AGM 2025-2026 - Celebrating Achievements and Looking Ahead

Our recent Annual General Meeting was an opportunity to celebrate the incredible achievements of the last reporting year, thank the many people who make our work possible, and share an update on the progress we've made in the first six months of the current year.

The AGM highlighted the scale of activity taking place across our community venues. During the reporting year, we supported the delivery of 2,266 activities and facilitated 6,391 hours of venue hire, including 550 hours provided free of charge to benefit the local community. None of this would have been possible without our volunteers, who contributed an amazing 6,214 hours of their time.

Our services for older people continued to make a significant difference. We supported 104 people through hospital discharge, provided weekly befriending support to 40 people through Neston Angels, and engaged over 110 people through social activities, meaning more than 250 older people benefited from our services and activities throughout the year. Our Social Prescriber also continued to oversee our Bereavement Friendship Group and supported 157 patients during the period.

While reflecting on these achievements was important, the AGM also looked ahead. As we are now six months into the current reporting year, there is already plenty of progress to celebrate.

Expanding Young Voices of Neston

Securing funding to recruit a facilitator to further develop our Young Voices of Neston group meant we could ensure more young people can have their voices heard and influence services and opportunities in the local area. We are now working with partners to develop a larger youth provision, creating more opportunities and activities for young people.

Developing Our Team

Over the past six months we have welcomed new members of staff to the team and continued to invest in training and development. Following training in 2025-2026 staff were able to provide seated exercise classes and the ADHD Insight Programme with additional training opportunities also being made available to our volunteers.

Developing Our Services

We have continued to grow our community provision with the introduction of new groups and activities, including the Senior Singalong and Spectrum Group, alongside the continued development of our wider support services.

Celebrating Community Spirit

This year has also been filled with opportunities to celebrate our community. We hosted the third CH64 Awards, recognising local people who make a difference in our area, and held our first Family Fun Day, bringing residents together for a fantastic day of community activities.

Strengthening Governance

We were delighted to welcome Katherine to our Board of Trustees. The Board has also reviewed the charity's structure, organising our work around three key themes:

• Starting Well

• Living Well

• Ageing Well

Over the coming months, our website will be reviewed and updated to better reflect this structure and make it easier for people to understand the support and opportunities available.

Looking Ahead

As we look towards the future, our focus remains on ensuring NCYC continues to thrive and provide valuable services for our community.

Key priorities include completing roof works at the Civic Hall, continuing to strengthen and support our volunteer workforce, and progressing our transition towards a more self-funding and sustainable model. With grant funding becoming increasingly competitive developing sustainable income streams is essential to protecting vital community services for the long term.

Over the next 12-18 months we will also focus on creating clearer pathways through our older people's services, increasing peer-led groups and activities, expanding opportunities for young people, securing funding for further Civic Hall improvements, increasing business support and sponsorship, upgrading fire detection systems, supporting Neston Community Energy's solar plans, developing our partnership with the Community Payback Team, and restructuring our membership system to strengthen engagement with the charity.

The AGM was a reminder of how much can be achieved when a community works together. To everyone who volunteers, donates, uses our services, attends activities, hires our venues, funds our work, or simply champions what we do, thank you. Your support continues to make a real difference, and we look forward to building on this progress together over the coming year.

Below, you can find the slides from the slideshow presented at the AGM and you can read the full Trustee Annual Report here - NESTON COMMUNITY YOUTH CENTRE LIMITED - 1117890