2024-05-31-annual-return - Claudy Rural Development Limited

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Claudy Rural Development Ltd

Annual Report & Statement of Accounts

For the year to 31 May 2024

Registered Office The Diamond Centre 630 Barnailt Road Claudy Co L/Derry BT47 4EA Company Registration Number NI033205

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

Annual Report for the year ended 31 May 2024

The trustees of Claudy Rural Development Limited are pleased to submit their report for the period ending 31 May 2024.

Activities

The core function of the charity in the reporting year revolves around the activities and services provided from the Diamond Centre in Claudy.

First opened in November 2001 the Diamond Centre serves as a hub for local rural development, promoting benefit for the inhabitants of Claudy & District by the advancement of education, the relief of the elderly and the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the object of improving conditions of life for the said inhabitants.

• Older People Support

With support from the Western Health and Social Care Trust we continue to provide an extensive Meals on Wheels Service to eligible people in the surrounding area and a luncheon club for visiting users that runs in tandem with a range of social activities providing interaction, physical activity and reduced isolation for service users. The service continues to be a key social offering for those who attend and has been a staple offering to local people since the centre first opened. As health services and social care come under increasing pressure these services play a key part in keeping the service users connected and engaged. We are very grateful to the health trust for their continued support and recognise the pressures they face in the current financial climate to keep valuable rural services such as these operating.

• Recreation

The centre continues to provide a range of recreation services for users of the full-size sports hall, gym and recreation spaces. Offering space at reduced and competitive rates the centre’s activities have a wide age range of users who regularly access the building for uses that range from fitness

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

and strength classes to recreational sport and fun activities. Prior to the creation of the Centre local people had to travel some distance to avail of similar services. We are glad to be able to keep these resources available to local people.

Accessible Space

The Diamond Centre boasts a range of multi-use spaces that are regularly accessed for public meetings, local group activities, classes, social events like birthday parties and funeral teas, and cultural dance competitions.

Economic Space

Key to the survival of the service offering is a small but vibrant and loyal community of tenants who use the premises to provide local care, wellbeing, arts and economic supports that in turn provide employment for local people and supports to allow parents to remain in employment. We are extremely grateful for the support this provides to enable us to offer the Diamond Centre and its Services.

Accommodation

With a Centre that is now approaching its 25[th] anniversary the trustees recognize that it is starting to show its age. Throughout the reporting period we have been exploring funding opportunities and grant programmes that will allow us to renovate some of the fixtures and fittings and to secure infrastructure to make the building more energy efficient. Capital assets by their nature depreciate from wear and tear and its important that we continue to pursue avenues that will allow us to keep the building fresh and relevant.

Achievements

Related to the above and a key action in the reporting period has been the securing of funds from the National Lottery Dormant Account Funds. This money will provide a new business plan for the future of the organization, inputs to a fund-raising plan, communication resources and an energy

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

audit that will identify current weaknesses in how the buildings utilities operate with opportunities to modernize same.

The creation of a 10-year Strategic Plan will offer insights and response to the current operating landscape. It will involve critical reflection on where are we now in relation to processes, governance, vision, and objectives; dissecting and prioritizing key strategic imperatives for the next decade; and designing a consultation framework for the local community and stakeholders.

The strategic plan will enable long-term organisational change by identifying gaps in and opportunities to develop staff/board skills and capacity and creating a succession plan. It will inform approaches to financial resilience through the identification of revenue generating opportunities and revealing of resource implications for development.

It is our ambition that this work will increase organisational sustainability and growth for the future through a step-by-step plan that features key strategic objectives; key performance indicators/measures of success; key action areas, accountable persons and resources required to deliver; monitoring, reporting and communication processes. It will also offer a new engagement opportunity for the next generation of local residents who have no historical connection with the organisation or its objectives.

Financial Review

Financial Performance remains a challenge for a small rural development organisation that relies on its trustees to provide its development functions. The voluntary and charity sectors are finding it increasingly difficult to secure funding in an ever-narrowing funding environment where the focus is increasingly on programme rather than core operating costs.

Income

Detailed accounts can be found at the end of this report.

Income for the reporting period totalled £191,613, a drop on £228,211 in the previous year. The drop in income reflects the continued impacts of

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

reduced footfall that can be linked to reduced programme income and a wider economic cost of living crisis. It is noted too that over the years more competition has been felt from new sports facilities in the catchment area that do make an impact on space utilisation.

Expenditure

Expenditure in the reporting year was £243,324, down from £301,600 in the previous year. Every effort is being made to operate the charity’s expenditure as economically as possible. A notable example is the drop in heating and lighting costs as a result of efforts to change provider (reducing tariffs) and work to replace many of our electrical fittings with more energy efficient alternatives.

Independent Review

The Trustees in line with standard operating procedures for charities have commissioned an independent examination of its accounts. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. The independent examiner is content that there are no concerns with how the charity is managing its accounts and that the budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.

Eamon O’Kane Chair

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

Reference and Administrative Details

Charity Name

Claudy Rural Development Ltd

Charity Number

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland, No.108967

Address

The Diamond Centre 630 Barnailt Road Claudy L/Derry BT47 4EA

Charity Trustees as of 31 March 2024

Mr Eamon O’Kane Chairman

Mrs Rita McCaughey Secretary Mr Jack McFarland

Mr Eric Christie

Other Charity Trustees in the year to 31 March 2024

Mr Gary McGuinness (resigned in year)

Advisors

Bankers

Danske Bank Ulster Bank Limited PO Box 183 PO Box 3 Donegall Square West 29 Clooney Terrace Belfast Derry BT1 6JS BT47 6AS

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

Solicitors

Dickson & McNulty

50 Spencer Road Waterside Derry BT47 6AJ

Accountancy

Lizdan Business Services Limited T/A Kinore Unit 266, Colab Centre Port Road Letterkenny Co. Donegal Ireland

Structure, Governance, and Management

Governing Document

The Society is a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity in Northern Ireland. The Memorandum and Articles was developed in 1997 and last updated in March 2020.

The organisation is run entirely by its members who receive no reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses.

Trustee Selection and Management

Trustees are appointed and confirmed at the annual general meeting.

Board Meetings

At board meetings the trustees review the financial reports, seek assurance on expenditure and authorise exceptional expenditure.

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

The meetings review ongoing and planned activities and ad hoc meetings are called if required to deal with arising issues.

The Annual Report and Statement of Accounts are approved by the trustees and then presented the Annual General Meeting.

Objectives and Activities

Charitable Objects

To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Claudy & District without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by the advancement of education, the relief of the elderly and the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the object of improving conditions of life for the said inhabitants.

How we carry out our Purpose

We fulfil our purpose by

providing premises (Diamond Centre, Claudy), equipment and facilities where people in the area of benefit can benefit from the objects of the company eg a full size sports hall with a wide range of recreational equipment for all ages; meeting space, classroom space, fitness space
we support the delivery of social services, educational facilitates & practical assistance for elderly and disabled people in the area of benefit eg, Luncheon Club, Meals on Wheels, adapted toilets, sensory equipment
we provide and secure the provision of education, advice and information for the support and development of charitable community organisations in the area of benefit, eg via education courses, networking and collaboration activities

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

we provide & assist in providing classes, lectures, training, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, outing and events
we commission, print and share information both digitally and hard copy of interest to our beneficiaries
we co-ordinate the provision and support of services in the area of benefit, eg lifestyle programmes
we offer a mechanism for people to get involved in volunteering in our community
we provide insight of issues of interest to our community
we build and develop partnerships with organisations who might be interested or able to support the creation of advancements for our community
we generate and raise income by way of grants and donations

Public Benefit Statement

The trustees of Claudy Rural Development Ltd confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 17 (5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and that the public benefit requirement has informed the activities of the Chairty in the year to 31 March 31 2024.

In delivering public benefit the trustees note that access to all of the activities we offer is open to all sections of our community. We strive to provide services that will enrich the lives of local people who use our facilities.

We deliver benefit through the

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

provision of elderly day care sessions and meals on wheels resulting in better socialisation, nutrition, reduced isolation and hardship
provision of recreation and sporting activities resulting in community engagement, improved physical activity, improved physical and mental well-being
access to education and learning opportunities providing new community engagement opportunities, new skills and experiences
access to child development opportunities and parental engagement opportunities
access to public toileting & personal hygiene faculties impacting on health & well-being
access to hosted information & advice services supporting peoples welfare benefit and income needs
access to public meeting and event space impacting on access to information, socialisation, community
engagement, civic engagement and active citizenship

Approved and adopted by a meeting of the Executive Committee on 31 March 2024 and signed on their behalf

Eamon O’Kane Chair

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967

The notes on pages 9 to 19 form part of these financial statements.

Claudy Rural Development Ltd – Registered Charity in NI – No 108967