## **ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** **Greyabbey & District Community Association** **For the period 1[st] September 2021 to 31[st] December 2022** **Registered charity number NI107114** Greyabbey & District Community Association Trustees Report ## **ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** ## **Greyabbey & District Community Association** ## **Charity Trustees** **Michele Strong - Secretary later replaced by Fred Wray Janet Hamilton Stephen Newell** ## **Trustees are appointed or re-appointed at the AGM** ## **Postal Address** ## **11 Watermeade Crescent, Greyabbey, BT22 2XB** ## **The Charity’s governing document is the Constitution as amended on 19[th] June 2017** ## **The objects of the charity are as set out in the governing document, namely:** The advancement of citizenship and community development to inspire civic values and encourage voluntary and community activity in areas of health, education, the arts, sports and recreation and culture and heritage. To develop and implement programmes concerned with promoting community cohesion through physical, social and economic improvements to the appearance of the area of benefit and impacting on the quality of life of residents. The trustees are grateful for the many hours our member volunteers gave to the charity over the past year. Without their time, energy and expertise we could not have achieved so much, especially in another difficult year. We would especially thank members who provided a delivery service for food and medicines to those residents who had to isolate during the lockdowns. During the period covered by this report we sadly must report the passing of two of our volunteers, including one of our trustees – Michele Strong. Both are greatly missed. Greyabbey & District Community Association Trustees Report ## **Review of Activities** As with the previous year, the pandemic affected some of our work and events. Nevertheless, we continued to hold monthly meetings using Zoom during the early part of this report with face-to-face meetings resuming in mid-2022. Our Friends of the Abbey group continued their fund-raising activities and we saw a return to the numbers we experienced pre- covid. Coach tours restarted during the year bringing in around 30% of our visitors. We signed a Trusted Partner agreement with the HED of the Dept for Communities in late 2022, which gives us more autonomy at the Abbey and we were subsequently able to commence recruitment of more volunteers to assist. Our Gardening Club continued their work on the Abbey Physic Garden and surrounds most weekends and gave everyone concerned a valuable outlet as well as keeping the gardens in tip top condition. As well as providing planters and floral displays in Main Street, we ran competitions for the best Hanging Basket and Window Box floral displays again and we were rewarded by an increase in the number of entries. The winners were rewarded with vouchers which could be redeemed in any of the village shops. In November 2021 we organised the starting of planting of a Community Orchard, on land provided by the council adjacent to the Village Hall. In total with the help of pupils from the primary school, we planted 50 mixed fruit trees. Our Christmas Event in 2021 was slightly curtailed due the problems caused by the pandemic, nevertheless we were able to run a slightly truncated celebration with Santa arriving in a vintage car and distributing presents to every child. In March 2022 we assisted with the distribution of 900 potato grow bags to 9 villages on the Peninsula. Each village including our own rec’d 100 bags, 100 bags of compost and 300 seed potatoes with detailed instructions on how to grow ‘spuds’. Also in March 2022, we facilitated the setting up of a Friendship Group, after requests from several villagers who felt that the lockdowns had left many feeling isolated. The group meets monthly for light refreshments, conversation and to play board games. In April 2022 we organised an Easter Egg hunt at the Abbey over the course of 2 days when over 100 chocolate Easter Eggs were given away to participants. Greyabbey & District Community Association Trustees Report On June 5th we organised a Village Picnic to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Over the course of the afternoon, we had over 400 villagers entertained with music, games, and street performers – a fantastic response from everyone. As with Summer 2021 we again ran the In Bloom competition with more entries than ever before and some well-deserved winners. Christmas 2022 saw us return to a more normal (pre-covid) event with a lunch for seniors served by our volunteers, followed by music and a sing-a-long. In the evening children from the village and surrounds took part in a Xmas Trail along Main Street to the Christmas Tree. After the Christmas Tree switch on, Santa distributed presents to all those taking part, before everyone moved on to our Christmas Craft Market held at the Primary School. The CA provided free hot dogs etc and warm drinks to everyone on a cold December evening. ## **Financial Review** During the year (16 months) we had an income of £16,374 and expenses of £12,734, giving us a surplus of c.£3,640 As with previous years the main source was from our Friends of the Abbey project where donations received amounted to £7400. A further £969 of income was by way of grants. Our expenses included £2,290 for the two Christmas events, with a further £3,127 for our planting schemes and c£2,130 for the Jubilee Picnic Our bank balance at the year-end was £20,199. ## **DECLARATION** ## **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above** ## **Signed on behalf of the trustees by** **Stephen Newell ……………………………………………………………………………….** ## **Trustee** ## **Date : 7[th] August 2023** Greyabbey & District Community Association Trustees Report