2023-03-31-annual-report

GLENWARD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL REPORT 2022/2023

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

District Office	Northern Ireland Housing Executive NIHE
Area Office	Northern Ireland Housing Executive NIHE
Owen Brady	Northern Ireland Housing Executive NIHE
Mike Mohan	Northern Ireland Housing Executive NIHE
Gus Moore	Northern Ireland Housing Executive NIHE
Sarah Harkness- Robinson	Supporting Communities NI
Davy Walker	Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI)
Sheldon Whitelaw	Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI)
Donna Mackey	Ards and North Down Borough Council
Stephen Doherty	Glen Community Church
Paul Hawkins	Glen Community Church
Janice Mawhinney	Bee’s Nee’s Nursery
Jillian Wallace	Londonderry Primary School
Karen Flaherty	Londonderry Primary School
Ismay Woods	Newtownards Chronicle
Community Centre Staff	Ards and North Down Borough Council
Naomi Armstrong Cotter	Ards and North Down Borough Council
Jim Shannon MP	Westminster MP
Tracey McVeigh	The Warehouse

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family.

Barbara Bush

Hello everyone, since our last Annual general Meeting we have lost another valuable member of our community and committee my dear wife Roberta so the above quotation to me bears a great significance and perhaps great advice.

Each year in the chairperson’s report, I start with a quotation from someone I find inspiring. This past year the above quotation to me just sums everything up. I have always been a “glass half full” person as opposed to a glass being half empty as I can always see the silver lining each cloud has to offer but this past year has certainly brought personal challenges.

Although we have faced difficult challenges and decisions it has also been encouraging to see so many people pulling and working together for the benefit of our community. I have found great encouragement whilst working with our committee because it reaffirms to me what can be achieved when a number of people come together with a common interest in making their community a better place to live, work, play.

The Glen Ward Community Development Association (GWCDA) is one of those such groups.

Each week members of the community give their time freely to ensure each of the programmes, activities and clubs run smoothly and efficiently and to these people I would like to offer an immense thank you. I would like to thank everyone involved in each group for their support.

GCC Glen Mens Shed Paul Hawkins

Walking Football Billy Tate,

Aerobics/yoga/Pilates Miss Amanda Tate,

Golden Girls +1 Claire McCullough,

Youth Rhonda Redpath, Annette, Ashley Tate, Colin Perry, Paul Hawkins, Big Graham and Carter Campbell.

Bonfire site Mini Sports tournament, Rhonda, Ashley, Ron, Maureen, Carter, Beth and Paul

Thanks also to our local MP, Mr Jim Shannon and his office for their continued support.

Thank you to Councillor Armstrong Cotter for her ongoing support.

Massive thank you to our friend Mr Stephen Doherty for his pastoral support within our community, we are truly blessed to have you Stephen for your friendship, guidance and support.

During the past year the GWCDA have continued to maintain links with St Marks church and CFC church who provide food hampers for those in need within our community.

The Association have continued to maintain very positive working relationships with the statuary agencies such as Police service, Housing Executive, Housing associations, south Eastern Health trust, Ards & North Down Borough Council, dept. for regional development, Londonderry Primary school, Local councillors, MLAs and the MP for the area.

I am very pleased to be able to say that the support our community have received from local business, in both monetary terms and service in-kind has been overwhelming.

Sam cotter COTTERS, Clives Country Corner, Colin Adams Motor parts,

Joy and Gayle, Garden of Eden fruit &Veg, Pattons Bakery, Pauley’s

Parlour ice cream, Mr Gippy Ice Cream, John Gray Funeral Directors, Ray Grahams

Gary luney TODAYS GLENARD

Over the years the Newtownards Chronicle have been supportive within our community by way of providing coverage of all GWCDA events as well as our local weekly information column, “Glen Gleanings”

Thanks to Paul and Claire for our regular posts and pics on our facebook page.

Finally, A big thank you to the community in which we serve for supporting our efforts throughout the year should it be by way of comments (positive or negative) on our face book page, and for your continued support in attending our groups and events.

Help us look after each other, a wee phone call or chat over the fence goes a long way

Your friend and Neighbour

John A Gibson Esq BEM Chairperson,

Glen Ward Community Development Association

GWCDA ACTIVITIES

YOUTH

We have continued to hold our Youth Club every Friday night for P1-P7 aged children during term time. We also have continued on this year with the sports evenings running weekly at the top of the estate, these have proved to be a great success.

QUEENS PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATION

In June 2022 we hosted a celebration day honouring HM Queen Elizabeth II on her 70years service to our country. We held an old fashioned family street party with live entertainment, merry go round, bouncy castles, food and refreshments and old fashioned games.

GWCDA FAMILY FUNDAY

The Annual Family Fun Day was in July 2022. We received funding from Ards and Northdown Borough council to hold a Cultural Festival Funday that was very well attended by all our residents. This year we brought out all the local talent in the Glen with our very own Glen Factor this was a fantastic day of entertainment.

BONFIRE PROGRAMME

The GWCDA has committee members who sit on the Ards and North Down Borough Council Bonfire Group. This is a working group made up of representatives from the housing estates in Newtownards, the NIHE, PSNI, and the Ards and North Down Borough Council Good Relations Officer. The group meets throughout the year to address any problems such as cleaning issues arising from bonfires, and to plan and access funding for the summer’s cultural events culminating in the July Community Fun Day.

These events where funded by the Ards and North Down Borough Council Good Relations Office, with additional fundraising made by Committee Members of the GWCDA.

HALLOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS PARTIES

The GWCDA held our annual Halloween and Christmas Parties, these events are always very well attended by our younger residents and its great to see them get so excited about the holidays.

ADVICE SURGERIES

We would like to say a thankyou to those individuals and organisations that continue to provide advice surgeries for our residents throughout the year. Ian Cox holds his surgery every Monday and Wednesday. Also Cllr Irvine holds a surgery once a month along with Universal Credit support.

FUNDING

The GWCDA appreciates all the assistance that has been given over the last year and, while it is not possible to thank every single individual who has been involved in raising money for the various events and projects, the GWCDA would like to thank the following agencies and organisations:

• Department of Social Development ‘Small Pockets of Deprivation’

• Ards and North Down Borough Council

• Northern Ireland Housing Executive

• Big Lottery Fund

SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks are warmly extended in recognition to all the GWCDA Committee Members for their hard work at delivering food parcels and hygiene packs throughout the pandemic.

The GWCDA would particularly like to thank local sponsors Colin Adams, GlenTor Developments, Patton’s Bakery, Todays Glenard, Homegrown, Regent Flooring, SC News, Cotters, Safeway Logistics, East End Residents, Tumbles Circus, Ray Grahams, John Gray Funeral Directors, South Street Meats and Garden of Eden Fruit and Veg for their generous donations throughout the year.