ANNUAL REPORT 2010 / 2011 WWW.LONDONIRISHCENTRE.ORG
WELCOME A NOTE FROM THE CHAIR DIRECTOR’S REPORT ABOUT THE CENTRE WELFARE ADVICE OUTREACH DAY SERVICES VOLUNTEERING ARTS & CULTURE CASE STUDIES OUR PEOPLE FUNDRAISING & FINANCES ROOM HIRE CONTACT THE CENTRE
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The London Irish Centre is a haven for immigrants searching for a welcoming taste of home in an alien city.
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CONTENTS
Welcome to the London Irish Centre’s Annual Report for 2010/2011 This report will give you an overview of the work carried out by our charity during the last business year. This will include updates on our three main areas of work: welfare and community care; Irish arts and culture; and room hire. There is also information about volunteering opportunities, updates on our fundraising efforts and a chance to meet the team. Under welfare, you will read about our core dropin advice service, our Outreach team, and other developments in how we look after the Irish community in London. Our revamped and buzzing Day Centre is also a key part of this community care. This information will be supported by case studies and testimonials from those with whom we work. In the section on arts and culture, you can find out about the ever-growing number of ways in which you can experience our rich Irish heritage at our Camden Square premises. Through concerts, exhibitions, dances, film screenings and education courses, we ensure that the finest traditional and contemporary Irish arts are available for all. This year we bid farewell to Conferencing Manager Terry McEneaney and welcome a new partnership with
Off to Work, an events and hospitality company with whom we’re planning great things. If it’s great Irish hospitality, beautiful rooms and spaces, or our leafy London location you’re after, please get in touch. Through our almost sixty years of history in London’s Irish community, volunteers have had a crucial and central role in our work. We’re excited to report on improvements and developments in this service. Whether it’s working with us at our Camden Square offices, befriending isolated elderly Irish people or helping out at the ticket desk for a cultural event, all contributions are very welcome. There is, of course, the feel-good factor of donating your time, too! You will also hear directly from the Chair of our Board, Seán Kennedy, as well as our recently appointed Director, David Barlow, both of whom will report on exciting developments in our charity’s work. It has been an extremely busy twelve months for us, but we’ll do our best to squeeze it all in! The London Irish Centre
A NOTE FROM THE CHAIR
SEÁN KENNEDY, CHAIR OF TRUSTEES CHAIR@LONDONIRISHCENTRE.ORG
The Board by numbers 5 sub-committees 6 board meetings 8 trustees 48 other meetings and events attended 990 hours volunteered by the Board
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As ever there are many challenges to be faced in the coming year but also significant opportunities to build on that legacy...
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It is a great honour to write my first report as Chair of Trustees. Rereading The Scattering recently, which tells the history of the London Irish Centre, I was reminded of the legacy of protection with which the board is entrusted, and of the deep debt of gratitude owed to the many who built (literally in many cases) the Centre and its services. The last twelve months have been a time of great change. We bade farewell to Peter Hammond, our director for the past five years, who did so much to professionalise the services we provide. And we welcomed his successor, David Barlow, a highly experienced manager with a strong background in the charity sector. Looking forward to the next twelve months, an important task will be to support David in the development and delivery of the charity’s Strategic Plan – the key road map for our direction over the next five years, which will be completed by April 2012. More generally, as a board we have three key objectives going forward: To ensure the charity operates as a model of good practice To provide high quality social welfare services, which meet the evolving needs of the Irish community in London To develop a positive environment in which Irish arts, culture and community can be celebrated by all
As a charity, we are extremely fortunate to own our premises here on Camden Square, a tremendous asset but also a hugely expensive building to run; each year, we spend a six-figure sum to heat, light and maintain the facilities that over 50,000 users enjoyed last year. This is one reason for another recent and very visible change: the appointment of Off to Work (OtW) as our partners in managing our social facilities. OtW offer the charity an opportunity to provide an enhanced cultural and arts programme, to offer training to our welfare users and to positively improve our finances. We wish the General Manager, Caoimhe Lawlor, the very best of luck and all our support going forward. Speaking of support, we have again benefited from the contributions of our many funders, particularly the Irish Government’s Emigrant Support Programme – in these difficult times at home we appreciate this ongoing support enormously. As ever, there are many challenges to be faced in the coming year but also significant opportunities to build on that legacy, and I would like to thank our patrons (Bill Durkan and Sir Adrian Fitzgerald), Friends of the LIC, management, staff, volunteers and fellow trustees for their hard work, and to wish all the best of luck in this exciting year ahead.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
DAVID BARLOW, DIRECTOR DAVIDBARLOW@LONDONIRISHCENTRE.ORG
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I thank those who have generously supported us in the past year and hope that they and others will be able to help us in coming years.
It is a great privilege to lead such a vibrant and diverse organisation which is held in high regard by the Irish community across London and beyond. Members of my own family were supported by and used the services of the London Irish Centre in its early days in the 1950s and 60s. I know from their experiences and those of numerous others how important the heritage of the organisation is for so many. The year in review was another very successful one with expansions in the majority of the Centre’s services, especially welfare provision. With the greatest number of people arriving in London from Ireland since the early 1980s, we are working with ever more people and a greater percentage of them arriving in crisis. Our welfare staff have been adapting the services we offer to ensure that the speed of response is appropriate to individual need. In addition, telephone and email advice has been expanded to ensure that our services are as accessible to as many people as possible. During the year our Day Services Centre received national accreditation. This was highly deserved by the staff and volunteers of our Day Services and ranks ours as one of the most outstanding centres of its type in the country. Whilst, as I have suggested above, it is important to value and respect our heritage and the many who worked over the decades to build it, it is also important to ensure that the London Irish Centre meets the needs of all people who identify as Irish and with our culture across the generations, living in London and beyond. One of several success stories has been
the launch of Éire Óg GAA, our own football team which plays throughout the season in London Irish Centre colours. The most important success of this venture is that over 70 young people have become connected to us through this sporting initiative. I have taken up post at a time of considerable change. With the economies of both Ireland and the UK struggling, the ability to sustain funding is challenging. I thank those who have generously supported us in the past year and hope that they and others will be able to help us in coming years. Part of my role will be to work with our trustees and staff to diversify and strengthen our funding base for the future. This really will need to be a community effort for all of us connected to the London Irish Centre. Whilst funding and sustainability will be a challenge, I strongly believe the other changes taking place, at the time of writing, will be significant and positive for all we do. Our new partnership with Off to Work, as mentioned by the Chair, will build our reputation as a professional venue for private hire and more importantly for cultural and arts events. Investments are being made for the future, in our building, staff and services. Working together with the trustees, my very dedicated staff team and volunteers, Off to Work and all other partners and stakeholders, I believe the year ahead will take us on a new and rewarding journey. I invite you all to travel it with us.
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About the Centre The London Irish Centre was established in 1954 to care for the huge influx of Irish immigrants arriving to rebuild and staff post-war Britain. In the Centre’s early years, the focus was on accommodation and employment, and this ‘home away from home’ for the Irish in London has continued to offer crucial welfare support for the community. We provide advice and support to Irish (and non-Irish) people from all backgrounds and age-groups. Our drop-in advice service, Outreach workers, volunteers, and Day Services staff provide a welfare service that is second to none. Put simply, if we can help, we will help. Alongside this core welfare service is our Irish Arts and culture programme, which offers opportunities for Irish people to celebrate their own cultural identity and, of course, proudly welcomes international audiences who want a taste of our rich cultural heritage. Concerts, classes, celebrations and craic have always been a part of the London Irish Centre’s world. For more information about any of our services, please contact us. Our contact details are listed at the back of this report.
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LIC in numbers... 19 staff 2,317 people received advice, information and guidance 133 people placed in new or better housing 70 players registered with GAA football club 74 volunteers 100 enquiries to our Missing Persons service 120 Irish language students Over 12,000 connected to our social networks 6,200 four-course meals served in our Lunch Club 8,000 audience at the ‘Return to Camden Town’ festival 20,000 audiences for concerts and dance events 40,000 website visitors 30,000 newsletters distributed Over 50,000 visitors for dinners, conferences, concerts and meetings
THE QUALITY OF OUR SERVICE
How would you rate the quality of advice you received? The Centre holds the Community Legal Services quality mark to provide general help with casework in housing, benefits and debt. The Centre holds the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation’s Approved Provider Status and the London Housing Foundations Day Centre Standard. In a recent audit, the Community Legal Services stated that “the London Irish Centre provides a very well-organised and effectively run service to a wide range of clients. The overall picture is of a very wellrun organisation with staff dedicated to meeting clients’ needs; one of the best GQM organisations.”
IN OUR CLIENTS’ WORDS “It’s the first time I have ever had a home . . . I got a place and it was too expensive, they kept putting the bills up. The Irish Centre helped me get my first real home.” “She helped me with all the complicated forms . . . I am now £140 a week better off.” “All the stress has been taken away . . . I used to cry all the time and didn’t know what way to turn. It made me feel good that I could go to the Irish Centre for help when no one else was interested.” “She was a great help . . . were overcharging me on bills . . . I wasn’t even using them. She rang them up and sorted it out.” “I knew I could turn to somebody without feeling like a fool . . . they understood and I knew they wouldn’t laugh at me.”
THE FACTS
62% 54% 42% 92% 53% 91% 62%
OF CLIENTS EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET SAID THEIR ABILITY TO DEAL WITH DEBTS HAD IMPROVED OF CLIENTS SAID THEIR HOUSING SITUATION HAD IMPROVED EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN FEELINGS OF STRESS EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN FEELINGS OF DEPRESSION OF DAY SERVICE CLIENTS SAID THEY HAD MORE FRIENDS OF DAY SERVICE CLIENTS SAID THEY FELT MORE CONFIDENT
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ADVICE ON HOUSING, BENEFITS AND DEBT
The Centre’s in-house advice team provides advice, information and guidance on: Housing Welfare benefits Debt Returning to Ireland Accessing health services This service holds the community legal services quality mark. In 2010/11, our inhouse advice team worked with 1,370 Irish people on low incomes.
This service receives a high volume of self-referrals and referrals from emergency departments, such as mental health teams and A&E. Front-line advice staff are often the first point of contact for Irish people in London who are in need of assistance. This year we have seen a substantial increase in the number of individuals in crisis presenting for advice. In 2010/11, advice workers have been influential in the development of new guidelines from the Irish department of Social Protection in relation to habitual residency conditions.
COMMUNITY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OPENING HOURS MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
9.30 TO 12.30 9.30 TO 12.30 CLOSED 9.30 TO 12.30 9.30 TO 12.30
2.00 TO 4.00 2.00 TO 4.00 2.00 TO 4.00 2.00 TO 4.00 CLOSED
WHAT THE SERVICE HAS ACHIEVED THIS YEAR
Welfare
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The advice [was] excellent because the staff know the way everything works – such as housing and benefits – and one is always treated with respect and kindness.
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£504,481.61
GENERATED IN BENEFITS FOR CLIENTS BY OUR ADVICE WORKERS
1,370
PEOPLE PROVIDED WITH ADVICE
111
FAMILIES PLACED IN NEW OR IMPROVED ACCOMMODATION
92%
OF CLIENTS FELT A REDUCTION IN STRESS LEVELS
OLDER PERSONS’ OUTREACH
The Centre operates Outreach advice services for older Irish people in North London, with dedicated caseworkers for Kilburn, Camden and Islington. Through focused, proactive casework, we aim to ensure that older Irish people in North London have access to: Adequate housing Adequate income Health care Social opportunities
In 2010/11, our Outreach team worked with 372 isolated and vulnerable older Irish people in North London.
WHAT THE SERVICE HAS ACHIEVED
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OLDER IRISH PEOPLE IMPROVED THEIR INCOME OLDER IRISH PEOPLE WERE PLACED IN NEW OR IMPROVED HOUSING OLDER IRISH PEOPLE WERE ASSISTED IN ACCESSING SOCIAL INCLUSION OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS BEFRIENDING
I found the staff very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I was kept up to date with all the progress. I would just like to say thank you to . . . all the staff for all advice and support they gave me. I would definitely recommend this centre to others.
Since 2001, the London Irish Centre has been providing advice, information and guidance to Irish people who suffered institutional abuse. In 2010/11, the Centre worked with 281 survivors of abuse. In 2010/11, LISOS worked to complete a wide-scale consultation of survivors of abuse in relation to a new statutory fund for survivors.
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CLIENTS OBTAINED ID CLIENTS APPLIED TO THE EDUCATIONAL FINANCE BOARD CLIENTS WERE HELPED TO ACCESS COUNSELLING
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London Irish Survivors Outreach Service
CLIENTS WERE REUNITED WITH FAMILY
The Centre has been the source of all of our information from day one…LISOS has helped hundreds of people through troubled times. 9
DAY SERVICES
Home-cooked meals Computer classes Art classes Day trips Gentle exercise sessions Activities such as bingo, quizzes and cookery workshops Healthy living group Holidays Movie club
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When I came here, it was after having a mini stroke . . . [it] brought me out [of myself]. . . when I got cancer, I got a card from all the clients . . . if I didn’t have this place, especially last year, I don’t know what I would have done.
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WHAT THE SERVICE HAS ACHIEVED
OVER 6,200
HOT MEALS SERVED TO IRISH PENSIONERS
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CLIENTS PROVIDED WITH COMPUTER CLASSES
103
ISOLATED CLIENTS TAKEN ON DAY TRIPS
204
ISOLATED OLDER PEOPLE PROVIDED WITH DAY SERVICES
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CLIENTS PROVIDED WITH ART CLASSES
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Our Day Services team provides services to isolated Irish people over the age of 55. Its main aim is to provide high quality social and educational opportunities to those who are at risk of social exclusion. Services provided are:
I suffer from a bit of depression. The London Irish Centre Day Centre keeps me going.
VOLUNTEERING
People volunteer for a variety of reasons: to give something back to the community; to challenge themselves; to meet new people; to enhance their CV; or to maintain a link with their heritage. The LIC operates a volunteering programme with over 74 individuals engaged in a variety of roles. These roles include: Trustees Befriending Day Service for older people Debt advice Employability advice Missing Persons service Online service Cultural events
HUGE THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS... Alison O’Brien Ann Walsh Anthea Clarke Barbara Fitzpatrick Barry Keenan Belinda Brown Bernadette Lawlor Bernadette Nestor Bridget Hyland Bridget Kelly Caroline Halton Cathy Berrie Catriona Corley Charmaine Doherty Christina Linden Hill
Ciara Holland Claire Gallagher Claire Reilly Collin O’Connor Conal Brennan Dawn Lennon Denis Connolly Donna Condon Eilís Keeble Eleanor O’Connell Emma Twomey Enda Twomey Eny Casey Erika Hayes Fiona Marie Rae
Francesc Finocchiaro Gary Faraday Geraldine O’Regan Gina Cavalzani Gobnait Murphy Heidi Murphy Helena Angland Helena Bohane (Sister) Iria Rio Jenny Jordon Jer O’Mahony Judy Davies Julia Howard (Sister) Julie Quinn
WHAT THE SERVICE HAS ACHIEVED
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ISOLATED OLDER IRISH PEOPLE WERE PROVIDED WITH WEEKLY VISITS
£87,467.10
WORTH OF SERVICES PROVIDED TO DISADVANTAGED IRISH PEOPLE IN LONDON BY LIC VOLUNTEERS
154
HOURS: THE MINIMUM TIME SPENT PROVIDING SERVICES EACH WEEK BY LIC VOLUNTEERS
38%
OF VOLUNTEERS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRAMME AND 46% WERE VERY SATISFIED
Karen Bolton Kate O’Sullivan Katrina Byrne Katy O’Shea Kealan Connolly Lucy Coogan Luke Callinan Maire Duckett Margaret O’Connor Marguerite Mason Marion Esfandiari Martin Gribbin Maura Clinton Melanie Black Michael Bourke
Michael O’Keeffe Michael Sills Mike Nolan Muireann Leonard Niamh Lyons Nicole Charlet Noirin Byrne Patricia (Pat) Doherty Patrick Roper Patrick Sheehan Peter Tiernan Rita Murphy Robert Healy Rory McKenna
Rose Haddow Ruth Connolly Sarah Moriarty Sean O’Tarpaigh Shirley O’Sullivan Sinead Sweeney Siobhan Carty Siobhan Grant Siobhan Kelly Steve Whidle Suganavathana Praisoody Tanzum Nahar Terry William Tony Scully
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Arts & Culture For almost sixty years the London Irish Centre has been a hub of Irish arts and culture in London, and this past year has been no exception. We’ve hosted sold-out concerts with some of the biggest Irish acts in the world, welcomed thousands through our doors for dances, film screenings and book clubs, and have delivered many hundreds of hours of tuition in Irish music, language and dance. We’ve also found the time to set up a brand new Gaelic football club. We didn’t do this alone. We’ve partnered up with the Roundhouse, Shortwave Cinema, the Tricycle Theatre and ‘Culture Night’, the largest free cultural event in Ireland. We’ve also brought our expertise to other venues through ‘London Irish Centre presents . . .’ events at the Roundhouse, the Camden Fringe Festival and the huge St. Patrick’s Festival in Trafalgar Square.
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The hunger for Irish culture is huge in London, and we work to meet a wide range of tastes. From tea dances for our older clients, through cutting-edge live music events, to cultural taster sessions for those new to Irish culture, we’re proud to promote the rich tapestry of Irish culture. Over 20,000 people attended live music or dance events in the past 12 months Over 300 people took a class with us Over 12,000 people connected to our social media sites Our GAA football club recruited over 70 players in its first season
photo by Sean Smyth - www.seansmyth.ie
Did you know? The Pogues shot the video for ‘Waxie’s Dargle’ here The Late Late Show was broadcast from here in the late 1960s The legendary ‘Return to Camden Town Festival’ is the biggest festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance in the UK Bing Crosby visited LIC in 1968 to discuss an appearance at a fundraising concert
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The Centre will embody all that is best in our culture and tradition and will throb with the pulse of the Irish nation. Fr Cagney, at 1975 AGM
Our portrait of JFK is on the cover of The Pogues’ first album There were 11 children’s music groups here during the 1970s
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID “I hadn’t spoken a word of Irish since school. I found the Irish Centre’s classes online, signed up, and haven’t looked back since! There’s a great social side around the classes and what I learned at school is coming back.” Shane – Irish language student
“I only moved to London a few months back. I’d played football at home and wanted to continue over here. The Irish Centre’s team helped me to meet a great bunch of lads and I’ve even got some work contacts out of it.” Tim – GAA footballer
“I first came to the Irish Centre in the late 1950s. Although a lot of the old crowd has passed on, I never miss the tea dance. My dancing days are over, but I still go to get out of the house and chat to old and new friends.” Alice – tea dance attendee
“If you’re Irish and live in London, you’d be grateful to the LIC a hundred times a day for the way they help your fellow Irish people.” Maeve Binchy – author
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CASE STUDIES
ADVICE CLIENT In July, advice workers at the Centre worked with a client from Cork who had moved to London to stay with a friend. The client had been robbed the night he’d landed and, upon arrival at his accommodation, found his friend had moved.
VOLUNTEER Jenny applied to volunteer with the London Irish Centre in March 2011.
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I decided to do voluntary work because I’d recently had two knee operations, which had left me feeling useless I thought I’d arrive and powerless over my and get a job, but my friend messed me around situation. . . . I got mugged . . . all “I knew from the moment I walked my money was taken, in that the London Irish Centre was but going home was not the right place for me; the staff at the front desk were welcoming, and they an option. I’d moved to treated each person as an individual. London to start a new I was allowed to express what I life. thought I could do in terms of skills,
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Initially, staff helped the client apply for a crisis loan, and provided a bus pass and a small grant to tide him over. “When I arrived at the Centre I had nothing, no money, no accommodation, and I hadn’t eaten in days. The help I got was fantastic. Within a week I was in a specialist hostel. Thank God I have now found a job, but without the help of the Centre I would have been in real trouble.” The client is now working in charity fundraising and is settling into life in the capital. “London is a lot tougher than people think, especially on the streets. If I had one piece of advice for people thinking about moving over it would be to try and find accommodation before you leave.”
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and was even offered training with Camden Council and local colleges to build on these.
“My whole experience has taught me that I am a worthwhile individual. I have very good employment skills and I will be back in employment very soon. I think if I had not come to the London Irish Centre I would have become very withdrawn, isolated and my recovery would have been much slower and more painful. I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone at the London Irish Centre.”
PETER’S STORY Peter is 65 years old. He suffered a serious injury in his forties, which meant he could no longer work in the building trade. Unable to pay his rent, he became homeless; his mental health deteriorated and he took to alcohol. Peter’s sporadic efforts to help himself were frustrated by his homelessness, illiteracy, poor mental health and extremely poor self-esteem – but also by the unsympathetic and, often downright obstructive, attitude of Jobcentre and housing officials. As Peter succinctly puts it, “they treated me like shite”. Peter has been using our service for over 10 years, and Louisa Toland, his caseworker at the London Irish Centre, has built up a very good rapport with him. With determination, dedication and tenacity, she has secured suitable supported accommodation for Peter, medical treatment and all his welfare entitlements. For the first winter in many years, Peter will have a warm home and the support he needs to keep it. Louisa tells us that “Peter’s inability to identify and express his needs in an intelligible way gave the relevant agencies the excuse they wanted to ignore a vulnerable and elderly person. I fully expect I will need to continue to support Peter and advocate on his behalf, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to do so.”
Our People
- The LIC Board of Trustees All great organisations are about the people that support them. Our staff, volunteers and community keep this place buzzing. From welfare workers to event managers, volunteers to trustees, office administrators to Irish teachers, we thank you all!
Of course, we also say a huge go raibh míle maith agaibh! to the thousands of people that came to be entertained, meet other people or learn about Irish culture here in Camden Square.
Director David Barlow
Day Centre Support Worker Maria Connolly
Head of Welfare Jeff Moore
Day Centre Cook Tracey Kemp
Artistic Director Gary Dunne
Advice Team Leader Lesley Ryan
Administrator Margaret Kiely
Advice Workers Marcella Doyle Melanie O’Rourke Louisa Toland
Volunteer Organiser Sarah Goodall Finance Officer Morris MacDonagh Day Services Manager Dane Buckley
Trustees Seán Kennedy (Chair) Jim Quinn Philip Fitzpatrick Mary Allen Evan Long Fr Paul Byrne Ian McKim Jude Bissert We’d also like to thank Jarleth Burke and Daniel Keohane for legal advice services.
Older Persons’ Outreach Mary Gleeson (Kilburn) Angela O’Sullivan (Camden) Mary Loughrey (Islington) LISOS Project Coordinator Marie Aubertin
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Fundraising & Finances The London Irish Centre is a registered charity, financed by a number of sources, the most important of which is the Irish taxpayer via the Emigrant Support Programme. With public finances here and in Ireland under pressure, we would be wrong to take a penny of it for granted, and we will never do so. We also enjoy the support of a range of other organisations and individuals, from charitable foundations, to businesses and private citizens. We do not ask beneficiaries of our Welfare service for payment for the service they receive. Our help is always available without charge to anyone who needs it. The Centre is a very expensive place to maintain and develop. It is used by tens of thousands of people every year, from early morning until late at night, seven days a week. In recent years we have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds upgrading and maintaining our facilities, so that it is the warm and welcoming place that we want it to be, particularly for older and frail people. In 2011 we are witnessing the largest rise in Irish emigration to the UK since the 1980s. Most are coming to London. Unfortunately, they may become homeless, and suffer poor physical and mental health. Many people don’t know where to go for the help they need.
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The Centre is seeing an increase in the number of Irish people in crisis. Our specially trained staff and volunteers provide advice and support to Irish people in trouble but the workload is increasing and we need your help. For these reasons, our Fundraising Committee has launched a new way in which members of the community might consider supporting our work: People in Crisis Appeal. 2011 also saw the launch of our Friends Scheme, which encourages regular giving. Friends can sign up to donate a fixed sum every month, which ultimately allows us to continue to provide advice and welfare services to elderly and isolated members of the Irish community in London. This can be done by cheque or bank transfer, or by donating to the London Irish Centre on www.justgiving.com using credit or debit card. The London Irish Centre is exceptionally grateful to all those who supported its fundraising efforts throughout the year. These ranged from large and individual donations to recurring donations, legacies and fundraising events. In terms of donations, we would like to extend our thanks to Dr Tim McDonnell, Ardmore Construction, the Kerry Association, the Council of Irish Counties, Glynn’s
Skips and Ennis Town Council. Without your continuing assistance, the London Irish Centre would not be able to continue its diverse range of projects and activities. The fundraising events included the Newham Classic 10k, the ever-popular British 10k London Run, and a wine and cheese tasting event held at our very own premises. The Centre is indebted to its volunteers for their participation in and organisation of these events. We were also the fortunate recipient of a legacy gift during the year. This has made a significant difference to our ongoing welfare work and we are deeply honoured that people value and remember our work in their wills. You can find out more about how to help the charity by calling Morris MacDonagh on 0207 916 2222, emailing accounts@londonirishcentre.org or by visiting our website at www.londonirishcentre.org. We are very fortunate that we own our premises and have no debt. We aim to manage our finances prudently to achieve best value for the charity, and to build a reserve for building maintenance and enhancements.
FUNDING
“In these tough economic times, the London Irish Centre carries out crucial work in supporting the most vulnerable members of the city’s Irish community. I am proud to endorse the charity’s work through their new Friends Scheme, and would encourage others to do the same.” Eddie Jordan – BBC F1 analyst and former owner of Jordan F1 team “The London Irish Centre does priceless work for the Irish community in London. Sign up now to support them.” Damien Dempsey – singer, songwriter and musician “The Irish community in London is a large one, and I would urge that community to support its more vulnerable members. The best way to do that is through the London Irish Centre’s Friends Scheme.” Patrick Kielty – comedian and TV presenter
Statement of Financial Activities Total Income Direct Charitable Expenditure Management, administration and cultural Total Resources Expended Net Incoming Resources Balances carried forward
£ 2010-2011 943,710 708,607 135,089 843,696 100,014 2,382,149
£ 2009-2010 994,084 773,962 129,718 903,680 90,404 2,282,135
Balance Sheet Fixed Assets Debtors Cash in Bank Creditors Net Current Assets Total Assets less liabilities
2,234,148 22,200 518,968 (-393,167) 148,001 2,086,147
229,746 25,252 462,606 (-435,469) 52,389 177,357
Fundraising Efforts Large donations Individual donations Fundraising events Legacies Recurring donations
21,164 3,605 5,785 1,000 188
24,672 (0) 501.50 (0) (0)
Total Fundraising
31,742
25,173
FUNDERS JP MC MANUS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF ST. PATRICK
COUNCIL OF IRISH COUNTIES
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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LONDON IRISH CENTRE Over the last six months Off to Work have been delighted to become part of the London Irish Centre team. The development of the relationship and the establishing of a clear mutual goal for how the centre should be perceived by visiting guests and clients has been a very exciting and involving process. All of our team are exceptionally enthused about what the Centre stands for, the welfare and cultural services it provides and the potential the building has to offer: a truly inspiring venue for all users.
Room Hire
With the refurbishment work starting in October, under the esteemed stewardship of award-winning Irish interior designer Paul Daley, we look forward to providing a fresh impetus to the Centre and a resource the Irish community can be proud of. The refurbishment work will also provide a brand new central entrance to the Presidential suite making it a far more accessible and appealing room to users, thus further expanding the Centre’s potential. Off to Work’s central business has always been the training and development of hospitality people at the highest level and we will be marrying our exceptional operational standards with a natural Irish warm welcome for visitors to the Centre. This will be re-enforced by utilising the best of Irish produce within our food and drink offering, giving a true authenticity to the Centre. With the challenging macro-economic situation in both Ireland and England at present we also look forward to offering our hospitality training to clients of the welfare team who may be looking to start a career in the industry or equally those for whom the training would help to build their confidence. Overall we look forward to working in tandem with the cultural and welfare team to provide an exceptional support service to the Irish community while providing a venue experience that brings great commercial success to the London Irish Centre.
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Contact the Centre The Centre is open from early morning until late in the evening 7 days a week. Please come and enjoy the finest authentic Irish venue in London.
DIRECTIONS
The nearest Tube station is Camden Town (10 mins); the nearest overground train station is Camden Road (5 mins); and buses 29, 253, 274 and 390 all pass close by.
COMMUNITY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OPENING HOURS MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
The London Irish Centre 50-52 Camden Square London NW1 9XB Tel: 020 7916 2222 (Main line) Tel: 020 7916 7272 (Conference & Banqueting) Email: info@londonirishcentre.org Web: www.londonirishcentre.org
9.30 TO 12.30 9.30 TO 12.30 CLOSED 9.30 TO 12.30 9.30 TO 12.30
2.00 TO 4.00 2.00 TO 4.00 2.00 TO 4.00 2.00 TO 4.00 CLOSED
SOCIAL MEDIA @LDNIrishCentre facebook.com/thelondonirishcentre
Registered Charity No: 221172 Company Registered No: 2449442 VAT Registered No: 523404776
Design by Kelvin Farrell – www.kelvinwins.com Editorial consultancy, copywriting and proofreading – www.anam-editorial-services.com
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The London Irish Centre 50-52 Camden Square London NW1 9XB Tel: 020 7916 2222 (Main line) Tel: 020 7916 7272 (Conference & Banqueting) Email: info@londonirishcentre.org Web: www.londonirishcentre.org