**An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin** 

**Annual Report & Statement of Accounts** 

**For the Year to 30[th] September 2021** 



## **Annual Report for the year September 30th 2021** 

The trustees of Irish language Parent and Toddler community group, An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin, are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the period 1[st] October 2019 to September 30th 2021. Please note the extended period of time covered in this report is a result of waiting for the introduction of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 and also the Covid pandemic. 

While the Accounts attached cover the period between period 1[st] October 2019 to September 30th 2021, the following details in this report are restricted to the year October 2021 to September 2021. 

## **Achievements and Performance** 

## **The Year in Numbers** 

Years promoting the use and learning of Irish in the locality: 11 

Management Committee meetings between October 21-Sept ‘21: 4 

Members of the public served: 230 Surplus for the year: £00 

## **Meeting Programme** 

An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin’s (hereafter referred to as An Grúpa) Management Committee meets once a quarter throughout the year with the exception of July and August. 

## **Events, Programmes and Activities** 

## **Weekly activities:** 

An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin organises a weekly Parent and Toddler Group through Irish in Bryansford Hall. The Group is attended by approximately 20 adults and 25 children each week. The group lasts between 10am-11.30am each week. The parent and Toddler group costs £2 per family each week to attend. 

The Weekly group includes an art & craft table; 

Free play; 

A healthy snack for the children; 

A healthy snack for the adults; 

One-to-one play with the fluent Irish language assistants. Examples: jig-saws, building blocks, playing shops etc; 

A story time session; 



A Rhyme-Time session and sing along 

## **Seasonal Activities:** 

Halloween party 

The Grúpa is visited each November by the P1 teacher of the local Bunscoil/Irish language primary school, Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche along with a number of the P7 students 

Christmas Party with visiting elf and gifts 

The Grúpa pays a visit to the local Naíscoil/Irish language pre-school for special joint events such as visiting reptiles etc 

Easter egg search 

End of year Annual Picnic in local Bunscoil/Irish language Primary school grounds 

These activities ended during the Covid pandemic. An Grúpa began to organise a series of outdoor ‘Ag Canad sa Choill’/ ‘Snging in the Woods’ sessions during these months when restrictions were slightly relaxed. This enabled the group to keep some continuity. 

## **Community Out-Reach:** 

The Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin has helped to set up another Irish language Parent and Toddler Group in Hilltown. An Grúpa is a feeder service to the Irish language pre-school in Newcastle, Naíscoil Bheanna Boirche (Caisleán nua) and to the reception unit in the Irish language primary school in Castlewellan, Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche. 

## **Group Structure** 

An Grúpa generally has a committee of four members who meet each quarter. 

An Grúpa is run weekly by three people who are paid and supported by Castlewellan’s Irish language Development Officer who is paid by the community group, Glór Uachtar Tíre. Funding for this group is normally obtained from a grant from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. 

An Grúpa has a circle of people who volunteer each week on a rota system to support this event. 

## **Accommodation** 

An Grúpa hires Byransford Hall from the Parish of Maghera for its weekly group. The rent is paid by Castlewellan’s Irish language group, Glór Uachtar Tíre. 



## **Financial Review** 

## **Financial Performance** 

Financial performance in the year to September 30th 21 has been broadly consistent with the trustee’s forecasts and expectations; An Grúpa is running at a lose of £2,743. However An Grúpa’s committee is confident that if it runs a series of fund-raising events, it will be able to address this over-spend. 

**Income** 

£17,522 

## **Expenditure** 

£20,265 

## **Reference and Administrative Details** 

## **Charity Name** 

An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin 

## **Charity Number Registered Charity in Northern Ireland** 

## NIC106790-0 

## **Principal Address** 

Dún Éigse/The Lodge 

1, Dublin Road, 

Castlewellan Co Down, BT31 9AG 

## **Charity Trustees as of September 30th 2018** 

Sinead Doyle - Chairman 

Edel Dougherty/Owens - Treasurer 

Emer O’Hagan  - Secretary 

Alice Lundy – Grants Officer 

## **Structure, Governance, and Management** 



## **Governing Document and Constitution** 

The Society is a charity and is governed by a constitution adopted January 2011 this is publically available at from the Glór Uachtar Tíre office in Castlewellan. The Society is run entirely by its Management Committee who meet quarterly to manage it. The group is facilitated by three people on a part-time, temporary basis to run An Grúpa each week with the support of an Irish Language Development Officer from local Irish language group, Glór Uachtar Tíre. 

## **Trustee Selection and Management** 

Trustees or members of the Management Committee are adopted solely on the basis of a vote at the groups’ AGM as outlined in An Grúpa’s constitution. 

## **Objectives and Activities** 

## **Charitable Objects** 

The object of GUT as set out in our Constitution is the following 

The purpose of the group is to provide a regular meeting place for parents/ carers of young children, Mums-to-be and to provide fun activities for the children all through the medium of the Irish language in an informal environment. 

## **Public Benefit Statement** 

The trustees of An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin confirm that they have had regard to the NI Charity Commission’s Public benefit requirement statutory guidance. 

The public benefit requirement has informed the activities of An Grúpa in the year to September 30th 2021. In evaluating public benefit the trustees note that membership of An Grúpa is open to all who share an interest in pre-school development and the Irish language. Whilst we would encourage those with interest to join our ranks we also strive to make our services and facilities available to those with no back ground in Irish. 

The direct benefits which flow from our object or purpose includes increasing the opportunity for locals to experience play and learning through Irish for their children and for the parents/carers themselves. The parents/carers get the opportunity to introduce their children to a new language and An Grúpa is often the first step for a parent considering educating their children through Irish. Regarding the benefits to the children, all the research shows that bilingualism has cogitative benefits for children. 

These benefits are demonstrated by the fact that An Grúpa has been taking place successfully since 2011 and that the group is growing in numbers each year. 

Additionally, the benefits are demonstrated through feedback An Grúpa receives in our event feedback forms from Parents and Carers. 

The purposes of our charity will not lead to any harm. An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin’s beneficiaries includes the general population living within south east Down including Newcastle, Castlewellan, Dundrum, Clough, Hilltown, Rathriland, Ballyward and the surrounding areas. A private 



benefit to trustees may arise from our programme of ongoing training programmes. Through this training trustees may gain skills and experience which are transferable to other settings such as FirstAid etc. These benefits are incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries. 

Approved, adopted and signed on behalf of the Management Committee. 

Sinead Doyle Chairperson