2023-12-31-accounts

MOUNTSANDEL DISCOVERY & HERITAGE GROUP

Charity Commission No. NIC 108552

Date registered: 23 February 2022

CONTENTS Pages Trustee’s Report 3 - 6 Independent Examiner’s Report 7 Income & Expenditure / Balance Sheet 8

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MOUNTSANDEL DISCOVERY & HERITAGE GROUP ANNUAL REPORT YEAR 2023

The Mountsandel Discovery & Heritage Group (MDHG) was formed in 2017 and constituted as an unincorporated organisation on 17 December 2018.

The Group opened a Community/Business Account at Barclay’s Bank on 8 September 2018.

MDHG was granted CCNI charitable status on 23 February 2022.

The Trustees present their report for the year 2023 (1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023)

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered charity name Mountsandel Discovery & Heritage Group Charity registration number NIC 108552

Registered Office (2023) 13 Burnside Road PORTSTEWART BT55 7NS

Bankers:

Barclay’s Bank PLC, 27/29 Church Street, COLERAINE, BT52 1AW

The Trustees:

The Trustees who served the charity during the period were as follows:

Mrs Maura Hickey (Chair) Ms Donna McCloskey (Secretary) Ms Loretto Blackwood (Treasurer) Mr Derek Sinnamon Mr Liam Hickey

Ms Rachael Marshall (nee Garrett) Mr Andrew Anderson

Ms Dorothy Black

Mr Patrick Lennon (joined 2023) Ms Carol Martin (joined 2023)

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MOUNTSANDEL DISCOVERY AND HERITAGE GROUP ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR 2023

1 - COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The Trustees held 16 meetings on the following dates.

In Person: 9 Jan 2023 7 March 2023 (AGM) 19 June2023 31 Jul 2023 21 Aug2023

Zoom :

20 Feb 2023 5 Apr 2023 24 Apr 2023 10 May 2023 15 May 2023 5 Jun 2023 11 Sep 2023 9 Oct 2023 23 Oct 2023 29 Nov 2023 11 Dec 2023

2 - CAUSEWAYS COAST AND GLENS BOROUGH COUNCIL (CCGBC) ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS

• Response to Strategic Outline Case (SOC) (13 Jan2023)

• Consideration of Way Forward to develop site (3 Mar 2023)

• Working Party - Terms of Reference for proposed working party/steering group and strategic direction defining Mountsandel Experience.

• Symposium – part funding for symposium agreed, discussion on Capital Funding. (12 May 2023)

• Study Trip with Council officers to Tullhogue & Newgrange sites (29 Nov 2023)

• A. McL. May Blue plaque application (4 Dec 2023)

• Debriefing of Council Study Trip and MDHG and CCGBC Officers discussion re

• Stage 2 in Peace 4 funding application for £275,000 to upgrade Mountsandel site (20 Dec 2023)

3 - ULSTER UNIVERSITY (UU) ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS

• Symposium sub-group meetings to progress 2022 proposal (8 Feb 2023)

• UU Meeting including Michael McGlade (Yellow Design - Augmented Reality) input by Zoom to finalise symposium (25 April 2023)

• Inaugural Mountsandel Symposium MDHG in partnership with UU the Riverside Theatre and CCGBC. More than 170 delegates attended.(14 June 2023) more info see item 6

• Symposium debrief and way ahead chaired by Ulster University (24 Jul 2023)

4 - EDUCATION DEVELOPMENTS

• Education Sub-group to be set up (20 December 2023) Suggested collaboration with: UU Department of Education (Dr Shauna McGIll)

• CCGBC – Council Officers (Museum Services / Leisure & Recreation)

• MDHG – Dorothy Black and Loretto Blackwood

5 - LOBBYING / FUNDING

• Co-Operation Ireland, Peter Sheridan re funding (28 Apr 2023)

• Councillor Niambh Archibald to progress Land Fill Communities Fund & Introduction to Sinn Fein’s Tourism Spokesperson (3 Oct 2023)

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• Meeting with David Jackson(CEO CCGBC)regarding discrepancies with bridge costings for City Deal selection (17 Dec 2023)

• Councillors re The Growth Deal /Bridge - Norman Hiilis, Caoimbhe Archibald, Niambh Archibald

• The Hon. The Irish society discussion on rolling grant for schools’ days ongoing

6 - OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

• Art Competition – 16 May 2023

Local primary schools in the area were invited to participate in the art competition on the theme of Mesolithic Mountsandel – marking the 50[th] Anniversary of the excavation of the Mountsandel site. 172 submitted competition entries, judged by Art teacher and MDHG members.

Prize Winners were hosted by the Mayor of the CCGBC (Councillor Ivor Wallace) at Council Mayoral office.

• Symposium (Inaugural) – 14 June 2023

Symposium, “The Gathering”, organised in partnership with Ulster University Coleraine and Riverside Theatre. The four main themes:

THEME 1 - 50 years since the late Prof Peter Woodman's find of early habitation at Mountsandel, the site has remained untouched.

Professor Mike Baillie (QUB), Thomas McErlean and Colin Breen (UU) all shared personal experiences of working with Peter.

THEME 2 - focused on education and the value of Mountsandel as an educational resource.

Teachers helped the delegates see Mountsandel through the eyes of children and the importance of developing learning through engaging with our natural and cultural heritage.

THEME 3 - A Visitor Experience, introduced by Professor Kathryn Best German University of Cairo spoke of the importance of using the local resources in imaginative ways to encourage interest and care for heritage and to create a sense of space and place for locals and visitors.

Dr Paddy Fitzgerald from the Mellon Centre for Migration Studies said Mountsandel offered many opportunities for interdisciplinary teams to work to further explore diversity and heritage.

Mary Harte Chairperson Donegal East Tourism talked of connecting communities and heritage. THEME 4 - Professor Duncan Morrow introduced the final session of the day on Economic Tourism and Environmental Sustainability.

Patrick Lennon suggested how marketing, tourism, photography, filming, social media and reality technology can be used to introduce historical sites to much wider audiences.

Augmented Reality use in Sustainable Tourism – Michael McGlade – Yellow Design.

Tony McCance told of the long and complex process for the Tullaghogue Fort project to come to fruition.

Schools’ Day Workshops

• 6 th MDHG Annual Mountsandel Schools’ Day workshops in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Coleraine and CCGBC Museum Services and involvement of UU History PGCE Students to cement partnership with the University.

Four on-site workshops with facilitators explaining the context; demonstrating foraging; hunting: fishing / flint knapping. Two local schools(The Irish Society and St Malachy PS (cross-

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ciynmunlty event) yrticlpated wlth approxknately 70 wplls wlth te•cheo asslstsnts and volunt￿(19 Sep 2023) week be8lnnlry 18th%e 2023. offertry a pl•ce to the schoc45 In the on • ftrnt come flm seThd . ( umlted to wht plKU) Meetlry wlth Dr Katherlne Best {Carfo Unhe￿1￿) to dlsatss connectkTh.d 8aM wth Castknroe. Kllr•i, Portalen￿e. New Ferry. Toorne and Tulwy (29 July 2023) Study trlp wlth T. McErle•n Tulfvhwe. Churc1￿4￿•1￿1. •nd New Fery￿29 Juty 02231 Meetlnq wlth Mitt GwTrble Ctrcpernkn Irel￿￿ txrt<(¥ne "Arnazlrq Space Sthools131 July 2023) Prcwmme." invoknfva L¢xetto College. Coleratne Gramm•r, "Art 8ased on ￿t￿n￿or￿ler Nell J4¢krnan d Arb1￿ H•fft•, Tlppefyrf {oTrUnelto dtsCUSS P05Sbbblitlo fe MOunt￿nde1 stte.(21 Au8 2023) He•lth Wr#•r (retlred) talk re Mountsandel and fv Rlver 8•nn Corrfdorl (110tt 20231 C<mrnirth Eryw￿t E￿rt at Sandel Centre wccessfulty engaged wlth communlty stakeholders. potentlal future partner4 w usern whlth wlll ltym ol (wr Henwe Latttr Fund applicatl(xi.116 October 2023) Ulster Unlver51ty local Ilterature dty featured Tr 5•knon Peopv & TrefiectlcYN ofi the 8ann" to rnse the knpwt4￿e •nd *n1(K•￿4 of M￿ntsand•1 •nd the RN•r Bann Corrldor(11 Nov 2023) 7 . FufuRE I FUNOIM3 Meetln8 Helen to dlsojss Opptytunltles for the way ah••d.120 N(w 2023) Matt G•mble Ctroprtkn Herlta8e thrwh ptsslNe MlgT•fk￿ Fundlrq appmatI￿l41)ec 2023) Sm•ll Grnnt Fundlr¥ opp(xtunlty fr(Yfi W•twwrii lrnlvrfl futurn Mntls) to Pr￿n0t• •w•renas d m￿nts4nde1 and the 6￿ft c(thdor (15 t)ec 2025) HLF fvndlry for prolect offk•r oryl P•K• 4 furth¥ I￿1¢4￿ at sta8e 2 ftx £275W) to uwade m￿nts1nd•1 S•• F•cebook: www.facebook.com/MountsandelDlscoveryAndHerlta8eGroup Two Tnistees IcAn8d the MOHG: P•trkk Lefir￿n WKI Carol Martl - THANK to the rnernbers who hm le1￿ of thelr tlme durkn8 th• perlod of the rem D4te: MOUNTSANDEL

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REP(XT TO THE CHARITY TVIUSTEES OF: MOUNTSANDEL DISCOVERY AND HEiifTAGf GROUP I report on the •ccounts of the ch•rlty for the y••r •nd•d 31 D•t•mb•r 2023 as set oul on the foll¢>wln8 Pa8e. R•sp•dlv• r•¥￿￿$1b1lltlU ol ¢harfty truth•i •nd •x•mln•r As the charlty tnistees you are responslble lor the pr•paratlon ol the accounts In accordance wlth the requlrements of the Charltles Act INorthern Irelarbd) 2(Xl8. 1115 my respOn￿bIlIty to: Ex•mlne th• accounts und•r sectkln 65 of the Charltles Act Folk)w the procedures lald down In the 8enornl Dlrprtlons glven by the Charlty CommSsslon for Northern Irel•nd under sectlon 65(9llb) of the Charltles Act St•te whether partlcular rnauers hove come to my •itentlon 115 fjl Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•rfs r•port I h•ve ex•mlned your charlty accounls as requlred under 5ectlon 65 of ihe Charltles Act •rKI my •xJmlnatlon was carrled out In 8ccordance wlth th• general Dlrectlons glven by the Ch•rlty Commlsslon for Northern Ireland under sertlon 6y9)Ib} of the Charltles Art, The eumlnatlon Included a revlew of the •ccountlng records kept by the charlty and i compaflson of Iny unusu41 Items or dlsclosures In the accounts, and seekln8 expl•n•tSons from you as charlty tfuslees concernln8 any s￿h matters. My lo￿1$ 10 stste whether any m&terl81 matlers h4ve come to my attentlon Klvlng me c•uM to belleve: l. That accountln8 roconls were not kept In accordance wlth sectlon 63 of the Charltbes Art 2. That the •ccounts do not accord wlth those accounllw fecords 3. That the accounts do rboi comply wlth Ihe •ccountln8 requlrements of the Charltles Act 4. Th•t there Is fvrther Informatloft needed lor a proper understandlng of the Jccounts to b• reached. Ind•p•nd•nt E*amln•rn St•t•m•rt The chirlvs Iross Income dld not exceed £250,IXQ. I have compleied my examlnatlon and have ￿ concerns In respect of the matters (11 to14} Ilsled •bove and, In connectSon wlth followlr¢ the Dlrectlons of the Charlty Comrnls51on for Northern Ireland. I have found no matters that rnqulfe drnwln8 to your •ttentlon. Sl8ned: Name: Address,, 30 i£yLsB&6 a2Lmh)AJ& 7rg2JY Date: g0¥ MOUNTSANDEL

Openkrf B•l4nce as 4rOI A•nu 92123 IIICOME Grants: Th Hon. The Irlsh 5odety 720.fyl 150.57 Fundrnlsl rxmiatbo o,fy) 365.CO 51537 & Prol•cl¥ Bank Charles Petty C45h Fees Equlpmefil Tr4vel 1034.50 J124m Toul Expkndlu IOJ4.$0 1124.67 ).io 6J 313,13 l J•nu•ry IDIJ to 31 01￿mbar?02j B•tsn¢e the¢1 * •t 311)ernmbr 2023 nk 128 63 313 13 JuA3 o. Th15 IT￿orn0 ond expendlturr rem hly been produced frvm th•lnfryRwtsn th• cornmkn Cwr IMAURA HKKEY) Tr••pJrtr ILOIIErro 8LACXWOOOI MOUNTSANDEL