## _**LARNE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT**_ 

## _**COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS REPORT**_ 

_**ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING**_ 

_**16[th] December 2024**_ 

This report will outline the achievements of Larne Community Development Project over the past year 2023-2024. 

We have continued to develop in accordance with our strategic plan to cover the period 2023-2024 

This is being achieved with the overall aim of continuing to increase the awareness of LCDP whilst providing practical assistance in the form of information, advice and ongoing support to the community/voluntary sector in Larne Borough. 

|<br>sector in Larne Borough.||
|---|---|
|**Statistical Summary**||
|General enquiries|750|
|Groups assisted with funding applications|45|
|Groups assisted with charitable status|3|
|Groups assisted with development plans|4|
|New groups formed|0|



Total funding for Larne area for this period  £26,000 

All meetings and telephone calls are recorded on record sheets by the Community Development Officer, these are then used to provide information to DFC on 6 monthly work reports. 

DFC has funded our project for the year April 2023 – March 2024for the amount of £45945.65 for salaries.  We were also successful in securing funding for running costs and project costs 

|**Awards for all**|**£20,000**|
|---|---|
|**Black Santa**|**£1000**|
|**MEABC**|**£880.90**|
|**NHSCT**|**£500**|



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## **Publicity** 

LCDP provides all information about funding, training, community events and other community news on their facebook page. 

We distribute our leaflets at training and networking events throughout the Borough. 

## **Administration Support** 

Larne Community Development Project provide administration support such as photocopying, assistance with finances; minutes, flyers, posters to local community groups. We also calculate PAYE for Carnlough Community Association. 

## **Larne Community Development Project continues to be represented on the following partnerships/committees** 

## **The following meetings have taken place through ‘Zoom’ and ‘Microsoft Teams’** 

## _**Mid and East Antrim Community Panel**_ 

The CDO along with 3 other members of Larne Community 

Development Project are members of this panel to share information and establish a two way dialogue on the impact of community planning to the Larne Community. 

## _**Mid and East Antrim Strategic Alliance**_ 

Larne Community Development Project is a member of the Strategic Alliance group which has been formed to develop and communicate the purpose of the community planning process to citizens and service users in the Mid and East Antrim area. 

## _**Development Workers Forum**_ 

LCDP facilitates this informal network of project officers from various statutory, community and partnership programmes throughout Larne Borough. 

## _**Mid and East Antrim Community Advice Services**_ 

The CDO is the Chairperson on Mid and East Antrim Community Advice Services Trustee Board and attends all monthly meetings. 

## _**MEA Community Networks Forum**_ 

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This forum meets bi-monthly to share information, funding opportunities and provides the workers from the 3 areas the opportunity to network. The meetings are rotated between the 3 areas and have been very beneficial to date. 

## _**MEA Loneliness Network**_ 

This network was established at the start of 2020 to address the issue of loneliness in Mid and East Antrim.  The network is made up of representatives from Statutory and Voluntary agencies. 

## **Community Development Networks Forum** 

This network is made up of Networks across Northern Ireland funded by the Community Investment Fund.  We lobby on behalf of our member groups and maintain communications with NICVA and DFC. 

_**I would like to thank the Management Committee for their support throughout the year and also to Annette for her continued excellent administration and financial skills.  We continue to keep our financial records in excellent order compiling monthly income and expenditure accounts and bank reconciliations. Cheque journals are kept for every account and also paper work is filed in date order as per our policies. DFC recently carried out a verification check on our finances and found all paperwork in excellent order, no concerns were raised. Our procedures are ‘robust’ (low risk)**_ 

**Larne Community Development Project continues to support the local community/voluntary sector in Larne.** 

Deborah Neill Community Development Officer 

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