and programmes.  We ran trips to Spruce Meadows Open Farm and quad biking, Fort Evergreen Halloween adventure, W5, Pickie Park, Captain Greens/Airtastic, fun house, Christmas Wonderland Santa Sunday, Youth Group Residential to London, in partnership with the EA Bosco Extended Outreach Youth workers; and our end of Summer family trip to Portrush, with over 150 people from the area heading off on coaches for a day’s adventures. 



## **Summary of Main Activities contd.** 

We have made excellent use of our local Primary School, St Malachys, as a community venue and this allowed us to offer many activities and opportunities right in the heart of our area of benefit that simply would not otherwise be available.  Aunt Sandra’s Travelling Chocolate Factory was back by popular demand and, once more, was a huge hit with children, parents & grandparents alike. We also hosted return visits from the Bricks 4 Kidz , Go Fly a Kite Workshop, Sweetie Gardens sweet tree making and taster sessions with Tomas Daibhis GAA. 

Also in the school, there have been arts and crafts sessions, hip hop dance, yoga boxercise, circuit training  for old and young alike and much more.  During our Summer programme we had a range of different activities on offer each day, which included outdoor games days, multi sports boot camp, and Gaelic to name but a few and introduced fruit and water at these programmes as a healthy option instead of sugary sweets and juice. We hosted the Action Cancer Big Bus, we also encouraged people to take part in a petition to keep breast screening clinic open in our local hospital. 

## **Youth Group Development** 

The Martins Lane Youth Group have continued to meet weekly in the school/Bosco Youth Centre and have gone from strength to strength over the past year.  Thanks to support from the Education Authority, we have been able to avail of the services of an outreach youth workers and together they have been focusing on a range of personal & social development programmes, mental health and physical activities.  There have been opportunities for team-building activities, a summer intervention programme with their peers from the Meadow and Armagh Road Youth group that consisted of a weeklong programme of activities.  There have been training opportunities such as Disability Awareness and PIPS Positive Mental Health. They also participated in an inter community go-karting event for the second year running.  One of our aims as Trustees has been to see the formation and development of a youth group in the area and we want to keep building on the progress achieved to date and encourage more of our young people to get involved, through their involvement our youth group where successful in securing £700 from the communities leading change program where they had to bit against 20 other groups to secure the funding. This enabled them to run a 6 week pilot scheme with young people age 7-11 in which they had 25 participants who took part in various activities i.e basketball, football, arts and crafts and team bonding games. Over the next year we will be working towards a funding application in partnership with our older youth group to expand on the 6 week pilot scheme to keep the junior youth group running. 



## **Seasonal Events** 

The whole community enjoyed our easter activity where we went to Airtastic and Captain Greens where everyone trampolining and crazy golf followed by the kids receiving their easter eggs on the way home. We also held a Halloween trip to Fort Evergreen where the kids had to fancy dress and got to carve pumpkins and take part in many different activities. For Christmas we followed up with our Annual Santa Sunday where the kids took part in many different activities such as writing Santa letters, doing arts and crafts and much more. Santa arrived by fire engine where the kids come out and greeted him where we then went to his grotto and the kids went in and received their selection boxes and got their pictures taking. 

## **Training and More …** 

Thanks to the SHSCT and the NR Health sub –group:  the Action Cancer Big Bus visited our area again and we were able to avail of a range of health related activities throughout the year - this includes some of the activities outlined above. 

We were delighted to be able to offer a range of free training opportunities to the community, these included Safeguarding (Children and Young People), Adult Safeguarding Awareness for new committee members, Emergency First Aid, Grow Good Well Being and good governance training. 


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## **Networking and Partnerships** 

One of our primary aims as Trustees has been to establish proper networks and channels of communication between ourselves and other local community groups, with organisations representing the community & voluntary sector and with the statutory authorities.  We are active and enthusiastic partners on the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership alongside the Department for Communities, Newry, Mourne & Down District Council, Confederation of Community Groups, Southern Health & Social Care Trust, Housing Executive, Community Restorative Justice Newry & Armagh, Education Authority, Southern Regional College, Newry & Mourne Enterprise Agency, and the other Neighbourhood Renewal Community Associations. 

We have continued to represent the Martins Lane Area on the Housing Executives’ Housing Community Network meetings to ensure that the needs of residents and the area are addressed. We continue to work with the PSNI and Community Restorative Justice in the policing in the community meetings. 

Through our work with the housing executives good relations officer we have again reached out to local representatives from the Orange Order to explore possibilities of joint working on a shared space project; this may take a bit longer to bring to fruition and we will be continuing these conversations in the background. Projects we are shaping up for the coming year will include opportunities for cross-community workshops, activities and trips for both older and younger residents. 

A Trustee also sits on the Management Committee for the Confederation of Community Groups to ensure representation for our area. 



## **Financial Review** 

## **Financial Performance** 

Financial performance has been largely consistent with Trustees expectations.  We started this financial year with a healthy bank balance, thanks to grant funding received from the Big Lottery Awards for All programme for Northern Ireland.  We also had funding from the John Moores Foundation which was received in the previous financial period, but we were unable to spend it all due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic 

Copy of Independent Financial Examiners Report included with Trustees Report. 

## **Income** 

Income receipts for the year totalled £18,444, as compared to £14,551 for the previous year- breakdown as follows: Awards for All – £10,000 Newry, Mourne & Down District Council - £5,516 Covid-19 Response - £1,500 Education Authority - £500 Southern Health & Social Care Trust - £928 

## **Expenditure** 

Expenditure for the year totalled £8,464 as compared to £10,155 for the previous year. Major expenditure for the year centred on Community Trips as post-lockdown this was many people’s first opportunity to leave the confirms of the local community; our Covid community response programme and community-based events/activities - detailed breakdown in accounts. 

## **Funds Materially in Deficit** 

As of the 31st March 2022 the Martin’s Lane Area Community Association had no funds in material deficit. 

## **Major Risks** 

No major risks have been identified, however, the Trustees of Martin’s Lane Area Community Association note that external funding streams are becoming increasingly competitive, technical and problematic to secure. 

## **Financial Management** 

The Martin’s Lane Area Community Association maintain robust financial systems and have good financial management systems in place; we have successfully held a number of grants and have always fulfilled all accounting, reporting and monitoring requirements; our annual accounts are always independently examined. 

## **Assets and Liabilities:** 

The Trustees of the Martins Lane Area Community Association can confirm that the Association currently hold no assets and have identified no liabilities moving forward. 



## **Our Appreciation for Your Support …** 

**We would like to take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to the following funders, agencies and individuals who have supported the work of the Martins Lane Area Community Association throughout the year.** 

- The Residents of the Martin’s Lane Area. 

- The Department for Communities - Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and the associated sub-groups; Health (SHSCT), Education (EA), Community/Physical (NM&DDC/NIHE), and Economic (NMEA). 

- The members of the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Board. 

- Neighbourhood Renewal Community Associations. 

- Neighbourhood Renewal Co-Ordinator - Sean Mc Kevitt. 

- The Confederation of Community Groups. 

- Newry, Mourne & Down District Council. 

- The Southern Health & Social Care Trust. 

- Newry & Mourne Extended Schools. 

- St Malachy’s Nursery and Primary School. 

- Big Lottery Awards for All 

- John Moores Foundation 

- The PSNI. 

- The PCSP. 

- The Charity Commission NI 

- Father Damien Drumalane Parish 

- Community Restorative Justice 

- Youth Workers Kathleen McAteer & Aíne Fearon. 


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