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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£2.3K
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Spending
£1.7K
- Charity no. 107546
- Company no. 656025
- Date registered. 21/09/2020
Public benefits
Our purposes have the potential to make a significant contribution to improving community relationships and building reconciliation in a divided society. The direct contact between Volunteers and visitors facilitates one to one dialogue and discussion which together with the contents and exhibits on view in the Heritage Centre provide
information, education ,illustration and increased understanding for visitors about the legacy left by the Planters in shaping today's society. The explanation of our culture and heritage as part of a personal guided tour process provides informal and relaxed opportunities for social interaction with all communities, opens up dialogue, helps build a path to greater understanding , promotes good -will and contributes to the lowering of barriers. We also re-inforce the commitment of the Presbyterian community to peace building by promoting the Church not only as a place for worship but as a shared space accessible to everyone. A written notice at the entrance emphasises our commitment to a shared society. One of our purposes at Para 4(3) of the Memorandum is to tell about the re-opening of the Church building in 2011 after protracted closure due to dry rot. The re-opening service included a large attendance of Church,Community and Political representatives from all communities. Volunteers use photographs and written reports of this inter-denominational service to illustrate to visitors the continuing commitment to cross-community engagement and peace building. The planned introduction of a programme of visits by local schools and colleges to the Heritage Centre next season will also help to extend knowledge and education about our past shared history to the younger generation. . Our purposes also include partnership and joint ventures with City Council, statutory bodies and community groups to maximise the benefits of cultural heritage tourism for the region. There is direct positive feedback from verbal and written comments left by visitors, not only in the Heritage Centre Visitors' book but also on social media and other online platforms. Our work contributes to Central and Local Government Tourism policy objectives which encourage unlocking the potential of cultural heritage tourism as a means of addressing difficult or contested histories. Museums,heritage sites and their collections are perceived as offering vital tools for this purpose. Blue Coat School Heritage Centre is a member of the City Council's cross-community Heritage Venues Group which meets monthly as a team to devise practical programmes which can contribute constructively to these objectives. Closer working relationships are helping to break down barriers at local level and may set an example for others to follow. It is also hoped that Heritage Venues' collective efforts will increase visitor footfall and provide economic benefits for the local community. No known harm has arisen from direct implementation of our purposes. As the general public has access to our buildings we take into account health and safety considerations for all users. A risk assessment which identifies physical hazards and potential risks has been carried out and circulated to all volunteers who maintain constant vigilance and encourage visitors to mind steps and use handrails. The Charity's buildings and displays are open to everyone so the beneficiaries are the local community, the regional, national and international communities who will receive information, education and have an opportunity to engage in dialogue with the Blue Coat School volunteers about the history and heritage of the Presbyterian community in the context of the 17th Century Plantation of Londonderry. The introduction of a regular programme of visits for schools and colleges will increase the range of beneficiaries at local level. Indirect beneficiaries are Tourism N.I. and Derry City and Strabane District Council because Blue Coat School,together with the Heritage Venues Group is a delivery agency for a main focus of their strategic objectives which, they believe, can lead to increased visitor numbers and have a positive economic impact on the local economy. Volunteers also benefit from job satisfaction gained from dialogue and discussion with local and international visitors. Blue Coat School Heritage Centre's principal business activities are listed in Company House documentation as Museums activities(91020) and Operation of historical sites and buildings and similar visitor attractions(91030). To engage in these activities entails purchasing leaflets, documents,displays materials, audio-visual facilities and creating a website. This generates income for suppliers of goods and IT services but it is essential to operate our Heritage Centre and incidental to the activities in which we engage. To the extent that we contribute to increased visitor numbers in the City we are also generating income for accommodation providers and retail outlets but the quantum of this cannot be assessed precisely. We use our accommodation for occasional talks,presentations or musical events.Some of these may involve providing teas or lunches which benefits local caterers. Again, incidental to mainstream activities but essential to maximise our Heritage offer.
What your organisation does
Blue Coat School Heritage Centre is open free of charge to all visitors each Wednesday,Thursday and Friday from the beginning of May until the end of September.The Centre consists of two buildings,First Derry Presbyterian Church,established in 1690 and the adjacent Blue Coat School building established in 1773. A team of 12 volunteers, working on a
rota basis, provide personal guided tours of both buildings to all visitors. The Centre is adjacent to the City Walls and projects a welcoming presence to the local and international communities. Signage on the Walls and on the Church railings state that all visitors are welcome, entry is free of charge, the Church is a listed historic building grade B+ and the Blue Coat School tells the story of Presbyterians from the Plantation to the present. On entering the building all visitors are met by a Blue Coat School guide and offered an information leaflet which may be in English,German,Dutch,German or Italian,depending on the provenance of the visiting individual or group.The Volunteer will then offer to show the visitor around the Church and the Blue Coat School. During each personally guided tour the main features and history of the Church building are explained to visitors, including the extensive internal refurbishment which took place between 2009 and 2011.In the Blue Coat School an audio visual presentation, touch screen, information panels and exhibits present an overview of the Plantation of Londonderry in the 17th century, the arrival of the Presbyterians in the City,the challenges and persecutions which they endured and the contributions which they made over the centuries to industry, commerce and education in the local community. Before leaving visitors are invited to sign the visitors' book and may leave comments, if they wish. In addition to these activities promotion and marketing of Blue Coat School Heritage Centre is carried out on our website www.firstderrybluecoatschool.com
The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of education
- The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
- The advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity
Who the charity helps
- Children (5-13 year olds)
- General public
- Interface communities
- Men
- Older people
- Parents
- Voluntary and community sector
- Volunteers
- Women
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Community development
- Cross-border/cross-community
- Cultural
- Education/training
- Heritage/historical
- Volunteer development