SHOPMOBILITY MID ULSTER DIRECTORS. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The directors present the acwunts Shopmobilty Ulster for the year ended 31 Marth 2024. This is a company limited by guarantee with no share capitsl. In April 2016, Shopmobility Mid Ulster took over the assets and liabilities of the uninwrporated enty whith prior to this dale had provided the service n¢XI provided by Shopmobility Mid Ulster. Background In 2010 a Shopmobility Management Committee was formed to establish a Shopmobilty Sd￿me in Cookstown Town Centre. A number of meetings were held whith induded key town centre stakeholders and input from a range of Shopmobility experts. The Bumavon Arts & Cultural Centre, Bum Road. Cookslown was sele¢ted as the location to base the scheme. Ifs a public building whith is a￿eS￿ble in a prime town centre location in dose proximity to key amenities and seNI￿s. In May 2010, fvnding from the Department for Regional Development (Now Departrnent for Infrastructure) was agreed and the scheme commenced acaivities in May 2010. Due to increases in demand from members in the Dungannon area, discussions wrth Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Counal (Now Mid Ulster District Council) took place and a new scheme was launched in Dungannon in October 2013, and located in Ranfijrty House Arts & Visitor Centre. In January 2015 the organisation hdd an Exiraordinary General Meeting and renamed the organisation Shopmobilty Mid Ulster wilh 2 bfands., Showiobilty Cookstown and Shopmobilty Dungannon. In 2019. the company recetved fvnding over a fve year period from The National Lottery Community Fund for a new Gobility programme. This will broaden the existing service to a wider a￿a and a greater number of users of mobilty scooters and wheelchairs. and C£sntinue to address the soual isolation and exclusion issues which the company deals with. In 2024 Shopmobility Mid Ulster re estsblished a Shotwnobility servic* ￿ the town of Magherafelt. There has been growlng demand for the seNce in that area, and the previous service ceased following the sad passing of ils long- temi cA)ordinator. The addition of Magherafett now ensures there is Shopmobility setvice across the entire Mid Ulster Dj'strict Coun(al area. Structure. governance and management The company is lim¢ted by guaranlee. The Ixjmpany is govemed by tts Artides of Assouation which we established in April 2016. These established tts current objects and powers. The company is also registered with the Charity Commission for Northem Ireland. Shopmobility Mid Ulster has a cross-communty focus and is managed by a voluntsry committee which is ele(aed annu￿]Y. The appointment of commtttee is in acGordance with the companls Ar￿eS of Association, whereby each member will be enlitled to nominate one ￿r$On only in writing not less than seven days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. Committee The committee who served during the year were: Mr Wlliam Mayne MBE Mrs Ursula Marshall Mrs Brigid Scullion Cllr Mark Glasgow Cllr Christine McFiynn Mr John McGony Cllr John McNamee Cllr Jospeh O'Neill CllrAnne Forde BEM Mr Daniel Kerr Mrs Nuala McLemon {Re&gned 25 July 2023) (Resigned 25 Juty 2023) (Appointed 25 July 2023) (Appointed 25 July 2023} SHOPMOBILITY MID ULSTER DIRECTORS. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Objectives and activities The objects of the Charity shall be to relieve the needs of people with disabilities and mobility diffi￿ltIeS in the grealer Cookstown & Dungannon areas (the "area of benefftl by providing or assisting in the provision of equipment and other facillties and sery1￿s with the aim of facilitating independence in daily living activities and improving the qualty of their lives and in particular: {al to alleviate the disadvantages of permanent and temporary disabilty- {bl to provide services which facilitate and advance the independenix of such disabled persons in daily living activities outside the home environment.. {c) to enhance the confiden￿, well-being and enjoyment of life of ijsabled persons through integration in soaal activities.. {dl to relieve the needs of people V￿th disabilities by ￿aIsing with other scoeties. assoaations or bodies having common or sharing similar interests or objects. Achievements and perf0m￿nCe Shopmobility Mid Ulster continues to experience unprecedented growth in demand for services across Mid Ulsler. Demand for equipment. advice and support was at an all-time high since the organisation was established over 14 years ago. This demand continues to come from various slrand5 of the health service with referrals from minor injury units. Occupational Therapists. Emergency Departments. GPS and others. As demand for seNices rises year on year. additional equipment is required to meet the need. During thè past yèar Shopmobility Mid Ulster purchased 3 additional mobilty scooters and 8 additional wheelthairs. This equipment is used to meet rising demand and help to ensure the fleet is maintained to a high standard. The rising demand frorn users who wish to get out arKI about more has been growing since the end of Ihe pandemic. The past year was the first full year without restrictions and it was evident with rising demand. the importance that equipment would help to older and disabled people to gain back some of the independence and freedom lost during Covid 19. The demand for equipment rose by almost 250A year on year with bookings totalling 16,1)00 across the year. The demand is staggering and growing and although all our users have health relaled conditions, approx. 3S40% of our referrals come directy from Healthcare professionals, Minor Injury Units, Emergency Departments. Occupational Therapists. Physio Departments. and G.Ps. Long-tem bo￿oWIng and bridging 9aps in Hedth requirements have led to the continued growth from long-te borrowing of wheelchairs and scooters. Over the past year doser collaborats.on with Health Care Professionals has brought about an increase in referrals from local hospttals, OC￿patiOn Therapists and Social Workers, as the project continues to bridge the gap in waiting times for equipment. Broken limbs. amputations and cancer patients have all been referred by medical professionals on a regular basis to ShoFffiobilty equipment whilst waf(ing on NHS equipmenL There has been a growing demand for additional support services, Sbgnposting and referrals since the end of the pandemic. Many new users who have little or no support struthjres in pla(x, are reliant on gettbng information on disabilily and older people help and support This has continued to grow over the past number of years. 2024 also saw the introduction of a new service area. with the addition of a nthv stheme in Magherafelt. Located within the Meadowlane ShoppHng Centre, it will promde a seM¢e to the kjol town and su￿Ound1ng t¢)wns and villages. Financial review The main fvnder continued to be the Departsnent for Infrastructure. Shopmobility are required to generate match funding to cover expenditure not funded ty Dfi which they have been able to do suc￿$$ful￿. SHOPMOBILITY MID ULSTER DIRECTORS. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The committee will continue to conduux annual reviews of the appropriate level of unrestricled reserves. The purpose of this resetve is to provide stability for the charity lo ensure that it is able lo honour existing contractual obligations, to cover unforeseen events beyond the organisation's control and lo enable rt to conts.nue its operations in the unlikely evenl of a significant flu¢Xuatson in expenditure or income. The committee aim to build reserves to al least 3 months of annual expenditure. This may be achieved by in¢reased fund raising. increasing eamed income or reduang expenditure. The present level of Unrestrided Reserves available to the dwrity is £12.788 whith is deemed satisfactory. Audltor The auditor, David Lytue + Co Ltd, is deemed to be reappointed under sedion 487(2) of the Companies Act 2008. ststement of disclosure to auditor So far as the Directors aware, there is no relevant audit infomiation of vthich the thartty's auditor are unaware. Additionally, the Directors have laken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as Directors in order to make thernse￿es aware of all relevant audit infomiats'on and to estsblish that the charitys auditor are aware of that information. This report has been prepared in aCcOrdar￿ with the promsions applicab￿ to companies entitled to the small companies exemption. On behalf of the board v