`If you don`t accept treatment, you may lose your

Transcription

Independent voice for community/voluntary sector
Issue five, 2012
Website: viewdigital.org
VIEW
‘If you don’t
accept
treatment,
you may
lose your
benefits’
Addiction help charity hits
out at welfare threat pages 4, 5
VIEW
VIEW, Issue four,
five, 2012
2012
Standing firm
CONTENTS
Page 2
Charity jump
Pages 6-7 A campaigner
tells his story and we
look at the latest
developments in fight
against human trafficking
Page 13 Frances A
Burscough (left) talks
about her fears as she
agrees to do a parachute
jump for charity
The £1m ladies
Bicycle power
Pages 8-9 VIEW visits a
Concern shop in
Newcastle to hear how
a remarkable bunch of
women volunteers have
raised more than £1m
Pages16-17 VIEW takes a
look at the upcoming
Maracycle by recounting
the story of one rider
and his memory of doing
it back in 1985
End this abuse
Banking on us
VIEW, Issue five, 2012
Profile
We talk to Avila Kilmurray, Director of the
Community Foundation, about the various
challenges facing her organisation
1, How has the organisation changed
since it was set up in 1979?
It has changed in terms of the range of grant-making programmes that it manages and it has also
evolved with European Union funding. It has also
developed the ability to manage funds on behalf of
donors.
2, What are your main areas of
responsibility?
I’m responsible for the strategic overview of the
organisation and managing both our development
programmes which do work within local communities and our grant-making programmes. I also try
to ensure that we attract new donors to the organisation.
3, When did you take on the position of
director and how has your role changed,
if at all?
I took on the role of director in 1994. when the
Community Foundation was better known as the
Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust. At that stage
most of my role would have been taken up in direct grant-making and assessing applications for
grants. It has changed in that we now have a much
wider range of grant-making and development programmes.
Pages 10-11 JacquiMontgomery-Devlin
(above) talks about
Barnardo’s fight against
child sexual exploitation
in Northern Ireland
Page 23 Director of
Operations Jonathan
McAlpin (above) talks
about the role of the
Ulster Community
Investment Trust
Editorial
VIEW, the online publication
for the community/voluntary
sector in Northern Ireland.
A
s we await on the Assembly to debate the
Welfare Reform Bill, we know one thing for
certain that the Coalition Government has
endorsed the most ‘radical’ shake-up of the benefits
system for years. Critics opposed to the measures
have describe it as an ‘ideological assault’.
A recent development in this ongoing
process has been the signalling of an intention to
cut benefits for unemployed alcohol and drug
addicts if they refuse treatment.
The idea of axing the benefits was raised recently in a speech by the Works and Pensions
Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith
Those who would have little sympathy for
addicts will argue that it’s a good idea and will mean
that people suffering from an addiction will get
treatment – even if they don’t want it – and in the
long run, this is a good idea.
The problem with that approach, as argued in
VIEW this month by a leading charity in the field,
Addiction NI, is that it won’t help addicts, and could
also exasperate their condition.
Niamh Eastwood, the chief executive of the
charity Release, said: “Iain Duncan Smith’s proposal
is tantamount to coercive treatment.”
Martin Barnes, the chief executive of
DrugScope, said was no evidence to suggest that
“using the stick of benefit sanctions” would help
people engage with treatment and aid recovery.
And Simon Antrobus, the chief executive of
Addaction – one of the UK's largest specialist drug
and alcohol treatment charities – said people could
4, Can you briefly outline your vision for
the Community Foundation.
My vision is that we hold onto our well-established
ethos of seeing ourselves as an organisation within
the community sector and that we keep working
with groups in the most disadvantaged areas. We
also want to work as a catalyst or convenor between the needs of those areas and people with
the interest and funding to actually be prepared to
make a difference.
5, How secure financially is the
Community Foundation?
The Community Foundation is reasonably secure
in that it has an independent endowment of some
£12 million. It does not, unlike most community
and voluntary organisations, receive core funding
from government.
6, Who or what has been the inspiration
for you in your career to date?
By Brian Pelan, editor
not be forced into abstinence.
Since the Assembly has not debated the
Welfare Reform Bill, we don’t know for sure that
this measure will come into effect in Northern
Ireland. But we do know that the Department for
Social Development in Northern Ireland recently
carried out its own consultation on the Coalition’s
Welfare Reform Bill.
It said: “The Northern Ireland Assembly has
devolved responsibility for social security but in
practice this is delivered on the long standing
principle of parity, i.e. an individual in Northern
Ireland will receive the same benefits and be
subject to the same conditions as an individual
elsewhere in the UK.”
Charities and addicts have cause for concern.
Alternative formats – audio, DAISY, mp3, braille, large print or Word
document of anything can be produced by: RNIB NI Accessible Media.
T: 028 9050 1888 E: [email protected] W: www.accessiblemedia.co.uk
Page 3
The first director of the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust, Hugh Frazer, was a very inspirational individual. It was he, along with the first chair of the
Trust David Cook, who set a very clear mission
and ethos for the Community Foundation that we
have maintained. My personal inspiration has always been Cathy Harkin, a woman who is now
long dead and who I worked with back in Derry in
the 1970s. She was a feminist and founder of
Derry Women’s Aid. She had an amazing mental
agility to be able to link issues between trade
union and social issues.
7, Given the cutbacks in funding from
Government, are you confident that the
community sector can survive and thrive
in the years ahead?
No, I’m not confident. I think that because of the
way funding has been available for the community
sector from the mid 1990s until the mid 2000s,
there has been an increasing dependance on statutory and EU funding – both of those sources are
simultaneously being cut. There has also been an
increase in dependance on paid workers. And while
Challenges: Avila Kilmurray
they clearly in some cases are necessary, it has
meant that the initial voluntary activist base of
community has dissipated somewhat. I think there
is a challenge in terms of the community sector
finding new ways of activism, particularly in relation
to young people. That may mean the community
sector has to change.
8, Is the Government doing enough to
help the community sector?
I think the government, particularly the devolved
assembly, has an acute awareness of the importance of the community sector. One of the problems is that the government has got to tied up in
audit accountability and bureaucracy. The funding
that is available could go a lot further if it was managed in a more flexible manner. We are in favour
of transparency and accountability, but I think the
art of bean counting has become to complex.
9, What role does philanthropy play in
the current economic climate?
I think philanthropy is extremely important. As
wealth has decreased in some areas, there is a
more acute identification with the need for some
sense of social solidarity. What is disappointing is
that alongside the economic recession there appears to be a greater divergence between extreme
wealth and increasing poverty. Philanthropy is important, but it should not be posed in opposition
‘My own
personal
inspiration
was feminist
Cathy Harkin,
who was the
founder
of Derry
Women’s Aid’
to the role of the State and the public sector. It can
only ever be complimentary and indeed, fill gaps.
10, What do you enjoy most about
leading the organisation?
I enjoy the sense of commitment that I get from
the people who work in the organisation and that
all our board trustees are volunteers. I also enjoy
the diversity because community action is constantly changing. We see new communities coming
in, such as the Roma community, so that the issues
that are thrown up are always changing, so that
keeps you responsive
11, What are the main frustrations you
encounter in your role as director of
Community Foundation?
My main frustrations are where you find a block in
terms of people’s awareness about the very real
and pressing needs on the ground, where people
sometimes appear to be living in parallel universes.
You are constantly looking for ways to communicate that, yes, there is a real opportunity for people
to help and make a difference.
12, How do you relax and what are your
other interests?
I like poetry and writing. I’m convinced, but nobody
else is, that I have a novel inside me somewhere.
VIEW, Issue four, 2012
Page 4
Page 5
‘It’s like something from Victorian era’
Journalist Lucy Gollogly reports on the strong reaction
from several charities after the Work and Pensions
Secretary in the Coalition Government, Iain Duncan
Smith, signalled that unemployed addicts could see
their benefits cut if they refuse treatment
C
oalition Government proposals to cut
the benefits of suspected alcoholics or
drug addicts if they refuse treatment
have been described as “like something
from the Victoria era” by a leading Northern Ireland addiction charity.
Dr Claire Armstrong, the director of Addiction NI, was responding to plans which may allow
Job Centre Plus staff to cut the jobseekers’ allowance of claimants who reject treatment.
If implemented, the rules would come into
force in October 2013, when the new universal
credit system is introduced.
The Department for Social Development in
Northern Ireland recently carried out its own
consultation on the Coalition’s Welfare Reform
Bill.
It said: “The Northern Ireland Assembly has
devolved responsibility for social security but in
practice this is delivered on the long standing
principle of parity, i.e. an individual in Northern
Ireland will receive the same benefits and be subject to the same conditions as an individual elsewhere in the UK.”
A Welfare Reform Bill for Northern Ireland
is expected to be introduced in the Assembly in
the coming months.
Dr Claire Armstrong said she would be
deeply concerned if the Coalition Government’s
proposals were to be introduced here.
“We believe that people need support to
seek treatment – this would essentially be like a
punishment. And we also believe that addiction –
alcohol and drugs problems – should be seen as a
health issue and I don’t think this is helpful where
there are genuine health issues for people,” she
said.
The Addiction NI director said a punitive
approach like the one being considered could be
counter-productive.
“You want to encourage people to seek
help in a very positive way, so they’re making that
Concerned: Dr Claire Armstrong,
director of Addiction NI
decision at an early stage to prevent either physical or psychological damage further down the
line.
“That means that you need to have a menu
of different options for people, right through
from advice, brief interventions, all the way
through to intensive treatment or even residential treatment if that’s what someone requires.
“So there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach
for this – it’s a very individual thing.
“The thing that we find working on the
front line in the addiction world in the voluntary
sector is the timing of somebody’s decision to
seek help is really, really important. What we
would really like to see is people being encour-
aged to seek help themselves in a positive way
and this kind of proposal is really the opposite of
that.
“It’s all about working with the person
rather than saying, ‘if you don’t go to treatment
we’re going to take your money off you’.”
Dr Armstrong also said she is worried
about how benefits sanctions would affect the
claimant’s dependents.
“It’s not just an individual who is affected by
an alcohol or drug problem, it’s the family, and it’s
children.
“And for someone to be a position where
their benefits are being reduced, what impact is
that having on the wider family, what impact does
that have on children in the family?
“For quite a simplistic looking punitive
measure, how many other people are being affected by that? How many children are losing
money from within their home because of that,
when they’re already in a difficult position? I don’t
think that would be positive at all.”
She added: “I think the answer to this is focusing on the treatment side of it and the health
aspects of it rather than this (proposal). I find it
unbelievable really – it’s like something from the
Victoria era almost.”
Dr Armstrong’s concerns mirror the position of many addiction charities in Britain. One of
the largest, Addaction, said the policy could jeopardise addicts’ recovery.
Meanwhile another major charity,
DrugScope, has called on the Coalition Government to clarify its position on the introduction of
sanctions for refusing treatment.
‘We believe that people need support to
seek treatment – this would essentially be
like a punishment’
Addiction NI has been working
since 1978 to provide support
and treatment to people affected
by alcohol or drug addiction.
They have centres in south, east
and west Belfast and treat
people from all over Northern
Ireland.
As a registered charity, they do
not charge for treatment
sessions.
Website: http://addictionni.com/
Counselling: Addiction NI have centres right across Northern Ireland
Iain Duncan-Smith, left,
‘The outdated benefits
system fails to get
people off drugs and put
their lives on track.
We have started
changing how addicts
are supported, but we
must go further to
actively take on the
devastation that drugs
and alcohol can cause’
Page 6
Campaign to end human
trafficking in Northern
Ireland steps up a gear
Why I got
involved
in the fight
Page 7
By Pete Kernoghan – a member of No More Traffik On Our
Streets – a human trafficking awareness campaign
Image: Laura Curran
Standing firm: Young people outside Belfast City Hall during the recent No more Traffik week
A
ssembly efforts to tackle Human Trafficking in Northern Ireland has stepped up a
gear with the launch of an All Party group
on Human Trafficking (APGHT) recently. The group was established to promote effective action against trafficking for sexual and labour
exploitation, an increasing problem across in
Northern Ireland. Adults and children are known
to be trafficked here for sexual exploitation, for
various forms of labour exploitation and for criminal activity, including illegal drug production, fraud
and theft.
Grainne Teggart of Amnesty International, an
adviser to the Assembly group, said:
‘’Human trafficking and the exploitation
which follows are egregious violations of human
rights. The problem has been growing in scale in
Northern Ireland in recent years and the new All
Party Group shows that it will get the political attention it deserves. The all party group will be considering possible changes to the law here and how
to better coordinate efforts across government
and between statutory and non-statutory agencies.”
The APGHT has been operational since February and has had presentations from numerous
organisations including, PSNI, Department of Justice and NI Human Rights Commission. At a meeting this month, MLAs will consider a work
A step forward: Anna Lo, chair of the
new all-party group at the Assembly
Image: Aaron McCracken, Harrison Photography
programme which will detail the specifics of the
work our MLAs will undertake. This has been
drafted by Ms Teggart, who said: A focussed work
programme, will serve to promote effective action
against trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation in Northern Ireland. Shared learning with the
other devolved administrations and European networks will feature as part of this and will contribute to our understanding of this problem to
help focus our thinking.’’
The Public Prosecution Service and NI Com-
Image: Laura Curran
mission for Children and Young People (NICCY)
will also be present at the meeting.
The new Assembly group aims to tackle the
problem through awareness-raising, building co-operation with parliamentary counterparts in England, Scotland, Wales and Republic of Ireland and by
monitoring and advocating changes in law, policy
and practice.
Ms Teggart, Adviser and Secretariat to the
group, said: “Human Trafficking is a complex issue
and therefore requires joint working on coordination and prevention measures. Coordination between all party groups across the UK will be
important.
To signal this joint working Baroness ButlerSloss, co-chair of APPG on Human Trafficking at
Westminster and Anthony Steen, former MP and
founder of UK Human Trafficking Foundation
which services the APPG at Westminster, spoke at
the launch on the scale of the problem and how
we move forward together.’’
Anna Lo MLA, chair of the All Party Group,
said: “Today is a great step forward in our fight
against human trafficking. Assembly members from
all parties are committed to making Northern Ireland a hostile place for traffickers. We will proactively address gaps in our systems here to bring
about the change that is needed to end this modern day slavery.’’
I
n November 2006 I was in Pattaya, Thailand, with a band I played in called Bluetree. Pattaya was such a culture shock for a middle class boy from Belfast like myself. I had never experienced something as extreme as this place. It was a small
place but it had more than 30,000 female prostitutes.
That figure did not include the children that were available to buy
and exploit. As we drove around the city we passed a beach where
our guide told us this was the place where people bought and
sold children.
That was a turning point in my life. I came home
completely shocked to the core. All that ran
around inside my head was ‘I need to do something about this’. So myself and Aaron Boyd,
another member of the band, set up a charity that helped tackle child sex exploitation in Cambodia.
We raised money and awareness as we toured with the band.
We were able to put
money into some
projects in Cambodia. But that
was not
enough for
me, this
issue had
captured
me, I
began to
read
more
about it,
talk more
about it,
and as
time went
on I began
to see
what a
massive
problem it
was becoming in my own
country.
It is one thing
to tackle the issue of human trafficking on the
other side of the globe but it is something different
in knowing that it also happens in your home city. It
was easy for me to disconnect what happens in
South East Asia from my everyday life. As I got to understand what was happening
here my whole perspective changed. It is completely different to think that some of the people I
walked past on the street may be here against
their will and may be being forced to do things
they do not want to do. Since I was a kid I hated
when things were not fair. The issue of human trafficking is an extreme form of this; people with
power who are taking advantage of people and
that is just not fair. In November 2011, I told two friends of
mine, Stephen and Shemek, about this issue that
faces Northern Ireland. They got the same feeling
that I had. We helped to set up No More Traffick
On Our Streets. Last month we had more than 20
events in Belfast to raise awareness about human
trafficking. • For more information go
to http://www.nomoretraffik.com/
Page 8
Salute the ladies
Brian Pelan talks to a group
of volunteers at the Concern
shop in Newcastle, Co Down,
after they raised £1 million
for the charity
T
HE mist and rain swept over Newcastle on the day I
visited the Concern charity shop on Main Street in the
Co Down town. But, inside the premises and away
from the drenched streets, the warmth of the volunteers was evident.
They say that one of the secrets of any business – big or
small – is team effort. The Concern team that I met have this
ingredient in abundance.
Amidst the racks of clothes – of all shapes and sizes –
on display and various pieces of bric-a-brac on the shelves, the
sound of constant laughter rang throughout the small shop as
the volunteers kept themselves busy and smiling as they
served customers.
Pauline O’Neill, who is from Newcastle, has worked in
the shop for 17 years.
“Concern opened a shop in the town in 1992 and I
started there. We then moved, after about two years, to our
present premises.
“It’s all teamwork here,” said Pauline. “There are a few
good reasons why we have been successful. Firstly, the shop is
in a good location in the town; secondly, many of the clothes
and other items donated are of good quality; and finally, the
customers who come in love to have a bit of craic with the
volunteers.
Nettie Halyburton, originally from Lanarkshire in Scotland, has lived in Northern Ireland for more than 33 years. She
echoed Pauline’s sentiments. “We all really enjoy working with
each other. There is great camaraderie amongst us.”
All of the volunteers expressed their delight at the news
that the Concern shop has now raised £1 million since it first
opened its doors. “We’ll just keep on going,” says Pauline. “This
shop also represents our social life.”
‘It is a great shop to
work in and the girls
all really love the
voluntary work’
According to an article in The Democrat newspaper in
1992, businesswoman Nelly Hill decided to do something after
she, along with countless others, watched the unfolding horror
of the famine in Somalia on her TV.
She opened a temporary charity shop in aid of Concern
on the Newcastle promenade.
Her gesture sparked a huge reaction from members of
the public in the town and further afield. Donations of clothing
and other items poured into the shop.
And what was meant to be a temporary shop became a
permanent fixture in the town. The business developed so rapidly that the Concern volunteers had to move to their present
premises at the Newcastle Shopping Centre.
Pay a visit to the shop the next time you are in Newcastle.You are sure to appreciate the charm of the lovely ladies
who work for Concern.
• Concern Worldwide works with the world’s
poorest people to transform their lives. They are
an international humanitarian organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and suffering in the
world’s poorest countries.
http://www.concern.net/en
Teamwork: Volunteer Nette Halyburton (left), with Concern
fundraiser Claire Fitzsimons, and volunteers Liz Balie, Anne
Gelston, Margaret Scullion, Pauline O’Neill and Mary Guthrie
who raised £1m
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Lifting the lid on child sex exploitation
In the wake of the convictions of several men in England over the sexual
exploitation of children and young women, Brian Pelan spoke to Jacqui
Montgomery-Devlin, Children’s Services Manager at Barnardo’s Northern
Ireland, about the extent of the problem here
T
HE manager of Barnardo’s Safe Choices NI,
Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin, said in a recent
statement to the media that sexual exploitation is happening in “every town and
city across Northern Ireland”.
Her shocking statement followed the jailing
of nine men who ran a child sexual exploitation
ring in the greater Manchester area.
I met with Ms Montgomery-Devlin recently
to find out more details about the scale of the
problem in Northern Ireland.
Tucked away up a leafy lane in east Belfast,
Jacqui met with me in her office, part of a
Barnardo’s complex, and outlined some grim statistics about the issue of child sex exploitation, which
the charity is actively challenging.
“We are often asked the question is this happening in Northern Ireland?” said Jacqui. “And I
sometimes forget that our services have been in
existence for almost 12 years. We exist to work
with children and young people who are being sexually exploited, at risk of exploitation, going missing
from home and care homes.
“So, is it happening here? Yes, because our
services here are in existence to work with those
young people. We have two practitioners who have
‘We need to have
more prevention
and awareness
programmes offered
to these young
people, as well as
their parents’
Support the online petition by Barnardo’s calling for the NI Policing
Board to incorporate child protection, including sexual exploitation,
as a priority in the forthcoming Policing Plans. We are encouraging
members of the public to show their support by signing up online at
www.barnardos.org.uk/cutthemfree
full caseloads. We have 36 children and young people on the waiting list, from across all five health
trusts. A mixture of those on the waiting list are
with their families or are in care homes. At one
stage, we were just funded to work with children
in care. But we have more funding now and that allows us to work with children outside of the care
system as well.
“A lot of young people end up in care because they are being sexually exploited and all the
associated risks and vulnerabilities that go with
that. If we can start working with them in the early
stages when they are at risk of sexual exploitation
we can perhaps prevent them going into care. The
majority of those on the waiting list are known to
social services in some way.
“A lot of the time we are dealing with very
damaged individuals. For the last few years, we have
been trying to say, particularly to social workers, to
try and get referrals in on young people sooner
rather than later, because once they are entrenched in to that kind of lifestyle – I’m not saying
they are to blame in any way – but once those perpetrators have got them entrenched, it can be very
difficult to get them out.
“It’s better if can get in contact with them
earlier. We need more prevention and awareness
Raising awareness: Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin, Children’s Sevices Manager,
Barnardo’s Safe Choices Northern Ireland
programmes offered to these young people, as well
as their parents.
“The majority of these young people do not
recognise what is happening to them as sexual exploitation. They don’t often see themselves as victims. It’s up to the adults working with them or
who they are living with to notice or identify what
is happening and to try and get them some help.
We want to go into schools as well. There has
been a recent opening in that area. Last week I had
a meeting with a teacher who is responsible for
pastoral care in one school. He wants us to talk to
his pupils, aged 16 and over.
“As part of the research titled ‘Not A World
Away’, we looked at children and young people
who were in the care system and those known to
social workers. A 2010 ‘Young Life And Times’ survey was used to determine the prevalence of sexually exploitative experiences among the general
youth population in Northern Ireland. A total of
786 16-year-olds completed the survey (two-thirds
female, one-third male).
“One in nine said they had experienced sexual exploitation or had been groomed or targeted
in some way. The majority of them said this happened under the age of consent. The majority of
them also hadn't told anybody.”
“Funding is an issue in how we tackle this
problem. The fact is that we now have 36 young
people on our waiting list. That waiting list only
started during the research. We have two practitioners for the whole of Northern Ireland, we are
going to recruit two and a half more – but that’s
with Barnardo’s voluntary funds.
“We also receive funding from Comic Relief
and the Heath and Social Care Board.
“Barnardo’s chief executive Anne Marie Carrie says that sexual exploitation happens in every
town and city in the UK.
“We need child protection to be part of the
Policing Plan here as a priority so that targets are
set and resources made available.
“In Northern Ireland, we don't have any specific guidance for social services about child sex
exploitation and how you deal with it, in the way
that Wales, England and Scotland have.
Jacqui believes the decision to set up the
Safeguarding Board in Northern Ireland shortly,
which will be chaired by Hugh Connor, is a welcome development.
“No one agency can tackle this on their
own,” she said – “it’s a partnership approach.
“A lot of the kids who we are working with
have had so much trauma in their life as a child. At
the start a lot of these kids in care go missing
every day. If we get them to a stage where it’s once
a week or once a month that is a success. The
focus also needs to be on the perpetrators who
remain at large and invisible.
“Two of the young people that we are just
finishing working with now are ending on a really
positive note
“One was with us for nearly three years, the
other about 18 months. They don’t seem to be at
risk now. They are functioning in a more healthier
and positive way.
“That is real success given their backgrounds
and what they have been through.
“One young person said to one of our workers some time ago: ‘Me being raped is like you making a cup of tea.’ She was trying to indicate to us
that it was a regular occurrence in her life.”
Page 12
Page 13
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Signing up: Frances A Burscough reacts with, firstly shock, and then terror, after being asked to do the parachute jump
Images: Kevin Cooper
‘May God have mercy on my soul’
Journalist Frances A Burscough tells VIEW about her fear of
heights and flying as she bravely agrees to do a parachute jump in
aid of the charity, the Meningitis Research Foundation
T
hey say there’s no such thing as a free
lunch. In my case, that rule obviously extends to coffee too. I should have known
that when Brian Pelan, (the editor, no less),
invited me for a coffee there was going to be some
sort of catch.
And there was. An absolute hum-dinger in
fact. But I’ll come to that in a minute.
“I was wondering if you would be interesting
in writing a new column for View magazine,” he
began.
Well, of course I would.
A freelance journalist such as myself would
normally have to grovel, beg, bribe or blackmail to
get a new column, especially in the current climate
of austerity and recession.
To be actually invited to become a monthly
contributor to the publication...well, it really was a
no brainer.
“Yes,” I replied, before I’d even taken my first
sip of coffee .
Then he told me what he wanted me to do.
The small print as it were.
My mission, should I choose to accept it –
was to go on a series of challenges or events suggested by community groups and charities, in order
to help publicise and raise awareness for their
cause.
So far so good, I thought, imagining a stall selling home-baked cupcakes at an elegant summer
garden party in the glorious grounds of a sprawling
stately home.
“First up is a challenge by Keli Wilkinson, who
is a fund-raising officer for the Meningitis Research
Foundation,” said Brian.
Excellent, I thought; a very worthy cause indeed, certainly worth supporting and publicising.
Having brought up two children myself, the dread
of meningitis had reared its ugly head many times
when they were growing up.
Every time they had a fever, a headache or
were simply out of sorts I had always feared the
worst; knowing that this disease could strike without any warning and had such common symptoms
it could be easily be misdiagnosed as a cold.
This was every mother’s nightmare and yet
so little was known about its cause or its cure.
“Great. Count me in,” I said, before I'd even
taken my second sip of coffee.
“All you have to do is to go on a sponsored
parachute sky-dive,” said the editor.
I spat my coffee out. Right across the table.
Cappuccino froth sprayed over his paperwork as I
tried to regain my composure...
“Errr....(gulp)...from what height? (gulp),” I
asked, feebly, as if that actually made any difference.
Now I’m no expert, but it's probably safe to
assume that if it involves a parachute, it’s going to
be from somewhere quite high up. In the sky
amongst the clouds. In the high heavens as it were.
A place, I must add, that holds a great deal of fear
for someone like me who is afraid of heights.
“Roughly 13,000 feet,” was his reply.
I tried to imagine 13,000 feet. I couldn’t. Not
only that, but in order to get there a small aircraft
of some sort would probably be involved.
A thing that holds a great deal of fear for
someone like me who, I have to add, is also afraid
of flying.
Did I say “afraid”? What I meant to say was
“terrified”.
“All you have to do is sign here on the dotted line, under the disclaimer and we can set the
wheels in motion,” said Brian.
I decided not to read the disclaimer. But I
imagined the words “in the unlikely event of catastrophic equipment failure”.
“Horrible death” and “flattened like a pancake” were probably in there somewhere in very
small print.
Nevertheless, I brushed away the cappuccino
froth and signed my name.
And may God have mercy on my soul.
To be continued .....
To help get Frances up into the air for her parachute jump in aid
of the Meningitis Research Foundation, we need to hit a target of
£350. Simply click on http://www.justgiving.com/VIEWdigital and
give an amount directly to the charity
This project is part-financed by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund
through the Interreg IVA Cross Border Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.
The Big Picture
EVERY month our email account at
([email protected]) is full of
images sent by community and
charity organisations who want us
to help promote an event for them.
Starting this issue, we will select
an image sent in that captures our
imagination. We are looking for
striking photographs. So think big
if you want to be the Big Picture in
our next issue.
Dance the night away
Lauren Dickson left, with Catherine
McCormick, Lady Portia, James Huish
and Rosin Hamil at Belfast City Hall to
help promote a Gala Night in aid of
Shelter NI at the Stormont Hotel,
Belfast, on Saturday, June 16.
Tickets are £30. Tables of 12 are
available. To book a table or individual
seats, buy online at www.shelterni.org
or email [email protected] or ring
02890 245572
Page 14
Page 15
I rode the
Maracycle
once and
lived to tell the
tale – again
and again
By Brian Pelan
T
he Maracycle – from Belfast to Dublin and back – is set to
take place on Saturday, June 23, from Queen’s Sport, Upper
Malone, Belfast. Hundreds of cyclists from all over Ireland
have all ready signed up to the event, organised by the peacebuilding charity Co-operation Ireland.
I will be with them in spirit but not in body. I am hoping to do it
next year – I just have to put some miles back into my legs, cut down
on the junk food and lay off the cigarettes.
I done it once before in1985. It’s a day I will never forget. To say
that I was nervous would be an under-statement. I had trained for the
event, but as they say, there’s nothing like doing the real thing. My
memory is off a glorious day as the cyclists set off from Belfast. The
well-toned, super-fit riders were at the front on their light-weight machines that glided effortlessly to Dublin and back.
Leading up the rear was all sorts of everything, including yours
truly. One saving grace was that matter how unfit you were, there
was always someone in worse shape. It meant that although riders
would pass you on the road – I was also able to pass those in worse
shape, huffing and puffing, as they put there bodies though mental and
physical torture.
As we approached the border, I recall a fellow cyclist confiding
to me that he had never been in the Republic, and asked ‘did I think,
he would be OK’?. I told him to relax and just to think of the glorious
pints of Guinness that awaited him in Dublin.
I arrived in Dublin in about six hours, had a couple of pints, then
lay awake most of the night at the hostel I was staying in with
thoughts of terror at the repeat ride back to Belfast that awaited me
in the morning.
I need not have worried. My legs had got the hang of it and I
was back in Belfast in about five hours.
Good luck to all those who are taking part in this year’s event,
especially my younger brother Paul. And to the first-timers, enjoy the
experience and remember, you get to brag about it for the rest of
your life.
I have – as my long-suffering family and friends can testify.
• The closing date has been extended so there is still
time to get your entry in.
• Cyclists depart on Saturday, June 23, from Queen's
Sport, Upper Malone, Belfast in staggered starts from
7.30am to 8am. The new start at Upper Malone is an
ideal location and takes around 2.5 miles off the route
each day. Distance to Dublin is now 108 miles to finish
at Dublin City University.
• To enter, you can print out the entry forms and
details or enter online at
www.cooperationireland.org/supportus/2012/
maracycle
• If you have any problems with entering the event or
need more details please email: [email protected] or give us a call on +44 (0) 28 9032 1462.
On your bike: A bunch of
riders at the start of last
year’s Maracycle
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
MLA praises report
on social financing
S
To get a copy of the report, go to http://bit.ly/LO1EL5
ocial enterprises and third sector
firms could have a significant role in
the growth and rebalancing of the
Northern Ireland economy, according to a new report.
The Social Finance in Northern Ireland document (launched at Malone
House, Belfast, by the incoming minister
for finance and personnel, Simon Hamilton
MLA) was commissioned by social finance
organisations; the Ulster Community In- Simon Hamilton,
vestment Trust and Charity Bank, and
DUP MLA
supported by the Building Change
Trust.
The paper said the legacy of grant funding may have stifled the development of social entrepreneurs and has recommended that
such firms need to be able to win contracts, deliver services or
develop their own income streams from leveraging assets.
The report calls for government, the private and third
sectors to work together to deliver a sustainable sector with
strong financial and social balance sheets.
Mr HamiIton said: “I am very pleased to be associated
with this report. I want to thank the good work though
that the Charity Bank has been doing, alongside the Ulster
Community Investment Fund and the Building Change Trust.
“The report has a lot of key messages for all of us in the social economy sector and in Government.
“The first key message coming from the report is the importance
of the third sector.
The question comes back to us in Government as to how can we
provide support to the sector? There are push and pull factors. Cutbacks in funding from what ever source are pushing in the direction of
social financing and you are being pulled in that you become to dependent on grant aid and assistance. Those two factors are pushing us inevitably towards social financing. This is something that we in
Government recognise.”
Practical advice and a sensitive
personal approach. We pride
ourselves on our unrivalled
commitment to clients’ needs.
Edwards & Co. solicitors advises charities and the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland
on a wide range of legal issues including charity creation, charitable status and
constitutional matters, trading and commercial arrangements, employment law,
finance, fundraising and property law, as well as dealing with the Charity Commission
‘Measuring Change’
document launched
C
To get a copy of the report, contact CENI at [email protected]
ommunity Evaluation Northern
Ireland (CENI) recently hosted a
conference at Belfast Castle on
‘Collaborating on Outcomes:
Funders and the Sector Working Together’.
Financial austerity has placed even
more pressure on Government to demonstrate the impact of its investments on
communities. Recent reports from the
Public Accounts Committee stressed the
Brendan McDonnell,
need for government and the voluntary
sector to work collaboratively to develop Director, CENI
appropriate outcome measures.
The conference brought together speakers from government
and other funding bodies, evaluation practitioners and the sector to
explore some of the issues and challenges involved as well as possible solutions to putting such collaboration into practice.
CENI presented the ‘Measuring Change’ approach; a practical, robust and cost-effective way of capturing difficult to measure qualitative outcomes.
This has been successfully piloted across a range of funding programmes. Representatives from the Big Lottery Fund,
Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and Belfast City Council
presented their experiences of ‘Measuring Change’ and highlighted the potential application of this approach.
Speaking at the event, CENI Director, Brendan McDonnell said:“While everyone talks about outcomes, actually capturing and measuring the difference made by community based
organisations remains very difficult.
“Today was an opportunity to discuss these challenges but also
to reflect on one approach developed by CENI – ‘Measuring Change’.
“While still a work in progress, this approach demonstrates that
it is possible to measure community outcomes, but it needs a structured process involving both Government and funded organisations
working together to decide what it is they want to change and how far
they have progressed.”
for Northern Ireland.
Our team offers a full range of legal services including mediation, criminal law, clinical
negligence and personal injury claims, as well as family/matrimonial work.
Contact Jenny and Teresa: Edwards & Co. Solicitors, 28 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LA.
Tel: (028) 9032 1863 Email: [email protected]
Web: edwardsandcompany.co.uk
Speakers Deborah Green, Steve McDermott and John News
Remember to check into Ramada
for Active in the Community event
D
o you know what Timebanking is? The Vision seminars at the Active in the Community two-day event at Belfast this
autumn will provide the answer.
Motivational speaker, Steve McDermott, will
also be on hand to inspire with his key note address: ‘When The Going Gets Tough’.
The seminars will suggest how local communities can mobilise people and resources to tackle
areas of economic and social concern.
Speakers at the event include Volunteer
Now’s Billy Eagleson, who will explain the Timebanking concept and how it can empower organisations and communities.
Debra Green, director of Manchester-based
ROC, will highlight the opportunities and benefits
which arise when statutory agencies and community groups work together in partnership.
Jonathan McAlpin, Director of Operations for
the Ulster Community Investment Trust, will offer
his views on the role played by social enterprise in
helping communities in Northern Ireland to become more productive.
John News (Participation Manager, Sport
Northern Ireland) will discuss the various outcomes of engaging communities in sport and physical activity programmes.
John, who will present the SNI Active Communities programme, will give practical advice on
how you and your community can get involved and
enjoy the benefits of being more physically active.
Delegates to the Active in the Community
event, at the Ramada hotel, October 9 –10, will
also get special deals from exhibitors – including
local charities and social enterprises – offering
products and services.
Keep up to date with developments about
the Active in the Community event on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/aic.ni.
Event organiser Paul Scott can be contacted
at [email protected] or by phone, on 0799
078 0453
SUPPORTINGOUR
MEMBERS
DEFENDINGJOBS
ANDSERVICES
TOJOINUNISONTEL.08453550845
ORJOINONLINE
https://join.unison.org.uk/joinus.php
Page 20
Osborne’s
‘U-turn’
welcomed
THE Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) and the Community Foundation have
both welcomed the decision by the Chancellor
George Osborne to drop plans to introduce a cap
on tax relief on charitable giving.
NICVA was only one of hundreds of charities
across the UK that backed the ‘Give it back
George’ campaign, citing the damage it would do
by painting “philanthropists as tax dodgers and the
charities themselves as bogus”.
Seamus McAleavey, chief executive of NICVA
said: “We strongly welcome the U turn in this decision. The damage a cap on tax relief on all charities at this current time would have been great, for
large voluntary or community organisations, but
also for smaller groups who benefit from grantmaking trusts and foundations, supported from
large gift aided donations.”
Announcing the rethink, Mr Osborne said: "I
can confirm that we will proceed next year with a
cap on income tax reliefs for wealthy people, but
we won't be capping relief for giving money to
charity.
“It is clear from our conversations with charities that any kind cap could damage donations, and
as I said at the Budget that's not what we want at
all.”
Helen McKeever, Fund Development Manager at the Community Foundation for Northern
Ireland, said; “Our Foundation welcomes the Treasury’s decision to reverse the plan to limit tax relief on charitable donations.
“This follows a high profile campaign from
the community and voluntary sector, which the
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland fully
supported.”
Community & Voluntary Branch
Page 21
Support team: Chairperson June Donaldson with treasurer Elaine Bull, secretary Christina McCarten and some of the newly
trained Doula volunteers
Every mum should have a Doula
F
ATHERS need to realise that Doulas are
there for mum, dad and the family as a
whole”, said Elaine Bull from Doula Vision – a
set of volunteers who help new mothers.
Men according to Elaine, who lives in Markethill Co. Armagh, are still “hesitant” about the
service.
“We offer a mixture of emotional and practical support”, said Elaine. “Some new mothers want
help with feeding while others want the bathroom
cleaned or help with older toddlers – it depends
on the family”.
Elaine is happy to prepare meals for the family she is helping. While she says she is not a cordon bleu cook she is well used to cooking for her
own siblings.
Following a difficult time after the birth of
Deputy mayor
Kevin Campbell
(second right) at a
recent Men’s Action Network (MAN)
event as part of the
Derry City Council’s Community
Relations Week
which ran from May
14-20. Also with
participants of the
workshop is Carol
Stewart,
Community
Relations
Officer at Derry
City Council. The
event launched a
publication
developed through
a series of MAN
workshops which
explored the legacy
and the impact of
‘the Troubles’ on
the lives of men,
their relationships
and their health
Image: Maurice
Thompson
By Una Murphy
one of her own children, Elaine realised the importance of extra support for new mothers. She went
to England to train as a Doula with Nurturing Birth
– who now come to Kilkeel to help train the
growing band of Doulas here.
Elaine and her colleague June go out with volunteer Doulas to women expecting a baby and an
agreement is drawn up about the type of work to
be undertaken.
Elaine says a Doula will meet up with the
woman she is helping about five times before the
birth, be there during labour and call to her home
about three times a week after the baby is born.
She would like the Health Service to refer
pregnant woman to Doula Vision. The group will
now go to any address in Northern Ireland although they need more volunteers in the northwest.
“We give the mother confidence and help
them in the areas that stress them out” says Elaine.
• To search for volunteering opportunities in your local area, please visit
www.volunteernow.co.uk or Call 0845
652 6065
• If you have a volunteer story which
you would like to share with VIEW
please contact Una Murphy email: [email protected]
Page 22
‘Dating’ tips on finding a new partner
By Jenny Ebbage
W
PHoToLinE
Photographer
Kevin cooper has
more than 25
years experience in
Press and Pr
photography. Kevin
works to a wide
range of clients in
community and
voluntary sector
organisations as
well as the trade
union movement.
For quoTaTions
conTacT
Kevin cooper
Q
A
Q
Can you give our readers a brief
outline about UCIT
We evolved out of the third sector during
the 1990s. A number of key activists, who
came together through a series of conferences, identified a range of things that were
needed for the sector to help it to grow and
strengthen.
Q
amount of grant dependancy and has been
used to a reasonably good supply of grants,
coming from European peace money, the International Fund for Ireland and other
sources of financing.
You give out loans and not grants,
how do you compare to the main
banks in Northern Ireland.
tions.We’re a bit like credit unions for that
sector. Our loan lending rates would go out
at anywhere between five and eight percent
Jenny Ebbage offers helpful advice on new collaborative ways of working together
ment will be; indeed how long it is intended to last.
Agreements can be as simple as a memorandum of understanding (between two organisations
XX) right up to the formality of a full-blown
merger (two organisations becoming one) but the
legal structures have different implications in terms
of how the joint working will be run. Remember –
in a legal context being ‘partners’ means something
very different than two organisations happening to
get on well with one another!
One thing, however, that is of paramount importance in the collaboration process is that both
sides carry out a thorough risk-assessment.
Charities have to be prepared to ask a great
deal of difficult ‘what if’ questions — working on
scenarios ranging from one party encountering financial difficulties to who is liable in the event of a
legal challenge. This can be difficult because no-one
wants to countenance the idea of failure before
you even start out.
Nevertheless, it’s an essential aspect of the
duty of care that those who run charities have to
their organisation.
With all that said, charities shouldn’t be put
off from considering collaborative working.
There are a great many benefits to be gained
from such co-operation – greater clout for political
engagement or new ways to spread a cost-base. It
can be an excellent way for charities to survive and
thrive in a difficult environment.
I’ve personally overseen some of the largest
charity mergers in Northern Ireland and providing
both sides ‘look before they leap’, many charities
shouldn’t hesitate in saying ‘I do!’
MEDIA ASSOCIATES
• Print, design, editing
If you like the look of VIEW and want
to get help with your own PR/campaign
material, get in touch with Brian Pelan,
email: [email protected]
• Special discounts for the
community/voluntary sector
for a loan
all about being able to access the finance.
A It’s
Banks may not be willing to support you because they see you as to high a credit risk. It
would be fair to say that UCIT would take a
more flexible approach. We wouldn’t levy an
arrangement or early redemption fee.
Can you tell me a bit about the
recent report, ‘Social Financing in
Northern Ireland: Innovative
Thinking and Action’, that you recently launched with the Charity
Bank.
report looks critically at how our secA The
tor has evolved and grown with a certain
market place is social enterprises, chariA Our
ties and community and voluntary organisa-
E: [email protected]
T: 028 90777299
M: 07712044751
Page 23
‘We take flexible approach to loans’
is the advantage for a
Q What
community group in going to UCIT
objects of both parties —that are enshrined in the
constitution of each charity.
If trustees breach this, they could find themselves personally liable for any losses that the charity incurs.
One of the less well-known principles of any
kind of contracting is that it has to be in both parties’ interests- there has to be ‘mutual value’: it
needs to be clear what both parties are gaining
from the exchange and that needs to be totally
clear in any agreement.
Something charities also need to work
through is how formal or informal the commit-
VIEW editor Brian Pelan asks Jonathan McAplin, Director of
Operations at the Ulster Community Investment Trust (UCIT), about
what role his organisation plays in the third sector
ith budgets stretched and charities
under pressure to care for even
more service users, more and more
groups in the charity sector are exploring collaborative ways of working: finding ways
of pooling their resources to achieve shared aims.
However, before charities seek to ‘tie the
knot’ in a working “partnership”, there are a couple of key points that they need to bear in mind.
I’ve found that when charities look at getting
together, there’s a lot in common with the dating
game: it works best when both parties have the
same expectations about what they’re getting in to,
when they’ve done suitable ‘due diligence’ on their
potential new ‘partner’ and where it’s clear to both
parties how the success of such a venture will be
measured.
It’s important that there is a cool and analytical assessment of the reason for two organisations
to work together in the first place. The relationship
has to be in line with the charitable purposes or
‘Providing both sides
‘look before they
leap’, many charities
shouldn’t hesitate in
saying ‘I do!’
how do you make repayQ Finally,
ments if you are a community
Jonathan McAlpin, UCIT
group that doesn’t make money.
is the nature of UCIT’s relaQ What
tionship with the Charity Bank.
of us are interested in the charity and
A Both
social economy sector, what we can do to
grow it and the financing needs of it. We approached the Building Change Trust who
provided some funding for us to commision
joint research into this area.
A That’s where I think our sector has a long
way to go because I think you can make
money. One of the problems we have is the
definition of what our sector is. We have
community-based organisations who do
need grant funding to deliver certain services. But there are other parts of the sector
than can operate more like businesses. such
as the Bryson Group model.
IN THE NEWS
Boost for co-operative movement
AS the first wind energy co-operative is set up in Northern Ireland, a major
conference is taking place in Belfast this month to look at the potential of coops to regenerate local communities.
The launch of a share offer for Drumlin Wind Energy Co-operative and
the conference on June 28 coincides with the United Nations International Year
of Co-operatives.
Drumlin Wind Energy is to issue a public share offer to raise up to £4 million, to build and operate up to five 250kW wind turbines, at five locations
across Northern Ireland in Larne, Ballyclare, Kells and Pomeroy.
The ‘Co-operatives: a model for sustainable development’ conference in
Belfast is expected to attract political, business, statutory agency, trade union
representatives and community activists.
• Details on Co-operative Conference: http://bit.ly/JHC2n4
• Drumlin Wind Energy Cooperative site: www.drumlin.coop
Keep eye out for news from NICVA
LOOK out for eNews and nicvanews from NICVA which provide relevant and
timely information to the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.
eNews guarantees something of interest every week. Subscribe on the
NICVA website: www.nicva.org/publications/enews
nicvanews provides in depth coverage on issues relevant to NICVA’s member organisations with regular features on news, events, funding opportunities
and deadlines, as well as offering space to focus on the work of projects taking
place throughout the sector.
Find out more about nicvanews at www.nicva.org/content/nicvanews. To
submit an article, email: [email protected] tel: 028 9087 7777
A wide range of information and resources online are also available from
NICVA at www.nicva.org, www.communityni.org and on Facebook at facebook.nicva.org and Twitter @NICVA
Talks to focus on charity regulations
FREE ‘Good Governance’ seminars focusing on charity regulations under the
Charity Act (NI) are being held this month in Derry, Downpatrick, Ballymena,
Armagh and Belfast. Contact North West Community Network, East Down
Rural Community Network, North Antrim Community Network and Volunteer
Now for details.
Page 24
Launch: Gillian Stewart (left) and Holly Sweeney helping to promote mini-Olympics event
Help children with cancer
by joining mini-Olympics
W
gold.
ITH summer 2012 nearly upon us,
Olympic fever is reaching boiling
point and a local charity is hoping to
turn our obsession with sport into
The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children (NICFC) is recruiting five-strong corporate
teams of wannabe Olympians to go head-to-head
in their very own Mini Olympics on June 22.
Last June, the NICFC’s Old Skool Sports Day,
which raised more than £6,000, allowed participants to relive their youth, competing in old
favourites such as the egg and spoon and the sack
race.
With a healthy number of teams already
signed up to this year’s event, the fundraising team
are confident their target of £10,000 will be met.
Teams will battle for first place in Olympicstyle events such as hurdles, 500m relay, shot put
and cross country.
There will also be competitions such as tugof-war and an obstacle course.
The organisers hope there will be plenty of
people buzzing from their achievements in May’s
Belfast Marathon, who will be keen to keep their
fitness levels up and support the NICFC by signing
up for this day of fun and fundraising.
NICFC corporate fundraising manager Joanne
McCallister told VIEW that many of the businesses
who took part in last year’s day of sport have already signed up to the 2012 Mini Olympics.
Ms McCallister has urged workmates to get
their teams together quickly. “This one-off event
will suit people of all ages and abilities.
“Whether you are looking for a sporting
challenge or just a bit of fun, this event has something to offer everyone.
“We are calling on as many businesses as
possible to sign up and help NI Cancer Fund for
Children raise vital funds for children and young
With the Olympics nearly upon us,
Belfast is staging its own mini-games
in aid of the Northern Ireland
Cancer Fund for Children. Heather
McGarrigle reports
people living with cancer.”
Teams of five are to meet at Belfast Rugby
Club on June 22 for registration at 5pm, with the
games beginning at 6pm. Each team should complete a registration form before the event and a
registration fee of £15 per person is required,
along with a minimum team sponsorship of £200.
The registration fee includes a burger from
the barbecue for each participant. There will also
be bar facilities on the day.
With three children, teenagers or young people receiving a cancer diagnosis every week in
Northern Ireland, the NICFC’s services remain in
high demand.
The organisation works with cancer patients
aged up to 24 years old, as well as their families,
providing emotional, practical and financial support.
They also support young people whose parents are
living with cancer.
Its residential facilities at Shimna Valley in
Newcastle and Pine and Birch Cottages in Coleraine allow families respite and relaxation, free of
charge.
Patricia Kidd, complex manager at Shimna Valley, said fundraising from events like the Mini
Olympics is crucial for the work of the NICFC.
She said: “Generosity of the public is central
to what we do. We couldn’t be Northern Ireland’s
leading children’s charity without it.”
Patricia told VIEW it costs an estimated
£120,000 to £125,000 annually to run Shimna Valley, which sees between 250 and 300 families per
year come through its doors. It is hoped they will
be able to open a new building soon to provide
more space and support.
However, she believes the Mini Olympics will
bring more than just vital cash. “It will be a lovely
day for the families, who I am sure will be invited
to come and watch the games.
“It is great for the children to see what people are doing to raise money for the organisation,
and also to enjoy a good day out.”
Gillian Creevy, chief executive of NICFC, said:
“NICFC's service provision is now an integral
component of the model that is treatment and
care for children and young people who have been
diagnosed with cancer, and their families, in Northern Ireland.
“However less than one percent of our annual operating budget comes from Government
and delivery of our services is almost entirely dependant upon being successful with our fundraising
effort. We are fortunate in having an extremely
committed and dedicated fundraising team and
events such as this one are an important part of
our fundraising mix.’
• To register, phone 028 9080 5599 or email
[email protected] More information
can be found on on www.nicfc.com

`If you don`t accept treatment, you may lose your

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Great deals on Insurance for GSRMA members

attachment_id=3959 - Dream Irish Wedding

Travel Brochure - Post Insurance

the Audiences NI Wallchart

Grutv presents

Over 50s Funeral Plan

DISCOVER YOUR ROOTS IN 2013