ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20[th ] JULY 2020
The Trustees of Adullam Christian Ministries are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the year ending 20[th] July 2020 .
OVERALL MISSION
The mission of this Charity is to show the “love of Christ” by helping the most poor, vulnerable and underprivileged within society and also to promote peace and reconciliation within our divided communities through the development of good relations initiatives/ programs, helping to create positive relationships and encourage opportunities for meaningful dialogue between divided communities, based on ethics of Christian love and concern for those in need.
Furthermore, it is our aim to develop projects that directly address conflict or sectarian issues involving all age groups, to promote friendships and relationships of trust as well as greater community understanding.
This organisation also wishes to help alleviate poverty issues, address homelessness, help those in greatest need.
OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES
Charity Objects:
A summary of the objects of the Charity are set out below:-
(a) To promote the participation of all people in good relations initiatives, in Ireland particularly Northern Ireland (North of Ireland), by providing and assisting in the provision of facilities for the development of positive relationships and meaningful dialogue, within communities.
(b) To provide and assist in providing facilities for dialogue, interaction and engagement for those who have need for such facilities by reason of their age, sex, poverty or social or economic circumstances or other disadvantage or in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving their conditions of life.
(c) To advance community development by promoting co-operation and joint activities between people in Northern Ireland/North of Ireland and from all sections of the community.
(d) To engage in and to co-operate with all organizations involved in cross-community work and inter-face community work in Northern Ireland/North of Ireland.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20th JULY 2020
(e) To develop the capacity and skills of the members of the socially and economically disadvantaged community in Northern Ireland in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society.
(f) To advance in life and help people through:
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The provision of recreational and leisure time activities (including holidays) provided in the interest of social welfare, for people living in the area of Northern Ireland, communities who have need by reasons of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, poverty or social and economic circumstances with a view to improving the conditions of life of such persons;
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Providing support and activities which develop their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals.
(g) To provide relief of financial hardship among people living or working in Northern Ireland by providing such persons with goods/services which they could not otherwise afford through lack of means.
(h) To prevent or relief of poverty in Northern Ireland by providing: grants, items and services to individuals in need and/or charities, or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty.
(i) To provide or pay for items, services and facilities to ease the suffering or assist the recovery of people who are sick, convalescent, disabled or infirm.
(j) To set up and administer a series of centres throughout Ireland providing pastoral care, counselling and practical help to all persons in difficulties and in need, regardless of race, religion or gender.
(k) To work towards promoting and establishing rehabilitation centres for persons with drug and alcohol dependency throughout Northern Ireland.
(l) To promote such other charitable purposes as may from time to time be determined.
(m) To meet the above objects within the remit of Christian principals, bringing love, kindness and assistance to the most poor, needy and disadvantaged within our Society, helping to bring about reconciliation between divided communities and provide services to those in need through the ‘Love of Christ’.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20th JULY 2020
Main Activities Undertaken to Further ‘Public Benefit’
During the year, the activities used to promote our Charity objects for the public benefit, included the following:
Adullam Advice Clinic:
During the year the Charity continued to reach out to the local community over all
denominations/traditions/cultures etc., by providing an Advice Clinic to help and assist those in need/in poverty, dealing with various issues such as housing applications/benefits/ homelessness/emergency hostel accommodation, food package referrals, referrals to
drug/alcohol abuse clinics, assistance with single mothers, attendance at tribunals, employment issues, etc. The Charity has been able to help quite a number of people over the year who presented with a wide variety of issues and problems to the Clinic. Meetings are held at the offices of the Charity, but home visits were also made including neutral venues such as local hotels. The Charity, during the year, helped people from all over Northern Ireland, but the majority of cases present themselves from inner city Belfast areas, coming from both sides of the community.
Conflict Resolution and Cross Community Discussions:
During the year there was a number of opportunities to be involved in conflict resolutions of a confidential nature to help reduce tensions within the community interface areas at times of necessity, aimed at forwarding the peace process.
Homeless Team:
During the year, the Trustees are very happy that they have been able to send out a Homeless Team who brings hot drinks, sleeping bags, hats, gloves, etc., to those living on the Streets of Belfast. This is a vital work, bringing much needed help in our City Streets.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20th JULY 2020
Other Cross-Community Events:
During the year we had various cross-community events including the following:
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Annual ‘Free Santa’ – At Christmas every year the Charity is donated various toys for young children for our ‘Free Santa’ event. This brings children from deprived areas of Belfast together from both sides of the community and blesses their children with a ‘free santa’ and gift. The children were very excited indeed and this helped to bless those most in need at Christmas time, showing Christian love and care.
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Easter Dinner – At Easter time there are those who may not have families to go to and/or may not be able to afford a meal out at Easter time for their family. The Charity, every year, organizes with local hotels, at very special rates, a two course Easter Dinner. This has proved very popular with both adults and children and provides much needed help and support and encouragement to many who attend. This Easter dinner was attended by both sides of the community.
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Christmas Dinner – At Christmas time there are those who may not have families to go to and/or may not be able to afford a meal out with their family due to the rising costs of Christmas. The Charity, every year, organizes with local hotels, at very special rates, a two course Christmas Dinner. This, as well as our Easter Dinner, has also proved to be very popular with both adults and children and provides much needed help and support and encouragement to many who attend. This Christmas dinner was also attended by both sides of the community.
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Emergency Assistance/Hospital Visits/Prison Visits/Tribunals – we were also able to provide a number of people with hospital visits and assist people get to their hospital appointments during the year and also Prison Visits and participate in a number Tribunals, supporting and assisting people through these processes.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20th JULY 2020
Food Packages/Christmas Hampers/Christmas Turkey:
During the year the Charity has been able to refer people in need of food to various food banks around the city. Furthermore at Christmas time we were able to provide food vouchers from local shops, across both sides of our community to needy families. Also at Christmas time we were able to provide approximately free Christmas Turkeys with farm vegetables, supplied by a local farm. We also were able to get out approximately 55 pension meat packs again this year for additional food for the elderly over the Christmas Period, supplied by a local Butcher at cost price.
The Believe Centre:
Work on the ‘Believe Centre Project’ (cross-community rehabilitation centre) continued during the year and various meetings and discussions have taken place. The Charity hopes in a couple of years to be in a position to develop a ‘place of refuge’ where those with addictive substance abuse, e.g. drug & alcohol problems, etc., can have a place for long-term support and recovery. The proposed location for this project is in the North Antrim Coast area.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20th JULY 2020
Main Achievements of Charity
The Trustees are happy to report that there have been a number of achievements and performance obtained by the Charity over the year, including the following:
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Advice Clinic: Many people were helped and assisted through the Charities Advice Clinic, from both sides of the community and they have expressed their gratitude to the Trustees. The Advice Clinic during the year has been able to help people obtain housing, help the homeless find accommodation, assist in the completion of forms, refer people to available drug and alcohol units, attend and supporting people in employment/benefit/school tribunals, refer people in need to other charities helping with issues such as domestic violence, etc, etc. The impact of the advice clinic cannot be underestimated as it not only affects the person concerned but also can have an indirect impact on their immediate family and relatives.
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Conflict Resolution: During the year there were a number of opportunities to carry out conflict resolution within our communities, whereby the community contacts that have been built up over the year in regards to peace and reconciliation work have proved useful. Issues dealt with during the year are confidential in nature, but the Charity believes that it has had unique opportunities presented to them during the year to help keep peace and reconciliation over various issues concerning our communities within Northern Ireland.
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Food Banks: The Charity has had opportunities during the year to direct various individuals to food banks, provide food packages at Christmas time, Pensioner Packs and Christmas Hampers.
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Special Events: The Charity has been able to provide opportunities to people on low incomes/those who are lonely/those who are struggling financially to take part in both an Easter and a Christmas Dinner in a local hotel, which proved to be very popular to both adults and children.
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Believe Centre Project: The Charity continued to work on Believe Centre Project for drug and alcohol rehabilitation purposes.
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Homeless Team: The Charity has been able to attend to those most in need homeless on the streets of Belfast, by providing them with hot drinks, clothing, sleeping bags, hats & gloves, friendship and kindness, with the team going out twice a month into the City of Belfast. Clothes and sleeping bags have been provided by many people, specifically for this ministry of which the Charity Trustees are very appreciative.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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The Charity’s main beneficiaries are people living in Northern Ireland. All work above has direct pubic benefit and helps to create positive relationships and meaningful dialogue within the communities of Northern Ireland/with interface work/helping and assisting those in need.
The direct public benefits that flow from these purposes include promoting co-operation and joint activities between the people of Northern Ireland to advance peaceful community development. There are no private benefit flowing from these purposes and they do not lead to harm.
The Trustees are delighted to report that clearly the Charity has made an impact on many beneficiaries from all walks of life and communities during the year, reaching out into many divided communities that are regarded as high deprivation and poverty areas and wish to thank everyone who has helped and assisted in any way, both from a financial and volunteering perspective.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20th JULY 2020
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The Trustees are happy to present the Charities financial statements for 20[th] July 2020 . The Financial Performance in the year to 20[th] July 2020 has been broadly consistent with the Trustee’s forecasts and expectations and they are pleased to report that there were sufficient funds obtained to support the work of the Charity throughout the year and already future funding for further projects is being sought and confirmed.
These Financial Statements have been prepared based on a Receipts and Payments method, in line with advice provided by the new Charities Commission in Northern Ireland for smaller charities with an income under £250,000.
During the year the Charity was able to secure Grant Funding, alongside other donations (restricted and unrestricted), which helped to cover all the necessary running expenses for the Charity, alongside income carried forward from last year. The Charity are pleased to report that they were able to cover all the costs of running the charitable work of the Charity during the year.
The Trustees are happy to report that Grant Funding of £600, alongside Restricted Donations of £1,544.08 and Unrestricted Donations of £1,132.00 were secured during the year helping the Trustees to carry out all the work of the Charity, as presented within this Annual Report.
In assessing the finances and assets of the society it must be noted that the Trustees and Volunteers give a great deal of support in kind. Many purchases are made and the payment never claimed back; for example printing and postage costs, meeting costs, etc., which is very appreciated.
A lot of work and time and effort is put in by the Trustees free of charge, especially regarding the preparation of funding applications for cross-community events, bookkeeping and administration, meetings, telephone calls, organizing events, etc. ,etc.
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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ADULLAM CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 20th JULY 2020
OTHER DONATIONS
Approximately 500 ltrs of oil was donated free of charge by a local oil supplier for use by the Charity. This donation is therefore not included in the statement of receipts and payments, detailed on page 14.
The Trustees would like to acknowledge their sincere thanks and appreciation, regarding the above donation, on behalf of themselves and also the local community, who have indirectly benefitted as a result of these very generous donations.
TRUSTEES STATEMENT REGARDING PUBLIC BENEFIT
In setting out our objectives and planning our activities for the year the Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the Charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries.
This Trustee Annual Report was approved and adopted by a meeting of the Committee on 14[th] February 2021 and signed on their behalf by:
REV PAUL S, BURNS BTh(Hons.) Dip Theo Chairman
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105258
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