NIC103784
Meadow / Armagh Road Community Association
2023 to 2024
Trustees Report
Funded and Supported By..
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Department for
Communities
Cotnhairle Ceantair
an Iuir. Mhurn agus an Duin
Newry. Mourne and Down
Dlstrict Countll
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Authority
LJNITI G
CONFEDERATION OF
COMMUNITY GROUPS

Charity Details
Charity Name: Meadow and Armagh Road Community Assoclation
Charity Number: Registered Charity in Northern Ireland - NIC103784
Purpose: The Association is established to promote the benefit of the inhabltants of the Meadow
and Armagh Road Area, Newry and its environs,, to include.. (Meadow) - The Fold, Clanrye Avenue,
Clanrye Park, Helen's Terrace, Orlor Road, Slleve Gullion Road, Iveagh Crescent, Killeavy Road,
Derrybeg Drive, Ballinlare Gardens and (Armagh Road) - Vlolet Hill Avenue, College Garden5,
Mountain Vlew Drlve, Clonmore, Lisdarragh (herelnafter called the area of benefit ) without
distlnction of oge, gender, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnic identity, class, marital
statu5, political or religious opinion, by associating the statutory authorities, voluntary and
community sector organisations and the inhabitants in a common effort to advance education, and
to providefacilities in the interests of soclal welfare for recreation or other leisure tlme occupation,
with the object of improving the conditions of lifefor the said inhabitants.
Charlty Trustees as of September 30 , 2024
Mr Gerry Mc Donald (Chairperson)
Mr Brendan Cranny (Secretary)
Ms Noreen Rice {Treasurer)
Mr Niall Quinn
Mr Robert (Bobby) Johnson
Mr Peter Mc Donnell - retired during the year
Ms Helena Young- retired at AGM
Ms Megan Cre8gan - retired at AGM
Ms Clare Carroll
Ms Aoibheann Mc Corry- retired during the year
Mrjohnny Franks
Ms Aveen Trainor- retired during the year
Ms Darrelle Shlelds
Ms Sinead Larkin
Ms Dominika Wojciechowska
Note: No other Charity Trustees in the Year to 30th September 2024
Accountant/lndependent Examlner
Gemma Doran
5 Bracken Close, Newry, Co. Down
Insurance Broker & Underwriter
Marsh Insurance Ltd. {Ecclesiastical Brokers)
Bedford House, 16-22 Bedford Street, Belfast.
Bank
First Trust, 42-44 Hill Street, Newry, Co. Down.
Charlt No: NIC103784

Chairpersons Report
Welcome to our Annual Trustees Report for the period October 2023 to September 2024
and thank you all for taking the time to come along and listen to our report on activities and
public benefit forthe year. Like so many small grassroots charities we are feelingthe
demands on our volunteers and our services, and it has been challenglng at tlmes to ensure
that we remain on top of everything. Sometimes people forget that we are all volunteers,
givln8 our time and effort freely for the beneflt of the local communityi we are juggling work
commitments, family and caring responslbilities, and our own personal lives. As Chair l am
very proud of all we have achieved over this reporting period, and I would like to
acknowledge and commend the hard work and dedication of everyone Involved.
As most of you will be aware, we have management responsibility for a large community
centre in the heart of our area of benefit which is owned by Newry, Mourne and Down
District Council (NMDDC}. We work hard to ensure that that there is a direct benefit in
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We work in partnership with a range of like-minded organisations and are delighted to have
anchor user groups such as Home Start and Bolster Community working from our centre.
We are grateful to the main funders who have continued to support the work of the
Community Association and the development of the Community Centre, and we extend our
thanks to the following:
The Department for Communlties & Newry Mourne & Down District Councll -
Neighbourhood Renewal Programme.
Newry, Mourne & Down District Council for the funding provided through our
Facilities Management Agreement (FMA) to cover essential running costs.
All the User Groups in the Community Centre for contributing to our generated
income streams; this vltal money is directly used to support our local community.
Confederation of Community Groups for 'hardship' support to provide financially
struggling households, who meet strict referral criteria, support with utility costs.
I would also like to thank the following for their contlnued support:
Catherine O'Hanlon - Department for Communities who fund the Neighbourhood Renewal
Programme and through it, the NR Outdoor Education Programme.
Julie Mc Cann & Laura Sage- Newry Mourne & Down District Council
Sean Mc Kevitt- Neighbourhood Renewal Coordinator, Newry Mourne & Down District
Council
Kerrl Morrow- DEA Newry Mourne & Down District Council
Cathy Mc Mahon - Confederation of Community Groups
Martin Connell-southern Health & Social Care Trust
Euan Morgan & Janet Nau8hton - Community Restorative Justice
Newry & Mourne Extended Schools
Charl No: NIC103784

There are many challenges facing small grassroots charities such as us and one of them
continues to be in attracting and recruiting new volunteers. The expectation and pressure
on volunteers and community-based organisations only seems to increase, with more
reporting and bureaucracy than ever before, and it can sometimes be difficult to stay on top
of everything. I'd like to take a moment and thank all our charity trustees and volunteers;
you are doing an incredible and often unseen job to keep the community centre running
and operating at nearly full capacity, attending numerous meetings to ensure that the needs
of our community are being raised and addressed.
I would like to take this opportunity to pass on our sincerest condolences to all those
families who have lost loved ones over the past year; we continue to keep you all in our
thoughts and prayers.
Finally, I will conclude by thanking our community, without your ongoing support for all that
we do there would be little point in continuing. l encourage you to consider getting
involved as a volunteer yourself and help develop new and innovative projects to benefit
the local community as we move forward.
Gerry Mc Donald
Chairperson
Meadow/Armagh Road Community Centre
Char
No: NIC103784

Financial Review
Flnancial Performance
Financial performance over this reporting period has been down when compared to
previous years figures. The loss of a long-term anchor tenant in the community centre has
resulted in a signiflcant drop in rental Income for the period, whilst Trustees have worked
hard to ensure that the venue is belng hired and utilised as much as possible, we are aware
of the need to attract longer term rental income.
Trustees did not apply for any additional external grants during this period, and this also
explains a lower income level overall. When we combine this with the ever-escalating costs
of utilities and general running expenses for the community centre it is a challenging
financial landscape.
Income:
Income receipts for the year totalled at £20,499 as compared to £32,209 in the previous
financial period- see Charity Accounts / Independent Examiners Report for full breakdown
of figures.
This income is derived from a variety of sources, with the main ones being.
£8,130 from community centre activities, including venue hire/rental income.
£11,369 from the Department for Communities, vla Newryi Mourne & Down Distrlct
Council for the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (Running Costs}.
The Community Assoclation's income remains relatively consistent, and the Trustees are
committed to redressing the balance in the next financial period.
Expendlture
Expenditure for the year totalled at £25,277, compared to £30,236 in the previous financial
period.
see Charity Accounts / Independent Examiners Report for the full breakdown of
the financial spend.
Expenditure was largely In line wlth previous years, with the main items including:
£12,278 community centre activities expenses.
£11,369 runnin8 COSts/expenses for the community centre.
£1,622 for insurance costs.
Funds Materially in Deficit
th
As of the 30 September 2024 the Meadow and Armagh Road Community Association had
no funds in materlal deflcit.
Charl No: NIC103784

Major Risks
Trustees have identified no major rlsks moving into the next flnancial period. However, as
many organisatlons face their own funding cuts it is increasingly difficult to attract long term
tenants to rent the facilities, and the short-term rentals create more insecurity in our
income streams.
Trustees also note the inherent risk in trylng to secure external funding streams as a means
of sustainabillty, whlch is why alternative options are being explored.
Financlal Management
The Trustees 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 many grants and have always fulfilled all accounting, reporting
and monitoring requirements; our annual accounts are independently examlned and
presented at the Annual General Meeting.
Statement of Assets and Liabilltles
The total assets of the Community Association, as of the 30th September 2024, were
£15,102, while liabilities were £3,764, leaving an accumulation fund of £11,338.
Charlt No: NIC103784

Public Benef it Statement
The Trustees of the Meadow & Armagh Road Community Association confirm that they
have complied with their duty under section 1715) 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 Meadow & Armagh Road Community
Association in the year to 30th September 2024.
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, our youth groups, personal
development programmes which would not be age appropriate for primary school children;
nor would the Over 50's Club be appropriate for the young people. However, many events,
activities, seasonal events and fun days are open to all ages in the community.
Summary of Main Activities
We have management responsibility for a large, Council owned Community Centre and, it is
from this community base, that many of our main activities are delivered. Our community
office is regularly open for residents to call in for information, signposting, social contact
and access to Wi-Fi. Our community centre is open each day with different activities and
services available, we are delighted to have both Home Start and Bolster Community
operating consistently from the centre and offering additional
services to benefit the local community.
The community centre continues to be a very popular venue for
birthday parties, and other family celebrations and we encourage
people to get their dates booked into our diary early to avoid
disappointment.
Our volunteers and trustees have been busy delivering our own
programme of activities, events and opportunitie5 over the year. Our Tuesday night youth
group continues to grow, and it is brilliant to see so many children turning up each week to
get involved in a range of different games, team-building activities, arts & crafts and much
more.
Chari
No: NIC103784

The weekly Community Bingo nights are as popular as ever and remain an important vehicle
for bringing the community together, reducing isolation and providing a safe and
warm place for new friendships to develop and for everyone to
enjoy some light-hearted fun.
i)
The community centre was
buzzing for the annual
Halloween Fancy Dress Disco,
and we were delighted to see
the array of costumes on
display; we'd also like to thank
all the parents/caregivers for
getting involved in the spirit of
the event and helpingto make
it such a success.
At Christmas time we ran a Craft
Fayre in the community centre,
and we were realSy pleased with
the diverse range of stalls and
crafts available for purchase. It was heartening
to see so many residents attend over the
course of the day and they were treated to
some fabulous entertainment from a local brass band, along with festive hot chocolate and
marshmallows for the children and the young at heart.
We were delighted to be able to invite 130 senior citizens to our annual Christmas dinner at
the Canal Court Hotel, Newry. This was a wonderful event and an excellent opportunity to
bring so many isolated, older residents together for an afternoon of fabulous food and
entertainment. Throughout the year, we have continued to run our older people's group
and have had many different activities and opportunities available, as well as signposting
them to other valuable services locally.
We have continued to work as active partners on the Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership
and through the Neighbourhood Renewal Health Sub-Group and the Neighbourhood
Renewal Outdoor Education Programme, we were able to get access to a wide range of
health programmes for the Community Centre and provide children and young people
access to outdoor activities. The physical activity programme5 ran throughout the year in
the community centre and offered the local
community free opportunities with no barriers to
participation. We are grateful to the Southern
Health and Social Care Trust for managing this programme.
HSC
Southern Health
J and Social CareTrust
Charlt No: NIC103784

Throughout this reporting period there have been a range of additional opportunities on
offer for children and young people, these have included:
Arts & Crafts Workshops at different times of the year where the children got to
make cards and decorations for upcoming seasonal events and celebrations.
Valentines Disco.
St Patrick's Day Celebrations.
Four-week kids multi-sports programme which offered the children/young people
the opportunity to try out a whole range
of different sports activities and engage in
some fun competitions.
Summer Scheme programme with a
range of activities & games.
The family trip to Funtasia Theme Park,
Drogheda was completely booked out;
thanks to the NR Outdoor Education programme for covering these costs.
Our annual Family Fun Day had an exceptional turnout, due in part to the glorious weather
on the day, we were thrilled to have so many families choosing to spend their day with us
and celebrating all that is good within our community. Everyone enjoyed the Magic Show
and entertainment that followed, the outdoor games were energetic and competitive, the
range of inflatables kept the children and young people busy, our face painters were
exceptionally talented, and all thoroughly enjoyed the treats from the barbeque.
Trustees have also been mindful of the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis on many
households throughout this area; as a designated Neighbourhood Renewal area due to the
high levels of multiple deprivations prevalent, these pressures are felt more acutely on
already struggling households. We have maintained close working links with the local St
Vincent de Paul chapter and have referred many families on for additional confidential
support. Likewise with Community Advice for support with access to benefits and
assistance with the completion of claim forms; and we have been working with Clanrye
Group Ltd and have assisted with referrals and signposting to their Social Supermarket
Scheme.
The Trustees of the Meadow and Armagh Road Community Association have continued
representing the area on several different partnerships and networks to ensure that the
needs of the area are being addressed through the proper channels. These include the
Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership and associated sub-groups; Newry Mourne &
Down District Council DEA Forum, Confederation of Community Groups, the NIHE Housing
Community Network, and inter-agency meetings.
Charit No: NIC103784

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Charl No: NIC103784

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Charlt No: NIC103784