CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: NIC108524 Connect Fermanagh Trustees, Report & Financial Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2024
Connect Fermanagh Contents pg.2 Administrative details of the Charity including Trustees pg.3 Annual Report of the Trustees pgs. 4-6 Tru5tees' responsiblllties statement pg.7 Summary of Financial Activities P8s. 8 Balance Sheet pg.9 Independent Examiners Report P8- 10 Notes to Flnanclal Statements P8. 11
Connect Fermanagh Trustee's Annual Report (Incorporatln8 the Chales Report) Structure. governance and management. Ih The Charlty was established April 2020 and Is governed by Its Constltutlon, adopted on 29 June 2021, managed by the Trustees. Day to day operations are carried out by I part-tlme staff member wlth the support of Volunteer5 and the Trustees themselves. Reference and admlnlstrative detalls Reglstered charlty name Connert Fermana8h Charlty re8lstratlon number NIC108524 Offlce and reglstered addre55 Fermana8h House, Broadrneadow Place, Ennisklllen, Co Fermana8h. 8T74 SPX Trustees azel Gardlner Helen Gllmour Sonya Johnston Secretary) Laurl Mccusker (Chair) Sue McDermott Paullne Mcmanus Paula Monaghan Carollne Storey (Tfeasurerl Oblectlves and actlvltles Connect Fermanagh belleve5 In, advocates for and supports the health and wellbeing of people acros5 Fermana8h, enabling individuals to feel connected, confident and valued. To enhance people's lives, supporting those most vulnerable and marginallsed in our community to achleve P051tlve emotional wellbelng and feel connected to and Secure in their communltles. Purposes Reduce serrflce-u5er5' feellngs of lonellne55 and Isolatlon Help ser•ice users feel connected Provlde Information on local and reglonal servlce5 and supports Signpost and support Indlvidua15 to access ser4ices and sUPPOrt5 Provide a platform to have the voices of servlce user5 heard by decislon-makers locally and re8ionally, Statement on Rlsk Assessment There have been no risks identified. the trustees are content that the charity ha5 adequate resources to continue in operatlonal existence for the foreseeable future.
Trustees. Annual Report Ilncorporatlng the Chalrs Report) Achlevements and performanr The Tru5tee5 present their annual report together with the financial statements of the Charlty for the period I Aprll 2023 to 31° March 2024. In presentlng thls report, the Trustees have had regard to the charity Commissions guidance on publlc benefit, the report detalls how our activities have enabled us to fulfil our public benefit purposes as required under section 70 of the Charities Act INI) 2008. What we do: In order to irnprove the health and well-bein8 of people Sn the Fermana8h area, Connect Fermanagh contlnues to recruit Volunteers to provlde re8ular, friendly phone-calls to anyone aged 18+ from 9aM 2pm 7 days per week. We accept ieferrals from any Indlvidual or or8anisation. We call people on a weekly basis to prevent loneliness and Isolatlon, bulld confldence. and help individuals feel connected and valued. We provlde frlendly conversatlon. we provlde Informatlon over the telephone and informatlon to Volunteers and servlce users vla a monthly newsletter on local actlvities, servlces and supports. We provlde sl8npostlng to or8anlsations offerlng support on speclfic issues and we provlde advocacy and emotlonal support to those who require It. Where Indlvldua15 have Specific needs, informatlon and slgnpostlng to speclallst senilces and support or8anisatlons Is provided. Volunteers, under the direction and guldance of the Project Coordinator ensure Indlvlduals have an awarene55 of sUPPOrt servlces avallable to asslst them wlth a wlde range ol needs. We organlse and facllltate up to 4 events each year, brlnglng volunteers and sep41ce users together to enjoy range of acllvltie5 to build friendshlps and connectlons In a safe, warm and welcomlng envlronment. SeNlce users wlll feel valued and have thelr volces heard, records of needs and gaps In servlces wlll be malntalned and used to raise issues wlth local and re8lonal declslon.makers to advocate for Improved or new servlces. Why we do It: We want our seThlce users to feel connected, we want to allevlate feelings of lonellne55,1501atlon and anxlety. We want Individuals to know about actlvltles and services they can access, and we want thelr voices heard in declslons that may affect Ihem. We want our SÈrvice Users to be better Informed of opportunltles In the local area, about than8es lo services and supports they may be entltled to do. We want them to Ilve In safe and stable homes and to have a trusted person that wlll Ilsten to them and refer them on, for speclalist support when needed. We want our servlce u5er5 to enjoy life, to bulld connectlons, to make frlendshlps and have fun, we want them to feel valued and Ilstened to. The direct benefits flowlng from our purposes include: Improved health and well-beln& reduction In socSal excluslon and levels of stress and anxiety, feelln8s of lonellness and Isolation. What have we done, our oulPUtS: Connect Fermanagh has, during thls 4th year of operatlon, seen a continued demand for Its servlce and has contlnued to meet that demand as well as plan and dellver several social events and actlvitles. The year ended 31, March 2024 we supported 70 Indlvlduals. In thls year we recruited, Inducted, Acce55 Nl checked and Supported four new volunteers to Joln our Team. We have provlded weekly telephone calls to service users 36S days a year. chattin8 to indivlduals about a range of topics they are Interested In, cheerlng people Upi rea55uring them. providin8 Infomiatlon and sl8npostin& helping people feel connected and cared for. We dellvered a ran8e of information to 5ervlce user5 over the telephone, we alsQ Posted out and delivered number of resources with Informatlon on a ran8e of Issues and services from home safety to physlcal and mental well-being. Resources Included 'Age-Well calendars, Happy at Home brochures, Positive A8ein8 maBazines. Home Safety and Energy Efflclenry information leaflets.
We planned and hosted three very success1 soclal events, transport, refreshments, actlvities and entertainment providing service users and volunteers with opportunities to meet, 50cialise, reminisce, build friendships and connections and have fun In a safe and welcomlng envlronment. We have promoted our 5ervlce to encourage both new referrals and new volunteers at multiple events, we h05ted an informatlon stand at The 818 Communlty Paddle, at the welcome villaBe for the new Kin8s' Royal visit to Enni5killen, we attended the Southwest College student falr, the Devenlsh Partnership Forums 'A8e Aware, tea dance and numerov5 events In Community centres throughout Fermana8h. We have hosted stands In varlou5 large shops acr055 Fermanagh Includlng our local Tesco and Dunne'5 Stores shops. We have Spoken to varlous group5 to promote volunteering opportunitles. These included student groups, men's 8roups, Fermanagh and Omagh Oistrict council staff, pensioner 8roups. Ennisklllen BID and volunteers/ servlce user5 from other voluntary organisation5. We have attended various events and consultations to ensure the volces of our servlce users are heard and contrlbute to declslon-makln8, Includin8 the Queen5 Unlversity/A8e Nl consultatlon on the role of the environment on healthy a8eln81 Every Story Matters, the covid 19 inquiry, we attended rnonthly meetlngs of the Fermanagh Famlly Support Group, ensurlng continued awarenes5 of the Connect Femianagh Servlce and referral proce5S. We contlnue to be members of several a8encies and 8fOUPS who we work wlth to represent the Interests of and advocate for our 5ervlce user5 and volunteer5, these groups include the South West age partnershlpi Famlly support Hub Fermana8h, The Centre for A8eln8 Better, Fermanagh and Oma£h Intergeneratlonal Forum, and Age Frlendly Nl we value working with others throughout the Fermanagh area en5urlng a Jolned up, multl-a8ency approach to developln8 and delivering services. What dlfference have we made, our lfflpact: Our frlendly phone.ca115 and 50clal actlvltles have increased a 5en5e of belonging and boosted happlness for people who would otherwlse be soclally Isolated and feelln£ lonely, fof many that we call this Is the only contact they have In a week from someone who Isn't pald to be there for them. Our calls reduce feelings of loneliness and Improve people emotlonal well-belng. Our calls help Indlvlduals feel more connected, we improve people's re5111ence to be able to cope wlth Ilfe. challenges. Reducln8 stress and anxlety by havinB someone to talk to, havln8 sorneone provlde Informatlon and sl8np05tlng t0 5ervlces and supports ha5 had a posltlve impact on both the physical and mental health of those we call. Providln8 opportunities for people to bulld social networks and havln8 access to soclal events for people who have mobility issues, livin8 in rural and isolated locatlons sl8nlficantly Improves and enrlches the quallty of Ilfe of those we call. People we call are more resilient, more confident. feel less Isolated and are Ilvln8 happler Ilves as a result of the work ofour dedlcated Volunteers.
Flnanclal Revlew Connect Fermana8h Is In a strong financial posltlon, wlth a healthy, dlverse range of income including private donatlons, charitable foundations. support from the Hallfax Fund, Tesco's Token scheme, The National Lottery Awards for All. The financial support from Charltable Trust5 and funders contlnues to be appredates as wlthout It, many of Connect Fermanagh's activities would be impossible or significantly reduced. Flnanclal Management Systems Connect Fermanagh ha5 In place Sound financial mana8ement procedures whlch we are confident are robust and appropriate in terms of good governance. The results for the year ended 31. March 2024 are set out In pages 8 and 9 of the Flnanclal Statements The Trustees conslder that the unrestrlcted fund5 of the Charlty are sufficient and adequate to fulfll thelr obligatlons. Reserve5 Polky The Income of the Charity Is consldered adequate, and the risks assoclated wlth any slgnlflcant reductlon in Income Is re8arded as unllkely. The Trustees are satlsfied with the current level of reserve5 at the present tlme.
Trustee's responslbllltles statement The Trustees are responslble for preparlng the Trustees, Report and the Financial Statements in accordance wlth applicable law and Unlted Kin8dom Accounting Standards (United Kln8dom Generally Accepted Accounting Practlcel. The charlty trustee5 are required to prepare financlal statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable trust and the incomlng resources and applicatlon of re50urce5, Includlng the Income 4nd expendlture. for that perlod. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: select sultable accountlng pDllcle5 and then apply them conslstently. observe the method5 and prlnciples In the applicable Charitie5 50RP: make Judgments and accountlng estlmates that are reasonable and prudent. • prepare the financial Statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charlty wlll contlnue In business. The Trustees are responslble for keeplng adequate accountlng records that are sufflclent to show and explain the charlty'5 transactlons and dlsclose wlth reasonable accurary at any time the financial posltlon of the charity. They are also responslble for safe8uardlng the assets of the charlty and hence for taklng iea50nable steps for the preventlon and detertlon of fraud and other Irregularlties. Auditor Each of the persons who are a Trustee at the date of approval of this report confirms that: So far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit information of whlch the charltV'5 auditor is unaware; and They have taken all Steps that they ought to have taken a5 a Trustee to make themselves aware of any relevant audit Information and to establish that the charity's auditor is aware of that Information. The Trustee's annual report was approved on 171h September 2024 and sl8ned on behalf of the board of Trustees bv: Latsrl Mccusker (Chalf Caroline Storey ITrea5urerl