Annual Report 2005-2006

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Annual Report of The Bel Air Home .

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2005 - 2006

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The 2005- 2006 Annual Report of

The Bel Air Home for Children and Adolescents Grenada, West Indies 1. Introduction 1.1 This is the eighth Annual Report of the company and, as in previous years, is being published towards the end of the third quarter of the calendar year. 1.2 The audited accounts for 2005-2006 are an integral part of this report and are appended to this written report.

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2. The Company

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2.1 There are nine Ordinary Members of the Company. They are the Directors listed in para 2.2, plus Ms. Merle Byer, Ms. Marcelle Lewis, Ms Lisa Taylor. In addition, Ms. Karen Samuel was elected as an Ordinary Member of the Company at the Annual General Meeting. 2.2 The Directors elected at the Annual General Meeting in October 2005 were:President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Director

Mr A.P.Ross Miss C. Alexis Mrs M.E. Ross Mr Clement Gabriel Mrs L.E. Grey

2.3 Sister Francis Nelson is a Director of the Company, appointed by St. George’s University, but is not a Member of the Company.

3. Staff 3.1 During the period covered by this report, the staff numbered seventeen and comprised:- Home Manager, Deputy Manager, Home Co-ordinator, Assistant Home Co-ordinator, Adolescent Development Programme Workers (3), Nursery Co-ordinator, Nursery Workers (7), Cook, and Administrative Assistant. Ms Alison Greene who was previously employed as an Adolescent Development Worker at Bel Air was appointed Deputy Manager with special responsibility for Staff Training and Development, as well as for the Pre-School and Nursery.

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There were few changes in staffing during the term of this report and we welcome the continuity of care that this provides. 3.2 Staff training sessions resumed during the period of this report. Sessions include:- communication skills; sex and sexuality; discipline/punishment; interpersonal skills; management of difficult behaviour. In addition, Bel Air hosted a workshop for in-house staff and staff of other childcare homes on HIV/Aids. The Royal Grenada Police Force Fire Department completed two sessions on fire drill, theoretical and practical. 3.3 The Directors are pleased to place on record their appreciation and gratitude to all the staff members who worked at Bel Air during the year. The professionalism of the staff is evident in the behaviour of the residents of Bel Air. Special mention and appreciation of the work of Ms Sharon Davis, Manager, is recorded.

4. Finance 4.1 The audited accounts for the year July 1st 2005 to June 30th 2006 are attached to this report. Special thanks are given to Mr. Norman Stalker for undertaking this task yet again on an honorary basis. 4.2 The Directors express gratitude to the Trustees of St. George’s University for their generous contribution of EC$133,000 per annum paid on a monthly basis towards the running costs of the Home. 4.3 Gratitude is expressed also to the Government of Grenada for continuing the subvention of EC$ 80,000 for the year. The Directors acknowledge the many competing claims on Government revenues and thank the Government accordingly. 4.4 The Directors thank those members of the local community and business houses for the support, financially and in kind, that they provided during the period covered by this report. 4.5 Rehabilitation post-Ivan continued throughout the year. Unfortunately, the scope of work that was to have been carried out through USAID funding was not completed by the contractor. The shortfall in funding was met by the allocation that Bel Air received (EC$62,000) from the donation by Johnson and Johnson of US$100,000 to help with the rehabilitation of all the childcare homes in Grenada. The residents were

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finally able to return to their normal sleeping quarters upstairs in January 2006. 4.6 In line with the Directors decision to maintain a reserve fund for contingency purposes, Bel Air has approximately EC$90,000 on deposit with one of the major local firms. 4.8 The Directors are very grateful to Dr Beverly Nelson and to Ms Lisa Taylor for their professional services that were provided free of charge during the period of this report. Gratitude is due also to Mr. Peter Quentrall-Thomas for his dedication to Bel Air and for giving the Newsletters and the Home’s website a more professional appearance.

5. Residents 5.1 During the twelve months covered by this report, 48 children resided at Bel Air. On 30th June 2006, there were 36 children resident at Bel Air, 21 in the Nursery and 15 adolescent girls. 5.2 There have been 12 admissions during the year and 12 discharges, some of whom have been reunited with their biological families. 5.3 The Nursery continues to operate at full capacity. The development of two of our most seriously physically challenged children continued at a markedly improved rate, thanks largely to our two seconded Danish students Bolette and Lisa (see 6.1 below). The child who had had three previous operations in Trinidad to correct her “club feet” deformity has had a further operation to complete her treatment. She is now back at Bel Air and wearing normal shoes for the first time in her life. Special thanks to Dr. Toby for carrying out these operations so successfully. 5.4 Three residents of Bel Air passed the Common Entrance Examination in 2006. Congratulations are due to these children and particularly to Ms. Alison and her helpers. 5.5 In July last year, twelve children and three staff, including Ms Sharon Davis, went to a Christian Youth Camp in St Lucia for two weeks. The children benefitted from meeting children from other Caribbean islands.

6. Achievements 6.1 Bel Air is proud that it has been approved as an appropriate training partner for social education student training by the Skovtofte National Institute for Social Education in Denmark. The first two students, Bolette Perrson and Lisa Nielsen, arrived in January and worked at Bel

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Air for five months. They integrated very well with the other members of staff and were involved fully in working with the adolescents and children, particularly the two severely physically challenged children who benefitted greatly from the one to one care that Bolette and Lisa gave to them. The Directors of Bel Air look forward to this partnership with the Institute continuing. 6.2 In April 2006, Bel Air became the first childcare home in Grenada to be inspected and approved by the Child Welfare Authority of Grenada. 6.3 In November 2005, students of St George’s University, staff and residents of Bel Air put on as part of the Finding Smiles Programme a very successful concert at the University. The residents enjoyed themselves thoroughly and benefitted from the discipline of many long hours of rehearsal. 6.4 Students and Significant Others from St George’s University take the adolescents and the children from the Nursery to the beach in alternating groups. This is appreciated greatly. Many continue on an individual basis to donate gifts to the children. Special mention should be made of the Muslim Students Association who gave significant financial donations and also much of their time. 6.5 Bel Air has continued to support an ex-resident who is now 21 years old and who has graduated from NEWLO and is studying at TA Marryshow Community College. She gains work experience with GRENSAVE.

7. Problems 7.1 The Directors are grateful that there is nothing of significance to report under this heading.

8. Plans For The Future 8.1 It has become apparent that although Bel Air is achieving its primary objectives there is a problem with the older girls moving from institutional care to independent living. The Directors have approved a project “Moving On” which will require additional land, the construction of a residence for three to four girls under the supervision of a house mother, and the construction of three or four “chattel style” dwellings for single occupancy for the older girls. Education in life skills required for independent living will be given to these residents. 8.2 The initial response to our fundraising for “Moving On” has been significantly greater than that anticipated. In addition, it has been

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established that the Government of Grenada owns the plot of land adjacent to the Bel Air Home. An approach to Government was made in March 2006 requesting that the land be donated to Bel Air for “Moving On”. The Directors are still awaiting a response from Government as this report is being completed.

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AUDIT CERTIFICATE ----------------------------------I have examined the attached Statement of Receipts and Payments for the period from 1st July 2005 to 30th June 2006 and the Balance Sheet as at 30th June 2006. I have obtained all the information and explanations that I have required and I certify that, as a result of my audit, in my opinion the attached Statement of Receipts and Payments and Balance Sheet represent a true and fair view of the financial affairs of The Bel Air Home for Children and Adolescents Inc. Date 2nd November, 2006

……………….. N.B. Stalker Honorary Auditor

THE BEL AIR HOME FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS INC. STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE PERIOD 1st JULY 2005 TO 30th JUNE 2006 RECEIPTS Opening balance (cash) St. George’s University Government of Grenada Friends of Bel Air UK Business donations General donations Individuals Donations Donations to “Moving On” Bank interest

$ 175,801.09 $ 133,619.76 $ 80,000.00 $ 69,276.00 $ 43,388.29 $ 16,306.76 $ 25,971.34 $ 54,088.71 $ 5,978.48

PAYMENTS Salaries (including NIS) Gov’t Reconstruction Levy Professional fees Staff Training & Medicals Building and contents Ins. Maintenance of building & gds. Maintenance of Equipment Fittings, Furniture & Equip. Food and household Disposable nappies Utilities Stationery Children’s Edu./Entertainment Vehicle upkeep and Insurance Transport Petty cash Miscellaneous Bank charges Closing balance

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

275,373.70 535.50 1,200.00 4,522.24 12,419.20 22,165.92 810.00 2,119.00 54,783.12 2,703.06 40,348.54 3,518.82 6,173.81 4,687.27 16,899.50 9,200.00 1,354.75 160.00 130,192.17

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$604,430.43

$604,430.43

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.. .. .. .. .. BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30th JUNE 2006 LIABILITIES

ASSETS

Accumulated Fund

Fixed Assets

Surplus of Receipts over payments $1,636,129.81

Fittings, furniture and equipment (less depreciation) $198,621.58 Land and Building (at cost) $1,217,275.36 ____________ $1,415,896.94 Current Assets Cash at Bank Cash on Deposit

$130,192.17 $90,040.70 ____________ $220,232.87

____________ $1,636,129.81

____________ $1,636,129.81

NOTES: 1 Fittings, furniture and equipment – depreciation has been calculated at 20% of the asset value at 30th June, 2006. Additions are included at cost. 2 Not reflected in the above are donations in kind of goods and labour to an approximate value of $51,000. 3 USAID valued repairs undertaken by them at EC$142,000 are not reflected above. 4 Not reflected above are repairs to building and equipment financed by Johnson and Johnson at a value of $27,000. Johnson and Johnson also financed new equipment at a value of $35,000 which is reflected under fixed assets. Approved

Director C. Alexis Director C. Gabriel

Date:

31st October, 2006.

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