North West Ufelong Learnlng Umlted Trustees Annual Report North West Lifelong Learning The trustees. who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the unaudlted financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEfAILS Company No. N1603130 Charfty No. N1104592 Prlndpal Office Roe Valley Support & Advice Centre 32 Main Street BALLYKELLY County Londonderry BT49 9HS Re8lstered Office 32 Main Street BALLYKELLY County Londonderry BT49 9HS Dlrectors and Trustees The Directors of the charitable company are its Trustees for the purposes of charity law. The following Directors and Trustees served during the year: Ellzabeth Ferguson Mary Mcmahon Matthew Ferguson Company Seuetary Elizabeth Ferguson Accountsnts Vale Accountsnts 11 Thorndale Terrace BALLYMONEY County Antrim BT53 7AZ Bankers Unity Trust plc 4 Brindley Place Birmingharn 812JB Page 2
North West Llfelong Learnlng Llmlted Trustees Annual Report OBJECTIVES AND AcrivrriES The purpose of North West Lifelong Learning Ltd is to advance the education of the inhabitants of the North West of Northern Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom as frorn tlme to time determined by need, with the object of improving the conditions of life for said inhabitants, in particular offering education and associated support freely to those to those in Its community who are unemployed or who need to acquire new skills for either work purposes or for increased social interaction by associating with statutory authorities, local agencies and community/voluntsry organisations. In the Financial Year 2023-24, NWLL Ltd provided: l. Online learning and assessment e-portfolios lelectronic portfolios) to allow study from either home, work or a classroom. 2. An open exam centre for anyone tsking electronlc exams in any subject across Northern Ireland, Ireland & the UK. 3. Free educational advice and networking support for educatlonal advancement for unemployed & employed beneficiaries; 4. A support and advlce centre registered with Advlce Nl to assist those aged 60+ wlth networkiNa advice for pensions and benefits inforrnation. For the fourth year running. the biggest increase in this fiscal year has been those undertaking study courses with the Associatlon of Accounting Technlcians (MT). Three trained Invigilators are provlded by Ceres Europe INI) Ltd which still shares admin accommodation withln the building at 32 Maln street Balfykelly. Pearson Vue exams, which have been a core for NWLL since 2003 are still an essential part of the facility at NWLL and tske place on dedicated days per month, providing extra income for the charity In terms of rental income. It must be stressed again that NWLL Ltd is still an essential part of the exam structure private provision in Northern Ireland, especlally In the North and North West and is still the only truly open exam centre for those wishlng to take their professional and compliance exams for workplaces and industry. The exam rooms have been inspected again in 2023 and approved for suitsbility for exams. The Ceres Europe invi8llation staff have been commended on their willingness to accommodate both AAT & Pearson clients at short notice and work closely with NWLL Directors to ensure the buildlng structure remains in good condltion. An additional part-time worker was present at the most recent inspection and was commended on hls interaction and assistance to the Inspector. NWLL directors Invest in volunteers who remain a stron8 part of the main charity shop. The charity remains committed to providing educatlonal advice and open exam access for anyone wishlng to carry out their self-study courses. Limavady was chosen in 2018119 as a medium town for the roll-out of Universal Credit (UC), and once again in 2024, NWLL Volunteer Advisers pln-pointed a gap of Information for older rural resldents who have been isolated from main benefit centres in Londonderry and Coleraine. NWLL in Ballykelly is centrally positioned in the village of Ballykelly with other centres almost 20 miles away in either direction. The lack of knowledge of pension requirements and the need to create a Government Gateway account for access to HMRC services has still not been addressed sufficiently in this rural area and NWLL, with its superb knowledge of how to work with older learners still remalns to the fore and Trustees have remained with our original purpose of improving the ICT capabilty of those who are not computer or Internet savvy. NWLL. as the leaseholder. still accommodates both Ceres Europe (Nl) Ltd (Community Education) and Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers (a history group) to share the location and they both provide staff and volunteer support to complete Admin duties. This sharing of costs towards heat, light and power bills is still very welcome, and indeed essential, in this year of rising fuel costs and has played a key role in maintaining the viability of all 3 organisations.x Page 3
North West Ufelong Learnlng Umlted Trustees Anmial Report ACHIEVEMENTSAND PERFORMANCE May 2023: NWLL supported one volunteer through Level 3 Diploma for IT users. May and August 2023: NWLL has provided to their exam centre 3 invigilators, 2 were volunteer invigilators and I was an employed invigilator. One of the volunteer invigilators has now gained employrnent being an invigilator 4 days a month when requested. June 2023. NWLL put all volunteers through a safeguarding familiarisation course and their basic Access Nl Checks. August and September 2023 - two volunteers put through their Level l Food Hygiene and Safety, one volunteer put through Level 2 food Hygiene and Safety. August and November 2023: Five persons (female} aged between 2540 were signed up to complete a course on employability skills and personal development so that they could develop courses and training for others in this rural area that are starting out as volunteers. Two of this group have progressed to study for their assessor award, with one unit complete and currently they are still engaged with the programme developed by Ceres Europe {Nl) Ltd and funded by NWLL. February 2024: a Keeping Adults Safe course vrds completed by one of ourAdmin members and subsequently was signed up for completing the assessor award. February and MaTch 2024: NWLL has helped and assisted 50 people from the local communlty to avail of a Bryson Emergency Relief Cost of Living Grant towards electrlcity In the months of February and March. NWLL advir5 managed to get the assistance they needed In the current cost of living crlsls and these 50 people avalled of £2(X) each, resulting In a total of £10,000 out into the local community, March 2024: NWLL completed a Land Based Skills Recruitment Event with funding from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councll. NWLL continues to mentor the small craft group that operates from the building on a Thursday evening, the craft club avalled of grant assistance from soclal connections that NWLL applied for on their behalf. Shop volunteers completed over 31)0 hours each for the year and are being as5i5ted by a NWLL Director to record their hours and receive certification for thelr volunteer work. FINANCIAL REVIEW The trustees consider the financial performance by the charty during the year to have been satlsfactory. Shop takings are now collected digitally, reducing actual cash in the shop and easier for accounting purposes. The trustees have examined the charitys requlrements for reseNes in the Ilght of the maln risk to the organisation. The working capitsl and future fundlng are dependent on estsbllshlng further reserves going forward. srRvcfuRE. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT North West Lifelong Learning Ltd is a Company Limited by Guarantee and registered wlth both HMRC and the Northern Ireland Charity Commission. Presently it has 3 Volunteer Trustees {2 female, I male). The charity invests heavily in estsblishing reliable and trustworthy long-term volunteers. This would be the base from which to recruit further volunteer5 and potential Trustees. Existing Trustees would recommend, interview and select whom to appoint. A new Director has been mentored from amongst our volunteer base and chosen as an addition to the list of Trustees for the year 2024-25. The Tnjstees are responslble for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial ststements comply with the Companies Act 26. The Trustees are a150 responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The above report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subjert to the small companies regime as set out in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102). Page 4
North West Ufelon8 Learnln8 Umlted Trustees Annual Report Signed on behalf of the board Elizabeth Ferguson Company Secretsry 31 March 2024 Page 5