VIA WINGS Trustees. Annual Report (including Directors, Report) For the year ended 31 Ortober 2023 The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ending 31 October 2023. Objettlves and Attivities The chariry's objectives are 5pecffically restritted to the following: Via Wings was estsblished in 2009 to relieve poverty and to promote the benefft of the inhabitants of Dromore and its environs of County Down without distinrtion of age, gender. disability. sexual orientation, nationality. ethnic identity, political or religious opinion. by associating the statutory authorwties, eomrnunity and voluntary organisations and the inhabitants in a common effort to advance education, to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure-time occupation, with the objert of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabttants and in particular. al To maintain and manage a centre or ntreS in the area of benefft for attivities promoted by the charity: b) The provision of programmes in order to advan education and promote the benefit of the beneficiaries. in particular mothers with children; c) The provision of practical help for the beneficiaries who requi such assistance as a result of their economic circumstances. Achievements, Perfonnance & Public Benefft During 2022-2023 Wia Wings provided the following for those people within the greater community of Drom0, Co. Down who had specific needs: Food parlS to families in need. - Social supennarket providing food at an affordable pri. Practical help for those in crisis situations through sUPPOrt and advice and by distributing household itemsto create homes forfamilies in poverty- Pastoral support for those isolated or lonely. Provided counselling and social support services to those in need. wrth mental health. grief, addiction and family brp.Akdnwn 5ttl13tions_ - Education programmes for school age children and young people with addttion31 needs. - TrAinine to prÈpare them for the general workplace. - Worked to train and encourage volunteers. - Distribution of food and toys at Chri.vtmas. Provided safe location for social gathering. - Opcncd a Wellbeins centre to run pro8rammes foi personal wellbeiiix lind provlde mental health support. - Provision of affordable clothing to the community and a social enterprise through thÈir preloved clothing shop. Community Services Via Wings continued to develop existing projects and services for the benefit of others during 2022-2023. seeking to provide wrap around support to meet the physical. mental and emotional needs of the community. With a staff team of 22 and many volunteers. the projects and services are pmvided from the Charrty's property the centre of Dromore. The charity met physical nÈeds of those in poverty through 'D3re2Care' and the social supermarket. The Larderf, which provided clients with food and material item5 for house arKI home as well as advice and sUPPOrt for those affected by poverty. In partnership with local food stores. agencies and government bodies. Via Wings provided an accessible place for the community to selert surplus food items that may othenvise have been wasted. Preloved clothing was sold through the charity's social enterprise. Win5 'n Things,. providing affordable clothing to the community as well as funds for the charity. Families were fvrther sUPPOrted through the 'Mini Wings, projert which provided afterschool educational programmes for children from the two local primary schools in Dromore. Play therapists provided Servi for youn8er children through Wia Win85.
VIA WINGS Trustees. Annual Report (including Directors, Report) For the year ended 31 October 2023 Communlty Servi5 corrtinued Young aduFts Wtth additional needs reiVed training and mentoring to prepare them for employment through the 'Learning 360, projett. Older adults attended for artivities and received support to combat isolation as part of the 'Recycled Teenager project. During 2022-2023 an increase in demand for counselling services highlighted the importance and need for expansion of counselling and mentorin8 services at Via Win8s as the charity sought to support not only the physical but the mentsl and emotional needs people may have to help break the chains of poverty. The Wellbeing Centre opened in May 2023 providing a space for counsellin& complementsry therapies and courses to support and equip people with the tools to manage their mental health. Property and Prernise5 The Wellbeing Ccntrc opened in May 2023 completing phase 3 of the conversion of the PfVVFVUSly unre5toied outbuildings on the property. The transFormation of this space has created 2 counselling rooms, 2 therapy rooms for aromatherapy and reflexology, and meeting room for classes induding yoga, mindfulness and baby massage. Thc Dare to Care building and Larder We maintained io en<ible effective and safe food storage prlor to preparation of parcels for the community. The Larder. social enterprise supermarket. continued to be a success supporting families access affordable food. The baking kitchen provided a safe environment to train young adults in food preparation and its effective disiribution to the communty. - The archway acce55 to Via Wrngs wa5 fitted with a cooler room to aid storage of surplu5 food from local shops donatin8 through the Fareshare scheme. Financial Review The results for the year are set out in the statement of financial activities on page 8 of the financial statements. The charity recorded net deficit for the year ended 31 Ottober 2023 of £24.723 (2022: net income £46.2031. This Was deducted from reserve5 brou8ht forward of £527.717 to leave total reserves vf £502,994 at 31 October 2023. Grants received during the year 2022-2023 of 5ub5tantial Se, that were £25K or over, were: DOH Mental 14ealth grant of £33,986. - £57,900 from Henry Smith Charity for running costs, trainin& catering and salaries. - £27,160 from Trusthouse Charitable Foundation for Dare 2 Care. - £50,000 from Groundwork Nl {Whitemountain) for the Wellbeing Centre renovations. Income was also generated through the Wings 'N' Things shop. donations for Fareshare food and fundraising activities arranged by staff and volunteers. An incrÈase in demand for the work of Wia Wings has resulted in a gradual increase in staff numbers and employee costs: £213.299 {2022: £182.8011. Trade creditors of £8.108 12022: £6.875) include a list of supplier Invoices which were invoiced wrthin the financial year ending 31 Ortober 2023. but payment for these did not occur until the new financial year. The large prepayments and deferred Income balanS relate to the expenses paid and donations received prior to the year end in relation to our Strirtly pvpnt th took p3lte in Nov•mbor 2023. Reserves and Going Concern has been the policy of the Board of Tnjstees to maintain sufficient unrestricted funds as are consistent with the ongoing financial requirements of the charity. However. the trustees note that the charity experienced a difficult year as detailed in the financial review above. As a result of increased costs lating to staffin& projects and the building of the Wellbeing Centre a deficit in unrestricted cash occurred. The charS unrestricted fijnds are £175.264 which include fixed assets of £229.630 which therefore represents an unrestricted cash deficit of £54,366.
VIA WINGS Trustee5' Annual Report lincluding Directors. Report) For the year ended 31 October 2023 Re5erve5 and Going Concern continued The charitys unrestritted tunds net deticit in the year has resuTrted in the charity using all of tts restricted cash reserves by the year end. The trustees have taken various step5 to reduce the running costs of the charity and increase the unrestricted income by implementing a reduction in sLiff and their working hours, the sale of smaller assets and reduttions in overheads and day to day running costs. Unrestricted income has subsequently been generated through increased focus on fundraising events. a campaign for monthly regular donors and utilising the capacity of the charity as a social enterprise. The trustees are aware that a reliance upon restrirted funding sources cannot be a guaranteed source of income for the charity in these changeable times but shall continue to seek external funding sources where available. The trustees are in the processing of confirming an overdraft facility which will be taken with the chariV5 property as collateral. The tru5tees' budgets and projections have tsken into account these fartor5 and the possible changes that mav continue to occur in the coming year and as a resulL the trustees believe that tt is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis for a period of at least tweFve months from the date of signing the financial statements. Uncertainties around going conrn The trustees are aware of risks and uncertainties facing Via Wings relating to the ability to have unrestricted income available for the running of the charity- With the cost reductions implemented and an increased focus on generating unrestricted funds through their social enterprises and fundraising activities they plan to manage and minimise these risks to enable the charity to continue to thrive in the charitable sen415 it provides. Recrultment and appointment of the trustees The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association unless otherwise deterniined by the company in a General Meeting the number of trustees shall not be le55 than three and is not subject to any MaMum. Trustees are elected to serve only until the next Annual General meeti at which they shall then be eligibl@ fr)r r9-p.Itf)n Governing D¢xument and Constitution of the (harity The Charity is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 28 Ottober 2016. The Board of Trustees meets on a monthly basis and at least ten times per year. Compliance wlth Public Benefft In setting our objective5 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 Ch3ritVs purpose5 and provide a benefit to the beneficiaries. The chartty trustees have complied with the duty to have due regard to the guidan issued by the Commission under section 4{bl of the Charities Att (the public benefit requirement statutory guidance). Details of how the main activities undertaken by the Charity to further its charitable purposes for the public benefft have been detailed in 'Achievements. Performance and Public Benefrf on page 3. Directors qwho are also trustees) R. McKnight R. Beasley E. Atchison (resigned 27 March 2024) D. Weir {appointed 17 January 20241 P. Crothers (appointed 17 January 2024) J. Mcmurray (appointed 17 January 2024) J. Dillon {appointed 17 January 20241 Dillon {appointed 17 January 20241 J. Costello (appointed 17 January 20241 B. Skillen (appointed 27 March 2024) M. Bond (appointed 27 March 20241
VIA WINGS Trurtee5' Annual Report (Includlng Director5. Report) For the year ended 31 Ortober 2023 Reference and Adminlstratlve InfOrntIOn The charws reference and administrati details are outlined on page 2. The trustees serving as at the date of the Trustee Annual Report are outlined on page 2. No other individual, other than those listed, served as a trustee of the Charwty durin8 the finanaal year. Trustee< responsibilities in relation to the financial statements The charity trustees (who are also directors of Via Wings for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Tru5tees' Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Prartice) including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" Company law requires the trustee5 prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charFtable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to: - selert suitable accounting policie5 and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP IFRS102}; - make judgements and e5timate5 that are reasonable and prudentr - state whether appliGble UK Accounting Stsndards have been followed. subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements" and - prepare the financial statements on the Roing concem basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting CordS that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any timp. thp financial position of the charitable company and to enable thcm to ensure that the financial 5tatement5 comply with the Companies Act 21)06. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable tompany and taking reasonable steps for thc preventton and detection of fraud and othei irregulaiili¥5. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charitsble company and financial information inc.IIAded on the charÉtable companrfs website. Legislation in the Unitcd Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in otherjurisdictions. Approved by the trustees on 17 June 2024 and si8ned on their behalf by: Mrs R. McKnight Trustee and Board Chairperson Mr D. Weir Trustee and Board Secretary