Brighter Ballymagorry Development Group NIC 107458 Trustee's Report Year End 41st March 2021 Objectives and Activitres The advancement of community development by working ¥wth the relevant statutory and voluntary bodies to improve the conditions of life for local residents. We aim to provide or assist in providing facilities in the Interest of social welfare. health. recreation and leisure purposes. All projects organised are based on need for the residents of the area and wider communTty. Achievements and Pèrforniance Achievements ofyear in question... Financlal Review Short finanaal revlew for year in question: fundinq recelved, expenditure and remaining balan Opening and doslng balance £11910.79 £7771.03 This has been approved byTrustees and signed on thelr behalf bv Chairperson
AS we begin the year 2022 we hope life is returning to normal and we can get back to all the activities we have missed in the last two and a half years. In March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic we had Home delivery leaflets printed to let the community know that as people were isolating messages could be ordered at the local shops and volunteers would collect them and deliver to them. These leaflets were delivered to all houses in village and surrounding area. On 30th March Joe erecter eight signs, that he made, showing the support of the village for the NHS and our appreciation for their work. On 4th April the Easter Bunny went around the village with one helper to give children an Easter egg and to boost morale in what was a strange time. From 9th April a group of volunteers were busy delivering staples supplied by Dept. of Communities and brought to Fox Lodge CC bv Easylink driver. At the beginning we had a list of names and a box was delivered to each address, as the scheme became more widely publicized the list of people needing support grew and the boxes had to be opened and split into two. Then delivered to the community, at this stage we had extra volunteers to help divide the contents of the boxes and drivers to deliver them. The Group also started a collection in April of bottled water, toiletries, snack foods and protein bars for staff and patients in Altnagelvin Hospital, because of restrictions patients were unable to have visitors and there was a request for help in these areas. The first consignment th was taken to Gransha House on 17 April and another later in the month. A separate delivery was made to the cancer care unit on 18th May. We also enlister Alistair Heywood to provide hot meals and volunteers delivered these around the village and surrounding area for 16 weeks.
44 homes benefited from this service each week. RAPID supplied the funding for this for 11 weeks and BBDG paid for the additional 5 weeks through the Neighbourly Fund. Part of the funding from RAPID was given to Leckpatrick Church of Ireland to enable them to provide hot meals to members of their congregation for the 11 weeks. We also provided a prescription collection and delivery serdice for the first nine months of the pandemic. This was widely used by the rural community and this service started on 25th April. On 7th May the Mayor of Derry/Strabane council visited Fox Lodge Cricket Club and thanked the volunteers for their work in the community. The residents of the village have been very supportive during the pandemic and Lawson Park and Abbey View both held events to raise funds for the group. In July D&S Council donated flowers which the group distributed to the residents for planting in their gardens. A Best Kept Garden competition was sponsored by Centra, Ballymagorry, it was judged by Iris Black and John and was won by Ronnie Kelly. On Ilth July an Ice cream van went around the village, stopping in all areas and everyone received an ice cream. Magazines and puzzle books, grabbers, bottles of hand sanitizer and Winter warmer packs have all been distributed to homes in the village and surrounding area during this time. Christmas Food Hampers were made up and given to senior citizens. Supplies were purchased through Spar, Derry Road and volunteers made up the Hampers and called with them at the homes of elderly residents making contact and assuring them that if they needed any help the group would do anything they could to assist. This was funded from our award from the Big Lottery.
Selection Boxes were given out to the children before Christmas but this was a very strange year with no Santa and no gathering at Fox Lodge Club house after switching on the Christmas Tree lights for Tea/coffee and to see Santa. In the new year the Housing Executive gave us six boxes for homes including people with dementia, these were quickly snapped up. th On 30 January the Eco Buddies all received pots and bulbs for them to plant up. Senior citizens also received planters but their planters had already been planted up by New Horizons so they just had to water and care for theirs. These were Funded by RAPID. th On 17 March Irish stew and apple tart was given to senior citizens of the village, again distributed by volunteers. On 20th March the ice cream van came around again and everyone enjoyed an ice cream. On 23rd March afternoon tea boxes were delivered to 60 people in the village and were well received. A lovely treat at this time. It has been a very trying two years and the volunteers have been invaluable, without them we as a group could not have helped so many in our community. So, thank you to everyone responsible.