EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 The trustees present their report and consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's 'Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland {FRS 102) (effective 1 JanLtary 2019)" Objectives and actlvltles The trustees have taken cognisance of the Charily Commission for Northem Ireland's guidance on public benefit as defined in the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. The aim of East Belfast Community Development Agency I'The Agency'l and the group is to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of East Belfast and its environs (the 'area of benefit.) without distinction of age, sex, race or political, religious or other opinions by associating the statutory 8Uthorilies, voluntary and community organisalions and inhabitants in a common effort to relieve poverty, advance education and develop the capacity and skills of the members of the socially and economically disadvantaged communities of East Belfast in such way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate fully in society. The principal activity of the group and Company is the charitable operation of various projects to benefit the welfare of the inhabitants of East Belfast and the development and operation of an Easl Belfast Network Centre. Values and Princi Participation The Agency works proactively to ensure that people have the opportunity to fully conlribute to, and share in, decision-making processes in relation to policies and programm8s that will affect them. Inclusion The Agency supports and promotes work which builds communilies that include groups and people that have been most mar9inalised. Fairness The A9ency opposes harassment, victimisation and prejudice of any kind. The Agency is committed to ensuring that they do not discriminale against anyone within, or in Contact with, The Agency on the grounds of gender, race, nationalily, ethnic origin. disability, responsibility for dependents, sexuality, age, economic status, religious or political belief or marilal status. This includes all the groups highlighted in Equality Legislalion as outlined in Section 75 of the (1998) Northern Ireland Act. Good Practice The Agency values learning from other places and will promole identified good practice amongst members and other stakeholders.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORTI (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Introductlon This annual report covers the period April 2022 - March 2023. With the dreaded Covid now behind us, but recognising it is still around, we have been able to gel back to more face to face meetings and engaging more and more with community groups in East Belfast. This report highlights the work EBCDA have delivered during the April 2022 - March 2023 period which includes daily management of East Belfast Network Centre which is a base for 10 groups., chatty bench project which engaged 23 community groups., ongoing development of work with the menopause cafes and the development of wellbeing cafes., support for the various East Belfasl Forums and NeorkS we collaboratively manage. management of Belfast City Council Hardship Fund, working with 25 community groups to deliver throughout East Belfast,. ongoing development of work with men's groups,. delivery of the very successful pain management programme,. access Nl checks for staff and volunteers of East based organisations, supporting groups in managing their finance and resources.. member of Dept for Communities Review of Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy Development Planning.. member of Belfast Stories Oversight Advisory Group,. member of NICVA Executive Committee, member of Shared City Partnership, member of Belfast Healthy Cities Board,. development and successful funding by the National Lottery Community Fund of our Community Connections Programme, which will start in May 2024. The crlterla or measures used to assess success In the reportlng perlod EBCDA is funded to carry out ils work by several funders. All funders assign to EBCDA a series of targets andlor objectives through their letter of offer or contract for funding. The targets andlor objectives are assigned to each member of staff and that member of staff completes progress reports. which are then submitted to funders on a 3 monthly and 6 monthly basis. All the targets andlor objectives are linked to our 3 strategic themes. Applications for funding are agreed by the Board of Directors and as each letter of offer or contract for funding comes in the largets andlor objectives within these are presented to the Board of Directors. Progress against the targets andlor objectives are reported to the Board at 6 month and 12 month intervals in each financial year.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Achlevements and perfomiance Theme 1- Communlty Support & Capaclty Bullding: To assess the needs of the community sector and work with other key organisations w0ed directly with 1,523 people delivered a sefvice to over 4, 132 people in Gonjunction with other partners in East Belfast. People involved Male 34% Female 660A Wortgd wilh 141 Organisations 19 were full membe 13 were associate members 84 werp based in Easl Belfast 14 We Belfasl based 11 were Northem Ireland wide 153 people attended various fomms 12 East Belfast Youth Practilioners Fonjm 2 East Belfasl Youth Wort( Slralegy Group 9 East Belfast Churches Fonim 4 Easl Belfast Heallh Fomm 9 Easl Belfast Race Relations Forum 10 East Belfast Tension Monilonng (Co-Chai¢ 14 Inner Easl Fomm 10 Community Dev81opment Café 4 Volunteer developmenl me81ings 4 Dnig & Alcohol Stakeholders Forum 11 East Belf8sI Street Work, Stakeholders 9 East 8elfasl Demen¢ia Friendly S¢eenng Group (Co-chair) 12 e-bullelin produced and dislributed to 353 subscribers. 4 Youth Practitione e-bullatin produced and dislributed to 45 recipients. 24 groups supported wilh both applying for and managing funding. 4 Access Nl infonnation sessions. 9 lacililated Gonsultations in latiOn to developments affecting Easl Belfast. 10 Good Govemance sessions. 16 Groups supported with capacily building, community developm8nl & good relations. 5 9UpS pn?vided wilh unconscious biased and wellbeing training. 10 gmups supported with Access Nl Checks. 50 people pmcessed through Access Nl Disclosures. 15 gn)ups pmvided with cultural inclusion and minonty benefit entitlement Iraining. 24 Volunteers supported through training opportunities. 12 people completed coaching pmgrdmme with 62 sessions provided. Facilitated a pmcess of support for 8 new gmups. Pmduced BME local services map for East in 6 different languages. 82 sessions delivered by East Belfast Street Team Collaboralive Programme. 3 Themed network discussion related to youth work in East Belfast. 81 youth volunleers provided wilh opportunity lo gain new skills. 2 grDUPS SUPPOrted with Chanty Commission Nl registration. 3 groups supported with Charity Commission Nl filing process. 1 Celebrate East Volunteers event.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Theme 2- Communlty Resource & Finance Servlces: To manage our human and physical resources and promote good financial management practice in the community sector. Managed EBCDA and TAS Trust day to day finance. Managed day to operations of East Belfast Network Centre wilh 10 organisatn$ and over 60 staff based in the Gentre. Provided meeling space for 356 meetings, confeTrnces, seminars and tTrining 8V8nts in East Belfast NerwO Centre catering for 8, 800 people. Managed an additional £290, 000 (approx. £264, 000 related to Covid funds from BCC and Dfc). Worked closely with East Belfast Covid-19 Reference Group to facilitate the management and delivery of the East B8lf8St Hardship Fund with 25 East Belfast Groups. Theme 3- Communlty Health Development: To encouTrge, support and facililate the pmvision ofcommunily health programmes and projects. Managed and delivered Communities in Transition Health & Wellbeing Pmgramme engaging 30 organisations engaging 883 people p8rticipating,' Dnig & alcohol training Wellbeing wortshops en s health programm8S Wellbeing retreal for community wortfer5 Chatty bei?ch programme development 11 Health obseryance day sessions e.g. cancer awaneSS monlh. world Alzheimers day, intemational women s day 81c. 31 Yoga sessions 34 Tai Chi sessions 12 Men s Move MOTr C8nc8r Support Programm8 sessions 25 Health session with men's gmups I l Heallh sessions facilitated with Connswater Community Greenway 18 Take 5 Steps to Well-Being programmes 2 Pain support programmes 6 Pain support cafes 11 Take 5 "In A J8f' sessions 4 ACES programm8s deliVed 8 Menopause Cafés 8 Well-Being cafés 9 stss A wareness programmes delivered 8 Carers Café sessions 10 gmups engaged in the Red Box Project 18 appointments for men at Cancer Bus 1 ASIST Suicide awareness progTrmme 2 Suicide First Aid coUe8 3 Community Resilience cours8S 19 Archery sessions 8 Arts and health sessions 20 facilitated women s health activities l access to health seNices wothshop 10 women s fitness sessions 30 community coaching sessions 10 dementia friendly steering group mg8tings 8 dementia awareness programmes 10 nutrit w0shopS 7 menopause celebration events Overall Provided an East Belfast view at online meetings, face to face meetings, conferences and seminars with the Ptjblic Health Agency, Belfast City Council, NICVA. Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, Department for Communilies, The Executive Office, Community Empowerment Division, Dfc Emergencies Leadership Group, NICVA, NIO.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Flnanclal revlew The Agency's main source of funding is from government departments. principally the Department for Communities, Public Health Association, and Belfast City Council. The expenditure detailed in notes 6 & 7 of the financial statements has supported The Agency's key objectives as highlighted on page 1. The Agency is a non-profit making organisation and these financial statements consolidate the results of the Agency and its subsidiary undertaking, Templemore Avenue School Trust I'The Trust,). The consolidated results for the year are sel out in detail on pages 15 to 30. The group recorded net outgoing resources for the year of £28.623 (2022- £126,973). At 31 March 2023, the total funds of the group amounted to £2.997,978 comprising restricted funds of £2,756,461 and unrestricted funds of £241,517. A large proportion of income received by The Agency is earmarked by the donor for specific purposes {restricted income). Olher income generated by The Agency is received as free monies (unrestricted income) which can be allocaled to core running costs. The unreslricted funds are considered to be essential as it is anticipated that over the next few years, the funding available lo the group may not be maintained at its current level. Unrestricted funds will therefore be essential to finance the working capital, continue the group's activities in the short term and fulfil its legal responsibilities lo employees and creditors. Reserves Polic Advice sought by the directors suggests that reserves should be set at beeen 104/0 and 150/> of total incoming resources. Approximately 90010 of incoming resources in The Agency comes from grants and voluntary income. The remaining 100/0 is generated by providing services such as room hire and independent pieces of work such as consultation. Therefore il is difficult for The Agency to generate substanlial amounts of money that could be considered as free reserves. The majority of incoming resources of the Trust relales to unrestricted funds. At 31 March 2023 the group held free reserves of £203,129. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. Risk Mana eme The trustees have actively reviewed the major risks which The Agency and the group face, one of which is the risk that funding and income levels could fall for a period of time. The trustees believe that maintaining the unrestricted reserves at the required levels to finance the working capital and continue the charity's a¢livilies on a short term basis, Combined with the annual review of the controls over Ihe key financial systems, will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. The trustees have also examined other busirbess and operational risks which The Agency faces and confimi that they have established systems lo mitigate significant risks.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Future lans includin aims and ob'ectives and activities lanned to achieve them Established in 1970 as East Belfast Youth Council and then in 1973 as East Belfast Community Council. The name was changed again in 1989 to East Belfast Community Development Centre. In 1996 we merged with East Belfast Development Agency, who had been promoting and supporting community businesses, to form East Belfast Community Development Agency seeking to develop the best of the work of those organisations. Despite the name changes over the years the Agency has always had the support and development of the community in East Belfast at the forefront of all the work it has done. Today, EBCDA exists in a very different world to what it did 53 years ago, but we are confident that our experiences lo date and our skills and knowledge base will help move us and the community sector in East Belfast, into a bright and successful future. Whilst our funders normally only offer funding year-on-year we usually follow the same targets andlor objectives that are set by the funders. During the 2022 - 2023 period we have lucky to have received funding from of our long time funders. Two of these were for the period 2023 2025 with another for the period 2023 2026. Anolher continues to fund us year on year, which isn't ideal, but we are grateful for their continued support. We pleased to have developed 8 successful funding application lo the National Lottery Community Fund for our Community Connections Programme, this will start in May 2024 and will employ two additional members of staff. Structure* governance and management East Belfast Community Development Agency was established as a company under a Memorandum of Association which established the obie¢ls and powers of Ihe ¢ompany and is governed under its Articles of Association. The Agency is governed by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees, who are elected by the members, consist of up to twelve elected persons. Every third year one half of the elected trustees retire by rotation. The Irustees to relire are those who have been longest in office since their last election. A retiring trustee is eligible for re-election. Five Co-opted persons are appointed by the Board and seNe until the next Annual General Meeting. New trustees are briefed on their legal obligations under charity and company law, the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the committee and decision making process, the business plan and recent performance of The Agency. They are free to discuss any issue wilh other trustees or key employees. Trustees are encouraged lo attend any appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the undertaking of their role. The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were.. Robert Cleland {Resigned 14 November 2023) Annie Cook Rachael Davison Samuel Douglas Mervyn Gibson Bernadette Mcconnell Liz Oslon Catherine Purdy Emma Shields Gareth Wright (Resigned 31 MaTch 2023) (Appointed 11 October 2022) Mr Samuel Douglas resigned as trustee on 14 June 2022 and was subsequently reappointed on 11 October 2022.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Arran or ements for s eria used ttin and remuneration of ke mana ement ersonnel and an benchmarks arameters The Board of Directors, who are the charity's trustees alongside the senior management team, comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing, controlling, wnning and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. All of the Board of Directors give of their time freely and none have received remuneration in the year. The pay of the senior staff is set by reference to NICVA guidance and utilisation of NJC pay scales. In view of the nature of the charity, the Directors benchmark against pay levels in other similar size charities and level of experience, when appointing new members of key management. Funds held as custodlan trustee The Agency is responsible for receiving and distributing funds on behalf of the Departmenl for Communities. £318,266 {2022 - £264,926) was received and distributed during the year and no balance was held in relation lo these monies at 31 March 2023. statement of Trustees. respon$lbllltle3 The trustees, who are also the directors of East Belfast Community Development Agency for the purpose of Company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees, Report and the group financial statements in accordance with applicable law and Uniled Kingdom Accounting Standards {United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial stalemenls for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the slate of affairs of the group and parenl charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the group for that year. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to.. select suitable accounting policies and then apply them con51Stently' observe the methods and principles in the Charilies SORP., make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent,. stale whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject lo any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.. and prepare the financial slatemenls on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the group and Charity will continue in operation. The Iruslees are responsible for keeping adequate accounling records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the group and charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Acl 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. Audltor In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that GMCG BELFAST be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting. Taxatlon Status The Agency is recognised as a charity by the HM Revenue and Customs. Accordingly, the Agency has availed of the exemptions contained in Chapter 3 Part 11 Corporation Taxes Act 2010 and Section 256 Taxation of Chargeable GainsAct 1992.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023 Small companles exemption In preparing this report, the directors have taken advantage of the small companies exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006. Dlsclosure of Inforniation to audltor Each of the trustees has confirmed that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, bul of which the auditor is unaware. They have further confirmed that they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to establish that the auditor is aware of such information. The Truslees, Teport was approved by the Board of Trustees. Catherlne P Director