Welcome to St Antony’s Centre for Church & …Centre Review 2008 2 St Antony’s Centre Background...

St Antony’s Centre 1 Centre Review 2008

Welcome to

St Antony’s Centre for Church & Industry

Annual Review for 2008

Contents

Subject Page

Contents 1

Background and Aims 2

Director’s Comments 3 The Centre Team 4 Management Committee 5

Reports Conference & Hire 6 Trafford Park Heritage 7 Training Report 8-9 Reach Out Partnership 10-11

Diocesan Work 12-13 GMIM 14 Chaplaincy and Fr Joe 15 Farewell and Thank You 16

Centre Accounts 2008 Financial Statement 2008 17 Income & Expenditure 18 Balance Sheet and Notes 19

In the News 20

Centre Review 2008 2 St Antony’s Centre

Background 2008 was the 29th year of the Centre for Church and Industry which was originally established in the St Antony’s Presbytery as a joint project with Fr Joe Carter, the Parish Priest of St Antony’s R.C. Church, Trafford Park. The first year saw work with the YCW and with young workers, Trade Unionists and with Trusts. In 1982, the Centre moved to the then recently closed St Antony’s Junior School following the decision to re-develop the former “Village” Area within Trafford Park. The Centre went from strength to strength and launched its first government funded training programme the following year. In 1993, the former School building closed for re-development with the Centre moving temporarily to the former Barclays Bank on Third Avenue, Trafford Park. The Centre re-opened in January 1994 as a purpose-built facility, consisting of a Conference Room, meeting rooms, training room, library, office accommodation and a new reception and exhibition area which features the Trafford Park Heritage Centre. The funding for the re-development project was supplied by the Trafford Park Development Corporation and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford, establishing the first Centre for Church and Industry in the country.

Aims

~ To promote better understanding and knowledge of Christian Social Thinking, especially in relation to industrial and economic issues ~ To establish a Centre offering training, advice and support to those seeking to apply this thinking to their own spheres of influence ~ To develop community based projects in response to social, economic, industrial and ecumenical issues and concerns ~ To promote, through study circles, publications and seminars, the application of Christian Social Thinking and development of Adult Lay Apostolate ~ To encourage Church-based organisations and people to understand and act upon the changing nature of industrial society and the challenges such changes present to the Church and community

The Centre is a not-for-profit organisation working under the Trusteeship of the Diocese of Salford.

It seeks to work with a wide range of community groups, organisations,

churches and individuals to develop common objectives and to benefit the wider community through specific projects.

The Centre is a member of the Salford Diocesan Department for Social Responsibility

and works closely with the Greater Manchester Industrial Mission Trust, acting as its administrative base.

Registered Charity No: 250037-R

Background and Aims


Director’s Comments 2007/8 marked further significant developments for the Centre as part of our policy of expanding and submitting our work to external scrutiny through the Matrix and Quality Standards processes. This resulted in a heavy workload, however, the effort expended was rewarded with the award of two significant contracts by the Learning & Skills Council. Work towards achieving the Matrix Standard resulted in a review of all the policies and practices of the Centre . In the Autumn we were awarded the TUC Unionlearn Quality Award as a Learning Centre. The presentation was made in Blackpool at the Regional Unionlearn Conference. This was further complemented by the recent news that the Centre has achieved the Matrix Standard - a nationally recognised Quality Standard for the Information, Advice and Guidance services we offer to help adults into learning and work. These are significant markers that underpin the high standards the Centre has set in all its work. It is good to see the work of the Centre recognised and rewarded by external organisations. Work with the Migrant Community, in particular the Polish Community in Lancashire, led to a significant caseload of people facing problems in their workplace. In many situations unscrupulous employers were found to be exploiting workers because of their lack of understanding of Employment Law and English language skills. We were delighted to offer ongoing support to the Parish of St Joseph’s in Accrington and their Project Worker, Bernadette. We hope to make further announcements in relation to this work in the Spring of 2009. In 2004, the Centre developed an innovative new Reach Out Project working in partnership with the GMB North West & Irish Region, employers and other Trade Unions to promote investment in learning and workforce skills. The many successes and achievements of the original project resulted in the award of a

further two-year contract to develop training and support to over 6,000 employees. The Project took responsibility for a Learning Bus in April 2008. The Bus has enabled us to take learning into areas where training facilities do not exist and to deliver support for people in the workplace. This is warmly appreciated by employers and employees alike, reflecting the innovative ways in which we are responding to the economic crisis and the rise in unemployment and redundancies since the Autumn. Additional funds from Unionlearn North West through the GMB to respond specifically to redundancy in particular firms has enabled hundreds of individuals to gain skills essential for them to secure new employment following the closure of their workplaces. All of these activities form part of the mission of the Centre for Church and Industry in partnership with the Diocese and our Ecumenical colleagues in Greater Manchester Industrial Mission. The Centre provides essential support services to the Industrial Chaplaincy Team and to the Social Cohesion Project in Bolton. The whole picture is one of service and innovation in ensuring peoples’ dignity at work and in the community is valued. I commend this report to you as a living witness to the way in which the Centre co-ordinates with a wide range of organisations and responds to the specific needs of the individuals and organisations we serve. It provides an important model of partnership and testimony to the Church’s Social Thinking in action for the benefit of people in the wider community.

Director


Mr Kevin Flanagan Director Mr. Paul Callaghan Contracts Manager Fr Joseph Carter Centre Chaplain Mrs Patricia Gallagher Centre Secretary

Training Department Mr Tom Fredrickson Training Manager Miss Dorothy Kneen Trainer Ms Julie Kolb Trainer (to August 08)

Ms Melissa Griffiths Adult Literacy & Numeracy Trainer (from August 08) Mr Martin Breary Training Assistant

Reach Out Department Mr Dave Flanagan Senior Reach Out Officer Mr Matt Bowe Reach Out Officer (from July 2008)

Heritage Department Mr Joe Brookes Heritage Archive Recorder Mrs Helen Lentin Heritage Volunteer Mr Patrick Perry Employment Rights

GMIM Rev Trevor Dixon Transport Chaplain (GMIM) (Retired July 08)

Administration & Accounts Mrs Elizabeth Flanagan Accounts / Wages Mr Peter Callaghan Administrator (From October 2008)

Maintenance Mr Tim Riley Maintenance Mr Stephen Bowe Maintenance Assistant Mrs Margaret Farrell Site Maintenance

In the summer of 2008 we secured the services of Tim Riley as our Maintenance Officer. A major staffing Review and restructuring was started in February 2008 in consultation with the Centre Management Committee to strengthen and develop the professional skills the Centre needed over the next three years. This resulted in the appointment of Matt Bowe as Reach Out Officer and Melissa Griffiths as Adult Literacy and Numeracy Trainer in July and August 2008 respectively. In October 2008 Peter Callaghan joined the Team as Administrator to assist with the Conference and Hire as well as the marketing of the Centre facilities. In November 2008 Patricia Gallagher returned as Centre Secretary after seven months working for a firm of Solicitors.

Centre Team

Staff


The following members of the Management Committee served during the period of this Report: Rev Brian Tomkins GMIM Mr James Callaghan Company Director (Elected Chair June 07) Mr Martin O’Dowd Adult Guidance Service Mr. Eddie O’Neill St. Antony’s Parishioner / HR Consultant Mr Terry Crowther World Of Work & NCLA Representative Mr Jim Furlonger Private Sector Manager Mrs Mary Howarth Teacher Mr Vin Sheedy Head Teacher Mr Brian Turner USDAW - Retired Kellogg Employee Mrs Joanne O’Carroll HR Manager Mr John Mallon Employee British Aerospace Fr David Glover Department for Social Responsibility Salford Diocese

Management Committee 2007/8

We record our appreciation to Des Towers for his services to the Management Committee. Under the “two terms” rule, Des retired from the Management Committee in June 2008. In January and July 2008 respectively, Paul Callaghan and Matt Bowe resigned from the Committee both as a result of taking up paid positions of employment at the Centre. We were pleased to welcome Brian Turner, Joanne O’Carroll, Vin Sheedy and John Mallon to the Management Committee following the AGM in 2008.

The Centre Management has two sub Committees which are made up of Management members and have powers to appoint other external advisors as required. Finance ~ which deals with the financial, staffing, buildings and contract management of the Centre. The chair is Eddie O’Neill. Members serving on this Committee during 2007/8 Vincent Sheedy, Jim Callaghan, Terry Crowther. Training ~ The Committee oversee the Training Contracts, Training Department and related activities at Outreach Centres. The Committee also assist with the Quality Assurance and accreditation processes required of the Centre Training Department. Members serving Richard Deloughry, Vincent Sheedy, Paul Callaghan and Mary Howarth. Reach Out Steering Group ~ Oversee and review reports from the Reach Out Team with the Regional Secretary of GMB North West & Irish Region and Unionlearn, Unionlearn NW, Project Manager, GMB Education Officer, Training Manager and Contracts Manager.

Retirements & Changes

Committees


Conference & Hire

Total income from Centre hire during 2008 came to £24,884. This represents a £4,000

(14%) decrease compared with the previous year and perhaps reflects the general downturn in the economy; towards the end of 2008 we saw a marked difference in the level and value of usage during the same period in 2007. The drop in income generated is also attributable in part to greater demands on meeting and training space within the Centre for internal purposes following the award of three significant contracts for learning support. Use of the seminar and meeting rooms for such purposes is recharged internally and paid for through external grant funding so the actual volume of use and associated revenue is not fully reflected in the above figures. The Centre continued to be a facility of first choice for a number of core clients such as Trafford Housing Trust, the Open College Network, Costco and GM Procure, while attracting a number of first time users including Salford & Trafford Primary Care Trust, Julie Morris’ Training Lab and the Department for Work and Pensions. In total 33 different organisations between them held 158 events at the Centre, attracting 3,000 visitors. The Centre also returned to a familiar role – playing host to Coronation Street! This year’s shoot took place in November and featured an imaginatively wardrobed Liz Macdonald conducting a “Brazilian Crunch” exercise class…!! The Centre is committed to looking at ways to continuously improve its services and in this context took on additional administrative support in October to take responsibility for arranging bookings and managing customer relations. The impact of this dedicated support is already evident with a significant growth in bookings and revenue for the first few months of 2009 compared with early 2008. In terms of new developments the Centre recently hosted a Suppliers’ Market which though difficult to manage nevertheless gave some good ideas for how similar events might be accommodated in the future. As part of the constant review of services, the Centre hire rates were compared with local competitors and revised upwards in line with

market rates. A new library of images showing use of the Centre has been developed to improve the standard of marketing and publicity materials and a web-based system has been trialled for capturing users’ comments on the quality of the Centre services - to date these have been almost universally positive. With the development of a new website in 2009 it is hoped to further enhance the option to submit enquiries and reserve facilities on-line. Other priorities for 2009 will be to invest further in new equipment and furniture in order to maintain a high quality meeting environment. As ever, hire of the Centre remains an effective means of generating funding for new initiatives of community benefit and helps support the cash flow of the Centre. Customer feedback is that the warmth of greeting and professional standards of service provided by Centre staff and volunteers are major assets in maintaining and expanding an established client base as well as marketing the facilities to new users.

Marketing Event in the Conference Room

During 2008 over 4,200 letters have been sent out across all the Projects. That means in excess of £1,200 has

been spent on postage alone.

Over £650 has been raised through sale of Heritage Books, Trafford Park Mechanise and

the Heritage Tombola Stall.

In excess of 100,000 photocopies were produced which includes Training leaflets

and information booklets.

Facts & Figures


Trafford Park Archive Since opening in 1979 the Centre has become home to a unique archive recording work and community life in Trafford Park. Thanks to donations and loans from numerous former workers and residents of the Park the archive now runs to many thousands of images and objects, all of which continue to be catalogued and stored through the help of Joe Brookes (Heritage Volunteer) and the Trafford Park Heritage Committee. As the archive has grown larger, the Centre has needed to address two important issues: how to improve the cataloguing and storage facilities in the limited space available and how to make the archive more accessible to new and wider audiences. During 2008 work therefore began on submitting an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to support the development of a digital archive and new interactive exhibition facilities at the Centre. An initial application was submitted to the HLF in May 2008 and the Contracts Manager attended a subsequent meeting in June to gain feedback on the proposal. While the application was generally warmly received there were a number of areas which the HLF felt the Centre needed to develop around level of staffing, accessibility, marketing of the archive and volunteering opportunities before a second stage bid could be submitted.

The Centre will be giving this greater priority during 2009. It has begun work on addressing these issues and plans to request a development grant of up to £10,000 from the HLF to improve capacity and skills in areas such as marketing prior to submitting a full application.

Return of Marshall Stevens On Friday 2 May 2008 the Mayor of Trafford was the guest of honour for the re-siting of the Marshall Stevens Monument at the corner of Eleventh Street and Third Avenue. The event marked the culmination of a long campaign by the Centre and local history societies to get the monument re-instated in Trafford Park in recognition of the role played by Marshall Stevens in the creation of the world’s first industrial estate. Also present at the dedication of the monument were members of the Stevens family, representatives of the local history societies and former workers and residents who together had lobbied the local authority and MP to return the monument to a fitting home in the Park.

Good work continues in the collection of new materials and donations to expand the archive and a new and improved website was commissioned in early 2009 to increase knowledge of the archive and people’s access to it. Pages will carry information and events about the area.

The Heritage Committee continued to meet quarterly to look at and respond to matters of local interest related to the history of the Park. This includes continuing to campaign for the restoration of the graveyard at St. Catherine’s where a number of important local figures are buried and monitoring the potential development of a new industrial history Museum close to the Trafford Centre. The Committee is always keen to attract new members and if you are interested in supporting its work please contact Paul Callaghan on 0161 848 9173 to discuss how to get involved or e-mail [email protected]

Trafford Park Heritage

The Mayor of Trafford and members of the Heritage Committee at the re-siting


The Training Report

Introduction The past year has been extremely industrious for the training department. We have continued to deliver basic IT principles as a recognised City and Guilds qualification as well as designing bespoke courses to meet individual and employer demand.

Literacy and Numeracy from Entry Level up to Level 2 has seen some outstanding exam results following the introduction of paper based testing. In the past year we have also started a new LSC contract to deliver Level 1 and 2 NVQ for IT users allowing individuals to achieve nationally recognised ITQ qualifications through on the job training and assessment. In the last year the Centre has been awarded both the Unionlearn Quality Award and the Matrix Standard Award, both of which are testament to the continually high standard of learning and support offered at St. Antony’s. The achievement of such awards can be credited to members of staff within both the Centre as a whole as well as individuals within the training team. Julie Kolb, who sadly left the Centre in August 2008, was instrumental in developing the Centre’s professional learning and quality standards leading to achieving the Unionlearn Quality Award. Following Julie’s departure the department was pleased to welcome Melissa Griffiths to the role of Literacy and Numeracy Trainer. As a qualified Literacy tutor with experience as a Skills for Life Co-ordinator, Melissa has brought about a number of changes. She has played a vital role in achieving the Matrix Standard Award and has ensured that the current Train to Gain contract has been a success. The Train 2 Gain Contract (Literacy and Numeracy) Throughout the last 12 months we have delivered Literacy and Numeracy at a range of levels, both on site and in the Centre.

As always we have accommodated shift patterns and employer expectation. We have delivered on a number of sites where redundancy has been imminent making it necessary to respond to need quickly and effectively. The companies we have worked with include: Wincanton: We have delivered Literacy and Numeracy at both Trafford Park and Wigan sites, 27 learners have completed a programme of study. Both employer and learner response has been excellent with a number of learners achieving both Literacy and Numeracy qualifications. We plan to return to Wincanton in Wigan, later in 2009, to help a further 35 individuals achieve Literacy and Numeracy qualifications. Remploy Radcliffe: We have always maintained a strong partnership with a number of Remploy sites, and 2009 saw us return to Remploy Radcliffe. Under the new Train to Gain provision and with the introduction of Entry Level Assignments we are able to offer nationally recognised qualifications to the 12 learners on the course. Tameside Council: We have recently established a working relationship with Tameside Council, which has led to 12 learners enrolling on programme. We hope that this will be the start of a long and profitable partnership with Tameside Council allowing them to upskill a large proportion of their workforce. Other Provision: As well as those outlined above we have delivered on a number of other sites including Woolston Library (in conjunction with Warrington Council), Asda Ince and King’s Road Primary School as well as small classes and 1-to-1 sessions held at the Centre. We also aim to start a number of evening classes in the coming months to accommodate those who live and work in the Greater Manchester area but are unable to study during the day. In the last 12 months all learners have completed a course and sat at least one exam. We have a current pass rate of 97%.

Martin Breary Support Trainer

Melissa Griffiths Literacy/Numeracy Trainer

Tom Fredrickson Training Manager


The ESF Contract (ITQ) This has allowed us to provide accredited provision for those who use IT as part of their work. We are currently working on two sites: Wincanton Wigan and King’s Road Primary School. We have enrolled 16 learners on the course and expect them all to achieve NVQ Level 1. In 2009 we will be promoting the course to local employers and hope to achieve a very high success rate for those completing the course.

Start IT and Bespoke Courses In the past year we have worked closely with Reach Out and have provided Start IT classes to 76 learners across 4 sites. The largest was at Cereal Partners, Bromborough, where 42 learners completed and passed the course. At European Colour Pigments, Stockport, 26 learners passed the course. We have managed to maintain a 100% achievement rate in relation to the Start IT, a City & Guilds Qualification. As a department we pride ourselves on meeting individual needs, with this in mind we returned to St John Vianney’s School to deliver a bespoke IT course to the Sixth Form students. The course has been designed using NOCN units and means that 8 students will achieve an Entry Level 3 qualification in Progression. The students have learnt how to use basic software such as Word, PowerPoint, Publisher as well as Digital Photography software.

Facts and Figures Over the past twelve months we have taught in excess of 180 students, providing 3,000 hours of guided learning. We have worked at 12 outreach sites across Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

The Unionlearn Quality Award The award was granted to St Antony’s Centre in November 2008 following assessment. The award is given to Learning Centres that meet Unionlearn’s good practice criteria and who are committed to working with trade unions and can demonstrate that unions and union learners are considered in the design, development and delivery of their courses and programmes. St Antony’s has always operated

under this ethos, and the training department is pleased to receive recognition for the work it has done with trade unions and union members.

The Matrix Standard Award The Matrix Standard was awarded to St Antony’s Centre in April 2009. This is the nationally recognised quality standard for any organisation that delivers information, advice and/or guidance on learning and work. The Centre has always strived to help and support individuals both inside and outside of the classroom. The Matrix Standard has been given for the excellent service, policies and procedures we have in place. Through the Matrix assessment it was clear that both learners and employers hold the Centre in high regard, which is testament to the hard work and caring attitude of its staff.

~ ~ ~ o O o ~ ~ ~ Reflection We have had another successful year in the training department, maintaining the high standards associated with St. Antony’s. This year our efforts have been recognised by both the Unionlearn Quality Award and the Matrix Standard Award. Our efforts are also reflected in the number of learners achieving nationally recognised qualifications. As a consequence of a shift in demand and the changing financial climate the training team responded to more off-site delivery and flexible delivery. In many cases we had to act quickly to ensure that employees facing redundancy were given an opportunity to gain qualifications before they left their employer. In 2009/10 we aim to continue promoting the courses and services offered by the training department and to secure greater business and employment engagement as part of our ongoing recruitment drive.

Tom Fredrickson Training Manager

Dorothy Kneen Senior Trainer


Reach Out

The Reach Out Project started 4 years ago in partnership with the GMB North West & Irish Region, funded through the U n i o n L e a r n i n g F u n d . Responsibility for managing the project was given to St Antony’s Centre in recognition of its expertise in education and

training developed over the past 30 years. The partnership with St Antony's offers a unique benefit over other ULF contracts by integrating it with an accredited training provider recognised by City and Guilds and The Open College Network. The Project played a significant role in assisting St Antony’s Centre achieve the Matrix and Unionlearn Quality Awards. The unique partnership ensures learners get the best possible start before, during and after their lifelong learning path. Summer 2008 saw the arrival of Matt Bowe onto the Reach Out team as a Project Worker for the Manchester and Cheshire districts. Matt hit the ground running and has proved to be a valuable asset to the team bringing considerable experience of working within industry and the trade union movement to his role. Dave Flanagan re-focused his activities around the Lancashire and Merseyside districts and liaison with Unionlearn. The project has come a long way since 2004, with the last 12 months probably being the most challenging yet. During this period industry has had to endure some testing times and for some the opportunity to engage with the Reach Out project has been instrumental in guiding them through the changes. Reach Out is very much pro-active in its approach to the learning agenda, the past year has required some innovative thinking in order to respond quickly and effectively to support those threatened or faced with redundancy. In September 2008, 293 workers at Asda Ince were facing redundancy. A ten-week emergency response programme was co-ordinated by Reach Out engaging with several local learning providers including St Antony’s Centre, Wigan and Leigh College, 1st Rate Training and Red Rose Training to ensure that every single

employee was given the best possible chance of finding further employment. Employees across all shifts were invited to one-on-one sessions with Reach Out project workers to discuss their training options. As a result of the Reach Out intervention over 150 individuals embarked on courses including literacy, numeracy, basic IT, fork lift truck licenses, heavy goods vehicle licenses and A1 assessors courses to name but a few. A similar exercise was run at European Colour Pigments in Stockport where over 20 individuals received accredited training and qualifications through St Antony’s Centre. “Such positive people did what they promised

with our redundant staff, in three phases (workers) were sorted with jobs, study or other

opportunities, every single one!”

Sadly we are receiving more and more requests from individuals and employers who are seeking our assistance in response to job losses. In the last 12 months Reach Out has directly assisted over 400 individuals in improving their employability options through education and training. Companies who have so far benefited from the redundancy response initiative include Wincanton, Asda, Rentokil, Remploy and European Colours. Despite the tragedy of redundancy it is our priority to ensure individuals have access to quality information, advice and guidance. Armed with the right knowledge and understanding we are finding more and more people embrace the opportunity to return to education, enhancing their work-based and personal skills to carry into their new employment. Local Authorities We have engaged with many Local Authorities in the North West including Tameside, Oldham, Manchester, Warrington, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley, Trafford, Bolton, Stockport, Fylde, Wigan, Blackburn, Darwen and Salford. Work on site is at various stages of development. Tameside Council for example is now a funded project in its own right; Reach Out has worked closely with Beryl Mulroy, our Lead ULR for the council, in partnering with local providers, unions and council directorates to implement a learning programme that is available to all council employees, friends and family.

David Flanagan

Matt Bowe


Beryl has worked tirelessly to build a learning culture through all departments securing funding from the TUC Learning and Skills for All Fund and has also established Tameside MBC as a pilot site for the new Collective Learning Fund initiative. We are now seeking to secure an on site learning facility at one of the depots to respond to the growing demand for courses.

Participating organisations GMB ULF Reach Out Project 2008/09

Manchester City Council New Charter Housing

Remploy (various sites) Warrington BC

John Lennon Airport Jacobs Biscuits

Asda Wincanton (Wigan & Trafford Park Sites)

Heinz Salford Council

St Helens Council Scapa UK Ltd

Novellis Glendale Parks and Gardens

Rentokil Cereal Partners Bolton Council

GMB Unison Unite FBU

URTU TUC UnionLearn

Bolton Town Centre Chaplaincy Tameside Council Stockport Council

Trafford BC Oldham Council Fylde Council

Knowsley Council Merseyside Fire and Rescue Lancashire Fire and Rescue

Merseyside Marine Rescue Unit Parasol - Lancashire

The Reach Out team has had a busy 12 months in supporting employees, employers, training providers, local authorities, Unions, community and faith organisations in promoting the lifelong learning agenda. Reach Out works in partnership with various other campaigns and initiatives to help promote learning including Quick Reads, BBC Raw campaign, UnionLearn, Move On, learn at work week and Learning Routes.

Learning Bus Learning Routes is our very own double decker bus which has internet access and is used to promote our work enabling us to bring learning to those who may not ordinarily benefit or have access to learning opportunities, information, advice and guidance. Any of our ULR’s (union learner reps) can book the bus for events within their workplace providing them with a valuable resource to promote their work and recruit people on to courses. The bus is proving to be more and more popular with over 59 bookings in the last 12 months and many more planned over the coming months particularly during Adult Learner Week 2009 where we plan to visit over 20 different locations in 5 days! Progress to date The following figures demonstrate the level of activity which has been managed through the Reach Out project since the 1st April 2008.

Although we have had a prosperous year there is still much to do. More exciting developments are already in the pipeline including new office and training facilities in Lancashire and new onsite learning facilities planned at several of our project sites. What remains clear from the feedback from our learners, ULR’s and partner organisations is that the work of the Reach Out project is key in promoting the lifelong learning agenda and integral in assisting the Government in achieving the targets set out in the Leitch Report to improve and uplift the skills of the UK workforce. It has become a shared mission with the Centre to demonstrate and celebrate dignity at work through education and training.

David Flanagan Reach Out Project Worker

Total number of Skills for Life Learners (Literacy & Numeracy)

410

Total number of Learners enrolled on ITQ Level 2

238

Total number of Learners taking other ITC Courses

303

Total number of Learning Opportunities accessed

1484

Total number of Individuals who have received Structured Information and Advice

1697


Diocesan Work

This report captures the mission of St Antony’s Centre for Church and Industry and its aim of serving the community and giving witness to the Church’s concern for those in the World of Work and in the community. Catholic Social Thinking calls upon us all to work for the “Common Good” - that is the search after and maintenance of all those necessary conditions to enable people to become more fully human. It is this holistic approach to people, the importance of their dignity and striving to meet their needs across a range of areas that we hope helps to epitomise the distinctive nature of the work the Centre carries out in partnership with others. The Matrix Report captures the distinctive contribution that the Centre makes and the extra mile that it travels in serving and meeting peoples’ needs with its person-centred approach. It is rewarding to see this recognised in an official report conducted by an independent assessor who has met with and interviewed a wide range of people and groups we serve. The very positive statements and recognition contained within that Report I commend to you for further reading as an indication that we have not left the mission of our Centre behind in responding to the changing economic situation. We have not left behind our prophetic element that invites us to challenge areas of injustice where they exist. Sadly, the downturn in the economic climate has highlighted ways in which many of our Migrant workers are treated in the UK economy. In the Autumn of 2008 we supported a Polish Quarry worker in Lancashire to secure the earnings that he had been denied by his employer. I am pleased to say the Employment Tribunal found in his favour. However, little did we know that this was the thin end of the wedge. Good news travels fast and we found ourselves inundated with a range of calls from individuals who had been cheated out of their rights and earnings by a

number of employers. This resulted in helping to try and establish a network of support in Lancashire. We are trying to secure additional resources with our partners to develop a new outreach office in the area to meet these needs and provide training in this part of the Diocese.

Parasol In association with Parasol based at St Joseph’s Parish in Accrington, the Director attended and provided a number of employment workshops and opportunities to discuss local issues and rights at work. This also took place in a visit to Nelson and has led to ongoing liaison and development work taking place between the Centre Staff and Bernadette, the Project Workers in the area. The Centre became involved in a significant issue involving a worker early in 2009, for legal reasons we are unable to print the details at this time. Catholic Fellowship During the year, we were happy to assist the Catholic Handicapped Fellowship in the Diocese in the production of a booklet to mark their 50 years of serving the Diocese. The Centre Secretary helped produce an invite and booklet for the service which was greatly appreciated by the organisation. Visits During the year, the Director and Staff attended a number of Parish visits to speak to groups as well as the National and Local Conferences offering opportunity to run workshops on the work of the Centre or to respond specifically to issues related to the economy. The Director also spoke to the National Council of Lay Associations meeting in Crewe on the Economic Situation and the response of Catholic Social Thinking to the Financial Crisis.


Mainz The Director attended the Planning Meeting of GEPO in Brussels in the autumn of 2008, marking a return by us to the European scene and full engagement with the work of our European colleagues in Diocese across Europe. In February the Centre sent a delegation to the Conference on Decent Work organised by our partners in the Pastoral for Work at a European level. The Conference took place in the excellent Diocesan facilities in the Diocese of Mainz. We were pleased to invite the Industrial Mission Association to send two Chaplains to accompany the delegation from Salford Diocese.

The Conference provided an opportunity to share our work with colleagues from Malta, Portugal, France, Germany, Spain, Romania and Luxembourg who were present. A full copy of the Conference Report and Speeches which included a number of addresses by leading academics on Christian Social Thinking will be available from the Centre in the Summer of 2009. Contact has continued following the Conference through e-mail with the possibility of a further Conference to be held in 2010. The organising group have been invited to meet in Manchester in the not too distant future to plan the programme and to develop the Decent Work campaign further.

Delegates from various countries who took part in the recent Conference on Decent Work in Mainz

Welcome Fr Martin In the light of Fr Carter’s retirement from Chaplaincy, the Bishop of Salford, Rt Rev T Brain, has given permission for Fr Martin Saunders to undertake duties as Assistant Chaplain to the Centre. Fr Martin is no stranger to the work as a former member of the YCW in Salford Diocese before he was ordained, he has throughout his priestly ministry encouraged the development of the Adult Lay Apostolate. In February 2009, Fr Martin took part in the GEPO Conference in Mainz alongside the Diocesan Delegation. He was instrumental in establishing the Parasol Project in his parish at St Joseph’s, Accrington.

We extend a warm welcome to Fr Martin as a new member of the Centre Team.


GMIM

The year saw some exciting developments with the creation of a new Chaplaincy at the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich and the ordination of Wendy White at the Reebok Stadium. Wendy serves 2½ days a week on the Retail and Business Park and her Chaplaincy has been warmly received by employers and employees alike. The Oldham Town Centre Chaplaincy took a new step forward with the decision by the GMIM Council recently to adopt the Chaplaincy under its auspices. This opens the way for the Centre and GMIM to offer support for the development of the Chaplaincy and the creation of a plan to meet the needs of the Retail and Business Community in Horwich. Serving on the Bolton Chaplaincy and Social Cohesion Management Groups has enabled us to shape the way in which the projects have started to merge, providing a comprehensive service across Bolton Town Centre in partnership with the Churches in the area. The Cohesion Project, funded by Bolton Local Authority, has secured a further two years funding for the Project Team now located permanently in the town at The Hub. The placement of Mike Aspinall continued. He is undergoing training for ministry which resulted in him supporting the “Night Time Café Project”, a pilot initiative to support those, particularly young people, who are in Bolton Town Centre late in the evening and

early hours of the morning to enjoy the entertainment facilities of the area. A number of individuals can find themselves in vulnerable situations as a result of some of their activities in the town. The Night Time Café was a pilot programme supported by the Town Centre Ambassadors and the Police. The initial project which ran in the Summer of 2008 has been successful. Discussions are underway to see how this can be supported and sustained longer term. The Chaplaincy in Bolton Town Centre is undertaken part time by Alan Scantlebury who took over from Rev Jean Hurlston in the Summer of 2008. Alan had previously been working on the Cohesion Project. The Centre and the Chaplaincy worked together on a “Response to Redundancy” event in Bolton Town Centre with the support of the Reach Out Learning Bus and Team. The Bus and staff were also present again at the Faith Event held in the Town Centre on Easter Saturday 2009. We record our sincere appreciation to Rev Trevor Dixon on his retirement as the GMIM Transport Chaplain. Trevor moved to Yorkshire in the summer of 2008 to take up a part time appointment and enjoy time with his family. We wish Trevor and Christine well in their retirement.

Presentation of Rev Trevor Dixon on his Retirement as Transport Chaplain l-r: Rev Brian Tomkins; Rev Jean Hurslton; Rev Bob Davies; Rev Trevor Dixon; Rev Kevin Ball; Judith Elgey; Rev Terry Simms; Fr Joe Carter; Mike Aspinall;

Chris Cooper; Elizabeth Flanagan; Stephen Bowe and Matt Bowe


Chaplaincy and Fr Joe

We cannot produce this year’s report without paying significant tribute to Fr Joe, who celebrated his 50 years as an ordained Pr iest in February 2009. It also marked the point at which Fr Joe started to retire from the wide range of Industrial Chaplaincy which he has undertaken since the 1980’s to a number of Industrial Premises and to Greater Manchester Police. This was marked with the presentation of a certificate and a personal visit by Peter Fahey, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester who, along with colleagues, paid tribute to the excellent service that Fr Joe has given to the GMP starting at Greymare Lane Police Station and then moving to be Chaplain to the Greater Manchester Police Headquarters at Chester House. Fr Carter has announced that he will be retiring after 35 years as Parish Priest at St Antony of Padua, Trafford Park. At his previous parish, St Alphonus Old Trafford, he started the Young Christian Workers Group, becoming the Diocesan and National Chaplain to the Team. It was at St Alphonsus in the late 60’s that he recruited Kevin to the YCW. Little were they to know it would become a partnership for life. Over the years his Chaplaincy sites have included companies such as Unilever Foods, Kellogg’s and Greater Manchester Police, Duerrs (Old Trafford) and Kipling Bakery (Wythenshawe). He supported the Trafford Park Business Forum as well as serving as Chair of St Antony’s Catholic College Governors, Chaplain to the National Council of Lay Association and was Chair of the National Conference of Priests.

Fr Joe served on the E cumen ica l Gr ea t e r Manchester Industrial Mission Council during the 90’s representing Salford Diocese and was i n v o l v e d i n t h e establishment of the first P r a y e r R o o m a t Manchester Airport in the 1980’s.

The announcement by Fr Joe marks a significant point in the history of The Centre as he was with the Director the Co-founder starting in the Presbytery in 1979. Discussions have taken place with the Greater Manchester Industrial Mission Council to further develop the Ecumenical Chaplaincy in Trafford Park. Discussions are taking place in relation to the Roman Catholic involvement with the Police Chaplaincy in Greater Manchester in association with the Chaplaincy co-ordinated by Rev Charles Nevin, a member of the Industrial Mission team. There is not enough space within this report to pay tribute to the sterling work undertaken by Fr Joe, let alone his one-to-one commitment to many employees in the area who have called upon his services, advice and guidance. We record our sincere gratitude and appreciation for his service and dedication to the work of the Centre and wish him well during the retirement years.


Farewell and Thank You

Albert Holt Albert in his youth was an organiser for the Young Christian Workers Movement and with his wife, May, founded the Christian Family Weeks. He was a life long s u p p o r t e r o f t he principles of the Cardijn Association. As a very active member of the Cardijn Association in Manchester Albert was widely recognised for his contribution to the Adult Lay Apostolate in the Church at many levels. The Diocese and wider Church owe Albert a debt of gratitude for his service to families and for bringing gospel values to life in other peoples’ lives. Albert played a significant role in the early years of the Centre and with the Diocesan Family Forum and Salford Diocesan YCW Management Committee. Albert and May were regular attendees at Cardijn events and functions, helping to organise the Cardijn Dinner at Manchester Town Hall in the 1990’s. Albert died on 10 May 2008. He is one of the “Saints” of the Church. Chris Woodcock ~ Chris died suddenly following illness. He worked with the Centre and the Trafford Park Investment Strategy in the 1980’s as a representative of the Kellogg Company of Great Britain. Chris’s commitment to the wider community and his engagement with the Centre was warmly appreciated. Kellogg’s was one of the first Companies to sponsor the IT training programme known as the Bridge Scheme thanks to the support shown by Chris.

Fr Michael Walsh Fr Michael joined t h e D i o c e s a n Communications Project in 1995, which was established by the Centre. He later became its Chair. Fr Michael died suddenly at his Parish, St Paul’s, Guide Bridge, on 7 November 2008. Fr Michael was highly respected by those in the Broadcasting Media providing a service to the BBC Manchester Religious Affairs programmes and the Bishop’s Conference Communications Committee for many years.

Councillor Bill Risby ~ A former member of the Young Christian Workers Movement and a member of the Cardijn Association. As Mayor of Manchester in 1994, he took part in the official opening of the re-built Centre and was a life-long advocate and supporter of its work. Bill was a highly respected Councillor and campaigner on Peace issues who lived out his apostolate through his community, family and political engagement in the Labour Party. The integrity of politics was well protected in Bill’s hands.

We record appreciation to people who have served or worked with the Centre in the past who have

sadly died during 2008 / 09.

We record our sincere appreciation for their work and

entrust them to the Lord in our prayers


In the late 1990’s, the Centre experienced significant cashflow pressures due to changes in the way in which it receives its grants and income. The main cause of this has been the “payment by results” and retrospective funding based on performance from agencies like the Learning & Skills Council. This effectively means that the Centre has to expend its resources in advance before it can recoup the revenue. In some instances, this can lead to significant delays especially where the project is quarterly funded which means receipt of income can be anything up to 5-6 months behind expenditure incurred. For Charities and Voluntary Organisations this can cause significant pressures and their ability to draw down pump-priming funding is often limited. In response to this, the Centre Finance Committee set in place reserves policies to address the needs of the Centre as it has grown.

“The Centre established and retained a reserve fund to enable it to have sufficient cashflow to meet its operational needs for a minimum of 6 months.

A policy of building up the reserves has therefore taken place which enables the Centre to finance its ongoing activities on a daily basis. The Charity Commission also expect organisations like St Antony’s to follow a model of good practice by ensuring it retains the equivalent of six months of operating costs as reserves should there be difficulties with future funding streams. On average, the Centre is expending over £200,000 per year. This means we should have a reserve fund of at least £100,000 which represents 6 months operating costs. At the end of 2007 the total reserves available to the Centre were £64,000 and at the end of 2008 was £125,000. The aim by the end of 2009 is to have a reserve fund of £140,000 representing 50% of anticipated expenditure in 2009. Accounts 2008 The Centre had a good operating year with income of £325,714 which includes an exceptional income item of £30,000 relating to funding secured in 2007 but not entered into the accounts until 2009. The expenditure for the year was £267,833 showing a surplus of £57,881. Without the exceptional item the operating surplus would have been £17,881 in line with previous years’ performance. The importance of the retained surplus fund is demonstrated by the fact that at the time of preparing the report, May 2009, the Centre is awaiting over £100,000 of grant income for work undertaken during the first part of the year. The fund is also helping to support immediate response to redundancy and development work in new areas of the Diocese enabling us to secure additional funds for our charitable and training activities. We record appreciation to the Learning & Skills Council, Salford Diocesan Trustees, Centre Users and European Social Fund for the grant and income to meet our charitable objectives. Attached are the Final Accounts for 2008 prepared by Nairne Son & Green, Accountants K W Flanagan Director May 2009

Financial Statement 2008


Income and Expenditure Account

20 08 20 07 Income £ £ £ £ Centre Hire 26,884 29,947 Office Services 4,710 3,654 General Grants 69,442 55,404 Projects 210,706 105,289 Industrial Chaplaincy 8,528 29,046 Heritage Income 867 1,215 Fund Raising 50 100 General Sales & Sundries 3,767 1,451 Interest Received 760 126 Total Income 325,714 226,232

Expenditure Centre Hire Costs 7,272 5,889 Salary Costs 57,516 65,793 Industrial Chaplaincy 9,185 24,037 Rates 1,039 999 Heat, Light & Power 5,754 3,520 Insurance 2 300 Telephone 1,043 1,384 Equipment Leasing 2,094 957 Maintenance & Repairs 8,525 9,614 Administration & Sundries 4,242 3,001 Travel Expenses 1,000 2,269 Projects 165,066 84,740 Heritage Expenses 2,309 1,616 General Purchases & Sundries 1,849 1,288 Bank Charges 37 0 Professional fees 750 1,402 Depreciation 150 0

267,833 206,809 Income over Expenditure £ 57,881 £ 19,423

1st January to 31st December 2008


Balance Sheet ~ 1st January to 31st December 2008

Note 2008 2007 £ £ £ £

Fixed assets Tangible assets 1 551 1,667

Stock 2,760 3,470 Debtors 61,177 31,494 Bank Accounts 95,849 54,643 Trafford Park Arts Bank A/cs 1,071 1,056 Cash balances 228 686

161,085 91,349 161,636 93,016

Creditors Amounts payable within 1 year (36,592) (28,853) Net Assets 125,044 64,163

Financed by: Jubilee Fund 5,195 2,195 Retained Surpluses Balance brought forward 61,9684 42,545

Surplus for the year 57,881 19,423 119,849 61,968 125,044 64,163

1 Fixed assets Fixtures Computer

& Fittings Equipment Total £ £ £

Cost 1st January 2008 11,841 23,332 35,173 Additions - - -

31st December 2008 11,841 23,332 35,173

Depreciation 1st January 2008 10,646 22,860 33,506 P & L a/c charge for the year 1,116 - 1,116

31st December 2008 11,762 22,860 34,622

Net book value 31 December 2008 79 472 551

Net book value 31 December 2007 1,195 472 1,667

Notes to the Financial Statements 1st January to 31st December 2008

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