## **An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin**
**Annual Report & Statement of Accounts**
**For the Year:**
**1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**
## **Annual Report & Statement of Accounts for the Year:**
## **1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**
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 1st Oct 2023 - 30th September 2024
# **Achievements and Performance The Year in Numbers**
Years promoting the use and learning of Irish in the locality: 14
Management Committee meetings between 1st Oct ‘23-30th September ‘24: 3
Members of the public served: 260
Guest Speakers: 1
Surplus for the year: £4,582.18
## **Meeting Programme**
An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin’s (hereafter referred to as An Grúpa) Management Committee met once a quarter throughout the year with the exception of July and August.
## **Events, Programmes and Activities**
## **Weekly activities:**
An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin organised a weekly Parent and Toddler Group through Irish in Bryansford Hall. The Group was attended by approximately 17 adults and 20 children each week. The group lasted between 10.00am-11.30am each week. The Parent and Toddler group costs £3 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
## **Community Out-Reach:**
The Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin advertises events coordinated by the local Irish language community group, Glór Uachtar Tíre.
## **Group Structure**
An Grúpa has a committee of four members who meet each quarter.
An Grúpa is run weekly by three people who are paid by grants obtained from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Foras na Gaeilge (North/South Irish language body) grant Scheme Imeachtraí Óige/Youth Events Scheme.
## **Accommodation**
An Grúpa hires Byransford Hall from the Parish of Maghera for its weekly group. The rent is paid out of the grants obtained from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.
## **Financial Review**
## **Financial Performance**
Financial performance in the year between period 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024 was broadly consistent with the trustee’s forecasts and expectations; An Grúpa had a small surplus of income. An Grúpa managed not to get into debt due to a grant from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and an grant from Foras na Gaeilge. The income made from ad missions at the door was spent on the healthy snack provided and the art material used for the art and craft table each week.
**Income** £12,947.80
## **Expenditure**
£8,365.62
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
## **Charity Name**
An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin
## **Charity Number Registered Charity in Northern Ireland**
NIC 106790-0
## **Principal Address**
Dún Éigse/The Lodge
1, Dublin Road
Castlewellan, Co Down
BT31 9AG
## **Charity Trustees as of September 30th 2024**
Sinead Doyle - Chairman
Edel Owens- Treasurer
Alice Lundy - Secretary
Emer O’Hagan – 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 publicly 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 employs two people on a part-time, temporary basis to run An Grúpa each week. The weekly patent and toddler group is supported by the local Irish Language Development Officer. An Grúpa has a rota of 5 volunteers who help out weekly.
## **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 30th September 2024. 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 background 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 First-Aid 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)
Annex 1
1 st Oct 2023-30th September 2024
||**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Receipt**|**Cheque**||||**Amount**|||
|**Date**|**No**|**No**|**Recipient**|**/ Description**||**Out**|**Amount In**|**Balance**|
|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|**An Ghrúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin Accounts: 1st Oct 2023-30th September 2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Date**|**Receipt**
**No**|**Cheque**
**No**|**Recipient**|**/ Description**|**Amount**
**Out**|**Amount In**|**Balance**|
||||||||||
||||||||||
||**Oct '23**||||||||
||**Nov '23**||||||||
||08.11.23|2|431|Glór Uachtar Tíre|Repayment back for April’s
Intensive Irish language course
funded by Ciste Spreaga Conradh
na Gaeilge|686.83||747.39|
||08.11.23|3|435|BairbreQuinn|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|315||432.39|
||08.11.23|4|436|Helen Leckey|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|225||207.39|
||10.11.23|5|439|Máire Scullion|Coordinator at SingingSession|60||147.39|
||16.11.23|6|438|Frances Small|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|270||-122.61|
||20.11.23|7||Foras na Gaeilge|Grant: Youth Events Scheme '22-
'23||1750|1,627.39|
||23.11.23|8||Glór Uachtar Tíre|Short-term loan due to cash flow
problems||200|1,827.39|
||**Dec '23**||||||||
||05.12.23|9||Cash|Parent and Toddler Admission Fees||70|1,897.39|
||08.12.23|10|DD|Banc Uladh|Bank Fees|15||1,882.39|
||08.12.23|**11**|DD|Banc Uladh|Bank Fees|10||1,872.39|
||19.12.23|12|451|Póipín Murphy|Am Scéal/StoryTime|15||1,857.39|
||19.12.23|13|452|Geniee Lenaghan|Am Scéal/StoryTime|15||1,842.39|
|21.12.23|14|444|Helen Leckey|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|225||1,617.39|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|21.12.23|15|445|BairbreQuinn|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|270||1,347.39|
|28.12.23|16|440|Parish of Magera|Rent for St Patrick’s Hall,
Bryansford|245||1,102.39|
|**Jan '24**||||||||
|09.01.24|17|442|(S. McAnee) H.A.
Leslie Co|An Ghrúpa’s Insurance|15.19||1,087.20|
|09.01.24|19|448|(S. McAnee) H.A.
Leslie Co|An Grúpa’s Insurance|227.16||860.04|
|16.01.24|20|443|Brianna Walsh|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|105||755.04|
|24.01.24|21||Cash|Parent and Toddler Admission Fees||20|775.04|
|**Feb '24**||||||||
|09.02.24|22||Newry Mourne and
Down District
Council|Grant: Gaeilge/ Irish Language
Programme||2800|3,575.04|
|14.02.24|23|411|Helen Leckey|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|90||3,485.04|
|21.02.24|24|462|Úna Lemoine|Am scéal/StoryTime|15||3,470.04|
|23.02.24|26|458|BairbreQuinn|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|135||3,335.04|
|26.02.24|27|454|MaryBoden|Seal ag Canadh/ Sing-a-While Oct
and Dec|120||3,215.04|
|26.02.24|28|457|MaryBoden|Seal agCanadh/Sing-a-While|60||3,155.04|
|27.02.24|29|456|(S. McAnee) H.A.
Leslie Co|An Grúpa’s Insurance|12.44||3,142.60|
|28.02.24|30|455|Parish of Magera|Rent for St Patrick’s Hall,
Bryansford|245||2,897.60|
|28.02.24|31|460|Parish of Magera|Rent for St Patrick’s Hall,
Bryansford|105||2,792.60|
|29.02.24|32|461|Tara Haughian|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|135||2,657.60|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**March '24**||||||||
|06.03.24|33|459|Aileen Goodwin|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|45||2,612.60|
|14.03.24|34|446|Máire Scullion|Coordinator at SingingSession|30||2,582.60|
|15.03.24|35|463|Máire Scullion|Coordinator at SingingSession|60||2,522.60|
|15.03.24|36|465|Úna Lemoine|Am Scéal/StoryTime|15||2,507.60|
|19.03.24|37|464|MaryBoden|Seal agCanadh/Sing-a-While|60||2,447.60|
|19.03.24|38|466|Wayne Pickering|Part of payment for coordinating
Uachtar an Uachtair. £220 was
paid out of GUT’s account|440||2,007.60|
|19.03.24|39|468|BairbreQuinn|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|135||1,872.60|
|19.03.24|40|470|Ciara Pickering|Teachingat Uachtar an Uachtair|390||1,482.60|
|19.03.24|41|471|Aidan Rodgers|Teachingat Uachtar an Uachtair|390||1,092.60|
|27.03.24|42|467|Tara Haughian|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|135||957.60|
|28.03.24|43||Glór Uachtar Tíre|Repayment because a mistake was
made and all of Uachtar an
Uachtair was paid out of GUT’s
account bymistakeÁi||3085|4,042.60|
|**April ‘24**||||||||
|04.04.24|44|474|Úna Lemoine|Am Scéal/Story-Time|30||4,012.60|
|08.04.24|45|473|MaryBoden|Seal ag Canadh/ Sing-a-While Oct
and Dec|30||3,982.60|
|12.04.24|46|472|Alannah McCartan|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|140||3,842.60|
|19.04.24|47||Cash|Parent and Toddler Admission Fees||20|3,862.60|
|24.04.24|48||Cash|Parent and Toddler Admission Fees||20|3,882.60|
|**May ‘24**||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|08.05.24|49|477|Tara Haughian|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|135||2,647.60|
|15.05.24|50|475|Séamus Lawlor|Ciorcal Comhrá/ Conversation
Circle|160||2,487.60|
|17.05.24|51||Newry Mourne and
Down District
Council|Grant: Gaeilge/ Irish Language
Programme||3,000|5,487.60|
|20.05.24|52|484|Gráinne Ní
Fhlanagáin/
Lyndsey|Seal agCanadh/Sing-a-While April|30||5,457.60|
|21.05.24|53|485|BairbreQuinn|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|135||5,322.60|
|24.05.24|54|478|Máire Scullion|Coordinator at Singing Session
(March & April)|60||5,262.60|
|24.05.24|55|479|Séamus Lawlor|Ciorcal Comhrá/ Conversation
Circle April|60||5,202.60|
|24.05.24|56|480|Úna Lemoine|Am Scéal/Story-Time|30||5,172.60|
|29.05.24|57|483|Tara Haughian|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|135||5,037.60|
|**June ‘24**||||||||
|10.06.24|58|482|Alannah McCartan|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|105||4,932.60|
|18.06.24|59|491|MaryBoden|Seal agCanadh/Sing-a-While|30||4,902.60|
|19.06.24|60|489|Tom McGonigle|Substitute at the Ciorcal
Comhrá/Conversation Circle|20||4,882.60|
|19.06.24|61|493|BairbreQuinn|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|225||4,657.60|
|21.06.24|||Cash|Parent and Toddler Admission Fees||232.80|4,890.40|
|21.06.24|62|496|Séamus Lawlor|Ciorcal Comhrá/ Conversation
Circle|100||4,790.40|
|24.06.24|63|494|Tara Haughian|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|225||4,565.40|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|26.06.24|64|487|Róisín Sloan|Substitute at the Ciorcal
Comhrá/Conversation Circle|20||4,545.40|
|26.06.24|65|488|Róisín Sloan|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|45||4,500.40|
|26.06.24|66|497|Séamus Lawlor|Ciorcal Comhrá/ Conversation
Circle|80||4,420.40|
|26.06.24|67|499|Áine Nic Luirg||125||4,295.40|
|26.06.24|68|502|Stephen Carson||150||4,145.40|
|27.06.24|69|490|Úna Lemoine|Am Scéal/Story-Time|30||4,115.40|
|**July ‘24**||||||||
|01.07.24|70|498|Predator Airsoft|Spreagtha faoin Speir|210||3,905.40|
|01.07.24|71|501|Damian Tracey|Aclaí Abú Mountain Leader|150||3,755.40|
|09.07.24|72|486|Parish of Maghera|Hall Rental|140||3,615.40|
|10.07.24|73|504|Úna Lemoine|Am Scéal/Story-Time|30||3,585.40|
|15.07.24|74|503|MaryBoden|Seal agCanadh/Sing-a-While|30||3,555.40|
|**Aug ‘24**||||||||
|06.08.24|75|495|Alannah McCartan|Facilitator at Parent and Toddler
Group|180||3,375.40|
|**Sept ‘24**||||||||
|06.09.24|76|507|Séamus Lawlor|Ciorcal Comhrá/ Conversation
Circle|80||3,295.40|
|06.09.24|77|508|Úna Lemoine|Am Scéal/Story-Time(July)|30||3,265.40|
|06.09.24|78|510|Póipín Murphy|Am Scéal/Story-Time(August)|39||3,235.40|
|10.09.24|79|505|MaryBoden|Seal ag Canadh/ Sing-a-While (July
& August)|60||3,175.40|
|27.09.24|80||Foras na Gaeilge|Grant: Youth Events Scheme||1,750|4,925.40|
|**Total**|||||**£8,365.62**|**£12,947.80**||