St Marys YCFC Community Trust - Trustees Report 2024 / 2025
We had limited activity – most of our activity during the year focussed on putting procedures and processes in place and meetings tended to focus on development plans. Some of those discussions were with members of the St Mary’s YCFC Management Committee (Football Committee) discussing the potential to work in partnership on the future and further development of sports facilities in the area. As such the Trustees feel excited about the prospect of supporting the Football Committee in securing a lease on land adjacent to St. John the Baptist College. Work on this exciting project will be progressed in partnership with the Football Committee, in 2026.
Trustees agreed to spend time planning potential fundraising activity until the Trust bank account was in place. Danske Bank appeared to take forever to create the account despite several visits and phone call from Trustees. All relevant and appropriate information was provided on more than one occasion and yet it took the best part of 12 months for Danske to open the account. The Trustees took the time as stated above to ensure proper governance procedures are in place and to scope potential for future fundraising events and activities. The bank account is n ow in place (April 2025).
Several fundraising activities are planned for late 2025 and early 2026, including a Big Breakfast event organised by a group of ‘Friends Of’. We will work to create a public awareness plan for the Trust; to be launched late 2025 / early in 2026 and plans are in place to host an open event to outline the Trust’s plans and ambitions. This may well be hosted in partnership with the SMYC (Football Committee) and will focus on their plans to create a new sports facility / hub for the people of Northwest Portadown and beyond mentioned above.
During the year 2024 / 2025 two trustees decided to step away, Cormac McCann due to a conflict of interest and Catherine Corrigan also due to a conflict of interest, both works related. We have identified and met with 2 potential new Trustees and would hope to confirm their appointment by the end of 2025. Our AGM is scheduled for November 2025, with quarterly meetings scheduled for 2026, the first of these will be on 5 January 2026.
Although relatively inactive in relation to fundraising income and expenditure, we are confident that 2025 / 2026 will see us begin to make an impact that will enable us to fulfil our ambition to grow and support the development of amateur sport and improved facilities across Northwest Portadown and in particular support St Mary’s YCFC as it continues to grow and diversify, engaging with many more of our children, young people and adults.
We look forward to what are exciting times for our fledgling charity.
T.G. Mallon on behalf of the Trustees of the St. Mary’s YCFC Community Trust.