Annual Report & Report onPublic Benefit
Hillitop HighlandDancers Dergina
Registeredwith the CharityCommissionforNorthernIrelandNIC107696
First Constitutedas anUnincorporatedCommunityAssociation:21May2019
Constitutionupdated:21January2021
RegisteredOfficeAddress
C/O15 TireluganRoad,Aughnacloy, Co.Tyrone,BT69 6DB.
Saturday 22nd June2024
TRUSTEES
Mrs WendyBeatty
MrsGillianKelly
Mrs LeanneLaw
Mrs AlmaMarshall
MrsBeverleyHylands
MrLeslieHawe
PURPOSES
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3.1 The Association is established to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of the Mid Ulster District council area and its surroundingrural environs (hereinafter called the "areaof benefit")without distinction of age, gender, sexuality, nationality, ethnic origin, political or religious opinion, by associating the statutory authorities, voluntary organisations and the inhabitants in a common effort to advance the Ulster Scots dance, Ulster Scots culture and heritage, health, welbeing and education by providing or assisting in the provision of facilities in the interests of socialwelfare for recreation or other leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants and in particular:
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To Provide Highland dance tuition to children and young people in the local area,
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encouraging children to get active and express themselves creatively, developing skills in self-discipline and exploring and becoming aware of their own unique culture.
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b. To provide opportunities for members of the group to participate in events demonstratingthe skills they have learned and therein promote the Ulster Scots Culture.
BENEFICIARIES
Thecharity'sbeneficiariesareprimarilytheinhabitantsofDungannonanditssurrounding
environswithinthe DungannonandSouthTyroneareaof MidUlsterDistrictCouncil.
ACTIVITIES
2023wasanotherbusyyearfor TheHilitopTeamwithdancerscontinuingtomeet
weeklyat their classesinDerginaas wellas demonstratingtheir skillsat numerous
eventsanddisplaysandcompetingacrossthe country.
The king'sCoronationwas ahighlight for the dancerswhoagainparticipated inmany
eventsas they markedthis historic momentinourlifetimes.
Excitementwashighin the groupwhenour teacher MissKathrynStewartwaschosen
tochoreographtheHighlandDanceaspectoftheBelfastTattooandsomeofour
advanceddancerswereprivilegedto bepartofthismemorableevent.Itwasbackto
BelfastagainforagroupofourdancersastheyperformedattheNIfestival of
remembranceinthe waterfront. Thedancerswerealsodelightedto representHilltopas
theyperformedat TheGrandOrangeLodgeawardsinLisburn.Inbetweenallthese
prestigiouseventsthedancerscontinuedtravelingthelengthandbreadthofthe
country tocompetitions.
Thegroupalsocontinuedtomeetweeklyfor classesthankstothe generousongoing
fundingof The UlsterScotsAgency.
TheHilltop teamagainexcelledwhilsthostingthenowannualPlatinumCompetition
withover 90 participants fromdanceschoolsregionally.
Ourcompetitionand indeedweeklyclassessimplycouldnotexist wereitnotfor the
small army ofvolunteerswhogive uptheirfree timebehindthescenestosupport the
groupanditisthankstothesevolunteersthat we owe agreatdealof thanks.
Alongsideourvolunteersarethecommitteewhomeetregularlytooverseethe
administrativesideofthegroupandwhoendeavourtosecurefundingregularly to
financethegroupand thereforekeepcoststo familiestoa minimatatimewhencosts
aresoaringfor everyone.
Thenewyearof2024broughtsomedelightfulnewsthatoneofourdancershad
achievedherassociateteacher'sexamandcouldnowtakeover thereignsofthe
beginner'sclass.MissSarahHylandsbeganher[journey]atourfirst[class]on5th
November2016andveryquicklyaspiredtobecomingahighlanddancingteacherand
so we asagroupare proud[to][have][watched][Sarah][achieve her dream]ina[relatively]
short space[of time.]
Althoughitiseasy[to][list] the [achievements][of][ the advanced][dancers][who][participate]in
all sorts[of events,]the [group][also][recognises][the number]ofbeginner[dancers]who[will]
all nowreceivecustommade choreography[outfits][thanks][to the][ generous][ funding][from]
MUDCandinsodoingprovidingameans[for][ all][of][our][dancers]todemonstratetheir
dancingtoa wider audience[despite][their][level.]
Spring['24] brought [the][ opportunity][for][ every dancer from the youngest][ to][ the][ oldest][ to]
completetheirexams[and][a][celebration][in][recognition][of][this][has][been][organised][for]
later oninthe year.
AsChairpers[on][of][the group]Iamproudofallofour achievements[through][another]
busyand[challenging][year and][thank everyone][who][has][in][anyway][contributed to][our]
Success.
ACHIEVEMENTS
HOWMAIN[ACTIVITIES][HAVE][BENEFITED][BENEFICIARIES]
Theoverallaims[of][our][annual][activities][are][to][provide][ direct]benefitswhich[flow][from][our]
purposesThistraining,anxiety,[in][turn]through[health][which]improves[and][include:][the][well-beina][promotion][dance]preservationskillsoutcomes.[of][dance]andof Ulster[and][promotes]and[Ulster][Scots][reduced][ Culture][good][Scots,][levels][/][culture,][ and][community]of[in]social[particular][arts,]relations,isolation,[heritage,][HighlandDance.][stress]recreation,[education,][and]
education and training.
WedidthisbytheCommitteemeetingregularlytorunthecharitybehindthescenes,help
raisefundsfor theGroupandrunningweeklydanceclasses.
TheCommitteeholdsregularmeetingswiththefullmembershiptoplan eventsandavailof
infomation,andtoprovidesupportandfacilitiestoease socialisolation.
TheGroupsocializesand meetswithother similargroupsinthelocalarea,thelocaldistrict
andbeyondtonetworkandshareinformation.
Guest Speakersgivetalksandinfomation sessionson danceandrelatedtopicsforthe benefit
ofallthe members.
Thecharity'sbeneficiariesareprimarilytheinhabitantsofDungannonanditssurrounding
environs withinthe DungannonandSouthTyroneareaofMidUlsterDistrictCouncil.
Thesebenefitsaredemonstratedthroughfeedbackfrombeneficiariesandattendees at our
meetings,events,classes, andculturalactivitiesusing:surveys,verbalfeedback,and
evaluationofouractivities.
Aprivatebenefitto Trustees mayarisefromour ongoingservicesandprogrammesofdance
tuition,music,arts,cultural,educational,leisureandrecreationalactivities:information,
training,events,andnetworkingvisits.Throughthis,Trusteesgainservices,dancetuition,
culturalawareness,information,skills,and experiencewhichare transferableto othersettings,
andwhichmaybenefittheirowncommunitygrouporarea.OurownTrusteesreceive
infomation, tuition,servicesandactivitiesinthesamewayasother beneficiaries,andare
assignedsupport,informationandservicesin the samewaysas otherbeneficiaries.
Thesebenefitsareincidentalandnecessarytoensurethebenefitisprovidedtoour
beneficiaries.
Inprovidinga localpointofsocialcontactandactivities for thecommunitybenefitthereisno
possibilityofharmoutweighing the benefit-thereisnoharmarisingfrom any ofthepurposes.
FINANCIAL REVIEW AT END OF YEAR
FINANCIALPOSITIONATENDOFYEAR: Despitecutstofundingprogrammes,the
organisationremainsin a strongfinancialposition.
OUTSTANDINGDEBTSORLIABILITIES:Therewerenodebtsoroutstandingdebtsor
liabilities.
FUNDSINMATERIALDEFICIT& STEPS TAKENTOMITIGATE:Therewerenofundsin
materialdeficit.
FINANCIALMITIGATION: TheTrustees ensuredtheorganisation'sfinancesweremanaged
prudentlyand onanongoingbasis.
FUNDSHELDBY THECHARITYAS ACUSTODIANTRUSTEE:None -Notapplicable.
RESTRICTIONS ON WHO CANBENEFIT
Thereare norestrictionsonwhocanbenefit.
Wedonot charge anyfees.
There arenochargestoaccessanyevents orservices.
Thereare norestrictionsbasedonpersonalcharacteristics.
PUBLIC BENEFIT
Thedirect[benefits]which[flow][from][our][purposes][include]improved: preservationofUlster
Scots[Culture]andinparticularHiahland[Dance.][This]inturnimprovesdanceskillsand
promotes good/communityrelations,education,training,healthandwell-beingoutcomes,
andreducedlevelsofsocialisolation,stressandanxiety,through thepromotion ofdanceand
UlsterScots, culture,arts,heritage,recreation,education andtraining
PRIVATE BENEFIT
Thereisnoprivatebenefittoany[individual.]
HARM
No harmhasflowedfromanyofour Purposes.
SERIOUS INCIDENT[REPORTING]
There arenoseriousincidentstoreport.
VULNERABLE BENFICIARIES
Appropriate[Policies,]ProceduresandTrainingareinplace[such]asPOCVAPolicy&
Procedures.
STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE
The[Trustees]have[complied]withtheirduty[to]havedue[regard][to][the][Charity]Commission
NI'sPublic[Benefit]Guidance [when]exercisingany powers[or][duties]towhichtheguidanceis
relevant.
Signed[Chairperson:]
Date:
WendyBeatty