ANNUAL REPORT 2024/2025
DURING 2018/2019 MACCA HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN MAINTAINING OUR SUSTAINABILITY DESPITE THE CONTINUING PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE HIGH INCREASES IN FUEL AND OTHER COSTS.
TO THIS END, MACCA HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO RAISE FUNDS TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
PROJECT BRIEFS:
SUMMER SCHEME; THIS PROJECT CONTINUES TO BE SPECTACULARLY SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING MANY CHILDREN HAPPY OVER THE SUMMER. THE PROJECT WAS DELIVERED DIFFERENTLY LAST SUMMER WITH A JOINT JUNIOR AND SENIOR SUMMER SCHEME RUNNING CONCURRENTLY.
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COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT: SOUTH WEST COLLEGE CONTINUE TO AVAIL OF THE ECO BUILDING TWO DAYS A WEEK AND IT IS HOPED TO BUILD ON THIS ALREADY SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP.
GARDEN PLOTS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SOME INCOME ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT PEOPLE TEND TO WANT PLOTS IN THE TUNNELS AS OPPOSED TO OUTSIDE. THIS SEEMS TO BE WEATHER RELATED. TO HOUSING EXECUTIVE PROVIDED FUNDING OF £2000 TO ERECT TWO FAMILY SIZE TUNNELS. BOTH HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND ENQUIRIES HAVE BEEN MADE TO ACCESS THEM.
FUNDING HAD BEEN SOUGHT FROM THE PEACE IV PROJECT AND MACCA HAVE BEEN AWARDED TWO THOUSAND POUNDS FOR A GARDEN PROJECT WHICH WILL AIM TO PROVIDE FAMILY SIZED PLOTS WITHIN THE TUNNELS AND OUTSIDE AREA. THESE FUNDS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AS WELL AS SOME EQUIPMENT.
THE UPTAKE OF ALLOTMENTS BY THE PUIBLIC HAS FALLEN THIS YEAR, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE WEATHER. ALLOTMENT HOLDERS INCLUDE THE GENERAL PUBLIC , SURESTART AND HOMESTART,SOUTH WEST COLLEGE ALSO USED THE GARDEN FACILITIES, CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS HAVE AGREED TO HELP THOSE NEEDING ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR PLOTS. THE LOCAL SCOUT GROUP ALSO USED THE FACILITIES FOR SEVERAL WEEKS OVER THE EASTER PERIOD WHICH PROVED VERY SUCCESSFUL.
MACCA CONTINUES TO PROVIDE PLACEMENTS FOR PEOPLE ON VARIOUS SCHEMES WHO ARE SEEKING WAYS BACK INTO EMPLOYMENT. THE GROUPS/ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED INCLUDE YOUTH JUSTICE, NETWORK PERSONNEL AND THE GOING PLACES PROJECT.
WE HAVE ALSO HAD MANY VISITORS. THE CENTRE HAS BEEN USED BY VARIOUS GROUPS OVER THE PAST YEAR FOR PARTIES, SEMINARS, MEETINGS AND COURSES BY OUTSIDE GROUPS SUCH AS , YOUTH ART PROJECTS, AGE DFC, HPA,SWC DrD AND FODC. THESE ACTIVITIES WHEN
INCLUDED WITH THE LINE DANCING CLUB , ZUMBA,PILOXING AND OTHER REGULAR WEEKLY USERS SUCH AS THE YOUTH CLUB, HOMESTART AND SURESTART GROUPS, PROVIDE A SMALL BUT STEADY SOURCE OF INCOME.
FUNDING: OTHER FUNDING SOURCES FOR RUNNING COST’S INCLUDE THE ANNUAL F ODC GRANT . THIS GRANT
AND DFC NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL MONEY HAS HELPED MACCA MAINTAIN ITS SERVICES AND ALSO EXPAND WHAT MACCA HAS TO OFFER THE PUBLIC.
THE NEED TO GENERATE MORE MONEY FROM OUR CONSIDERABLE ASSETS HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS. WITH THE HELP OF DARRAGH AND STEVEN FROM SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES,IT IS HOPED THAT MACCA WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND EVOLVE INLINE WITH THE PRESENT CHANGES INTRODUCED BY THE CHARITY COMMISSION . SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES HAVE IN THE PAST YEAR, BEEN A GREAT SOURCE OF HELP IN EDUCATING AND ADVISING MACCA IN RELATION TO THEIR STRENGHS, AND BY PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR THE DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MACCA IN PARTICULAR, HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ASSETS TO REALLY MAKE MONEY TO RE-INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY IF THE RIGHT CONDITIONS AND PEOPLE ARE IN PLACE.
DFC CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SOME FUNDING TO RUN ADDITIONAL GROUPS. IN THE LAST YEAR JIVING SESSIONS, PILOXING AND THE SUMMER SCHEME, ALL BENEFITED FROM THEIR HELP.
THE HOUSING EXECUTIVE ALSO PROVIDED FUNDING IN RELATION TO TRANSPORT FOR THE SUMMER SCHEME. THIS WAS OF GREAT BENEFIT, AS MANY COULD NOT AFFORD TO AVAIL OF THE SUMMER SCHEME AS THE PRICES WERE QUITE HIGH.
THE LOCAL SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL ALSO MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE CENTRE FOR ONGOING ACTIVITIES WHICH WAS OF COURSE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
THANKS. AS USUAL, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS WHO HAVE HELPED MACCA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO THANK THEM ALL AT THIS TIME. SO IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER MACCA WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR THANKS TO:
NIHE, SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES NI, FODC, SURESTART, FOCUS, WELB, WHSCT, BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY, SURESTART, HOMESTART, , DFC, NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES, ALL OF WHOM HELPED WITH FUNDING AND ADVICE OVER THE PAST YEAR.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR LOCAL COUNCILLORS, FODC, LOCAL BUSINESS’S AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, WHO BACKED US WITH ADVICE, PRACTICAL HELP AND THEIR SUPPORT DURING THE YEAR.
IF WE HAVE LEFT ANYONE OUT IT IS NOT INTENTIONAL AND WE APOLOGISE IN ADVANCE IF ANYONE FEELS AGGRIEVED.