The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) Year ended 31 March 2023 The director5, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their report and the financial statements of the chartty for the year ended 31 March 2023. Reference and admlnistrative details Registered charity name The Welcomè Organisation Charity registration number NIC103976 Company reglslratlon number N1070562 Prlncipal office and registered Townsend Enterprise Park office 36 Townsend Street Belfast BT13 2ES The dlrectors Mr. Patrick Dohety Mr. S Jackson Ms. L Millar MS K Strain Mr. J Whyte (Appointed 24 September 2013) (Appointed 22 July 2021) (Appointed 22 July 2021) (Appointed 22 July 2021) (Appointed 8 October 2021) Company secretary Jo Daykin-G¢)odall Audltor FEB Chartered Accountants Chartered accountanls & statutory auditor Linenhall Exchange 1 st Floor, 26 Linenhall Street Belfast Northem Ireland BT2 8BG Bankers Dankse Bank UK Donegal Square Belfast BT16JS Slructure, govemance and management The Welcome Organisation is a registered charity and operates as a company limited by guarantee status. The company was established under a memorandum of association which established the objects and powers of the charttable company and is govemed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribule an amount not exceeding £1.
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (Condnued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Objectives and activities Strategic alms and actlvltles The strategic aims of the Organisation are as follows: al Relieve the poverty and distress of people vtho are suffering from the effects of hornelessness or the threat of homelessness in Northem Ireland (the "area of benefit'}, without distinction of sex, race, ethniaty, age, disability, or poltbcal. religious or other opinion in particular but not exdusively by the provision, or assistance in the provision, of: {il aeLommodation', {ii) advice, counselling and support services- {iii} befriending service. and {iv) drop-in centres b) Develop the skills and capacity of the members of the homeless community in such a way that they are better able to identify and help meet their needs and to participate more fulty in society, cl Advance the education of the public about the needs of people who are suffering from the effects of homelessness or threatened homelessness, d) Pursue any other charitable purpose which the Directors think fit to pursue in conjunction with any of the charitable objects mentioned above Powers In furtherance of the said objects, but not further or otherwise, the Company shall have power to: {a} provid8 or secure the provision of social and support services, educational and recreational facilities and practical assistance in the area of benefft- (b) provide or secure the provision of advice, counselling and infomiation and refer those in need of professional assistance to the relevant agencies. {c} provide, endow, fumish and fft out with all necessary fijmiture and other 4uipment and maintain such buildings, premises, and centres as may from time to time be required for the purposes of the Company., (d) Covoperate and enter inlo arrangements with any authorities. national, local or otheiSe. {e} bring together in Conferen representatives of voluntary organisations, Govemment departments, statutory authorities and individuals- (Q arrange and provide for, either alone or with others. the holding of exhibitions, meetings, lectures, classes, seminars or training courses. and recreational and other leisure - time activities., (gl collect and disseminate infonnation on all matters rdating to its objects, and to exchange such information with other bodies having similar objects whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. (h) write, print or publish. in whatever forn. such paper5, books, periodicals. pamphlets or other documents, including films and recorded material, as shall further its objects, and to issue or circulate Ihe same whether for payment or otheTWiS8'
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (contlnu8d) Year ended 31 March 2023 {1) accept subscriptions, donations. devises and bequests of and to purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otheiSe acquire and hold any real or personal estate, maintain and alter any ofthe same as are necessary for any of the objects of the Company and (subject to such consenls as may be required by law) sell, lease or othetwise dispose of or mortgage any such real or personal estate, having due regard to the requirements of, or conditions established by. statutory authorities or bodies providing funds or assistance of any kind to the Company: (il issue appeals, hold public meetings and take such other steps as may be required for the purpose of procuring Contributions to the funds of the Company in the shape of donations, subscriplions or othenNiSe', {k} draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills, cheques and other instruments, and to operate bank accounts., {1) borrow or raise money for the objects of the Company on such temis and (with such consents as are required by lawl on such security as may be thought fit provided thal the Company shall not undertake any pemianent trading activities in raising funds for the objects of the Company. (m) take and accept any gtft of money, property or other assets, whether subject to any special trust or not, for any one or more of the objects of the Company., (nj invest the monies of the Company not immediately required for its objects in or upon such investments, securities or property as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless to such conditions lif any) and such consents (if any) as may for the time being be imposed or required by law and subject also as hereinafter provided- (ol make any charitable donation either in cash or assets for the furtherance of the objects of the Company., (p) establish and support any charitable association or body and to subscribe or guarantee money for charitable purposes calculated to further the objecls of the Company. (q) make regulations f¢y the proper supervision, control and management of any propety which may be so acquired; (r) employ and pay any person or persons not being a Diredor of the Company to supervise, organise, carry on the work of and advise the Company,. Recruitment and Appointment of Board Members The Board of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company's Articles are known as members of the Board. Under the requirements ofthe Memorandum and Artides of Association the members of the board are re-elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Organisation is govemed by a small competency based Board {see above) drawing upon professionals from a range of relevant disciplines. The Members role is to contribute to the effective govemance of The Welcome Organisation in promoting the vision, rnission, aims and objectives of the organisation. Recruitment of Board Members follows a fomial recruitment process based on the specific needs and skill set required.
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors, Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (contlnu•dJ Year ended 31 March 2023 All members of the Board give their time voluntarily and received no benefits from the charity. Evaluation measures are used to ensure that semces are appropriate, accessible and represent good value to ensure limited resources are used to their best advantage to most effectively meet presenting and undedying needs. The Welcome Organisation seeks to complement existing services rather than to compete. Senlor Leadership Team Ms. Jo Daykin-Goodall Ms. Mo Sykes Mr. Kieran Hughes Chief Executive Officer Head of Corporate Service5 Head of Fundraising & Marketing HOW OUR ACTIVITIES DELIVER PUBLIC BENEFIT Soclal Capltal The Organisation creates value for people who are currendy homeless or at risk of homelessness and dis-connected from communty and services by: supporting networks that connect individuals vtho are diverse, sustaining generalised reciprocity. building diverse community through the delivery of services which challenge social marginalisation and isolation Achievements and evaluation of this objective is collected through case management outcomes, outcome monitoring and client profiling. The Organisation supports individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. offering a range of services to include crisis interyention, support and advice, and accommodation support seNices which include a Drop-in Centre. Street Outreach, Floating support service and crisis and supported living accommodation for females. Collectively. all services provide 2417 coverage, 365 days a year. Social Economy As a social economy the Welcome Organisation eTnploys 50 full time and 16 part-time staff. In addition to this the organization also supports volunteering and throughout the year 24 individuals were engaged in regular activty at our sites. A further 125 individuals assisted special projects including organizing the Christmas gift appeal. We also commend the work of the volunteer fijndraisers including the 48 individuals who ran in the Belfast Marathon, the 17 who took part in the Belfast Castle abseil and another 65 who organized a variety of events throughout the year. Particular thanks this year to our Corporate Sponsors Citi Bank and the generosty of their staff, in particular the 45 individuals who took part in the Citi Sleepout and the 500 participants in the Citi 5k.
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (continued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Health and Well Being The Organisation strives to promote positive changes which enhance health and well-being and contributes to the fulfilment of individual personslhuman aspirations and potential. In this year a 10-bed therapeutic supported living unit was opened for women who are homeless. living complex lives and ready to progress their journey towards independent living. The trauma informed service recognises the unique sttuation of these women and provides 24n support. We continue our other ServIS providing a holistic range of interventions for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness including: provision of food, clothing. personal hygiene faciltties, laundry services and other interventions aimed at meeting basic needs and reduce hann supporting individuals to sustain accommodation and prevent homelessness access to SP8cialist services including counselling on drug and alcohol issues provision of regular health. housing and advisory clinics personal support to help individuals develop the skills and knowledge to improve their own wellbeing, and develop resilience skills in the face of difficulties.
The Welcome Organisation Company Llmited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) (contlnuedj Year ended 31 March 2023 Achievements and performance Drop-ln Support Services Funding from the Housing Executive's homelessness budget is made available to the Welcome Organisation to provide a Drop -in Centre for people who are rough sleeping, homeless or at risk of homelessness. The services provides for the basic needs of the individual {food, clothing, showers, laundry facilities) and a place of refijge. The Drop-in is underpinned by the provision of individual tailored support which recognises the unique circumstances and needs of the service user and provides a gateway to a broad range of SeiceS which are difficult for marginalised people to access nomially. These services indude access to healthcare in partnership with our colleagues at the Belfast Health Trust, benefft support, addiction services and mental health support. All services are delivered within a high tolerance, hami reduction model, which is central lo the Organisation's success in working with people with complex needs and challenging behaviours. In this year over a thousand unique clients used the Dropln seNices. Staff worked with clients lo ascertain their immediate and longer term needs. On a daily basis clients were provided with a range of practical assistance induding clothing, washing facilitses. The Drop-ln services also provided three meals every day, equating lo over ten thousand meals in the year. Staff also provided support interventions in eXs$ of 10,000 occasions this year, helping cli8nts access accommodation. In addition to supporting dients to find accommodation. staff also supported over 2,000 individual applications for welfare and benefit claims and managed a fijrther 2.100 interventions related to supporting clients their imme(liate physicavmentsl heaEth needs and access to addiction services. 2417 Street Outreach The Street Outreach service is funded from the Housing Executive's Prevention of Rough Sleeping in Belfast budget. The service delivers a rapid response to individuals who find themselves rough sleeping in the ¢ity. In this year we recorded over 500 rough sleepers and throughout the year the Outreach Teams provided basic needs lo those sleeping rough or engaging in street activity on over 15,000 occasions. The Outreach teams proactively seek out those who are sleeping rough. providing food and hot drinks, building relationships and gaining trust in order to support their journey off the streets. This year as well as meeting their basic needs, the Outreach teams helped rough sleepers to access relevant welfare benefits and financial support on over 1,000 occasions. The teams also provided help to rough sleepers on over 4,500 occasions in relation to their physical and mental health needs and referrals into addiction SerVis. The Street Outreach teams also provide an emergency response service (Code 7's) to support 'blue light, seryices. Where appropriate. individuals are transported back to their hostellaccommodation or if this is not feasible to the Drop-in as a place of safety and to rest. This aspect of the Outreach servi prevents misuse of acute setvices and eases the pressures on them. Wilhin the year there were 944 Code 7 calls with 869 responded to within 30 minutes {92¢/0). The highest number of calls received were from the public (564 calls) followed by 202 calls recewed from the PSNI.
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) {¢gnUnued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Annsgate Crisis Accommodation for Females The Welcome Organisation provides crisis accornmodation services to women presenting with high levels of need. The 10-bed space crash facility based at Annsgate is used by women who would otheiSe be sleeping out on the street. The service provides a place of safety and staff support clients on site. The demand on the service remains very high with 115 unique individuals using the facility in the year of which 61 % received support to move on from the service in a planned way. The facility is also re¢ognized as a gateway Service for women and enables them to access a wider range of more holistic services to meet their specific needs. Floating SUPPOrt services This service provided support up to 114 vulnerable individuals, who have secured accornmodation and need additional support to maintsin their tenancy. The service delivers a range of high to low flexible support services responding to the clients, fluctuating needs. The services are tailored to each individuals, parlicular circumstances. Catherine House This new service was launched in March 2023 and provides trauma infonned supported accommodation with staff on hand 2417. This innovative service recognises the impact of trauma and IS 5ensttive to the specific needs of individuals living with trauma and moving towards independent living. By the end of March 2023 Catherine House was 500/0 full. It is now occupied at 1000/0. Mobile Health Unit The mobile health unit is now in its secondyearofoperation and provldes much needed medical support to the most vulnerable who would otherwise be unlikely to access the healthcare they need. Operating in Belfast and the North West in partnership with the Health Trusts the provision includes critical vaccination seNices and primary health care needs. To conclude the review of servicès we also note that our staff are trained to administer Naloxone which is an evidence-based intervention that can save Itves by blocking or reversing the effects of a heroin or opioid overdose. Naloxone is available across all our services and staff are trained to recognise the signs of overdose and to respond appropriately thereby reduung drug-related deaths. This year across the services, our staff administered Naloxone on 157 occasions.
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Dlrectors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Directorfs Report) {¢onUnue Year ended 31 March 2023 Flnancial review PRINCIPLE FUNDING SOURCES Financial revlew Against the backdrop of limited resources and insecuritses over funding, it has contFnued to be difficuli to plan or develop services. Nevertheless the charity, with the aid of sound financial management and the support of both its staff and volunteers generated a positive financial outcome for the period with a net increase in funds of £272,655. Recurrent funding Services are primarily funded by the Housing Executive's Homelessness and Supporting People programmes by way of grant and contract income from Northem Ireland Housing Executive. Fundlng (other) Asid8 from r8current funding we continue to generate income through fund raising activities and charitable donations. Our Charity of the Year partnership with Citi Bewast has be8n v8ry successful and w8 have also increased our number of regular donors-, we ujrrenlly have over 180 individuals who donate either monthly or annually. As we seek to fijrther develop our services the charity wll continue to seek to diversify funding sources. Designated Reservos In order to make a judgement on the amount of reserve th8 Board consider Ihe risks in respect of expenditure. unrestricted income and where appropriate restricted incorne and where funds can only be realised by the disposal of a fixed asset. A risk assessment is undertaken annually and detemiined using a Risk Identtfication approach. Also taken into consideration are any extemal identified potential major risks to income and expenditure during the year. Designated reserves therefore reflect areas outlined in the Organisations Risk Register which is maintained to ensure identified risks are mitigated for and managed appropriately. The Organisation has adopted a policy io build up and retain cash reserves equalling 6 months running costs. to reflect: historic delays in statutory funding receipts. - withdrawal or reduction of govemment funding - support for Organisational growth Reserves and Risk are reviewed regularfy as part of the Business Planning and included in Financial reporting at regular Board Meetings. Rlsk Management The Board has conducted a review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed. A risk register has been established and is updated at leasl annually. Where appropriate, systems or procedures have been established to mitigate the risks the charity faces.
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporating the Director's Report) (¢gnUnuedJ Year ended 31 March 2023 Intemal control risks are minimised by the implementstion of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and prOjes. Policies and procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers, lients and visitors services. Procedur8s are periodi(llY reviewed to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the charity. Charitable Status The Organisation continues to be registered as a charitywith the Northem Ireland Charities Commission and evidenced compliance standards. Directors, responsibilities statèmont The directors, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the directors. report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generalty Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the charity directors to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the incoming resources and application of r8sourc8s, including the income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to.. select suitab18 accounting pdiaes and then apply them consistently: observe the methods and prinaples in the applicable Chariiies SORP., make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; prepare the financial statements on the going concem basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity WTII continue in business. The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable aUraCY at any time the financial position of the charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Welcome Organisation Company Limited by Guarantee Directors. Annual Report (Incorporatlng the Director's Report) (contlnued) Year ended 31 March 2023 Auditor Each of the persons who is a director at the date of approval of this report confimis that: so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit infomiation of which the charty's auditor is unaware" and they have taken all steps Ihat they ought to have taken as a director to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish thal the charity's auditor is aware of that information. The auditor is deemed to have been re-appointed in accordanc8 With secl¢on 487 of the Companies Act 2006. Small company provlslons This report has been prepared in accordan with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption. The directors. annual report was approved on 3 July 2023 and sned on behalf of the board of trustees by: Mr J Whyte Director io