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ALTNAGELVIN PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP Trustees" Report
Basis of Reporting
This report covers the activities of the Group for the year 1™ July 2024- 30" June 2025,
Committee
At the AGM all committee members’ roles continued to remain filled. No vacant positions.
Election of Office Bearers In line with the procedure laid down in our Constitution, the Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and Childrens Ward representative were elected to office by the Committee members. These were Chairperson ~ Lisa Storey, Treasurer — Deirdre Cassidy, Secretary — Kellie McGowan and Childrens Ward representative Yvonne Devenney.
Election of Committee Members
Existing Committee members Lisa Storey, Deirdre Cassidy, Kellie McGowan and Yvonne Devenney were re-elected.
Resignation of Committee Member
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None
Meeting our Stated Objectives
The work of the Group continues to focus on the stated objectives in our governing document and as ever, any review and
evaluation of our work must assess how well we have fulfilled those objectives in the past year.
Ongoing work
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The core work of the Group continues to be undertaken by our small, dedicated team of Committee members, who keep
our primary goal of support families to children with life long and life limiting medical conditions and who attend
Altnagelvin Hospitals Childrens Wards to the fore at all times.
We continue growing digital social media presence, to engage with our parent members and the general public, our
Social Media platform includes Facebook, Instagram and X. We have 4 closed groups on Facebook, our main Altnagelvin
Parents Support Group, the 3 smailer sister groups Altnagelvin Epilepsy Parents, Altnagelvin Diabetes Parents and
Altnagelvin Cardiology. All of which is overseen by Deirdre Cassidy and Lisa Storey. The quality of posts and photographs
on social media has ensured consistency and professionalism in everything we post, share and present to the public.
The work of the Group ranges, and it is clear that we would not be able to perform our roles and provide the support we
do without the ongoing and unwavering financial donations we receive from fundraisers, whether patient families, friends
and generous members of the public.
Awareness days
We continue to raise awareness of our children’s medical conditions. Parents helped us put together a calendar of local,
national and world awareness days. We invited families to support us with drafting information so we can share on social
medial. This continues to be highly successful involvement piece of work, parents seem have reported they feel supported
with this awareness raising activity, they fee! valued, involved and are willing to help where they can.
Bravery Baskets
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We continue to replenish our Bravery Baskets every quarter for children who are getting medica! procedures done in the treatment rooms or on the ward. Parents Care Box We continue to replenish and update out Parents Care Box on the ward, which has toiletry and sanitary products for parents who are staying on the ward and arrive without certain items for example toothbrush, toothpaste, wipes, deodorant, tampons etc,
Poster We developed our newly brightly designed poster, which has a QR code. When scanned this directs individuals to our closed group and details on how to become a member of Altnagelvin Parents Group.
Restorative Yoga In July 2024, March 2025 and May 2025 we started 6-week Restorative Yoga programmes for parents. Each time we offered one evening programme and one moming programme, to support the needs of parents. Offering 12 places in each programme. Restorative yoga helps enhance mood, promotes relaxation andreleases stress and tension in the body.
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ALTNAGELVIN PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP Trustees’ Report (Continued) —
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Summer arts programme We were delighted to share photos from our recent Summer Arts programme. Between July and August 2024 UV Arts C.1.C. Thanks to Karl who facilitated the programme. A special word of thanks to the young people for taking part. The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland through the Acorn Fund had supported this project.
Autumn wreath making
In September 2024, we had a lovely Saturday moming with Aoife from Sass & Halo at our Autumn Wreath Making Workshop in The Ebrington Hotel. Parents involved ail had the opportunity fo meet with other parents, make and take home their own Autumn Wreath, and enjoy a lovely relaxing lunch together. Community Foundation for Northem Ireland through their Keadue Community Grants Fund supported this workshop.
Marathon thank you
We wanted to show our appreciation and gratitude to our marathon runners, those who ran the Waterside half marathon in September 2024 and wore APG vest. We held a Coffee Evening for all who took part in the Waterside Half Marathon 2024 and represented Altnagelvin Parents Group. We wanted to say a special thank you to this group of people. We love to meet the people who support our small charity, and appreciate hearing their stories.
Halloween display
Altnagelvin Parents Group donated Hatloween balloons to Childrens ward and the Nursing staff team kindly worked their magic putting them together. We hope everyone who visited the ward in October enjoyed the display.
Foyte Sailability
Provided an opportunity for our families to sail on the River Foyle. Foyle Sailability is a cross-border not for profit organisation, who aims to deliver opportunities for sailing and other water-based activities to people with disabilities. They offered parents & children from Altnagelvin Parents Group a boat ride on the Foyle. Fabulous opportunity for our families to make memories together!
Christmas Event
Our sixth annual Christmas Event held on Sunday 24th November in The City Hotel. We planned an inclusive day of festive fun for our families. We had over 400 guests attend. Together everyone had the opportunity to enjoy a day of festive entertainment and activities, for all ages, and had the opportunity to visit our fantastic Santa’s grottos and have photos taken. We listened to our families and shaped this year’s event to meet the needs of the children attending, offering a diverse range of activities and rooms, including a soft playroom and a sensory room and a hot buffet for all to enjoy. The event was an opportunity to get together celebrate the beginning of the Christmas Season away from the hospital environment our families are very familiar with, and away from the stresses, this year may have brought to them.
We had two grottos with two Santa’s who took great time to speak with the parents and children, Santa could use sign language and Makaton with the children. The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland supported this event.
Christmas display
We were delighted to collaborate with AP Events to bring a touch of magic to the space outside wards 6816 in Altnagelvin Hospital. We created a scene from whoville. Lots of bright colours and lights for all children to enjoy when they arrived on the sixth floor over the festive period.
Newsletter
In January, we printed copies of our newsletter and shared them on the wards for parents as well as on the parent's group noticeboard.
Train day
On Valentine's Day, we brought together our Cardiology families to help us celebrate. Together we met at the Train Station for some face-painting and balloon modelling. We then went on the train to Castle Rock and had a beautiful lunch at Castle Rock Golf Club. PHA and The Halifax Foundation supported this event.
Charity Bag pack
On 8th March 2025 we coordinated a charity bag pack and bucket collection at Sainsbury's on the strand road.
Mother’s Day
In March 24, we celebrated Mother's Day with those admitted to the children’s ward. Being in hospital is not easy at any time of the year, but it can be especially tough on Mother's Day. That weekend we brought cupcakes for all the mothers and carers on the children's wards, to enjoya little treat on us.
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ALTNAGELVIN PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP -_ Trustees’ Report (Continued) es a La na a Teddy Bear Hospital We are working in partnership with the University Ulster- Child Health Society at Magee and the WHSCT HIE! Dept and APG for our Teddy Bear Hospital. Which was booked for 17" April 2025
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The Child Health Society are a group of graduate entry medicine students with a keen interest in paediatrics.
This event will feature a number of role-play medical stations. We asked our families about their children’s biggest fears and traumas, and we have supported the UU students to shape the Teddy Bear Hospital around this.
This event received great media coverage it appeared on BBC Newsline and UTV news and BBC radio Foyle and later interview on UCB radio 1.
Easter Balloon Display
In April 2025 we organised for a beautiful spring balloon display to be arranged for up outside the childrens wards.
Chatty Bench
We worked in partnership with the team from the paediatric wards to commission a brightly coloured chatty bench outside wards 6 & 16 with a plaque encouraging people to sit and chat. The parents were involved on the wording on the bench, funded by the Department of Health.
International Nurses Day
In May 2025, we celebrated international nurses’ day. To mark the occasion, we wanted to show our gratitude and appreciation to the nursing staff on wards 6&16. We treated them to a special breakfast/ brunch buffet.
Altnagelvin Cardiology Parents
We created a new sister group called Altnagelvin Cardiology Parents. This is an opportunity for parents who have children with cardiology conditions to meet and build relationships. Two parents going forward will lead the group.
Father's Day
In June 25, we celebrated Father's Day. We delivered cupcakes for the Daddy's and Father figures who had children on the children’s ward that weekend, to enjoya little treat on us.
Diabetes Transition Information sessions
We funded two information days/ family fun events hosted by the paediatric diabetes team in the Playshed and extreme bounce. For families who have children living with diabetes and transitioning from Nursery to Primary school and from primary school to secondary school settings.
Afternoon tea
On 28th June 2025, we held our third Afternoon tea event in Bishops Gate hotel. We had 80 people attend the event. The parents had a lovely afternoon, spending quality time with their guest and meeting other parents who are on a similar journey. We had a number of staff from the ward attend, this helps build partnerships and relationships between APG and the children’s ward and proves to be remarkably successful.
Financial Report
The total net worth of the Group on 1st July 2025 was £21,341, HSBC Current Account.
Total expenditure for the year came to £47,383
Total donations received for the year came to £20,816.
Total funding received from Halifax foundation, National Lottery community fund, PHA and Department of Health came to £16,712..
Our governance costs including Public and Trustees Liability Insurance premium £376.
Administration costs £4,304.
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The yearLE. net worth of £21,341 HSBC Current Account
Lisa Storey a
Chairperson / Parent
Date: 2 October 2025
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