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← Healthy Living Centres Alliance Ltd

2025-06-30-annual-report

HEALTHY LIVING CENTRES ALLIANCE LIMITED

TRUSTEES’ REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2025 ~~.~~

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

Objectives and activities

The charitable company's objectives are to promote the advancement of health and wellbeing of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (hereinafter called ‘the beneficiaries' and 'the area of benefit’), by consolidating the reputation and recognition of each of the Healthy Living Centres and to promote in a collaborative way the services that they provide in order to tackle health inequalities and improve the quality of life for the beneficiaries ~~.~~

The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include;

These benefits are evidenced through feedback from attendees at our training and strategic events using monitoring devices and forms; from surveys conducted with member groups; from outcomes delivered by thematic working groups and cyclical out ~~-~~ turn reports from our regional projects to funders and to the Board of Trustees ~~.~~ There is no harm anticipated from this purpose ~~.~~ The charity's beneficiaries are its members, their managers, staff and volunteers, and people whose lives are improved in or by Healthy Living Centres delivering locally as part of regional thematic, sub ~~-r~~ egional and strategic, coordinated activity ~~.~~ A private benefit to trustees may arise from our ongoing programme of thematic training, good practice visits, direct support to groups, financial support through regional projects or information provision ~~.~~ Through this, trustees may gain skills, experience or funding which are transferable to other settings and which may benefit their own community group ~~.~~ These benefits are incidental and necessary to ensure the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries ~~.~~

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

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HEALTHY LIVING CENTRES ALLIANCE LIMITED

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

Achievements and performance

Since the company’s last AGM in January 2025, the Alliance has continued to develop and make progress strategically and operationally and we are now building on more solid corporate foundations ~~.~~ As a membership organisation, which has grown to a new peak of 31 homegrown health and wellbeing projects, the company has worked well to involve the members in a range of sub ~~-~~ group tasks of varying durations which enrich their membership and strengthen the unique structure that we have created. In turn, this only serves to improve health improvement delivery on the ground, in and around the local Healthy Living Centre ~~.~~

Primarily, it is the role of Tony, our regional coordinator, to ensure that the board of the Healthy Living Centre Alliance Ltd functions properly and supported by the co ~~-c~~ hairs, Teresa Nugent, Martin Connolly and the members of the finance and personnel working group including Liz McShane, Breige Conway and Conor Corr, we continue to improve our systems for the benefit of all. We have made critical improvements in relation to financial reporting at the board and have created a healthy level of sound financial stability ~~—~~ all thanks to Louise Stephenson, our finance and administration manager, who works only par ~~t-~~ time for the company but whose presence is felt on a fulltime basis ~~.~~

Health improvement is essentially a collaborative process. In terms of our health improvement remit, the company is always seeking to improve upon service delivery as well as seeking out opportunities to develop and expand our regional projects. While these projects bring clear benefit to people, mainly living in areas of high social deprivation, our ethos requires us to do better, to create stronger links with partners, and to explore new opportunities with others. The following regional projects have been nurtured organically over several years with the membership and are now delivered by them on a professional basis:

The Better Days Pain Support Programme is a co ~~-~~ designed, community development approach supporting people to live well with chronic pain ~~.~~ Funded by the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG), and hosted by Lorag HLC in Belfast's Lower Ormeau, the programme has completed Year 2 of a fiv ~~e-~~ year contract ~~.~~ Between January and December 2025, more than 500 participants took part in 31 full programmes and 10 summer taster sessions across 27 Healthy Living Centres, with 99% of completers reporting they would recommend the programme to others living with pain ~~.~~

~~Additional Better Days Activity in 2025:~~

There have been several key developments of new health improvement projects during the past twelve months. The Wee Group Peer Support Project, led by Amanda McAuley (NACN) and Laura Moreland (MHF), have engaged staff and managers from 12 HLCs in a co ~~-~~ design process, the learning of which will see a new culture of peer support established at local level engaging up to 300 beneficiaries in a new journey of long ~~-~~ term recovery from living with chronic pain towardsa life of renewed hope, expectation and encouragement for others living with long ~~-~~ term conditions. We are very grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for taking a leap of faith in our novel approach.

As a result of the combined co ~~-~~ design process successfully delivered in 2025, HLCs have now been enabled to deliver the following in 2026:

¢ Delivery of Better Days programme in 2025 ~~-~~ 26 and annually throughout the project.

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HEALTHY LIVING CENTRES ALLIANCE LIMITED

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

Transform Your Trolley is a community ~~-~~ based healthy eating programme delivered across Northern Ireland, supported by SafeFood Ireland and hosted by The Old Library Trust. In 2025, the programme was delivered by 20 community partners, reaching 151 direct participants and an estimated 439 people indirectly through families and households (this is based off initial data submitted).

Quantitative findings show strong impact ~~.~~ After completing the programme, 96% of participants rated it as very helpful, 92% said it changed how they plan and shop for food, and 96% felt it would change how their family eats ~~.~~ Confidence improved across key areas, including reading food labels, meal planning and cooking from scratch ~~.~~ Awareness of SafeFood as a reliable source of information also increased significantly.

Qualitative feedback highlights wider benefits beyond nutrition ~~.~~ Participants reported reduced food costs, improved wellbeing, stronger social connections and greater confidence. The programme supported people facing food poverty, isolation and rising living costs, demonstrating that small, practical changes can lead to meaningful and lasting improvements in everyday food choices ~~.~~

Smoking

Smoking remains as the cause of several serious long ~~-~~ term conditions, often leading to preventable deaths. A mobilisation training day was co ~~-~~ ordinated in Cookstown on 13 February 2025 and was well attended, with representation from 15 HLCs ~~.~~ The programme included a presentation by Denise McCallion, Health & Social wellbeing improvement manager, who provided valuable insight into smoking prevalence statistics in Northern Ireland ~~.~~ The day also included brief intervention training, alongside blood pressure monitoring training delivered by Paragon Health Academy.

In March 2025, 15 Healthy Living Centres delivered the Make March Your Month to Quit mobilisation campaign across a range of urban and rural community settings. This initiative engaged 1,352 individuals and resulted in 384 brief interventions.

In October 2025, 10 Healthy Living Centres delivered a Stop Smoking mobilisation in conjunction with World Mental Health day, engaging a total of 431 individuals and delivering 110 brief interventions ~~.~~ There was 2 x 12 week Stop Smoking support groups delivered in March 2025 and achieved a 57% quit rate.

In November 2025, the Alliance, in partnership with the Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) and Cancer Focus, submitted a proposal to the Public Health Agency entitled United We Quit ~~.~~ This proposed initiative aims to reduce smoking prevalence within disadvantaged communities through a new collaborative approach ~~.~~

Holiday Hunger

In 2025, the Alliance was approached by a British charity, Meals and More, to become a conduit for funding to our members to tackle holiday hunger within their local community ~~.~~ As a result, 2026 will see the first transfer of almost £30k to the Alliance and then onwards to 10 HLCs.

All-Ireland Development

The company has created a significant relationship with its sister organisation in the Republic of Ireland, the Family Resource Centre National Forum, in creative ways to tackle loneliness and prevent suicide ~~.~~ The Knowledge Exchange on suicide and chronic pain focused on sharing intelligence on methods that have proven to be successful in each jurisdiction. As a result of the Knowledge Exchange, both the company and the Public Health Agency have worked together to bring the Suicide Prevention Code of Practice north of the border and have collaborated with the FRC National Forum to create a protocol for its implementation among the members.

The company has also created a project fusing social prescribing with traditional Irish crafts ~~.~~ Weaving Worlds Together is a collaboration with Kerry County Council and the FRC National Forum, with financial resources secured from Creative Ireland ~~—~~ Eire Ildanach. The experience in 2025 was highly successful which should pave the way for a long ~~-~~ term creative relationship benefiting a number of HLCs ~~.~~

The regional co ~~-~~ ordinator of the company co ~~-c~~ hairs the All-Ireland Social Prescribing Network which underwent a substantial overhaul in 2025 and is set to host an all-island conference in June 2026.

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HEALTHY LIVING CENTRES ALLIANCE LIMITED

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT) (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

HLCA Residential

50 HLC representatives attended the residential in the Armagh City Hotel in October which is the highest number we have ever had together in any once occasion since the Alliance was constituted in 2018 ~~.~~ With a focus of innovation in health improvement and learning, the event was facilitated by Steven Lindsay and our own Linda Armitage (formerly EBCDA) ~~.~~ All thanks to the Working Group members: Alaine Ward (Omagh), Claire Convery (Clanrye), Julie Jameson (Reach Out HLC), Sarah Huggett (Better Days Project Support) and Louise Stephenson.

Interestingly, we invited a few external contributors as follows: Celine McStravick (CEO NICVA), our own Gillian Lewis now lead for the NI Health Collective and Mr Mike Farrar, Permanent Secretary for Health. The discourse on the second and final day of the event was both memorable and insightful in terms of new potential areas of opportunity for long ~~-~~ term collaboration ~~.~~

The NI Reset Plan and Neighbourhood Model of Care

While the entirety of the reset is of interest to the company and members, the new Neighbourhood Model of Care is of particular interest as it provides a higher degree of practical relevance at both regional and local levels ~~.~~ The Health department has invited the Alliance and the NI Health Collective to assist in the process of creating the new Neighbourhood Model of Care for presentation to the department at the end of March 2026 and for implementation during 26 ~~-~~ 27 financial year ~~.~~ We have been clear with the Department that the Neighbourhood Model should provide the sector with the opportunity to revive social prescribing as a specific mechanism which was once widespread throughout the north under the Alliance umbrella ~~.~~ Social prescribing is in our experience the most successful methodology in improving health outcomes for patients ~~.~~

Resources

The company very much appreciates and acknowledges the ongoing financial support from the Public Health Agency towards the Alliance, which we are always keen to build upon ~~.~~ For example, in the 24 ~~-~~ 25 HLCA was able to lever in additional monies from various government and charitable sources to bolster our health improvement projects ~~.~~ A sizeable proportion of it, over £200k, went back out to the members to deliver our regional programmes ~~.~~

Conclusion

2024 ~~-~~ 25 has been a year which has witnessed the company and the wider Alliance structure mature and expand its health improvement remit. The Better Days programme completed the second year of the company’s fiv ~~e-~~ year contract. The Wee Group Peer Support has successfully completed the first year of a fou ~~r-~~ year contract ~~.~~ The Company, given its standing in tackling health in socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods, is playing a key role in the development of the Neighbourhood Model of Care, led by the Department of Health ~~.~~ The company’s developing relationship with its counterpart in the Republic has already provided new opportunities for collaboration ~~.~~

Finally, the company board would like to thank all the members of the Alliance and all the staff who play a lead or a secondary role within our working group structure ~~.~~ The Alliance runs on effective communication, a sound working structure and most of all on good will. This means that we can look forward with confidence to working with all members and partners in 2025, which already looks like an exciting series of prospects.

Financial review

The results are set out on pages 14 to 25. The charity recorded net income £13,263 (2024 ~~-~~ £46,021) for the year ~~.~~ At 30 June 2025, the charity had total funds of £126,664 (2024 ~~-~~ £113,401).

Reserves policy

The charity aims to hold reserves that are sufficient to meet running costs. The charity's income is primarily derived from restricted sources, and it has secured funding for the continued delivery of services up until at least the end of 2028 ~~.~~ Expenditure primarily relates to the delivery of these funded services and, as such, any drop in income will result in a corresponding drop in expenditure ~~.~~ The charity has no significant financial liabilities or commitments, therefore, a low level of free reserves is appropriate for the charity ~~.~~

As at 30 June 2025, the charity had sufficient funds to continue to meet its financial obligations as they fall due and, as described in note 1 ~~.~~ 2, the financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis ~~.~~ At 30 June 2025, the charity had free reserves of £75,636 (2024 ~~-~~ £71,629). This equates to approximately eleven weeks of expenditure which is short of the target level of twelve weeks annual expenditure. The charity's overheads and financial commitments remain relatively low and the level of free reserves held is appropriate for the charity's circumstances. The trustees will continue to monitor the reserves position going forward ~~.~~

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HEALTHY LIVING CENTRES ALLIANCE LIMITED

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

Structure, governance and management

Healthy Living Centres Alliance is a company limited by guarantee and is recognised as a charity by the charity commission for Northern Ireland ~~.~~

Healthy Living Centre Alliance has a board of directors, appointed by the members on a cyclical basis, to ensure good governance and provide strategic direction to the regional coordinator ~~.~~ The board meets up to six times per year and receives written updates on progress, partnerships and corporate development matters ~~.~~

The Board is currently co ~~-~~ chaired by Ms T Nugent and Mr M Connolly.

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The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

Ms N Brennan

(Resigned 30 June 2025)

Mr M Connolly

Mr C Corr

Mr LT Devine

Ms E Gingles Mr M Mowen Ms B Conway Ms T Nugent Mr G Magowan

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HEALTHY LIVING CENTRES ALLIANCE LIMITED

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

HLCA Ltd provides employment to six members of staff, either directly contracted or through an MoU:

The affairs of the HLC Alliance are managed on a day ~~-to-~~ day basis by the Regional Coordinator, Mr T Doherty, including attendance at working group meetings and training, regulating the activities of key partnerships such as the All-Ireland Social Prescribing Network, All-Ireland Knowledge Exchange, Better Days Pain Support Steering Group and The Wee Group Peer Support Project. Tony also represents the Alliance on the PHA-led Strengthening Community Steering Group and manages the relationship with Safefood Ireland and the Public Health Agency ~~.~~

Subregional HLC Groups

The core function and purpose of the Subregional HLC Groups is well reflected in the Alliance MoU. The following Alliance members volunteer additional time as subregional Chairs, ensuring that the groups function by and large as planned:

Risk management

The board of trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the charity, and are satisfied those systems and procedures are in place to mitigate those risks ~~.~~

Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees, who are also the directors of Healthy Living Centres Alliance Limited for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities ~~.~~

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HEALTHY LIVING CENTRES ALLIANCE LIMITED

TRUSTEES‘ REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS’ REPORT) (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Auditor

In accordance with the company’s articles, a resolution proposing that GMcG BELFAST be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

Small companies exemption

In preparing this report, the directors have taken advantage of the small companies exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

Disclosure of information to auditor

Each of the trustees has confirmed that there is no information of which they are aware which is relevant to the audit, but of which the auditor is unaware. They have further confirmed that they have taken appropriate steps to identify such relevant information and to establish that the auditor is aware of such information.

The trustees’ report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

Mr M Connolly Director

Ms T Nugent Director

Date: 22/01/2026

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