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FATIMA WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

24th ANNUAL REPORT

SEPTEMBER 2014 – AUGUST 2015

MARLBOROUGH RESOURCE CENTRE, MARLBOROUGH STREET GLODWICK OLDHAM OL4 1EG

0161 627 3109 www.fatimawomens.org.uk

Charity Registration Number 1039603

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INTRODUCTION Aims

Fatima Women’s Association aims to meet the needs of women from the surrounding areas of Glodwick, Alexandra, Roundthorn and other parts of Oldham. We provide and assist in the provision of training, educational courses, health and wellbeing sessions, recreation and leisure activities and activities for children and young people. We also meet our aims through the employment of staff, the development of partnerships with other agencies and through the use of volunteers. Within the last year FWA has created an environment, which appeals to and caters for the needs of the different local communities. Through running numerous training sessions and courses F.W.A have succeeded in encouraging and supporting many women and young people in making the decision to go into further education and increase their qualifications and chances of paid employment.

Chairperson’s Report

As the chair of Fatima Women’s Association it gives me great pleasure to submit this 24th report on the progress of the organisation and the new initiatives undertaken during the past year. The progress of Fatima Women’s Association in the past year has been challenging, encouraging and highly positive, improving services in the community immensely due to the focused Management Committee Members, volunteers and staff. It has been an extremely eventful year where the association has delivered a range of new and innovative projects in response to what the community members have told us they need. For up to date information please go online at www.fatimawomens.org.uk. This website will be updated regularly. Please visit F.W.A to register your interest in any of the training courses, educational courses, health and wellbeing sessions and children’s activities that are being promoted. As of February 2015, Fatima Women’s Association has become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, new registration number 1160027.

Funding It has been another very challenging year for F.W.A in raising funds to run projects, maintain overheads, resources and staff positions. In spite of this the association is on target to sustain all staffing and core costs until March 2016. This has been possible due to moving premises and reducing overheads.

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The association will endeavour to keep seeking further funds to sustain the work of the association from April 2016 onwards. However the lack of availability of funds and competition for funds is such that, as of April 2016, FWA will have to change its staffing structure and this will impact on the delivery of sessions. Your continued support is paramount to the sustainability of the association.

Activities/Training F.W.A has been involved in consultation with local women and networking with other agencies on an on-going basis in order to design and run new training courses reflecting the needs of the community. We as a team have continued to build on our past experiences to develop F.W.A towards its full potential. We had 393 adults and 102 children’s membership forms completed. Over a 52 week period the average number of participants accessing the sessions was 122 individuals per week. F.W.A has had 14 different volunteers throughout a 12 month period which equated to 140 volunteer hours per month. On behalf of the Management Committee I would like to extend our appreciation and a very big thank you to all members of staff for their hard work, commitment and enthusiasm and all the volunteers of Fatima Women’s Association, for their consistent and loyal support. I would also like to thank all the organisations and individuals who have supported and encouraged us over the past year and look forward to a lot more teamwork and many new and challenging initiatives. Please contact the association, its staff and volunteers if you require more detailed information on its Financial Accounts 2014/2015 or would be interested in reading about the full impact and outcomes within each project the association delivers. It is with great pleasure that I present to you the 24th Annual Report of Fatima Women’s Association September 2014 to August 2015. Nasreen Shabir

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2015

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FUNDING F.W.A would like to thank the following for their financial support from

April 2014 to March 2015:

29th May 1961 Charitable Trust

BBC Children In Need

Charles Hayward Foundation

European Social Fund

Faith Action

Get Oldham Growing - OMBC

John Mason Family Trust

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales

NLDCF 2014

NLDCF 2015

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Priority Programme

Peter Kershaw Trust

Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust

Trusthouse Charitable Trust

CREATIVE ENGLISH PRESENTATION, BIRMINGHAM

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Our Strategic Objective

Education/Training:

To capacity build and empower disadvantaged women in Oldham, by building

their confidence, self esteem, social and educational skills through the

provision of a range of demand led, quality controlled and fit for purpose

educational training programmes.

Women into Education and Training Programmes Taking in to consideration the barriers women face in accessing education and training, the association successfully enrolled 393 women on to various courses/training from September 2014 until August 2015.

SPOKEN ENGLISH PRESENTATION 2015

The following was delivered:

Projects Number of Participants attended

Adult Social Care Level1 10

Arabic Studies 18

Basic IT 8

Introduction to Childcare 7

Creative English 90

First Aid 37

Fire Safety 8

Flower Arranging 8

Introduction to role of Teaching Assistant 7

Passport to Employment Skills 38

Peacebuilding 9

Sewing 30

Spoken English 21

Talk English 10

Example of Outcome: Six out of the seven women that completed the Childcare course progressed onto Entry 3 Level at Lifelong Learning.

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PASSPORT TO EMPLOYMENT SKILLS PROGRAMME

This project enabled 38 different learners to identify their own skills and abilities and they were able to gain a basic understanding of skills required within different jobs, conducting job searches, CVs, filling in basic application forms and typing up letters. In addition learners were able to plan for job interviews through conducting basic role plays using scripts.

A whole range of skills were achieved such as:

ESOL

Communication and literacy

Information Technology and job searches

Creating CV’s

Writing letters

Job descriptions/Person specifications

Application Forms

Presentation skills

Interview skills

This has contributed to developing the skills of individual women and the Oldham economy by enhancing local women’s prospects of securing employment and giving them the opportunity to make informed choices with regard to appropriate training. Increasing the skills base of individuals has contributed to the local economy and benefited employers seeking to recruit from the local area. The Project has raised aspirations, developed skills and abilities of long-term unemployed women and provided them with a pathway which has motivated, guided and developed skills and education levels. It has particularly improved opportunities for lone and disadvantaged parents and has promoted equality of opportunity, generally. Through the Project, local women have had access to advice, information and guidance relating to employment and training. In addition to developing employability skills, the programme showed it has brought about improvements to participants confidence, self-esteem and practical skills. The following were comments made by participants:

Stepping stone to further education

Enabled me to have discussion with teachers and other participants

Encouraged me to be more intelligent and independent

Enrolled on to further trainings and courses

Socialised and made new friends

Ask questions openly

Able to participate in community events

Feel less isolated

Can attend appointments at the Job Centre independently

Have an improved social network

Use community services more often

Are more connected with people from different backgrounds

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Our Strategic Objective

Health and Wellbeing:

To improve the health, wellbeing of disadvantaged women and their children who may be experiencing isolation, poor physical and mental health and domestic abuse by providing a variety of educational, social and leisure opportunities.

Pressure Perfect Health, Get Oldham Growing

The following was delivered:

Projects

Number of Participants

50+ Group 24

Breast Cancer Awareness 3

Bradford 14

Dementia Awareness day – Making Spaces Housing Association

20

Health and Wellbeing Sessions 6

International Women’s Day 59

Kenyon Hall Farm and Walton Gardens 129

Longsight Markets and meal 15

Manchester on Tram 12

Oral Health 6

Open Day 46

Pressure Perfect Health, Get Oldham Growing

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Rhyll, Wales 70

Scarborough 114

Southport 71

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Our Strategic Objective

Activities for children and young people:

To further develop the skills, health and social wellbeing of all vulnerable, disadvantaged children and young people enabling them to reach their full potential in terms of education, economic and social contribution, health and wellbeing.

ADVENTURE BASED LEARNING

Children’s and Young People Sessions, All United, Funded By BBC Children In Need

Multi-sports, was held on a Saturday, throughout the year. Children and young people accessed activities at the centre, local parks and through various partnerships. They have taken part in various sports e.g. Thai boxing, football, rounders and much more to keep the young active, strong and healthy.

The partnerships created were with Keeping our girls safe (KOGS), Oldham Race Equality Partnership (OREP), Housing People Building Communities, Cartwheels arts attitude, Carousel, Greater Manchester Youth Network, Adventure Based Learning Saddleworth, Age UK and Mahdlo Centre.

Regular attendance reflects the positive impact all the provisions provided have had throughout the year. Participants have developed their confidence and many skills through various activities e.g. event organising, participation in Showcase at Contact Theatre, volunteering on many projects, venturing out of their comfort zone and travelling further afield.

FUN DAY MAY 2015

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The following was delivered:

SUBJECT

NUMBER OF CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 18 YEARS

Adventure Based Learning 45

Archery and Thai Boxing 12

Art and Craft 13

Arndale Centre and Christmas Markets 9

Bowling and Laser Quest 32

Canoeing 13

Canvas Painting 8

Cinema and Refreshments 10

Cookery 13

Donkey Sanctuary 11

Eid Party 27

Fun Day at PCC May 2015 200

Keeping Our Girls Safe (KOGS) 18

Multi Sports 66

Scarborough 9

Sewing Traditional Dresswear 7

Tandle Hill Park, Royton 36

Trafford Centre 14

Visual arts programme 12

Volunteering at Fun Day 8

MULTI SPORTS 2015

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SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR

APRIL 2014 TO MARCH 2015 INCOME

£

29th

May 1961 Charitable Trust 15,000

BBC Children In Need 19,544

Charles Hayward Foundation 1,500

European Social Fund 6,748

Get Oldham Growing-OMBC 9,872

John Mason Family Trust 4,000

Lloyds TSB Bank Foundation for England and Wales 10,000

NLDCF 2014 13,500

NLDCF 2015 2,050

OMBC Main Grant 16,230

Peter Kershaw Trust 1,000

Sir Jules Thorn Charitable 750

Trusthouse Charitable Trust 5,500

Other 6,600

Total Income 112,294

EXPENDITURE

Staff Costs 72,350

Property Expenses 13,244

Office & Communication Costs 3,723

Events/Trips/Projects 16,650

Payroll Service and Index 1,312

Training 445

Total Expenditure 107,724

Total Surplus/ (Deficit) 4,570

Restricted Funds at 31/03/15 25,414

Unrestricted Funds at 31/03/15 49,160

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Fauzia Chaudhry Manager/Development Worker 36 hours

Uzma Khaliq Finance Officer/Fundraiser 24 hours

Farhanda Qadeer Outreach Worker 14 hours

Shanaz Akhter Sewing and Cutting Sessional Worker 2 hours

Nusrat Anwar Sewing and Cutting Sessional Worker 3 hours

Shabana Parveen Children’s Co-ordinator 10 hours

Fozia Rehman Children’s Sessional Worker 6 hours

Arjam Sadiq Children’s Sessional Worker 6 hours

Armani Khaliq Children’s Sessional Worker 6 hours To cover

maternity leave

Asma Akhtar Children’s Sessional Worker 6 hours To cover

maternity leave

Zahida Parveen Crèche Worker Various

Nasreen Shabir Chairperson

Farzana Aziz Vice Chair

Samina Iqbal Treasurer

Shamim Akhtar Secretary

Parveen Akhtar

Liz McIlroy

Tabasum Kousar

Sue Crowson

Jane Pickering attends the management committee meetings in an advisory role.

Fatima Women’s Association is very interested in recruiting new Management

Committee Members and volunteers. Interested individuals should contact

F.W.A for further information.

Please visit our web page www.fatimawomens.org.uk for up to date information.

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