## **Creggan Enterprises Ltd** 

## **2022 Annual Return** 

**[Covering period 1[st] Jan 2022 – 31[st] Dec 2022]** 

## **Trustees Report** 

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## **Charity Name: Creggan Enterprises Ltd** 

## **Registration No: NIC 106926** 

## **Company No: NI026020** 

**Address: Rath Mor Centre, Bligh’s Lane, Derry, BT48 0LZ** 

**Trustees: Garvan O’Doherty Anne Molloy John Bradley Joe McFeely Pauline McClenaghan (until December 2022) Brendan McKeever** 

## **Our Aims & Objectives** 

Creggan Enterprises Limited (CEL) runs the Rath Mor Complex in Derry, which provides a variety of multi-purpose workspace units for rent on very favourable terms. CEL provide support packages for new businesses and encourage the development of social partnerships and sustainable businesses, promoting equal opportunities for all. Creggan Enterprises Limited deliver a number of dedicated social programmes catering for a range of community needs. CEL’s key focus is the physical, economic and social regeneration of deprived communities through the provision of a wide variety of programmes / services which support economic and social inclusion. CEL focus on: 

## **Physical regeneration:** 

- Through the creation of employment, upskilling and training opportunities by the provision of workspace, buildings, and/or land for use on favourable terms; 

## **Economic regeneration:** 

- Through the relief of financial hardship and unemployment; 

- Through the provision of financial assistance, technical assistance or business advice or consultancy in order to provide training and employment opportunities for unemployed people; 

## **Social regeneration:** 

- Through the advancement of education, training or retraining; 

- the provision of trauma support services, counseling and wellbeing programmes; 

- the provision of intermediation, peace-building and reconciliation support service and programmes; 

- the provision of personal development programmes and dedicated support activities for young people; 

- the provision of a neutral community venue, providing access to a range of free educational, wellbeing, cultural, heritage and digital support programmes, activities and events for all ages and backgrounds. 

## **Specific programmes include** : 

- **The Lifehack project** – which works creatively to support at risk young people; 

- The **Going Beyond the Silence project** – which works to support woman suffering 

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conflict-related trauma; 

- The **Focus Project** – which supports disadvantaged and hard-to-reach families (and young women in particular) with essential needs and to build their capacity to engage in community development 

- The **Community Dialogue, Momentum & Community Inclusion Programmes** – which support marginalised constituencies, builds community capacity, promotes social justice, supports transition and works in a mediation capacity to build inclusive peaceful communities; 

- The **Revival Shared Space Project** which delivers free community-oriented cultural events and provides a range of cross-community engagement opportunities; 

- The **Community Cohesion & Reconciliation Programme** – which helps rebuild community relations on a cross-community and cross-border outreach basis. 

- Rath Mor **Biodiversity Project** – which works with local schools, the elderly and those with complex needs to promote environmental awareness and healthy living. 

Creggan Enterprises also host the Hive Studios (a community digital hub and OCN training centre), the Rath Mor Over 50’s Club and Creggan Older Mens’ Clubs at Rath Mor providing a wide range of educational, social, diversionary, inter-generational and capacity building opportunities for the community. 

## **CEL’s Activities & Achievements** 

## **During 2022:** 

**30[th] Anniversary Celebrations** : CE rescheduled our 30 Year Anniversary Celebrations until 2022 due to Covid restrictions – scheduling a series of public fundays, festivals and concert events throughout the year to give back to the local community. These events provided an opportunity (along with the production of an exhibition, publication and video) to showcase the work of cEL, highlight the development and needs of the Creggan community and acknowledge the many people who contributed to and benefitted from CEL’s work over the last three decades. These celebrations were also key in creating a good news story for the local area, and helping to promote community cohesion and civic pride. 

## **Quote from Simon Coveney, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, in which he congratulated the organisation on its 30th anniversary (as below):** 

“I’m delighted to congratulate Creggan Enterprises on this important anniversary. Huge credit is due to Conal McFeely and his colleagues for their dedicated service and for developing Ráth Mór into the beating heart of the community in Creggan. 

Creggan Enterprises focuses on addressing the root causes of social and economic disadvantage and exclusion. They work to find constructive solutions that can give people confidence and hope for the future – solutions that can change people’s lives. 

I am glad that my department’s Reconciliation Fund continues to provide financial support for this work, including a contribution towards the capital development of the vital medical centre at Ráth Mór. 

Creggan Enterprises has also worked for over 30 years to promote better understanding and deeper connections between people from different traditions. They’ve worked with those who 

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engaged in conflict in the past to help them to be able to contribute positively to their communities and wider society. I thank everyone at Ráth Mór for their tremendous efforts and wish all involved many congratulations on reaching this important milestone.” 

**Rath Mor continued to provide opportunities for employment** and engagement to those excluded socially and economically through the provision of Rath Mor as a multi-purpose community facility (offering a range of critical and essential community services / opportunities) and via the promotion of local ownership and social investment and our direct support for social enterprises and indigenous businesses. 

This support included a broad range of operational supports in relation to: business model support (structuring and governance support); the research/design/development of specific products and services; operational support activities; marketing/promoting; sourcing/resourcing; grant aid etc. Over the period we continued to support the resourcing, sustainability and development of 20+ small social enterprises on the site who coming off the back of Covid were also faced with rapidly increasing energy costs and price rises and reduced income generation as a result of depleting household income and consumption (linked to the cost of living crisis). 

The benefits accruing from these activities to the wider community – in addition to contributing to the general physical and economic renewal of a deprived area include the generation of new social capital, and the sustainability of employment and localised services (during a time of great uncertainty and need). CEL’s continued work in this area increases the likelihood of increased targeted servicing (meeting those most in need – where they are at) and attracting increased economic and social investment in the community and a greater uptake in economic opportunities by local residents – leading to an overall increase in community prosperity and linked benefits in relation to the development of generational wealth and equity. 

**During the post Covid period Rath Mor continued to run as a critical hub for community** – Rath Mor remained open (seven days per week) to provide essential frontline services, including: Bayview Medical Practice; Oaktree Centre (daycare centre for adults with complex needs); Small World Nursery (for children of frontline workers); Eurospar Supermarket and Creggan Post Office; Medicare Pharmacy and McClafferty’s funeral directors to name a few. 

Creggan Enterprises also continued to its anti-poverty (relief of financial hardship) remit via our local **sustainable food bank pipeline** and **Rath Mor voucher scheme** (accessing additional funding/donations to provide cost of living supports). Our individual programmes also provided a range of services and (in-person, online and referral) supports for the community at this time, including: food/fuel poverty supports. 

## **Feedback from a local business supported by CEL during the period:** 

“With this Cost of Living crisis coming right on the back of Covid small businesses like ours are really suffering and its really important to have a supportive landlord like CEL who understand the pressures we are under and who provide a range of supports to help us develop and sustain our business.” 

## **Feedback from a local resident supported by CEL during the period:** 

“This has been a really difficult year for families like mine, the cost of electricity and gas has 

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really soared and it doesn’t leave much left from our income to live on. Practical support and vouchers from Rath Mor have really helped when we needed it most.” 

CE’s Focus project also worked towards relieving financial hardship and contributing to community wellbeing over the period. Working with 20+ families Focus addressed many family-oriented needs and crisis over the period (and focused particularly on supporting parents during the COL crisis). Focus addressed key issues such as challenging relationships, womens’ health, domestic abuse, fuel, food and period poverty. 

## **Feedback from Focus project participants over the period:** 

“Focus has been a really positive programme for the Creggan (and wider) area. Amie has ‘focused’ on helping local residents understand and get more involved in the key issues affecting families at this time.” 

“I have begun volunteering at Focus now and have also taken on some facilitation work – the project has really built my capacity and given me opportunities to develop a potential career path.” 

“The Uniform & Winter Coat Scheme has been a brilliant help for local families in need at this time. Every penny saved counts and Focus have empowered women to take on more supportive roles within their own community.” 

In regard to our aim to provide counselling / wellbeing support our ‘ **Going Beyond the Silence programme** ’ (funded by JRCT until August 2022) worked with 20+ women and their wider family units over the period – to provide a range of trauma, counselling, capacity building and wellbeing supports. This programme seeks to support women who have suffered directly as a result of the conflict, promoting opportunities to address a range of legacy issues which have negatively impacted on their day-to-day lives, relationships and self-esteem over decades of neglect. The programme provided a range of educational and multi-cultural opportunities for women to engage physically in a cross-community initiatives for the betterment of them, their families and the wider community. This programme brings about a range of ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ tangible benefits (in terms of increased confidence, self-esteem, better coping skills, healthier relationships and lifestyles, reducing isolation, strengthening personal capacity to re-engage in education or the workforce to name a few) for participants and wider linked benefits to the community (in terms of promoting civic participation, community volunteering and inter and intra-community relationship building). The programme completed the oral history component of the programme and podcast at the end of August. 

## **Feedback from a GBTS participant over the period:** 

“In terms of how GbTS has impacted my community – the programme has emboldened the women of my community to be more proactive in claiming their own space, getting together to help each other and actively listening if/when someone needs to be heard. I have learned that its important for women to have a safe space to come and meet like-minded people and I am committed to keeping the women in Dungannon together as a group. 

I am now more open minded to meeting others from different political backgrounds as we all want the same things for our families. Hopefully as we meet more cross community groups then it will help attitudes to change too which will be passed on to our children. 

I was not in a great place before I came onto this programme but my involvement has taken me on a great journey allowing me to meet many women with firm friendships formed and I 

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value this immensely. I will continue to encourage others to take part and currently take great satisfaction in seeing women become confident. I will always tell them now ‘Never say I can’t do that – always say I will give it a go.’ 

My life has changed immensely and I want to thank Carol from the bottom of my heart for giving me a chance of being part of GbTS group.” 

In regard to our peace-building, mediation and reconciliation remit over the period – our ‘ **Community Dialogue Programme** , **Momentum** and **Community Inclusion Programme’** (funded by JRCT, DFA and IFI) worked on very specific community issues to de-escalate tensions and mediate solutions; carry out specific interventions in specific seasonal events (i.e. during Bonfire/Marching season); promote dialogue and transition; and re-image communities affected by socio-economic disadvantage and the legacy of the conflict. These programmes seek to support the advancement of peace, community relations, conflict resolution and reconciliation within the community we serve and go some way to relieving the suffering, poverty and distress arising through conflict whilst also seeking to develop and inspire civic values and encourage voluntary and community activity. Working with young people and other community stakeholders throughout the period – to develop harm reduction interventions that focused on protecting ‘Person, Place & Property’ and stimulating community pride. The programmes also support personal transition as a means of effective post-conflict community transformation. This benefit of this work is evidenced by individual participant progress and on a wider basis by a reduction in community unrest/harm. 

**Feedback from CIP participants & Community Stakeholders over the period:** “Creggan Enterprises helped put me through the SIA qualification. This will allow me to secure employment and help me support my family.” [Participant] 

“CE helped mediate a very challenging community situation and bring about a resolution which prevented unnecessary harm.” [Stakeholder] 

“CIP are supporting us as a grassroots residents group to access core funding support and build our capacity to meet the needs of local residents.” [Participant] 

Our Youth Programme **Lifehack** , funded by IFI, worked intensively to support the development and wellbeing of a cohort of 20+ young people over the period, many of whom are marginalised and vulnerable. The programme provided a number of individual supports, social opportunities and a range of accredited training and good relations opportunities – in pursuance of its core personal development objectives. Lifehack also delivered a range of educational programming in an effort to advance positive inter and intra-community relations. Ultimately Lifehack’s support for young people seeks to bring about a meaningful and positive intervention in the lives of young people with a variety of differing and complex needs and within a cross-community good relations framework. The project reports its work on a quarterly basis to the funder and the benefit of this work is clearly evidenced by the reduction in anti-social activity in and around the area, and the number of young people in the area who have built positive relationships within their community, found work and made positive life choices. This in turn benefits not only those individuals being supported, but their wider family units and the communities in which they reside. Lifehack also delivered a dedicated summer diversionary programme for young people across the city and a range of reimaging and one-off fundays and charity fundraising events. 

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**Specific project achievements over the period include:** Supporting 8 young people into employment; 2 into further training; 1 back into formal education and 5 young people moved from being registered homeless to having stable accommodation **.** 85% of young people recorded increased confidence, 82% developed new or existing skills and 87% indicated a more positive attitude to others. 

## **Feedback from Lifehack participants over the period:** 

“Meagan & Richie at Lifehack have been brilliant and have helped me improve my living and employment situation.” 

“Lifehack have helped everyone in the group with their own personal problems, as well as giving us the chance to enjoy fun group activities and new learning opportunities and meet new people from different communities.” 

“Everyone at Lifehack and Rath Mor have been great, they have really boosted my confidence, and given me the opportunity to volunteer and even join CE on a JobStart scheme as a Social Media officer.” 

In relation to the provision of a neutral community venue, providing access to a range of free cultural, heritage and digital activities and events for all ages and backgrounds – CEL delivered its **Rath Mor Shared Space Programme,** funded by TEO (under the Central Good Relations Fund / T:BUC), which delivered a comprehensive programme (over 30+ free activities/events) of cultural/educational, good relations and cross-community programming throughout the period in question. These events included a range of activities for a diverse mix of participants from specific user groups, including Section 75 (equality groups) the elderly, children/young people (and local school groups), cross-community (CNR/PUL representatives), representatives of BAME and LGBTQI communities, adults with learning difficulties and complex needs as well as the general public. Some targeted activities were developed and delivered in conjunction with different user groups to meet individual needs (as well as events designed for the general public)  – with a range of activities and one-off events – including: good relations workshops, diversity/tolerance workshops, multi-cultural events (supporting local talent - music/dance/performance etc), fundays, craft workshops, days celebrating and exploring local heritage, advancement of the arts and respect for social justice and human rights. Over the period some 2661 people engaged in these free activities and CEL garnered feedback and direct responses from approx. 15% of these participants – which clearly illustrated the benefit of this programme in promoting the Rath Mor Centre as a shared space (which in turn benefits not only user groups but the businesses located here) – with a high degree of consensus that this work was improving the level of socio-economic and cultural inclusion within the community (from both an intra- and inter-community perspective). 

## **Key outcomes of this shared space programme included:** 

- Increased use of shared space – in particular from the PUL Community 

- Repair of intra & inter-community relationships, opportunities to voice community concerns, reducing tensions & combat the perception of the Creggan area in light of ongoing events and negative media attention 

- Increased confidence of shared space, sense of ownership by participants 

- Increased confidence in those frequenting – especially from PUL community 

- Increased confidence by all to use other services at Ráth Mór 

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## **Feedback from Revival Shared Space participants over the period:** 

• **Summer Funday** : ‘This is our first time at Rath Mor – we had no idea how big the place was and how much was going on – I spoke to a few of the women there and I’m going to send my mum over to the woman’s club (she has been really isolated since Covid). The kids loved all the activities, everyone was really friendly. We will definitely come again.’ (Local resident) 

• **Christmas Funday:** ‘We come every year – it is one of the best community events in the town, everything is free, there’s loads for the kids to do and the prizes are really good. People come from all over the town for the day.’ (Waterside resident) 

• **Celtic Four Seasons Project:** ‘Really enjoyed this programme, Fiona is such a lovely women and has a really nice way of explaining history, culture and tradition. I loved the willow/reed craft and it was nice to meet all the other ladies from across the city. I haven’t seen some of the ladies from the Waterside since the shirt factory.’ (Local resident) 

• **City Cemetery Tour:** ‘I haven’t been to the cemetery on the cityside in years. I found this good relations tour really interesting though, I had no idea of some of the stories linked to the cemetery. Seamus is a font of knowledge – he covered everything – the World Wars, the industrial heritage of the city, the notable people buried here etc, but what struck me most was the cross-community balance struck in terms of the tour content – it was really inclusive.’ (Waterside resident) 

• **GR Multi-cultural workshops:** ‘We did a number of multi-cultural and creative workshops at Rath Mor and these were my favourite. I really enjoyed getting hands on with the traditional cookery and the art and crafts, Sarika is lovely, a real mother figure to some of the younger members of the group. It was much better than just sitting listening to a powerpoint presentation.’ (Workshop participant) 

• **Foyle Schools Poetry Competition (Workshops / Competition / Launch):** ‘This is a really fantastic initiative – the children really enjoyed taking part. We had a number of winners and highly recommended – bringing them all to the awards ceremony at Rath Mor to reward them. It was our first time taking part in something like this – we will definitely be entering again next year.’ (Teacher) 

• **Foyle Schools Poetry Competition (Workshops / Competition / Launch):** ‘All our KS3 classes took part (creating poetry on the theme of ‘Community’) – Grainne delivered a series of workshops which the students really enjoyed. The launch / award ceremony at Rath Mor was excellent and the students were really chuffed to see their names in a proper book.’ (Teacher) 

Other specific charitable endeavors over the period included supporting the work of our Rath Mor 50+ Club; our Creggan Mens’ Older People’s Club and also the work of Hive Studios (a subsidiary of CEL) which delivers a range of accredited community-based training and creative opportunities for people of all ages. We support the Rath Mor 50+ Club (some 100 or so participants) by providing a warm, safe, free space every week for their activities. We also frequently offer them additional supports such as training and social opportunities. This ultimately alleviates the level of isolation these older people face and creates other opportunities for community integration and inter-generational opportunities with our youth programmes. Over the COL crisis – these very vulnerable user-groups were supported by way of our voucher scheme. 

## **Feedback from Rath Mor 50+ Club:** 

“Conal, Carol, Kevin, Barbara and everyone else at Rath Mor are just brilliant, they really look after us in every way possible. Rath Mor has been our home now for nearly 20 years and 

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we were really glad to get back to regular hours at the club after the Covid situation calmed down. All the ladies really missed it!” 

## **Focus of Work** 

The main focus of CEL’s Rath Mor Centre, located at Bligh’s Lane, Creggan is to provide a shared space to promote economic, social, educational, cultural, artistic, good-relations, peacebuilding and other activities across the social divide to improve the conditions of life for the residents of Creggan, surrounding environs and the North-West. 

## **Principal Funding Sources** 

The key funders of CEL include: the International Fund for Ireland; Derry City & Strabane District Council; Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust; St Stephen’s Green Trust; The Executive Office (CGRF T:buc); Dept of Foreign Affairs (ROI); Community Foundation (NI); Housing Executive and rental income generated from the Rath Mor Centre units. 

## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

The company was formed on 23 October 1991. The company was granted charitable status on 16 January 2019. The charitable company was established under Memorandum & Articles of Association which outlined the area of benefit and the objects of the charitable organization. 

## **Recruitment and Appointment of the Board of Directors** 

The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company’s Articles are known as members of the Board. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, one third of the members of the Board must stand for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. 

## **Members, Induction and Training** 

The board members are already familiar with the work of Creggan Enterprises Limited and board members are encouraged to participate in relevant activities. The Board members underwent dedicated governance training (delivered by NICVA) in 2019 to reflect the additional requirements of the organization as a registered charity. 

## **Obligations of the Board** 

The main obligations of the Board are to develop and oversee the implementation of policy and to ensure that structures and management complies with legal requirements and good governance practice. 

## **Organisational Structure** 

The organizational structure (for the reporting period covered) consists of 6 Directors* and 11 employees which include a general manager, project and admin staff (*1 Director subsequently stood down in December 2022). 

## **Risk Management** 

The directors have assessed the major risks to which the company is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the company, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate the exposure to the major risks. 

## **How CEL has mitigated any harm flowing from its purposes** 

CEL operate under strict governance oversight, process and procedure. Our programmes 

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adhere to clear and comprehensive internal policies / guidance and external parameters determined by funders, management agents and government departments. Employees and the Board are supported and encouraged to take whatever training is necessary to prepare them for their role and support their day-to-day activities (e.g. Governance Training or Safeguarding Training etc). Regular reporting is provided to each and every funder and each programme undergoes initial and ongoing risk analysis to determine what if any risks are posed by the programme (in regard to harm to users, participants, workers, the community, the funder or the organisation). In this way – any potential harm is identified and specific measures established to mitigate risk from the outset and as circumstances change or new activities are planned. CEL also take care to survey the needs of our user base and indeed the wider community – before any new programme / service is planned; and we also endeavour to capture and take on board as much feedback as well in order to evaluate the effectiveness of our charitable work. This allows us to monitor any potential areas of harm – and mitigate where possible. 

**How CEL has ensured that any private benefit has been incidental to the public benefit** All our activities are directed towards solely providing a public benefit – any private benefit generated is purely incidental. Trustees or employees of the Charity are ineligible and prohibited from accessing any of the services or supports which our programmes offer. The only private benefits accrued are purely in relation to the roles and responsibilities of workers. For example our Lifehack project workers may attend a residential (thus benefitting from the charitable work) in their essential supervisory capacity only. Additionally employees may benefit, for example, from training (which they attend in a supervisory role alongside participants or via direct training – where it is deemed essential for their role, i.e. safeguarding training) but again any benefit is purely incidental. Each programme works within strict guidelines, with strict controls on personal expenses, and with all expenditure scrutinised at multiple levels to ensure appropriateness, fair value and necessity. 

## **Statement of compliance in regard to the Commission’s guidance** 

In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year the trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities have helped to achieve the charity’s purposes and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries. 

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## **Signed by CEL Board of Trustees (as of June 2023)** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Garvan O’Doherty:_________________________________  Date: 16/6/23________<br>John Bradley:______________________________________  Date: 16/6/23________<br>Joe McFeely:______________________________________  Date: 16/6/23________<br>Anne Molloy:______________________________________  Date: 16/6/23________<br>Brendan McKeever:_________________________________  Date: 16/6/23________<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


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