Ballyhoura Development Annual Report 2024

2024

  • A key ambition for Ballyhoura Development is to continue to deliver an integrated service, outreached in communities, using community development methodologies to achieve thriving, resilient and sustainable communities across north Cork and east Limerick.

    Across 2024, local communities, supported by Ballyhoura Development, responded to a range of challenges, including financial, support and resource limitations, extreme weather events, and inclusion of new arrivals, demonstrating high levels of responsiveness and adaptability in the face of change.

    The spirit of community and strong leadership, demonstrated by the Board of Ballyhoura Development and community groups and leaders, underpins our belief in the power of inclusive community-led local development, to overcome challenges and shape a brighter, more inclusive future, for everyone across the Ballyhoura area.

Our Mission

  • Ballyhoura Development is a Community-Led Local Development Company... 
     
    ...working in partnership, to develop empowered and inclusive communities that inspire and embrace new opportunities, drive positive sustainable social, environmental, and economic change, and reduce inequalities. 

    READ MORE about WHO WE ARE

Chairperson's Statement

  • In 2024, Ballyhoura Development, a partnership based, community-led local development company, managed €5.0 m of funding to support communities, families, and businesses across the Ballyhoura area.

    Against the increasingly challenging policy, funding, and operational environment, Ballyhoura Development continued to evolve its services and supports, in line with the organisation's vision and mission, to support more inclusive and sustainable communities and a diversified economy.

    The locally led, place-based approach, enables us to facilitate partnerships that connect people and groups, particularly people and places that are experiencing social and economic exclusion, with opportunities that help address their needs, to create a broad range of positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes.

    Moving into 2025, in response to policy and operating environment changes, the Board, guided by our commitment and belief in the power of locally led development, will assess the future value and viability of Ballyhoura Developments services, and consider options that support the organisation’s vision of empowered and inclusive communities.

    Mary Laffan
    Chairperson of Ballyhoura Development CLG

Our Governance and Team

Our Team

  • A key strength of Ballyhoura Development is its dedicated and professional team, which is based in local communities.  

    In 2024, Ballyhoura Development met and exceeded key programme targets, underpinned by its integrated delivery of services to local communities to identify and respond positively to local challenges, through a range of social, economic, and environmental focused supports, programmes, projects, and initiatives. 

    Ballyhoura Development continues to prioritise investment in local places and people, in raising awareness, improving knowledge, and developing capacity to respond and adapt to change. 

    Read More About Our Team

Our Governance and Team

Our Board

  • The voluntary Board Members of Ballyhoura Development establish policies and priorities and provide strategic direction to the organisation. In 2024, their knowledge and experience was critical in guiding the organisation.  

    Contributing to ten Board meetings, with an average attendance of 61% of members, and numerous sub-committee activities, Board members volunteered over 500 hours of voluntary time in 2024. 

    Implementation of strong governance frameworks supported the objective of maintaining public trust and confidence and enhanced Ballyhoura Development's reputation for quality, transparency, integrity, and accountability in its management.

    Board Elections continue to focus on achieving full gender balance and a diversity of skills, expertise, and experiences to support community-led local development decision making. 

    Read More About Our Board

Our Governance and Team

Independent Evaluation Committee

2024 at a Glance

  • €5m

    Total Funding Managed

    820

    Community Group Engagements

    9%

    Overall administration overhead %

    In 2024... Ballyhoura Development met or exceeded all of the key performance indicators set by its contracting authorities.

    91%

    Spent on Service Delivery

    6,565

    Individual engagements in education, training, employment & business supports

Our 2024 Programmes

2024 Highlights

Our Activities

  • 820

    Community group engagements

    1,784

    People participated in networking, training, employment and business supports

    63

    People progressed to work

    71

    People progressed to further education and training

    178

    People participated in business, networking, training and mentoring 

    147

    People participated in Community Walk Abouts

    225

    People engaged with the Local Area Employment Service

    31

    Community Groups engaged in Community Socio Economic Planning activities

    32

    Communities engaged with the Sustainable Energy Communities Programme

2024 Highlights

Community, Business, Tourism & Environmental Projects

Our 2024 Case Studies

Read | Listen | Watch

Public Outreach

  • Being in and part of the community is hugely important to Ballyhoura Development.

    Ballyhoura Development delivers services and supports through outreach offices in the communities of Kilfinane, Kilmallock, Cappamore, Charleville and Mitchelstown. Local delivery strengthens our connections to, and understanding of, the communities and people we work with.

    Contact Our Outreach Offices

Public Outreach

  • Our website, www.ballyhouradevelopment.com continues to be a key communication tool for the organisation.

    Sharing information on all community resources & supports, training and upskilling workshops, parenting & mental health supports, funding opportunities and local jobs is critical to raising awareness, building knowledge, improving capacity and increasing participation.

    In 2024, Ballyhoura Development’s website & social media channels reached over 350k people through digital platforms, with a total of 28,305 active users across various channels over 2024. 

    Ballyhoura Development reached an estimated 17.7 million people through media coverage, generating an Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) of €478,383. Additionally, Ballyhoura Development email newsletters reached 26,298 recipients, achieving an average open rate of 50% and a click-through rate of 9.3%. This shows the effectiveness of both public relations and direct communication through newsletters.

    The online audience breaks down at 69.9 % Female and 30.1 % Male.  

Our Sustainability Goals

In 2024, Ballyhoura Development continued its role as a Sustainable Development Goal Ambassador on behalf of the Department of the Environment. This role has enabled us to promote how the Sustainable Development Goals are relevant to the work of local communities across 2024.

  • Of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, some goals were particularly relevant to the work of Ballyhoura Development in 2024. 

    Goal 7 Affordable & Clean Energy
    Goal 8 Decent Work & Economic Growth
    Goal 10 Reduced Inequalities
    Goal 11 Sustainable Cities & Communities
    Goal 13 Climate Action
    Goal 16 Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions

    Our vision of Ballyhoura as an area with empowered, inclusive communities, and a diversified economy reflects the organisation's commitment to inclusion, to a just transition and to a greener, more sustainable future. 
     
    Ballyhoura Development manages, coordinates and implements a wide range of local, regional, national and European projects focussing on the three pillars of community development, economic development and environmental development.   
     
    In so doing, social, environmental, and economic sustainability concerns are inextricably linked, and Ballyhoura Development fosters innovative approaches to ensure that each of these issues are addressed in tandem to progress toward a just transition and a greener, more sustainable future in which nobody is left behind.   

    This work, guided by the principles of partnership, participation, and maintaining a bottom-up approach, means that Ballyhoura Development’s work is always closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

2024 Financials

  • In 2024, overall funding to support local development activities declined from €6.7m to €5.0 m.

    The overall reduction in funding between 2023 and 2024 is accounted for in (i) a reduction in capital project expenditure and (ii) programme closures.

    Ballyhoura Development managed the funding and achieved its outcomes, operating on an overall administration and overhead percentage of 9.4%. 
     
    Ballyhoura Development applies the concepts of integrity, accuracy, transparency, reliability, confidentiality and proper disclosure and presentation in all of its operations.

    In managing local, national and EU funding, Ballyhoura Development complies with international best practice in the management of public funding. The accounting administration is based on (i) Recognised accounting principles, which have been translated into clear practical procedures, (ii) Public accountability and (iii) EU and State funding conditions including Commission Regulations.

2024 Financials

Breakdown of Funds by Government Department

  • The financial resources to support community led local development actions and supports delivered by Ballyhoura Development, are secured through competitive tendering and call processes for a range of local, regional, national and EU contracts. 
     
    Ballyhoura Development designs, develops and delivers its programmes, projects and initiatives along five Operating Principles. These are (i) strategic and innovative, (ii) integrated and connected, (iii) partnership and collaboration, (iv) resilience and sustainability, and (v) evidence and results. These principles guide Ballyhoura Development's approach when seeking, delivering, managing, and reporting on its funding. 

    Download the Full Financial Statement

2024 Financials

Breakdown of Programme Delivery Related Expenses

  • Variances in funding amounts may be seen within both the contract source, and specific programme allocations. 
     
    The variances reflect Ballyhoura Development's response to identified community social, environmental and economic needs, the changing policy, funding and operational environment and individual programme funding timeframes and lifecycles, all of which have an impact on, access to, and management of funding programmes. 

    Download the Full Financial Statement

Awards, Accreditation & Certification

Ballyhoura Development is committed to maintaining strong and transparent governance systems and to delivering quality professional services and supports to benefit local communities. The company strategy and activities are aligned with the development priorities of local communities, civil society, and regional and national government to create added value, and are recognised through compliance with:

  • SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities

  • EIQA Q Mark for Quality Management Systems

  • Aontas Adult Learning All Star Awards

  • The Charities Regulator Good Governance Code, a Code of Practice for Good Governance of Community, Voluntary and Charitable Organisations in Ireland

  • The All-Ireland Business Foundation All Star Accreditation

Testimonials

  • "It was new for people to learn that someone else cares about their mental health, because in East Limerick, this was the first time families have received this type of information.”

    - Participant at the Traveller Health Project

  • “The mountain biking experience was excellent. I’d been meaning to go to the trails for some time but just didn’t have the courage. The skills I learned from Mark and Tom have really given me the courage to do more I the New Year. It was really well organised and a lovely group of people so it was also a great social opportunity to meet other people from the area.”

    - 'Ladies Only' Participant at the Ballyhoura Community Mountain Bike Project

  • "One of the men that was told to go see his GP was sent straight down to CUH where he was treated for his heart. He was days away from a serious heart attack if it wasn’t for the Mini Health check, the outcomes could have been far more life threatening. The man is now well enough to come back and tell the benefits of the Health Check provided by North Cork Health project and the Cardiology Team of Nurses from the Primary Care Team"

    - Project Partner at the North Cork HealthCare Project

  • "In October 2024, our team of Traveller Community Health Workers as part of the Traveller Primary Healthcare Team delivered new mental health leaflets to the East Limerick Traveller Community.  It was the first time most people in the community received information that had been co-designed by members of the Traveller Community and tailored for them. The team also organised a special mass at the local church for Traveller Mental Health which was attended by families from all over East Limerick."

    - Traveller Health Peer Worker at the Traveller Health Project

  • "A highlight of my week, meeting likeminded people, what a powerful course. Listening to others we all have different life experiences that we can share and lessen the burden. It helped me believe in myself.”

    - Participant at the Mindfulness Course

  • “I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who make this mountain bike hiking adventure possible! From the planning, the transportation, and even covering the fees made it easy to take the leap. It was a “sweet and sour” experience – challenging and, yes, maybe a bit rough at times, but truly worth every moment. It felt a bit like the Nike slogan: Just Do It. To those like me who may have taken a fall or two along the way, we didn’t quit! Thanks for creating such an unforgettable journey that pushed our limits and left us with lasting memories.”

    - Participant at the Ballyhoura Community Mountain Bike Project

  • "The excellent quality Case Study was quite impactful as we heard directly from participants, of them not being heard, not being represented and not feeling part of the community. There were some very strong statements including:

    “They showed us respect and we showed them respect.”

    “A weight came off my chest when they listened.”

    “We’re used to mostly hearing no”.

    - Contract Managing Agency on the SICAP Case Study 

  • "A word of thanks for the help from the small projects team. I met Ballyhoura team last week and they were with us yesterday to make a start on the work to paint the entrance wall to one of the estates. It has made an immediate impact visually and we are delighted with the work and the support from Ballyhoura Development. Many thanks again!"

    - Local Community Group on the Community Small Project Service

     

  • "Ballyhoura were a fantastic support to the individuals who completed the course and also to me providing feedback on their progress. Ballyhoura continues to support our service by providing us with information regarding current programmes that are on offer and recently has spoke to me about a SHEP course that may be available to our service."

    - Project Partner at the Towards Occupation Programme

  • "The Ballyhoura Growing Project collaboration with Food Cloud has saved 2680 KG of surplus Food, provided the weight equivaled of 1,126 meals and saved 6,164 KG of Co2."

    - FoodCloud on Ballyhoura Growers' Project Collaboration

  • "Just let you know that we received confirmation that the Leader Grant payment was made to us last Monday!! Many thanks for all your help with the grant application, your guidance & expertise is very much appreciated."

    - Local Community Group on LEADER Funding Support

  • "Its a great place for people to meet to improve their English language skills, through the engaging conversations and tasks. It enhances the intercultural links and helps people to build an active and supportive community."

    - Volunteer at the Ballyhoura Conversation Club

  • "I would like to express our gratitude to Ballyhoura Development. We would have nothing only for the support you give us always at the end of a phone, and always willing to come out to meet us... From that the support you have given us is unbelievable from organising us to do a community needs survey, a meeting for us to meet other groups, organising a tutor to inform us about different agencies and different ways of raising funds, it was super educational... "

    - Local Community Group

     

  • "Conversation club is a great opportunity for migrants like me to improve my English skills and find friends in a new locations."

    - Participant at Ballyhoura Conversation Club

What's Next?

  • Core to the success of Ballyhoura Development’s community led local development work, is its focus on animation, engagement, and capacity building, delivered on an area-based and integrated delivery approach.

    The policy and financial operating environment in which Ballyhoura Development delivers for local communities continues to evolve. Challenges identified include (i) maintaining a functional area place-based approach; (ii) financing animation and capacity building; (iii) managing competitive procurement processes; (iv) building partnerships; (v) creating matching finance for delivery; (vi) managing the complexity of administrative operating environments and (vii) maintaining service innovation in a risk averse environment.

    In response to the above challenges, the Board continually (i) reviews and updates a five-year programme delivery and financial plan to sustain service delivery and manage opportunities and challenges and (ii) prioritises resources to deliver real, on-the-ground, tangible supports to individuals, communities, and businesses, particularly those that are vulnerable, disadvantaged or socially excluded.

    The place based, community led, and integrated approach, is key to creating awareness, improving knowledge, increasing participation, and building the capacity of local community groups, businesses, individuals, and partners to contribute fully to local development, and support improved inclusion, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity.

    Across 2025, the Board will examine the consequences of the significant changes in our operating, programme and funding environment, the impacts of same on our Charitable Objectives, and, if, and how, Ballyhoura Development may continue to deliver an integrated service, outreached in communities, using community development methodologies to achieve the organisation’s vision of empowered and inclusive communities and a diversified economy.