CHARITIES REPORT 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023 

In the financial year beginning the 1[st] April 2022 we planned, executed and delivered the following courses, meetings and activities. 

During the month of April we engaged with the Local Council, Housing Executive, Fire Brigade and PSNI to discuss the Bonfire Protocol for July 22. This agreement was signed on the 7[th] April 2022. 

On the 13[th] April 2022 we planned and successfully delivered an Easter Hunt for families throughout the area. This event was a follow on from the success of previous Easters which we had delivered from Easter 2019. In 2019 we had 68 children along with family attend which grew steadily to a figure of 119 in April 2022. The event included an Easter hunt to bring families out together. Tea, Coffee and tray bakes were provided for the adults. For the children we provided bouncy castles and the Easter Bunny as well as goody bags, including an Easter egg. 

The young Sparks programme for Primary School kids continued with 12 . children attending regularly on a Wednesday afternoon 

During the month of May 7 of our group took part and successfully completed an IT course. The course began on the 10[th] May and run for 4 weeks concluding on the 31[st] May. 

The 5[th] of June seen us organise and deliver a community event celebrating the Queens Platinum Jubilee. The event had 4 inflatables, Dainty Doughnut van, 300 biodegradable balloons, coloured flares, tea/coffee and buffet for adults.  We provided party bags for children with over 200 attending. The local community police also attended. This event run from 2pm to 5pm with residents coming and going throughout. 

July 2022 seen us have a fun day on the 11[th] July. This included Bouncy Castles, Dainty Doughnuts, Burger Van, Ice Cream Van, Stalls, Face painter, Stage, DJ and Group. Over 300 kids attended and each received a party bag. 

Monday 27[th] June seen the start of our Summer Scheme which run from the 25[th] July to Friday 5[th] August. The summer scheme consisted of 3 age groups. Ages 4yrs-8yrs, 9yrs-11yrs and 12yrs to 18yrs. We had 30 4-8yr olds, 30 9-11yr olds and 27 12-18yr olds attend. During this period we had arts & crafts, multisports, days at the park, Movie day, baking, how to make your lunch, Jo Jingles 



and a police talk on road safety in the centre. Day trips included Glengormley Movie House and Scrapyard Golf. 

On the final day of Summer Scheme we had a free family day including a Bar-bQue, Doughnut van, Climbing Wall, Archery and Colour Run. 

August also seen us take part in a team building event at Belfast Castle consisting of team building sports and abseiling. 

The older group took part in a Williamite course and the Battle of The Boyne and visited the Whitehouse in Merville. 

The 31[st] August seen us present 2 benches to local schools. The benches went to Earlview Primary and Carnmoney Primary Schools. These benches were supplied by the group and were called Friendship Benches. The benches were placed in the playgrounds and are for children to sit on if they felt they needed someone to talk to or needed help and sitting on these would bring them to the attention of Teachers. 

During the month of October, we arranged our first coffee morning for the pensioners. This seen 14 attend. Tea/Coffee and tray bakes were provided. 

50 pumpkins were purchased that children picked up from the centre and took home to carve. A Halloween disco was also arranged for the night of the 28[th ] from 6pm to 9pm for the younger children. A Fancy-dress competition and prizes for the best dressed. We also had a Company called Wee Critters attend who brought up spiders, snakes, beetles, reptiles, and an armadillo. All the kids received goody bags and Toffee Apples which were donated by a local business. The night was finished off with a firework display. The pumpkins were also returned to the centre on the night of the Halloween disco on the 28[th] October and prizes were given out for 1[st] , 2[nd] and 3[rd] places. There were 91 children attended. We had 6 seniors help with the junior night. The seniors then had a scary movie night in the centre on Saturday 29[th] October with 14 attending. Popcorn sweets and juice were supplied and donated by a local business. A Chinese takeaway was provided between the movies. 

– Saturday 5[th] November from 2pm 4pm we had a Thriving Communities event which gave information on Slow cooking demonstration, money saving, budgeting and an update on projects that were planned in the area. This was attended by the local MLA, and 2 local councillors as well as 32 residents. While the parents were meeting those from Thriving Communities the children were 



entertained with Arts & Crafts. Information was gathered from the residents who attended of what they would like to see in the centre in the future. 

The month of December seen Bryson and ourselves run a Cost of Living scheme which involved the distribution of £200 to be used for Gas, Electric, Food Vouchers, Oil and white goods with 250 households targeted and supplied with one of the options. We also had the first delivery of the building materials for the raised bed project. 50 Christmas Dinners were delivered to pensioners, those on their own and those in most need on the 16[th] December. A Santas Grotto was provided for the children in the area on the 18[th] December which run for the full day and seen a footfall of 217 children attend. 

January was a quiet month with a delivery of food to Carnmoney Food Bank . and starting to plan for the coming year 

February seen the preparation of the land in which the raised beds where to be placed. The building of the raised beds also started with 12 placed on site. An SIA course was made available to the group for 10 people and will take place in April with 11 nights at 4hrs per night totalling 44hrs to successfully complete the course. Names were collected from those interested and put forward to the course provider. The NIHE approved courses for 15 young people, 5 leaders and 5 from our Community Policing Team to take part in courses covering the History and Formation of Northern Ireland, The UVF and the Battle of The Somme, and the Troubles from start to present day. Once this course was completed the attendees were treated to a night go-karting which was funded by The Bryson Group. 

The month of March seen us run an air fryer course of which 12 people took part. The course run every Thursday for 1 hour over a 4-week period. The course taught people the basics of Air frying and different foods that could be cooked in it. At the end of the course everyone who took part could take their air fryers and equipment home with them as a reward. The group also provided a food and hygiene course for 6 of our volunteers. 

That concludes our report for April 2022 to March 2023