Holywell Trust
Report of The Management Committee
Activity and Programmes 2022123
In setting the objectives and planning the activities for the year the Trustees of Holywell Tn]st have given
careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit guidance
to ¢nsur¢ that the activities have helped to achieve the charity's purposes and provide a benefit to the
beneficiariu. The following is a summary of the work delivered durin8 the period, the people who have
benefilted and our achievements over the financial year. These are displayed under the relevant airn5 of the
organisation and show progress against th¢ achievement of th￿e.
Aim a) to maintaln and manage or co.operate wlth any local authorlty In the malntenance of a eentre
or centres In the area of benefit for aetivities promoted by the Trust.
Programme Are￿ActiVIty. Shared space centre provision
Beneficiaries.. In the financial year our shared building at ihe heart of the city centre was used for 1, 798
bookings which were attended by 20, 315 people.
Programme ArealAclivity: Shared Space Exhibitions & Conference
Beneficiaries: Borderlands showcase event was held on 1513123 and focused on an exhibit that Holywell had
developed in partnetship with Derry City and Strabane District Council, This examined the impact of the
border on the community in the North West. The event was attended by 15 people.
Alm: b) to advanee edueAtlon eoncernihg Ènd carry our research Into local hlstory by eollecling and
recordlng infoTmatlon, and In partlcular forniing an archlve of the works of the area of benefit.
Programme ArealActivity: Partnership W0￿[ng
Beneficiari&s: We have worked to maintain and deepen ihe partnership relationships that Holywell Trust has
developed over recent years, As a relatively small charity we are aware that our impact is best amplified by
WOTking in partnership wilh other organisations that share our values. Over the year we have worked in
partnership with The Junction (Core Funding): The John & Pat Hume Foundation (Icad partner on the Peace
Summit project); Diversecity Community Partnership memb¢r5 (Dog Ea￿. Foyle Women's Infornaiion
Nelwork, NoLth West Community Network, REACH Across, The Junclion) and; NW Community Wealth
Building Hub (with a range of sectoral partners facilitated by Development Ttust ND.
Programme AreaJActivity: Strategic Planning & Communications and Marketing
Beneficiaries.. A new 3 year Strategic Plan was asreed during the financial year by the Holywell Trust
Trustees, This plan. which was developed followAng enga8emenl and consultation with our project
participants and partners, charts the way forward for the organisation and will guide our work, 'Working
together towards a Iruly inclusive, shared future,.
Programme ArealActivity: Future Relationship Conversations
Beneficiaries: 3 pieces of research were carried out and launched ai a conference on 23rd June 2022 which
was attended by 404 people. The research papers were: l ) 'A Study of Relevant Literature concerning the
Debate about Northern Ireland's Constitutional Future, David Mccann 2) 'Atlitudes of Protestant community
in Laggan area of East Donegal and iheir family member5 in Northern Ireland) on their acceptance within the
Republic of Ireland since the partition of Ireland and Northern Ireland related issues, including the
constitutional queslion., Brendan Stuigeon 3) 'Healih Services - North and South, Paul Gosling. In addition
sessions were held on NI Protocol (facilitated with QUB) on 219122 and 8111122 which were attended by over
30 people. A Media Seminar was held on 912123 attended by 40+ people. Planning and applicalion was made
for Phase It of the project lo continue beyond this financial year.
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Holywell Trust
Report of The Management Committee
Programme ArealActivity: Future Leaders - Investing in Community Leadership in the West
Beneficiaties: Two cohorts of ihe academic year-long Future Leadeis Programme were delivered in 2021122
& 2022123 with 50 participants. These were inlensive programmes that involved residentials. learning
sessions, fornial ac¢reditation. mentoring and study visits,
Holywell Trust is part of the management group for the Investing in Community Leadership in the West
progrdmme with our partners Fern]anagh Trust and Rural Community Network. tn addition to the bi-monihly
meetings on the programme we delivered 4 sessions durin8 the period, The s¢ssions held We￿ (1111122 -
Partnership Working; 1611 1122 - Reflective Pra¢ti¢e; 1711122 - Independence of C Sector and; 3111123 -
Recruitment & Retention). These sessions were attended by 25 people from across th¢ North West.
Programme Are&lAciivity: Holywell Thist Conversations Podcast
Beneficiaries: Resources were secured during the period for the production of the fourth series of our podcast.
The series was released during 2023 with episodes looking at a range of issues includin81 the Good Friday
Agreement, funding for the community and voluntary sector, human rights and local environmental pollution.
There arel 8 episodes in the series which is CO*faciliiated with journalist Paul Gosling.
Programme ArealActivity.' St. Columb's Hall Heritage Project
Beneficiaries: Dellvered a hen'tage project on the impact and htstory of St. Columb's Hall as a significant
cultural venue in the lives of the local communiiy. 20 people signed up lo ihe project which was completed
by 8 committed individuals. A digilal and physical tour of the building capturing the heritage and stories from
The Hall was also launched.
Programme Are￿ACtivItY.. Thirty
Beneficiarie5: 4 Thirty projects were delivered on a residential b￿15 during the period. These were: l) Civic
Voice: Good Friday Agreement 25 Years On (North-west) 2) Civic Voice: Good Friday Agreement 25 Years
On (Belfast) 3) Education; Towards a System that works for Everyone 4) Legacy: Reconciling the P&st with a
Futurc Focus. Over the whole projKt thc 89 participants arrived at 36 recommendationslsolutions to each of
the issues that were considered. These were shared at an Influencing Workshop on 2913123 that was attended
by 40+ people.
Programme Are&lActivity: Infonnal Connections - Advocacy
Beneficiaries: Holywell Thist lobbied and advocaled on behalf of the local community throughout the year.
This included regular engagement with organisations such as NIO, National Lottery Communily Fund, DFA,
Social Change Initiativ¢ and NICVA. We also hosted a number of visits including wilh the Spxretary of Stale
for Northern Ireland, SBUPB (and ROI Minister of Finance) and the Gernian Ambassador to the UK.
Programme Are￿Activity. Lunchtime Events
Beneficiaries.. One lunchtime event was held during the period. On 8110122 an event was held to mark the
50th anniversary of ihe first civil rights march in Derry which was attended by 60+ people.
Programme ArealActivity: Community Relations Practitioners, Forum
Beneficiaries: Two forutns were held during the period. These resulted in Holywell Trnst and An Culturlann
organising a session with Paul Nolan analysing the fftost recent Census figures in Northern Ireland (112123).
This session was attended by 23 people,
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Holywell Trust
Report of The Management Committee
Aim: c) to raise awareness And provAde education among the community about environmental issues
and to conduct programmes to protect the environmenL
Progrdmme ArealActivity". Roof Garden & Garden of Reflection
Beneficiaries: Holywell Ttust continues to provide shared community space through our Roof Garden on the
Holywell building, an accessible spacc for community events. In addition, during th¢ year• plans were piit in
place for the Summer 2023 programme in the Garden of Refleclion.
Programme AreaJAciivily: Eden Projecr Foyle
Beneficiaries: Over the period the dI￿lcult de¢ision was iaken to no longer pursue the ambitious tourist
destination project as originally envisaged due io the restrictive financial climate in Northern Ireland.
Elements of the programme will now be attempted as individual stand-alone initiative5.
Alm: d) the recruitment, selecllon and sendlng out of volunteers for short terni service withln the area
of benetlt.
Pro8ramme Are￿ActIvity. TNstees
Beneficiaries: Holywell TNst is governed by a group of 8 volunteers, each of whom give their time and
expertise freely to the management of th¢ organisaiion to ensure that it meeis its charitable purposes.
Key achlevements
The following are the highli8hts from our work during the reporting period:
Approximately 20. 000 people accessed events and services from our premises during the reporting period.
We have supported almost 50 people through their community leadership journey. building capacity
within the sector to create good relalions.
We commissioned and launched 3 interesting pieces of research on challenging issues.
We examined 3 addilional challenging issues through a series of 4 citizens, assemblies and supported
people lo athve at 36 solulions to some of our more difficult Challenges.
Wc have started a new podc&st seri¢s, again examinin8 challengin8 issues, cem¢ntin8 our reputation as a
thought leader within ihe community.
We have delivered a heritag¢ focused projeci on a key community asset, developin8 relaiionships and
creatin8 new assets for the future.
We have strengthened our relationships and partnerships wilh public. academia and community
organisations enabling us to be well positioned to influence positive change in the future.
We have developed relationships with new funders and str¢ngthened relations with our existing supporters
and continue to take innovative approaches to building relationships and peace building.
Hundreds of people have taken part in th¢ various progrdmmes that we have delivered over the period and
are committed to working With us again in the future.
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Holywell Trust
Report of The Management Committee
Lessons learned
We have learned a number of lessons through the delivery of our programme over the period:
Through the development of our Strategic Plan for the next three years we ￿alISed the importance of
ommunications 2nd marketing to the long-tenn impact of our work. During the period we worked towards
financial support to support this work which was successful.
We were reinforced in our belief that it is essential to move beyond 'tick-box' progrnmmes to engage
people in somc of the most difficult challenges facing society. We were reassuied that whcn engagcd on
challenging issues people are generous and creative with Lheir solutions.
There remains an appetite to participate in the programmes that w¢ deliver and to address the issues that
society faces. There is a growin'g frustration with the non.fun¢tioning of Northern Ireland both in tern￿ of the
day-torflay delivery of k¢y public s¢rvi¢es to the lack of political leadership currently b¢in8 demonstrated.
There remains a challenge as an organisation that receives fundin8 and support from multiple sources.
Different funders have different requiremenis and this can be lime consumin8 and impact on project delivery.
Another issue that impacts on project delivery is the constant and ev¢r-present requirement to raise
additional resources towards the core costs of our Charity.
Members Responslb1lltl￿ In Relatlon To The Flnanclal Statements
The members are reponsible for p￿pAring the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with
the Applicable law and United Kingdom Accountlng Standards(United Kingdom Generally Accepted
Atcounling Practice).
The law applicable to charities in Northetn treland requies the members to prepare financial statements for
each financial year that give a tnie and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming
resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In doing so ihe members arc required to:
select suitable accounting policics and apply them consislcntly.
observe the methods and principles in (he Charities SORP 2019 (FRS102)
- make judgemcnts and estitnatGs ihat are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures
disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
prepare (he financial statements on the goin8 concern basi5 unless it is inapprnpriate to presume that the
charity will continue in business.
The members are responsible for mainiaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable
accuracy at any lime lh¢ financial position of the charity and enables them to ensure that ihe financial
stat¢m¢nts comply wilh the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, the Charities (Accounts and Reports)
Resulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 and the provisions of the trust deed. The members are al80 re5ponsibl¢
for safeguarding th¢ assets of th¢ charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and
detection of fraud and other irregularities.
By Order of th¢ Management Committee:
Trustee
Date: 16 January 2024
Trustee
Date: 16 January 2024
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