EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The trustees present their port and consolidated financial statemenls for the year ended 31 March 2024. The financial statements have been prepared in a¢cordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with th8 charivs 'Memorandum and Articles of Asso¢iation, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and R8POrting by Charities.. Staternent of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their a¢¢ounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)" Obje¢tive$ and actlvltles The trustees have tsken cognisance of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on publi¢ benefit as defin&d in Ihe Charities Act (Northem Ireland) 2008. The aim of East Belfast Communty Development Agency ('The Agency.) and the group is to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of East Belfast and its environs (the -area of ben8fil') without dislindion of age, sex. race or political, religiou5 Qr other opinions by as50¢iating th8 statutory authorities, voluntary and community organisations and inhabitan15 in a common effort to relieve povety, advance education and develop the capacity and skills of the members of the socially and economically disadvantaged communities of East Belfast in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and lo participate fully in society. The rjrincipal 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 East Belfast Network Centre. Values and Prin Participation The Agency works proaclively to ensure that people have the opportunity to fvlly contribute lo, and shar8 in. decision-making processes in relation to policies and programmes that will affect them. Inclusion The Agency supports and promotes work which builds ¢ommunities that indude groups and people that have been most marginalised. Fairness The Agen opposes harassment, viclimisation and prejudice of any kind. The Agency is committed to ensuring that they do not discriminate against anyone within, or in contact with, The Agency on the grounds of gender, race, nationalty. ethnic origin, disability, responsibility for dependents, sexuality. age, economic status. religious or political belief or marital status. This includes all the groups highlighted in Equalty Legislation as outlined in Section 75 of the {1998) Northem Ireland Act. Good Practice The Agency values learning from other places and will promote identified good practice amongst members and other stakeholders.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORn ICONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Introduction This report ¢overs the work delivered during the period April 2023 - March 2024. Some of the highlights are daity management of East Belfast Neork Cenlre, a base for 10 groups wilh over 60 staff., moving on lo the next stage of the chatty bench project which engaged 18 community groups., ongoing development of work with the menopause cafes and the developmenl of wellbeing cafe5. We were pleased to get our Community Connections Programme started in May 2023 with the employment of 2 new members of stsff, this allowed us lo support Ihe establishment of East Belfast Anti-Poverty Alliance and the Welcome Café's. We continue to collaboratively manage the various East Belfast Forums and Networks.. ongoing development of work with mens groups has increased in Ihis period,. delivery of the very successfijl pain management programme; conlinuing with access Nl checks for staff and volun18ers of East based organisations., supporting groups in managing their finance and resources. We are active member of various committees and groups these include Dept for Communities Review of Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy Development Planning- Belfast Stories Oversight Advisory Group.. NICVA Executive., Eastside Partnership Board. Inner East Forum. Inner East Neighbourhood Partnership- Charily Commission Nl Stakeholder Forum. BCC Shared City Partnership. In January 2024 we began the procèss of developing our new strategy foi the period 2025 - 2030. working through the initial process with Board and staff. We had a first draft ready for our members $8minar in June 2024, to gather views and opinions With the final do¢ument published for the AGM in December 2024. The crlterla or mèasures used to assess succe88 in thb rnporting period EBCDA is funded to carry out its work by several funders. All funders assign to EBCDA a series of largets andlor objectives through their letter of offer or contracl 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 fund8rs on a 3 monthly and 6 monthly basis. All the largets andlor objectives are linked to our 3 strategic themes. Applications for fvnding are agreed by the Board of Directors and as each letter of offer or contract for funding ¢omes in, the targets andlor objectives wilhin these are presented to the Board of Directors. Progress against the largets andlor objectives are reported to the Board at 6 month and 12 month intervals in each financial year. Achlevements and porfomian¢e Theme l - Community Support & Capacity Bulldlng: To assess the need5 of Ihe community sector and work with other key organisations Workgd direcuy with 1,627 peopl8 delivered a seNice to over 4,531 people in conjunction with othar partners in Easl Belfast. People involved Male 35% Femalg 65% Worked with 144 Organisations 17 were full members 15 were associate members 92 were based in East Belfasl 17 We Belfast based 9 were Northem Ireland wide
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 176 peop18 attended va170us lomms 12 East Bellast Youth Prdcb"Ifofi8ff3 Forum 2 East Belfast Youth Work Strategy Group 9 East Belfast chheS Forum 2 Easl Belfasl Health Fornm 10 East Belf8sI Race Relalions Nehvorf( 7 East BglfastAnti-PovertyAlli8nc8 10 East Bemast Tension *Vonitoring (Co-Chai¢ 13 Inner East Fonim 10 Communily Development Café 4 VoluntgerDevelopm8nt Nelwotk 5 East Belfast R?od Provision N81work 4 Drug & Alcohol Stakeholders Forum 12 East Belfast Street Work, Stakeholde 6 East Belfast Dementia Friendly Steering Group (Co-chair) 4 Men's Health Ne0 12 e-bulletin produ¢ed and distributed to 361 subscribgrs. 6 Youth Prnctitioners e-bulletin pmduced and distn'buted to 38 subscribers. 24 groups 8UPPQrted with bolh apptying for and n7anaging lunding. 8 Access Nl Information Sessions. l training session on Sexual Orientation & G8ndgr Identity (SOGIJ. 1 EBCDA Members Seminar. 5 consultatffons facilitated in relation lo developments affecting East Belfast. 13 Groups supported th developing polices, reSoUeS and training lo strengthen the management of their organisabon. 15 Groups supported with capacity buiklffng, community d8velopm8nt, good relations and good govemance proc8dures. 9 groups provid8d wilh Compassion Fatigue Training. I Small Wortds training session. 11 groups supported Accgss Nl Ch8cks l training session on Unconscious Bias. 7 mental health and well-being workshop lo¢ussed on youth workers. 77 groups provid8d wilh infonnalion session on Community Wealth Building. 30 peopl& pmcassed through Access Nl Disclosures. l FirSt"d at wort( Training for g gmups targ8t8d at their volunt88rs. 2 Vaping awareness sessions. 24 Volunt88ffS SUPPOrted through training opportunities. 4 seswons of newly est8blish8d Welcome Café fornew anivals to East Belfasl.. 7 people completed coaching programme with 55 sessions provided 8 gmups facilitated thn)ugh a proc8ss of support. 4 Lobbwng skills sessions delIVed. 8 Youth Strategy Group meetings. 82 sessions delivered by E8St B8lfast street Team Collaborative Programme. 2 groups supported M"th Charity Commission Nl r8gistralion. 3 gmups supported M'th Charity Commission Nl filing process. 1 Celebrate East Volunteers event. l -Inspire" 8vent Trcogni&ng the contribution young people make to East Belfast. 15 Peoplg Start8d 3 year Emerng Leaders Pmgr8mme. Theme 2- Community Resource & Finance Services: To manage our human and physi¢al resoUS and promote good financial management practice in the community sector. Managed EBCDA and TAS Tmst day to day finance. Managed an additi'onal £34,000. Pmvided a paymll seThice for 6 groups covering 32 metnbers ofstaff. Provided Indepenclent Examinah'on for 8 grt)ups. Provided HR advice to 13 groups. Managed day lo operations of East Belfast Netwo Centre "th 10 organis8tions and over 60 staff based in the cent.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS, REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Theme 3 - Community Health Development To encourage, SUPPDrt and facilitate the prowsion of community hearth programm8s and pn)iects. Managed and deliV8d Communilies in Tr8nsition H8allh & Wellbeing Programme engaging 29 organisations engaging 903 people participating.. D9 & alcohol training Wellbeing wort(shops Men s health pmgramm88 Mental health programmes Chatty Bench progrnmme 7 He81th observance day sessions e.g. ¢an¢er aWanesS n70nth, wortd A1zhginrS day, intemational women s day etc. 17 men s health falk s8ssions. 34 Yoga ses&ons. 32 Tai Chi sessions. 42 Men's "days Out" events. 810 self-Ca packs distributed. 18 Men s gmups supported. 11 Armchair exeroise sessions. 40 soft ahery, indoor goll, inflatable dart l)oaKI and boccia games s8ssJons. 37 Health awareness sessions with men's groups. 38 Take 5 Staps to Well-Being sess$. 4 'Eating heatthy on a budgey sessions. 2 Pain support prcyrammes. 9 pain support caf8S. 5 Liwng well workshops delivered. 10 'Hug In A Box" packs dgliverod. 10 Reflexology SeSsnS delivered. 11 Take 5 '1n A Jarf. ses&ons. 10 M8nopause Cafés. 6 groups supported to develop w0nn Home Safev proGess. 4 °Time for You" Wom8ns pmgrammg delivered. 20 'Forget Me NOV packs delivered. 50 East Belfast Drug & AIGohol Semice leaflets delivered. 8 Well-Being Cafés. 9 Strèss Awarnness programmes d8livar8d. 8 Carers Café sessions. 10 groups engaged in the Red Box Project. 30 Community coaching sessions. 2 Suicide awareness 8nd mental heatth sessions. 23 Stspss reduction sassions. 21 Well-being projects delivernd. 17 Mental health aw?ne$S sessions. 1 Suicide ffrsl aid programme delivered. 27 organisations support8d with deliv8ry ol their local heatth event. Overall Provided an East Belfast view at online meetings, face to face meetings, conferenc8S and seminars with local Community Organisalions, Residents Groups, Local GPS, Local Pharmacies, Public Health Agency, Belfast City Council, NICVA, Belfast H8alth & SocAal Care Ttust, Department for Communilies, The Executive Office. Community Empowerment Division. Belfast stories, BCC Voluntary Community & Social Enterprise Panel, NICVA. NIO. East Belfast MP, ML4s and Cllrs.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORD (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Flnancial roViOW The Agency's main source of funding is from government departments, principally the Department for Communities, Public Health Association, and Belfast Cty Council. The expenditure detai18d in notes 7 & 8 of the financial stslements has supported the Agency's key objectives as highlighted on page 1. The Agency is a non-profit making organisation and th8se financial statemenls Consolidate the results of the Agency and its subsidiary undertaking. TÈmplemor8 Avenue School Trust I'Th8 Trust.). The consolidated results for the year are Set out in detail on pages 15 to 30. The group recorded net incoming resources for the y8ar of £6,16412023- net outgoing resour5 £28,623). At 31 March 2024, the total fijnds of the group amounted lo £3.004,142 comprising restricted funds of £2,717,906 and unrestricted funds of £286,238. A large proportion of income received by The Agency is earmarked by the donor for specific purposes (restricted income). Other income g8n&rated by The Agency is received as free monies {unreslri¢ted income) which can be allocated to core running cosls. The unrestricted funds are considered to be essential as it is anticipated that over the next few years, the funding available to the group may not be maintained at its current level. Unrestricted funds will therefore be essenlial to finan¢e the working capital, continue the group's adivities in th8 short temi and fulfil its legal responsibilities to ernployees and creditors. Reserves Polic Advice sought by Ihe directors suggests that reseNes should be set at be08n 100/0 and 150h of total inGorning resources. Approxirnately 90 A of incoming resources in The Agency comes from grants and voluntary income. The remaining 109/0 is generated by providing services such as room hire and independent pieces of work such as consultation. Therefore it is difficult for The Agency to generate substsntial amounts of money that could be considered as free reseNes. The majority of incoming resources of the Trust relates to unrestricted funds. At 31 March 2024 the group held free resee$ of £244,568. Th8 trustees have assessed the rnajor risks lo which the charily is exposed, and are satisfied thal systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. Risk Mana ment The trustses have actively reviewed the major risks whidi The Agency and Ihe group face, one of which is the risk that funding and income levels could fall for a period of time. The trustees believe thal maintaining the unrestricted reserves at the required levels to finance the working capilal and continue Ihe ¢h8rity's activities on short term basis, combined with the annual review of th8 controls over the key financial systems, will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. The trustees have also 8xamined other business and operational risks which The Agency faces and confim that they have established systems to mitigate signfficant risks.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ure ans includin ai ive and activitie5 o achieve the Established in 1970 as East Belfast Youth Council and then in 1973 as East Belfasl Community Council. The name was changed again in 1989 to East Belfast Community Development Cenlre. In 1996 we merged with East Belfast Developmenl Agency, who had been promoting and supporting community businesses, to form East Belfast Comtnunwty Development AgenGy seeking to develop the best of the work of those two 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 il did 54 years ago, but we are confident that our experiences to date and our skills and knowledg& base will help move us and the community sector in East Belfast, into a brighl and successful future. Whilst our funders normally only offer fvnding year-on-year we usually follow the same targets andlor objectives thal are set by the funders. During the 2023-2024 period we have been lucky to have continuation funding from of our long time funders. Two of Ihese were for the period 2023 - 2025, one for the period 2023 - 2026 and a another for the period 2023 - 2027. Another funder continues to fund us year on year. which isn't ideal. but we are gratefvl for their continued support. structur•. governance and management Easl Belfast Community Development Agency was estsblished as a company under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the company and is governed unéer its Arlicles of Association. The Agen¢y is governed by the Board of Truslees. 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 trustees to retire 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 serve until the next Annual General Meeting. New trustees are briefed on their leg81 obligations under charity and company law, the content of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. the committee and decision rnaking process, the business plan and recenl performance of The Agency. They are free to discuss any issue with other trustees or key employees. Trustees are encouraged to attend any appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the undertaking of their role. The trustees. who are a150 the dire¢tors for the purpos8 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 Bemadette McConn811 Liz Oslon Calherine Purdy Gareth Wright Samuel Robinson Richard Williamson (Appointed 12 December 2023) (Appointed 11 June 2024)
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES, REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ments for settin ileria u m neration of ke mana ement rsonnel and benchmarks ar The Board of Directors, who are the charty's trustees alongside the senior management team, comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing, controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. All of the Board of Directors give of their time fr8ely and none have receiv8d remuneration in the year. The pay of the senior staff is set by reference to guidance and utilisation of NJC pay scales. In view of the nature of the d)arity, the Directors ben¢hmark against pay levels in olher similar size chatwties and level of experien¢e, when appointing new members of key management. Funds held as Custodian trustee The Agency is responsible for receiving and distributing funds on behalf of the Department for Communities. £300,578 {2023 - £318,266) was received and distributed during the year and no balance was held in relation to these monies al 31 March 2024. Statement of Trustees. responslbllllles The tnjstees. who are also the directors of East Beltast 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 United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Pradice). Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial ststements for each financial year which giv8 a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the group and parent 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 ststements, the twstees are required to= S8lect suitable accounting policies and then apply them Consistently: - obserie the methods and principles in the Charities SORP., make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent., state whelher applicabl8 UK Accounting Standards have been followed. subject lo any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements., and prepare the financial statements on the going con¢em basis unless il is inappropriate to pr8sum8 that the group and charity will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose wilh reasonable accuracy at any lime the financial position of the group and charitable company and enable th8m to ensure that the financial statements comply with Ihe Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the ¢harity and hence for takn-ng reasonable steps for the prevention and deteGtion of fraud and other irregularities. Auditor In accordance wilh the company's artides, a resolution proposing that GMCG BELFAST b8 reappointed as auditor of the MpanY will be put at a General Meeting.
EAST BELFAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TRUSTEES. REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS. REPORT> {CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Small ¢ompanie8 exemption In preparing this report, the directors have taken advantage of the small companies exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies A¢1 2006. Discloguro of infonnation to auditor Each of the trustees has confimied that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, but of which the auditor is unaware. They hav8 further confirmed that they have taken appropriate steps to idenlify such relevant information and lo establish that the auditor is aware of such information. The Trustees, report was appro d by the Board of Trustees. Cathe Direct rdy Dated: ...