Trustee's Annual Report April 2022 - March 202a It has been a pleasure to serve another year as a Trustee of the Centre For Health and Wellbeing. At the time of writing l am aware that the COVID- 19 inquiry features prominently on the news along with a new variant that threatens to occupy hospital staff over the Christmas and New Year period. All a reminder of the pa.ndemic and also that the Centre responded admirably to the needs of our service users in the worst of times. I would like to thank our previous Chairperson Thomas Mccullough for his service to the Cent, Thomas made a valuable contribution to the govemance and direction of travel of the Centre prior to resigning for health reasons on 261h May 2022. As a result of his resignation an Extraordinary General Meeting was held on 21 June 2022 which resulted in the election of the following Honorary Officers.. Lorraine Mills - Co Chairperson; Cara Cash-marley - Co Chairperson. Bemie McGlade - Treasurer and Karen Laverty - Secretsry l am delighted to report that during the year (March 2023) we welcomed four new Trustees, Raymond Blaney; Hanna Burton. Linda Doherty-Riley and Katherine Orr, each of whom have brought new skills and experien to the Board and I look forward to the contributions they will make in the years to Gome. Vve would like to thank our main tiinders namely the Department for Communities and the Victims and Survivors Servi. and the financial support from Belfast Health and Social Care Trust for providing complementary therapies for carers. Funding provided by the Department for Communities and the Victims and Survivors Service rolled overforthe year due to inactivity by the Northern Ireland Executive. In addition during the year received an additional £7,500 from VSS to provide extra complementary therapies, an additional £12,800 to deliver a Social support programme to combat isolation and loneliness, Springlsummer and AutumnAMnter, and a contribution tovrdrds increasing overhead costs. The social support programmes which are so important to mental wellbeing especially after COVID indLJded: visits to Mount Stewart, Ulster American Folk Park, fitanic Experience and Crumlin Road Gaol, trips to the Opera House for Blood Brothers and the Hunchback of Notre Dame, craft dasses, walking tours and finally 'Forest Bathing, in Finnebrogue Woods, Downpatrick. All activities were fully supported by service users and contributed signfficantly to improvements in mentsl wellbeing.
The Centre also benefitted from the support carried forward from last year including the Carers Fund, £5,500, to help us continue with the counselling service. to provide additional complementsry therapies and to provide personal development opportunities through the provision of extra classes. The counselling Servi also received support £2,700 carried forward, from the Halifax Foundation for Northem Ireland and £9,110 carried forward from Awards for All. l am pleased to say that the Centre was able to respond to the cost of living crisis being eXperiend by our service users. The SusSfUl application to Awards for All, £10,000, meant that starting in February 2023 we were able to begin to provide £50.00 and £100.00 electricity top ups to those experiencing difficulty in being able to afford energy cost in their homes. In total 191 service users were supported in this way. Perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences during the year, in so many ways, was when the Centre partnered with Families Beyond Confiict from the Shanknll to avail of PEACE IV funding, administered by VSS. to undertake a 'Lived Experience, creative wrtting project. What resulted was a publication where two groups of women from across the divide, Shankill and Upper Springfi'eld I Whiterock, reflected upon their lives, experien, memories and the city that they live in a city that shaFtd them and, in tum, been shaped by them. All the participants, including myself, thoroughly enjoyed the sessions at Farset Intemational expertly facilitated by playwright Fionnuala Kennedy who nurtured the ueativity in the room. We are very proud of the publication which is archived in the Linen Hall Library and on display in the Shankill and Whiterock libraries. Thanks is due to Andrew and the team at the Victims and Sunlivor servi for having the vision, trust and commitinent to obtain the funding to support victims and survivors in such an innovative way. In total during the year with complementary therapies, counselling, personal development classes, activities to redu social isolation and help with cost of living pressures, and a listening ear seryice to vulnerable carer8, the Centre for H8alth and Wellbeing provided a positive mental wellbeing service to over 800 people, something vrfe are justly proud off. The services cannot delivere(I without the dedicated work of staff, Nigel and Patricia, and our team of complementary therapists and counsellors all of whom are highly valued by the charity and its Servi users. I would like to express my thanks to my colleagues and volunteer Trustees who have ensured that good govemance, and support when needed. remains a priority.
I would also express my thanks to Tony Clarke and his team from Clarke & Co for their support with financial administration and to Lawren Shearer from O'Hara Shearer for the audtt and presentation of financial statements. In speaking with Lawren, I know that despite funding and financial challenges, the Centre's financial health is robus( depending on continued funding support, ensuring we remain viable and in a position to continue to serve the mental wellbeing needs of the local communty. With continued polStical uncertainty I do not know what the forthcoming year will bring in terms of servic8 delivery and funding, but I do know that the Centre for Health and Wellbeing will continue to respond to communty need for improved mental and physical wellbelng. Lorraine Mills 18 December 2023 Co-chairperson