a ## Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024 ## Trustees Annual Report ## NIC 103773 **Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association** **Community Centre** **11 Fathom Line** **Drumalane** **Newry** **Co. Down BT35 8AT** ## **Charity Details** **Charity Name:** Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association **Charity Number:** Registered Charity in Northern Ireland – NIC 103773 **Purpose:** The (Drumalane & Quayside Close Community) Association is established to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of the Drumalane and Quayside Close Areas, (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 and in particular, to maintain and manage a Community Centre in the area of benefit for activities promoted by the Association. ## **Charity Trustees as of 31[st] March 2024** Mrs Shauna Mc Court (Chairperson) Mrs Theresa Dillon (Treasurer) Ms Sabrina Mc Quillen (Secretary) Mr Brendan Mc Court Mr Joey Larkin Mr Gerry Coyle Mr Calvin Gorman Mr Kevin Mc Cabe – resigned at AGM Mrs Theresa Mc Grath – resigned during the year Ms Hannah Kelly – resigned during the year Mrs Margaret Mc Cormack -resigned during the year Note: No other Charity Trustees in the Year to 31[st] March 2024 ## **Accountant/Independent Examiner** Mc Cann Teggart Ltd Accountancy Services, 2 Patrick Street, Newry, Co. Down. ## **Insurance Broker & Underwriter:** Marsh Insurance Ltd (Ecclesiastical Brokers) Bedford House, 16-22 Bedford Street Belfast ## **Bank** First Trust Bank, 42-44 Hill Street, Newry, Co. Down **Charity No: NIC103773** ## Chairpersons Report I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the outgoing Trustees, Committee members and volunteers for all their hard work and commitment to the local community. Without your help over the past 15 months, we could not have put on any activities or trips for the Drumalane Quayside Close area and I really hope we can continue to count on your support moving forward. I’d like to thank all our funders for their valuable support over the past year, we couldn’t do what we do without your support. These include: - The Department for Communities who fund the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme which is managed by Newry & Mourne District Council. - Newry, Mourne & Down District Council have also funded us through our Facilities Management Agreement (FMA) for costs of running the community centre. - The Confederation of Community Groups. - The Southern Health & Social Care Trust. I also want to acknowledge the tremendous support from all our user groups in the community centre, you have helped us this year to generate a significant income from venue hire revenue and this has allowed us to offer the local community a wider range of opportunities. These include: - The Monday Coffee Morning - The Drum Quay Men Shed - Newry Quilters - The Drumclose Crafters - Yoga with Paddy - The Cedar Group - Autism NI - Bolster (Parent and Toddler group) - The Southern Trust (Diabetic Clinic) - Lir Dance Academy - Fay O’Connor – Speech and Drama - Southern Aged Well Network - The Active Group (TAG) And all other groups that have booked the hall in the last 15 months. We continue to represent the needs of our area of benefit on the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership and have participated as active members over the past year. We have attended quarterly Partnership meetings and the monthly meetings of the various Neighbourhood Renewal sub-groups, community/physical, health & education. **Charity No: NIC103773** A special thank you goes to the following people for helping to organise the funding and activities that we have held in the community centre: - Cathy Mc Mahon and Raymond Jackson - Confederation of Community Groups – for the ongoing community development support provided. - Sean Mc Kevitt – Neighbourhood Renewal Coordinator & Members of the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership - Newry Mourne & Down District Council & our local Councillors - Marty Connell and Eimear O’Hare – Southern Health & Social Care Trust Our accounts have again been independently examined by Mc Cann Teggart Ltd Accountancy Services and we have included copies within this Report (separate copies are available on request). Shauna Mc Court (Chairperson) **Charity No: NIC103773** ## **Financial Review** ## **Financial Performance** Trustees were pleased to see a steady course for financial performance, with the overall income for the year in line with expectations. It should be noted that venue hire income was slightly down on anticipated figures and this was due to changes in groups availing of the centre and financial cuts to some organisations which reduced their ability to hire external venue space. ## **Income:** Income receipts for the year totalled at £16,766 as compared to £15,304 for the previous year – see detailed accounts for a full breakdown of the figures. This income was derived from a few key sources: - £8,320 from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, some as grant funding and the remainder as part of the running costs funded by the Department of Communities as part of the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme which is managed by local Council. - £3,250 from the Confederation of Community Groups as funding for cost-of-living support to financially struggling or vulnerable households; this funding was distributed using a confidential referral system. - £4,536 was our own generated income from venue hire of the community centre. - £660 was funding received from the Southern Health and Social Care Trust under the Neighbourhood Health subgroup. ## **Expenditure** Expenditure for the year totalled at £16,082 as compared to £14,004 for the previous year. Major items of expenditure included: - £3,790 for community events, including seasonal events and activities, summer schemes and programmes. - £3,300 was direct expenditure for the cost-of-living grant from the Confederation of Community Groups, and was used to purchase vouchers for food, electric and gas. - £2,210 for electricity and heating in the community centre. - £1,782 was for the costs of stationery, printing and office supplies, including new filing cabinets and storage. - £1,412 covered the purchase of various items of equipment for use within the community centre. - £1,257 was the cost of the public liability insurance for the year. - All other items of expenditure are included in the full accounts for the year. **Charity No: NIC103773** ## **Funds Materially in Deficit** As of the 31[st] March 2024 the Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association had no funds in deficit. ## **Major Risks** No major risks have been identified. ## **Assets & Liabilities** The Trustees of the Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association can confirm that the Association currently hold no assets and have identified no liabilities moving forward. ## **Financial Management** The Community Association maintain robust financial systems and have good financial management systems in place; all cheques must be signed by two out of our three cheque signatories; we have successfully held several grants and have always fulfilled all accounting, reporting and monitoring requirements; our annual accounts are always independently examined. **Charity No: NIC103773** ## **Public Benefit Statement** The Trustees of the Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 4 (b) 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 Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association in the year to 31[st] March 2023. In evaluating public benefit, the Trustees note that membership is open to all residents in the ‘area of benefit’ – (Full members aged 18 and over, Junior members under 18) – and we strive to provide a range of activities that will cater for all ages but some necessary and reasonable restrictions have been put in place for example, personal development programmes for the youth club would not be age appropriate for primary school children. However, many seasonal events, activities, training programmes and community fun days are open to all ages in the community. ## **Summary of Main Activities** This has been a busy year for our Charity Trustees as we continue to manage a large Council owned community centre in the heart of the area of benefit. This centre is the base for all our local community-based activities, events and programmes; weather permitting, we are also able to avail of the excellent outdoor space and garden area which surrounds the community centre. Adjacent to the community centre grounds we have local playing fields and the football teams regularly book the changing facilities within the community centre. This helps us to generate a small income from their venue hire and establish community links and further community engagement. The popularity of our weekly community bingo evenings has gone from strength to strength, while this will never be an income generator for the Community Association, it is a vital means of connecting adults and older people within the community. The social networks and connections made help reduce loneliness and isolation, the evenings provide a weekly focal point for people to come together and enjoy some light heartened fun with friends. Thanks to ongoing support from the Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership, the Education subgroup and Newry & Mourne Extended Schools (NAMES) we have been able to continue with the afterschool Homework Club. This runs for two afternoons per week in the community centre, providing children and young people with a safe and supervised environment in which to complete homework and study; a further two afternoons are now being offered from the local St Clares Abbey Primary School. This is a vital service for local families, and we are delighted to be able to facilitate it. **Charity No: NIC103773** ## **Seasonal Events** ## **Easter:** The Easter Bunny played a visit to the community centre for our Family Fun Day, and we were delighted to see many families attending over the course of the day, parents got the chance to enjoy refreshments while the children enjoyed crafts, games, activities, and receiving an Easter egg from the Easter Bunny. ## **Summer:** The community centre was abuzz over the summer period with many different activities and events to benefit local children and young people. Thanks to funding from the Southern Health & Social Care Trust (SHSCT), via the Neighbourhood Renewal Health subgroup, we were able to offer a multi-sports activity week/Fitness Camp for children. We also availed of Salsa dance lessons every Tuesday in August, learning a new skill and promoting good physical health for all. At the end of August, residents were able to avail of free Health Checks with Chest, Heart & Stroke. We ran a fully subscribed family trip to Streamvale Farm, a first for many of our families, and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to engage with the wide range of animals, avail of the excellent play and leisure facilities, and bond over the bus journey with songs and stories. We hosted our annual summer festival over a three-day period, offering different activities and events each day. We had our sports day, with a wide range of old school games and races which were fiercely competitive. Our Carnival Family Fun Day was a huge hit with all ages and our adults evening in the community centre was also well supported. Thanks to the NR Outdoor Education programme the young people got to experience the thrill of go-kart racing with a trip to Formula Karting for their own Grand Prix. The over 30’s Club thoroughly enjoyed their day trip to Newcastle, the bus took the scenic route before dropping everyone off for the day to explore and enjoy some downtime. On return that evening, the community centre hosted an evening’s entertainment and food, which provided the perfect ending to a great day. We worked in partnership to host Dancing on the Green, as a troupe of different dancers travelled across the local communities, growing as they picked up dancers along the way, and residents were treated to a wonderful display of talent and skill **Charity No: NIC103773** ## **Halloween:** The community centre was the hub for the Halloween fancy dress disco and party night; all the little ghosts and ghouls were invited to take part in some spooky games and tasks, and all received a treat bag at the end of the evening ## **Christmas:** We held a festive Christmas party for families with Santa his elves visiting with their mobile grotto; all families got the opportunity to talk with Santa and get their photograph taken whilst receiving a small gift. For the Over 30’s Club we ran a bus trip to the Christmas markets in Belfast, and everyone enjoyed a day out and a chance to do some Christmas shopping. ## **Community Centre Usage:** Many local families have availed of the venue hire options in the community centre and have booked us for birthday parties, holy communion & confirmation parties, and other family celebrations. The centre is ideally located in the heart of the community, within walking distance for many of those who book the facilities, and we offer very competitive rates for booking. We have continued working with other local groups who now form part of the anchor activities in the centre and there are opportunities for any interested residents to come along and join them at any time. These include: - The DrumClose Crafters continue to meet weekly and are an enthusiastic group of older ladies who love to craft. - Monday Coffee morning, which is a drop-in session for anyone who’s interested, providing the opportunity for social interaction and company. - The DrumQuay Men’s Shed who meet weekly on a Monday evening in the community centre. - The Newry Quilter’s are another crafting group who have been meeting weekly in the centre. In addition to these anchor groups, we have attracted a wide range of different users groups who now offer their services from the centre, providing additional opportunities for local residents to find out more about them. These include: - Yoga with Paddy - Autism NI - The Cedar Foundation - Bolster Community **Charity No: NIC103773** - The Southern Trust (Diabetic Clinic) - The Southern Age Well Network. - Speech & Drama with Fay O’Connor - Irish Dancing with the Lir Dance Academy ## **Training & Physical Activities** Thanks to the SHSCT, via the NR Health subgroup, we were able to facilitate a Keep Fit physical activity class for the over 50 age group and we were delighted to see several representatives from the local Men’s Shed availing of this opportunity in their local community centre. We were also able to offer the children and young people the opportunity to attend four weeks of Boogie Bounce classes at the Dance Academy. Trustees also engaged with ongoing mentoring and training provided by the Confederation of Community Groups; these covered areas such as funding, reporting and returns, governance, conflict resolution, community development, charity compliance and capacity building. Through our partnership working with the Confederation of Community Groups we were also able to offer volunteers and residents access to free First Aid and Safeguarding training. The Trustees of the Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association have also been representing the area on a number of different partnerships and networks to ensure that the needs of the area are being raised and addressed through the proper channels, these include the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership, Newry Mourne & Down District Council DEA Forum, Confederation of Community Groups, and inter-agency meetings. ## **Cost-Of-Living Response** Trustees have remained mindful of the long-term impact of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis on local households, especially given the area in which we operate which has high levels of multiple deprivations ranking it in the top 10% of most deprived wards in NI. We know that people are trying their best to stretch family budgets and cover ever increasing costs and as a charity we remain committed to providing low cost or no cost opportunities to benefit local families. During this Reporting period we were also able to work in partnership with the Confederation of Community Groups to avail of funding to provide vouchers for utilities top ups to financially struggling households who met strict referral criteria. **Charity No: NIC103773** Photographic Highlights Drumalane & Quayside Close Community Association Jv Chari No: NIC103773 Funded & Supported By: Department for Co￿fEDERATiO I Communities CONFEDERATION OF COMMUNITY GROUPS Comhairle Ceantair an Iuir. Mhurn agus an Duin Newry. Mourne and Down Distsirt Council lea Southern Health and Social Care Trust Char No: NIC103773