Activities of the Charity
Portadown Cares has run a number of activities and projects during the period 01-04-2021 to 31-07-2022. The projects were designed to assist the aged, increase education, promote social integration, decrease social isolation and improve life skills and general personal confidence.
We started the year with a visit from Wee Bugs and Beasties in April 2022, this event was financed, produced and hosted by Portadown Cares in our shop in the High Street Mall, this event proved highly popular and was well attended, so much so that we have planned to host another on 1st April 2023. The occasion of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was an event we planned not to miss, we applied for and were awarded grant funding from The National Lottery Community Fund for NI and we booked the Millennium Court in Portadown, hired The Swingtime Starlets, invited all local seniors groups and provided an afternoon of swing, nostalgia and togetherness.
We continued to liaise with local groups, providing assistance where practicable and further cementing links, friendships and partnerships throughout our town. Portadown Cycling Club invited us to be their Charity of the Year and we gratefully accepted, we also continued our association with Moira Hygiene Bank with the provision of hygiene related assistance to those who requested it.
We continue to provide school uniforms freely on a ‘leave one, take one’ basis and expanded this when approached by two school representatives as to the possibility of providing a warm winter coat to children who did not have one. We applied to Cash for Kids NI and were awarded two thousand pounds for the purchase of brand new winter coats. All local primary school principals were approached, and those that responded were offered a warm coat for any child that needed one. These coats to only allowed kids to go to school, they also were allowed kids to play outside, go to the park with their friends and enjoy the great outdoors.
We also provide necessary items such as items of furniture, bedding, clothing, fuel or food to those within the area of benefit who cannot otherwise afford them. Portadown Cares also supports local groups and clubs within the area of benefit to organise events etc. which encourage participation from within the local community, and assists them to restore confidence, friendship and support within that community.
Our annual Christmas Hamper Appeal saw 263 large basic food hampers delivered to local homes in severe need in the run up to Christmas, and through our association with the Cool FM “Mission Christmas” Appeal saw us being able to donate brand new toys to over 500 local children who otherwise may not have had any presents to open on Christmas morning. Alongside this we also distributed, thanks to The Community Foundation NI, five thousand pounds of fuel aid to those senior citizens in our community that were experiencing fuel poverty.
Christmas is a time for sharing and we shared our Santa’s Throne with both Ceara Special School and Oasis Youth Club, the latter we also donated foodstuffs for a Christmas party. The association with Oasis Youth is one we intend to maintain and nurture.
Portadown has recently formed a Pet Food Bank and Portadown Cares was delighted to become involved, we are a designated drop off point and hope to become more involved as the charity expands and progresses. Our association with Craigavon Area Food Bank continued to beneficial to our fight against food poverty, we remain grateful and supportive to the Food Bank and will endeavour to promote and support this lifesaving and necessary organisation.
We are planning to provide, with assistance from ABC Council, a defibrillator in High Street Mall in Portadown, this lifesaving equipment will be available to all those who visit, shop, live or are employed in our town. This will be maintained and administered by Portadown Cares, we also intend to provide training to any employee of High Street Mall who wishes to partake in training on the usage and maintenance of the defibrillator.
This year we hope to expand the usage of our Hub in Market Lane in Portadown with the provision of disabled toilet facilities, this is still in the planning stage but we hope to move on successfully and have the facilities finalised by Christmas 2023.
Our highly successful ‘keep the date’ event of Portadown Cars does Strictly Come Dancing was once again the highlight of the year 2022, we provided a platform for twelve local couples to fundraise for a charity, club, association or cause close to their heart. The grand total of 32k was testament to the dedication and phenomenal support this annual event generates, indeed Strictly 2023 has just been staged and this year’s charitable total exceeded 39k. Over the seven years of producing and hosting the competition Portadown Cares has raised a staggering 180k for other well deserving charities.
Achievements, Performance & Public Benefit
Portadown Cares ran a number and variety of projects and events throughout the year based on need and topical issues within the community. Events have included furniture upcycling courses, dance classes, pottery classes, first aid training, alcohol and drug awareness courses, health and wellbeing classes, computer introductory classes for the elderly. We build our courses around the local community and their needs at each specific time, and plan these courses and events in conjunction and consultation with other local community and residents groups.
The activities outlined above demonstrate how Portadown Cares continues to implement its charitable purposes, and meets the Public Benefit requirement.
Benefit to members of the public include:
· Contributing to the personal development of participants
· Contributing to the education and empowerment of participants
· Enhancing participation within the local community
- Encouragement to join in with other local groups
We expect the workings of our activities to develop stronger, safer and more united communities, and the risk of potential harm has been mitigated by observance of good practice.
Portadown Cares has given careful consideration to CCNI guidance on public benefit (PBR1) to ensure that the activities entered into during the year have helped to achieve Portadown Cares purpose as well as providing public benefit.