LA Annual Report 2023-2024
Argyll and Bute Council · 22 August 2024
Back to Community Services Committee — 22 August 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Annual Report 2023/24 Appendix 1
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Welcome to our Annual Report 3-4 Our facilities & services 5 Our values & organisation 6-7 Leisure and Library Trusts matter 8-9 Facility developments 10 A year in numbers 11 Case studies 12-29 Digital marketing 30 Looking ahead 31 Financial statement 32-36 Thanks to our partners 37 CONTENTS liveArgyll.co.uk 2
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Welcome to our annual report 2023/2024 Welcome from Kevin Anderson liveArgyll Chief Officer liveArgyll.co.uk I am delighted to introduce our 7th Annual Report which tells our story of how liveArgyll “makes a difference” in our communities. liveArgyll is an organisation which delivers a wide range of services across the full geographic and demographic spectrum of Argyll and Bute. These services are underpinned by one key theme, “making a difference”. This report will highlight how our independence, agile nature and understanding of our communities enables us to react quickly to meet local needs and also respond to wider market forces. We work proactively and collaboratively with a wide variety of national and community focussed organisations to achieve outcomes with high social value and which truly make a difference in our communities. The trust model is built on a founding principle of cross-subsidy. Our model allows for the cross- subsidy of services, i.e. alongside our annual services payment our income generating leisure and event activities allow for the cross subsidy our non-income generating activities. This model supports reduced cost or free activities for those with less disposable income and once again this year has removed significant cost pressures from Council resources. Since our inception in 2017 we have developed thriving, local, community leisure, event and Library services that deliver real impacts and/or contribute to a range of national and local policy priorities including but not limited to; • Improving physical health and wellbeing • Reducing health inequalities • Improving mental health and wellbeing • Contributing to local economies • Local and national skills development, jobs and training • Supporting community cohesion and engagement • Reducing crime and anti-social behaviour • Reducing social isolation and loneliness • Reducing childhood obesity • Proactively reducing environmental impact • Safeguarding local cultural and community assets and making them accessible to the community • Supporting local community groups - and organisations, businesses/entrepreneurs, and artists 3
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Our annual report provides both quantitative and qualitative data. The figures demonstrate our continuing success and I hope you are also able to obtain a small insight via the highlighted case studies into the wide ranging services delivered noting the valued impact of these amongst our users. This report emphasises the social value and importance of retaining such services and the difference we can make to individuals, groups and communities. Working in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council we are delivering for the citizens and visitors to the area. Finally it goes without saying that none of our successes would be possible without our motivated and skilled staff group. liveArgyll.co.uk 4
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OUR FACILITIES & SERVICES liveArgyll.co.uk 5 LEISURE Aqualibrium Leisure Centre Helensburgh Leisure Centre Mid Argyll Sports Centre Rothesay Leisure Centre The Queen’s Hall Gym Riverside Leisure Centre HALLS & COMMUNITY CENTRES Queen’s Hall, Dunoon Victoria Hall, Campbeltown Victoria Halls, Helensburgh Ramsay Hall, Isle of Islay The Corran Halls, Oban Kintyre Community Centre Lochgilphead Community Centre Dunoon Community Centre Moat Centre, Rothesay LIBRARIES Campbeltown Cardross Dunoon Helensburgh Lochgilphead Oban Rosneath Rothesay Tarbert Tiree Tobermory Sandbank Office (including Library Headquarters and Local Studies) Islay Mobile Library ARCHIVES PITCHES COMMUNITY LETS CAMPBELTOWN MUSEUM SERVICES Active Schools and Sports Development Community Learning Health and Wellbeing
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“Our communities and visitors lead richer and more active lives.” We have 7 Trustees, all of whom are volunteers and support the strategic direction and governance of the company led by Kevin Anderson, Chief Officer. LiveArgyll is a not-for-profit charitable company, limited by guarantee. (Charity No SC047545) LiveArgyll was launched on 2nd October 2017 and provides sport, leisure, recreation and cultural opportunities for the communities of Argyll and Bute. THE ORGANISATION OUR VISION liveArgyll.co.uk 6 Customer Feedback “I was involved a horrific accident last year and very lucky to have survived it. I was very badly injured and started attending major trauma physiotherapy sessions. My physiotherapist advised me to try and slowly get back to my swimming, gym and fitness classes which I have attended for years. I have always enjoyed my exercise and was missing it terribly. . The staff at live Argyll were so supportive and helped to encourage me and also Helped me adapt some of the exercises to suit me and my injuries. They are all very knowledgeable and go out of their way to help you, such a friendly team. I still have some ongoing problems but the team have not just helped me physically but mentally as well . It’s great to be back. Walking into classes you are always made very welcome by the team.” Lynette Waldie Helensburgh Leisure Centre Customer Feedback “I am an Event Cyclist. I have taken part in many long distance events (86m being a reasonable distance) and I have used the classes on offer to help prepare me to take on these challenges. The classes have helped me to not only become physically ready but also mentally prepared and have been especially helpful in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Classes have helped re-kindle my body positive mentality and recent innovations in class content and structure have been exemplary.” Charlie Jones Rothesay Leisure Centre
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liveArgyll.co.uk 7 OUR VALUES EMPLOYEES The trust values all employees. Through investment we will maximise their potential, helping them to achieve their career aspirations and deliver high quality customer service that exceeds expectations INCLUSIVE Continuing to adopt an inclusive approach, recognising and respecting the needs of all within our communities A continuous cycle of improving and introducing new products, services or processes DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE The trust will continuously build and enhance the knowledge and expertise of its workforce and strategic partners to deliver high quality services that respond to our customers’ needs CUSTOMER SERVICE We are passionate about delivering the highest level of customer service INNOVATION Understanding the need to be innovative across all areas of the business to reach and deliver new benchmarks in service delivery SAFETY Ensuring the health and safety of employees and customers, going above and beyond legal requirements to provide a safe environment for all EQUALITY ASPIRATION Maintaining in depth policies and procedures to ensure equality in the workplace and for customers alike The trust has a culture of being aspirational and will strive to challenge its status and align itself with continuous improvement and examples of best practice
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liveArgyll.co.uk 8 LEISURE AND LIBRARY TRUSTS MATTER… Why Charitable Trusts are great! Why do Trusts do what they do? Because all 113 Trusts across the UK share a passion to improve social, mental and physical wellbeing and the difference they make together is remarkable. Improving people’s health and wellbeing means reducing the cost of treatment and care later in life. It can help reduce crime and improve educational outcomes as well as increasing personal happiness. That carries a social value of £1.5 billion. This figure is from the Social Value calculator developed by Sheffield Hallam University in partnership with 4global and Experian. The social value calculator measures 15 outcomes grouped under 4 categories: • Physical and mental health • Mental wellbeing • Individual development • Social and Community development This is an impressive figure but it is hard to convey or even imagine the thousands of individual lives changed for the better each year. From people now living healthier lives after embarking on their fitness journey to those living happier lives being part of a creative programme. Charitable Trusts come in all shapes and sizes but they all have two things in common; to do good and make things better, and liveArgyll is no different as a local charity operating within Argyll and Bute. Every penny made is reinvested back into local facilities and programmes. This cross-subsidy approach distinguishes the model from other public leisure services because profit generating activities subsidise non-profit generating activities such as health and wellbeing, libraries and outreach programmes. With a combined turnover of £2 billion a year, that’s a lot of money going back into the local economy. It also enables income from users who can afford to pay to be ring-fenced to subsidise access to activities. Importantly, Trusts don’t have shareholders and they are not private businesses. liveArgyll is run by board members from the local community. liveArgyll work in partnership with the Council, we listen to communities and are fully transparent. Each trust delivers slightly different programmes which reflect the need within the community. It’s not just councils our members partner with however. Partnership working is part of our DNA and we work with health and social care partners and other third sector organisations and charities both at local and national level. How do Charitable Trusts make a difference?
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liveArgyll.co.uk 9 LEISURE AND LIBRARY TRUSTS MATTER…
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Mull Colonsay Jura Islay Arran liveArgyll.co.uk 10 FACILITY DEVELOPMENTS Mid Argyll Sports Centre The gymnasium underwent a full upgrade to the data provision to enable the full functionality of the new Technogym cardiovascular equipment that was installed. Mid Argyll1 Riverside To enhance user safety, a new flume camera and screen were installed. A new ‘day tank’ for the Bicarbonate of Soda was installed at a cost of £1,500. Queen’s Hall New Technogym cardiovascular equipment installed at a cost of over £70,000. New electrical and data points were installed to prepare the gym areas for an expansion. This included installing a new gym emergency alarm system. In total £15,000 was invested into the gym infrastructure. Painting of all the meeting rooms, corridors and soft play at a cost of £11,000. Decorating and equipping of the “Party Room” situated next to the soft play, at a cost of £3,500. Cowal2 Cowal 2 Mid Argyll 1 Bute 4 Kintyre 3 Kintyre3 Aqualibrium The facility replaced its 16-year-old resistance equipment with brand new Technogym equipment and added a further 15 pieces to the gym layout at a cost of £50,000. Rothesay Leisure Centre The complete range of gym equipment was replaced with new Technogym equipment at a cost of over £55,000. Bute4 In year 2023/24, a total of £374,000 was reinvested by liveArgyll back into the facilities, equipment and staff to ensure that the services which we provide are continually developing. Money was invested in to decorating, upgrading of gyms, refurbishment of health suites and new uniforms. Some of the key investments can be seen in the map.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 11 A YEAR IN NUMBERS Grant Income Active Schools Volunteers Visits to Active Schools Sessions £448,486 £ 578 90,255 Pressreader downloads by our library members enjoying a range of free magazines and newspapers Visits to our pools, gyms, fitness classes and pitches Visits to Libraries Library-led Bookbug sessions 119,383 475,827 117,831 611 Children jumped into the pool as part of our learn to swim programme 1,661 Children attended sessions 6,299 Adults attended sessions 5,675 Social Media Instagram 1,857 followers X 750 followers Facebook 5,400 followers LinkedIn 278 followers Total Leisure Members 7,099* *At 31st March 2024 1,680 Adults engaged in Community Learning 1,023 Young People engaged in Community Learning Local Studies Visits 129 Number of young people in secondary schools receiving attainment and achievement awards 450 other awards500 accredited awards
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liveArgyll.co.uk 12 Bikeability has been going from strength to strength in Cowal. This year, 19 trained instructors delivered level 1 and 2 training to pupils across all 11 primary schools, helping build bike confidence in over 130 pupils. Tighnabruaich Primary School hosted one of the first Bikeability training courses in the area and quickly expanded on that, working with their Parent Council to apply for grant funding. This enabled them to purchase bikes, helmets and a bike shed. Additionally, they applied to the ‘Tighnabruaich District Development Trust’ to purchase balance bikes for the younger children and a bike maintenance stand which will also be made available to the community. This has led to around 40% of the pupils and some of their family members cycling to school on a regular basis, helping pupils stay active, while learning about road safety. Tighnabruaich Primary also worked with Active Schools to provide mountain bike sessions for pupils who wanted to stretch their cycling skills even further and qualified instructors facilitated sessions to explore the woodland tracks around the school by bike. CASE STUDIES Active Schools: Bikeability... and beyond
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liveArgyll.co.uk 13 Active Schools: Primary Sports Leaders CASE STUDIES Primary pupils across Cowal have been playing a significant role in encouraging their school communities to get more active. Over 90 Primary 7 pupils attended Primary Sports Leader training at the Queen’s Hall, run by Active Schools and the Dunoon Grammar School Sports Leaders. All of the schools supported their Primary Sports Leaders to run activities for younger pupils over lunch time or after school, some of them running clubs every term. Younger pupils also wanted to get involved and pupils from Kirn Primary for example, ran a variety of lunchtime activities with the support of staff or visiting coaches. Schools also came on board with the Primary Health Awards and 6 of the schools have been recognised for their efforts around extra-curricular activities, walking and hosting sports events.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 14 CASE STUDIES Lifelong Learning Leads to Success After being made redundant, Gordon, who had spent most of his life working in heavy industry, found himself at a crossroads. Unsure of his next steps, he decided to visit our local Kintyre learning hub, despite having no experience with computers - he didn’t even know how to switch one on. Gordon was determined to learn new skills that would enhance his employability. liveArgyll Adult Learning Worker, Dawn, and Gordon sat down together and reviewed the local labour market, identifying the skills needed for various sectors. Through our discussion, they outlined a plan for Gordon to acquire the necessary competencies to transition into a new field. His eagerness to adapt and grow was evident, and they began mapping out a learning path tailored to his goals, and the demands of the local job market. To date, Gordon has successfully secured employment and continues to pursue his learning journey. He has already gained SQA qualifications in I.T. and Communications, which have significantly enhanced his skill set and confidence. Gordon’s dedication to self-improvement and adaptability has been key to demonstrating the importance of lifelong learning and resilience in the face of career challenges. You’re never too old to learn, and with the support of Community Learning, it makes it easy. - Gordon Wilson
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liveArgyll.co.uk 15 The need for the Give Back Group was identified following learners from the Snowdrop Centre- MS Argyll completing their SQA Health and Wellbeing Award with Adult Learning. After discussion on how the participants would like to move forward the group agreed that they would like to continue to improve their learning, core skills and wellbeing as they have found that working with Adult Learning to be very beneficial and felt they had only just embarked on their learning journey. Evidence for the need for this type of activity was also highlighted through our Adult Learning survey at the time and through consultation with partners. The learners attending the Give Back Group are all adults with long term physical and mental health conditions. The group meet every Wednesday and work together to ‘give back’ to their community by creating and making items for their pop up shop and in turn fundraise for their centre. The group set up their shop at various events held at the centre and receive donations for their items from community members attending. The group are facilitated to plan, organise and deliver in all aspects of their project and work successfully as a team. The group work at their own pace and with flexibility which is determined by the health challenges they constantly face. In addition five The Give Back Group CASE STUDIES members of the group are undertaking a SQA Volunteer Award giving them the opportunity to develop their volunteer skills and to recognise their achievement through formal qualification. The group enjoy the challenge of learning a new creative skill as they volunteer for the Snowdrop Centre not only to raise funds for their pop up shop but also volunteering to help out at events, with the local food share and with administration tasks too. The group agree that participating in this experience improves their confidence and self-esteem while giving meaning and purpose to their lives; they feel more valued which in turn has a positive impact on their health and wellbeing Over last year the group have raised £600 for the Snowdrop Centre which all in the group are very proud of.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 16 CASE STUDIES Impact is demonstrated through adult learning evaluation. Please see feedback quotes below: Just getting to group after losing my husband, and being with others and taking part in volunteering is helping me. It gives me something to look forward to and structure in my week. I just enjoying being part of the group, it’s a good support and I like being able to volunteer and give back. I really enjoy learning and doing my SQA, looking forward to finishing and getting my qualification. Seeing people and not being judged, there is always someone to listen and it really helps me. I don’t feel alone and it helps me to improve my wellbeing. It boosts my self-confidence and give me purpose in life. It’s good for my mental health. I feel I can talk in the group and share and I don’t feel judged about my health condition. I proved to myself I can take part in education even though I am retiring! Feedback quotes from Snowdrop Centre staff: The group are getting stronger at working on their own initiative and their planning skills and identifying resources has improved. (Outreach Worker) The impact of self-esteem has been boosted. Self-confidence has increased and their feelings of being a valuable citizen. (Manager)
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liveArgyll.co.uk 17 CASE STUDIES LiveArgyll Community Learning (Adult and Youth Services), in partnership with Oban Pride, hosted the inaugural Rainbowfest event on the 1st of July 2023 in Ardrishaig, Mid-Argyll to coincide with larger events held at other larger locations over Pride month. It was identified through consultation with partners, young people and adults that there was a need for inclusive events and spaces for LGBTQ+ community members and their allies to celebrate diversity and be themselves in a safe and inclusive space. Furthermore travel to this type of event is not always possible for people living in rural areas highlighting a further need for our community members to have access to an event of their own. The family friendly event was a great success and attendance surpassed expectations, with over 100 members of the public in attendance, and was also attended by young people from local Youth Action Groups alongside a variety of other partners some of which include LiveArgyll Libraries, NHS Highland, Police Scotland and MAYDS. The event was free and open to all and provided information and support from relevant services, arts and crafts stalls, entertainment including music and dance performances, LGBTQ+ story time, soft play, food and drink, and more, allowing people to come together in a relaxed atmosphere, to learn and celebrate diversity whilst engaging in a range of activities without fear of stigma, judgement, or discrimination. Organising partners are now exploring how to replicate the event in different areas across the authority to further support the LGBTQ+ community in rural areas and better develop forums and support networks across Argyll and Bute over the coming years. Rainbowfest 2023 Rainbowfest 2023 consultation station feedback: “Times are moving forward. I’ve been so impressed with older generations supporting their children to be more gender fluid.” “Welcoming” “Fun” “Great atmosphere” “Warm welcome” “Lots of info” “Nice people” “Lovely event”
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liveArgyll.co.uk 18 Bute & Kintyre Youth Exchange CASE STUDIES Partners All youth action groups have been invited and encourage to participate in planning. Live Argyll Building managers – overnight accommodation, use of facilities & support with Risk Assessments. Identified need Young people from local Youth Action groups in Bute & Kintyre wanted to meet other young people from across Argyll and Bute – relationship building, consulting with one another, health and wellbeing/socialisation. The key theme for discussions was similarities and differences between their areas. Due to the cost of living crisis and the nature of work within Argyll and Bute, many of our young people don’t have the means for a holiday or break away during school holiday periods. They were keen to see other areas and stay overnight. Project Workers and young people designed the programme of activities for their own areas, the young people took pride in “hosting” and showing off their towns. Both groups work well together during group activities and many have formed long lasting relationships with each other mainly via social media. An interesting piece of feedback was that both groups thought the other groups home towns were better than their own. July & August 2023
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liveArgyll.co.uk 19 CASE STUDIES Feedback Leon & Cammie (14) from Bute Leon & Cammie came along to our Newbees Residential in September 22 and loved it. They became an active members of Bute Youth Action Group and were involved in the planning of exchange activities. They both have difficulties managing at school and struggle to stay engaged. They need lots of time and space to burn off energy throughout the day. They loved being able to use that games hall to play badminton & football and had a great time at the beach. Both boys are now signed up to wider achievement group with in their school time table and engaging well in outdoor learning, working towards Youth Achievement Awards. They have completed Hi5, DYA and saltire awards for other youth work they are doing. I love meeting other people, I loved the “camping” experience and the food. I had great fun at the beach going up and down in the sand dunes which was amazing. We also got to jump big waves Jamie told us about rip tides and where to stay safe. We tried to wrap up in bin bags to help ups roll down sand dunes faster, when we came out the water Me & Cammie got buried in the sand which was great fun but took ages to get sand off of us. - Leon I got to stay away overnight. I enjoyed sand dunes and jumping into the waves. I struggle meeting new people from other areas and found that uncomfortable to start with but I did it and had great fun! - Cammie
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liveArgyll.co.uk 20 CASE STUDIES Gregor Craig’s Swimming Journey with Live Argyll and Kintyre ASC Gregor started his swimming journey at the Aqualibrium in 2012 aged 4 in our Learn 2 Swim group lessons. Being deaf made this very challenging for him so we did a combination of group lessons and private lessons to work specifically on a one to one basis to help him fully understand the instructions with the help of his mum Martine who could help explain to him with sign language and once he had his hearing aids in talk over what he had been working on that lesson and his feedback to help him prepare for his next lessons. After lots of hard work from Gregor, he completed all his levels in 2017 age 7. He was delighted as now he could join the swimming club which had been his driving force to pass all his levels. Working with Gregor the swim teachers learned lots of valuable information about the barriers for someone with a hearing impairment and how this can affect their ability to learn. From always making sure that he can see your face and lips for lip reading, being positioned in front of windows which makes it harder to see your face from the shadow, to learning some sign language that is relatable to all children in such a highly sensory area. All these skills are still being used today for all children allowing our lessons to be fully inclusive to all. liveArgyll.co.uk 20
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liveArgyll.co.uk 21 CASE STUDIES Since becoming a member of Kintyre ASC and again with his great determination and the help of the club coaches has seen him progress year after year. In just two years of joining the club Gregor was delighted to be awarded the “Most Improved Swimmer” at the annual awards night. liveArgyll.co.uk 21 Gregor continued to train hard in the pool but also on poolside by completing his Duke of Edinburgh award helping coach the junior squads which he is still doing every Monday before his own training session. In 2018 Gregor became Live Argyll’s own sign language ambassador by selecting different signs that he wanted to share with everyone to help with swimming. These were posted onto our Facebook page and it was great to learn with Gregor.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 22 CASE STUDIES This year Gregor travelled to Coventry to compete at British Junior Para Swimming Championships alongside GB Deaf Swimming. So what’s next for Gregor? Swim Wise – Junior Championships in Grangemouth later this year, next year return to Coventry and also Deaf GB Gala Meet in Loughbrough. All this with studying his Highers, Young Leaders Award, RLSS, Swim Teaching and Coaching. Gregor plans to go to University to study in Sports Medicine, which if he puts as much effort into this as he has done his swimming there will be no doubt that he will smash it. Keep your eyes peeled for this talented young man. liveArgyll.co.uk 22 In April 2023 Gregor attended an Open Day at Stirling University and was asked to join the Scottish Disability Swimming Squad. Where he trains once a month at Stirling University with the rest of the squad. From this he has competed at the Scottish Disability National Swimming Championships gaining two bronze medals and the Scottish Disability National Junior Championships gaining an impressive gold, silver and bronze.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 23 CASE STUDIES Fitness Journey - Kimberly I started my fitness journey at the end of September 2023 with the initial goal of losing weight. I didn’t feel confident enough to go to the gym so I started off with a weekly evening aquafit class and went to my first indoor cycling class soon after. Through the weeks and months ahead I slowly upped the number of classes I was doing, and loved seeing the progress I was making each time I went to a class. As I continued to lose weight and feel more confident exercising, I started to go into the gym and try new classes. As a mum of two I’ve always found it hard to make time for myself but now I see that even taking 45 minutes a day to myself for exercise have helped me so much, physically and mentally. The fitness instructors are so encouraging and supportive really pushing you to do your best! I now attend a few different classes, still loving indoor cycling and barfit is one of my favourites too. I’ve lost almost 3 stone and I feel like a different person thanks to the great classes and fitness coordinators at live Argyll.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 24 CASE STUDIES In 2023, we launched an innovative initiative named Stay and Play-A-While at Campbeltown Library, aiming to support early childhood engagement within the library community. Running alongside our Bookbug programme, this initiative offers bi-weekly sessions dedicated to fun and early learning for children aged 0–4 while providing a warm, inviting atmosphere for parents, carers, and families new to the area. The initiative not only aims to supplement early learning but also to knit closer community ties within Campbeltown and the surrounding area. The library team thoughtfully designs each Stay and Play-A-While session to enrich the experience for both children and their parents/carers. These sessions extend an invitation for continued engagement with the library’s resources, following Bookbug. The programme’s unique approach incorporates age-appropriate crafting activities designed to complement the themes of Bookbug sessions. This showcases the Campbeltown Enriching Young Minds: The Success Story of ‘Stay and Play-A-While’ at Campbeltown Library Team’s creativity and commitment to children’s engagement with the library. Crafting themes are carefully selected to align with various Awareness Days, such as Earth Day, International Bee Day, National Gardening Day, and themes centred around Health and Wellbeing. This alignment enhances the children’s learning experience and instils early awareness and appreciation for important topics in a fun way. One highlight was the special sensory-themed session, which introduced children to activities related to the human senses. One of our social media followers described the session as ‘Early Learning at its best!’ and it exemplified the innovative approaches undertaken to create impactful learning experiences.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 25 CASE STUDIES The introduction of these sessions has had a far- reaching impact on the local community. Parents and carers have expressed their gratitude for the opportunities these sessions provide to engage the children and form friendships within the community. The safe, welcoming environment of Campbeltown Library has become a hub for families, fostering not just a love for literacy but also a supportive community network. Feedback gathered from parents and carers has consistently highlighted the dedication of the Campbeltown Team, whose efforts in creating a lively, engaging environment have enhanced the community’s library experience. The joy and excitement visible on the children’s faces serve as a testament to the programme’s success and the team’s passion for promoting our libraries to young families. As we move forward, the team’s goal is to continue building upon the success of the Stay and Play- A-While sessions. By nurturing a lifelong love of literacy and learning, we aim not only to enrich the lives of our youngest members but also to strengthen the fabric of our library community. Our team is focused on our continued commitment to innovative programming and community engagement as we look ahead to expanding our reach and impact. We aim to continue to bring local communities together in a safe environment where everyone can share the joy of reading and learning.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 26 CASE STUDIES Riverside Swim and Health Centre in Dunoon, offers bespoke training weekends to Swimming clubs from all over Scotland. Training camps are a way to enhance both individual and team performances in an environment that encourages team bonding and our training packages aim to do that. Clubs from all over Scotland can travel to Dunoon to take advantage of the excellent facilities on offer. Local Team DASC have also taken advantage of our weekend training programme in the past & continue to enjoy exclusive use of the pool for weekly training sessions. Increasingly clubs are finding it very difficult to obtain quality pool time for training in these financially difficult times and many pools are closing or reducing the times and/or pool space available for clubs to access. By offering bespoke training packages in Dunoon, clubs can take advantage of the excellent pool conditions for competitive swimming and bespoke training at Riverside. In addition, the benefits to the young people being away from home and in a ‘team’ atmosphere help greatly with team bonding and improved performance. Being away from their normal environment allows swimmers to fully focus on training without any distractions. Riverside Dunoon Training Camps
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liveArgyll.co.uk 27 CASE STUDIES Coaches repeatedly tell us they see big improvements in performance which the children take into competitions. This is because the quality time available gives the coaches the opportunity to spend time on expert teaching and stroke analysis as well as working on specific fitness goals via land training, gym workouts and classes available at our gyms. Our Package at Riverside offers clubs exclusive use of the pool over 3 days, space at the Queens Hall for fitness training – including a bespoke fitness class led by one of our fitness instructors. Pool management take care of the arrangements including making up the programme for the weekend, ferry travel, accommodation and meals in local hotels – all for one inclusive price. This also benefits local business/hotels typically in the winter when they are quiet. What do our customers say? Midlothian ASC Inverkeithing ASC The weekend is just perfect, the kids always have a ball. The facilities are fantastic and the staff go above and beyond to make sure we have everything that we need. Everything is taken care of by the pool management which makes the camp easy to organise and a lot less stressful for us. I have never felt so welcome. Was a great weekend! I enjoyed being close to the pool. The staff were nice and I liked the early breakfast! We enjoyed a fabulous training weekend at Dunoon. Our trip was expertly put together by liveArgyll’s Anne Brown who created the perfect balance of swimming and land training with both venues within a few minutes walk of our hotel. We couldn’t have asked for a better team building experience. We had the best weekend and can’t wait to visit again. Brilliant weekend! The facilities were awesome and the staff were very helpful.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 28 CASE STUDIES It has been an exciting time at the Rothesay Leisure Centre in the last year. With year on year growth of members and usage, expanding the provision of Leisure services to meet the requirements of the users has been a priority. To increase participation the staff looked at the equipment, environment and the opening times to see how we could increase participation in physical activity and the associated mental and wellbeing benefits. First was a complete revamp of the gym space, with new Technogym equipment completely replacing the older Life Fitness cardio and strength equipment. Allied to this was improved flooring for the free weights area and the whole area benefited from a general freshen up cosmetically. Next was a rebuild of the reception area, with new reception desk, improved lighting and flooring and improved access doors including automatic sensors. This has greatly enhanced the ‘first impressions’ for members and customers. Keeping the theme going, the Fitness class programme has been expanded to now include Park Fit, FitForce and Children’s Boot Camp. Lastly, was a revamp of our opening hours to maximise the potential for users to access the facilities. We now open at 0645am until 8pm in the evening, an improvement of 1.25hrs per day Mon- Fri. For our swimmers, the pools now open all day from 7am-7pm. This has been extremely popular as the selected quotes show. Rothesay Leisure Centre Upgrade
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liveArgyll.co.uk 29 CASE STUDIES I love the new opening hours! For me, this means I can now attend the gym more frequently. This has greatly improved my mental and physical health. The new equipment is very good and has improved my workouts. - Hugh Coll Quality of the new equipment is excellent and makes maximum use of the available space. The increase in opening hours has been a real bonus. I work 0700 – 1900 and I can still get in at the end of my shift. Footfall is still very good when I’m in later at night. - Robert Templeton The new opening hours for swimming in the afternoon. We are both retired so this means we are able to enjoy the afternoon swims now instead of coming earlier in the morning. We really do enjoy coming swimming, the staff are all fantastic and so friendly & welcoming to us. - Lorraine & Rollo Clarke I personally think that the new gym hours are great for our community. The team at Rothesay Leisure Centre always go above and beyond to accommodate us all. Classes are varied to keep everyone happy. - Jade Reynolds With an extended Fitness programme planned for 2023-2024 including bespoke personal training available, new interactive advertising screens, and improved vending and secondary spend items for purchase, it is our intention to keep improving the facility year on year for the benefit of the wider Rothesay Community.
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liveArgyll.co.uk 30 DIGITAL MARKETING
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liveArgyll.co.uk 31liveArgyll.co.uk 31 LOOKING AHEAD We will continue build on the fantastic work across all of our services, both income generating and non-income generating. Without exception, our services continue to flourish, develop and excel evidenced by the many positive indicators, independent and external verification reports. More specifically our immediate challenge ahead is on growing and/or sustaining our self-generated income streams. Opportunities for any material increases are limited by a number of constraints including saturation points, price levels, physical capacity and other general operating environment conditions. Our fee-paying services are services of choice, therefore in order to sustain income levels we must maintain a quality affordable offering. This means our facilities must be suitable, reliable and fit for purpose. We must maximise the concept of multi-functionality. Acknowledging a very challenging Capital budget position, we will continue to work with our Argyll and Bute Council partners to identify opportunities for investment and development. Commercialisation and Quality is the key to sustainability. Working with the Council we have been able to reduce our annual services payment year on year without significant impact on front line service delivery, a remarkable achievement post pandemic and in a period of significantly reduced disposal income. Our success to date will only be sustained by continuing to adopt a commercial approach to delivering services, assessing impact and contribution against cost, exploring alternative delivery options alongside ensuring the optimum use of our resources at our disposal. Our growth, participation and quality objectives remain and will continue to be the cornerstone of our business plan. In previous years we have focused our activity on product, price and promotion. We are now in the placement and people phase of our journey whereby we have an excellent product with affordable price points however we now need to ensure our programming and placement is tailored to maximum effect to achieve the optimum return on investment fulfilling community expectations and our charitable objectives. For the forth-coming year it is our aspiration to significantly grow our events side of the organisation across a range of genres, types and use. We have already restructured our management team to allow for specific focus on this business area. Opportunities remain to maximise the use of the facilities available to liveArgyll and in some cases this may result in a change of use or further development. Multi-purpose, multi-function, co-located services is our aim and we have already made good progress to date. A challenging but achievable journey lies ahead and our staff group remain our key asset to success. As we evolve to multi-service type, we will be investing in our people with opportunities to upskill, develop and train across all aspects of the organisation. A highly trained multi-skilled staff group will support our multi-service, everyone for everything approach. As in previous years, we are ready to go again. Kevin Anderson Chief Officer
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liveArgyll.co.uk 32 FINANCIAL STATEMENT Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating the income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2024 The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities. Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating the income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2024 The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities. Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Pension Fund Total Funds 2024 Total Funds 2023 Note £ £ £ £ £ Income: Donations and legacies 5 - 660 - 660 1,099 Charitable activities 4 3,605,705 464,583 250,000 4,320,288 3,271,674 Management fee 4 3,834,604 - - 3,834,604 4,075,464 Total income 7,440,309 465,243 250,000 8,155,552 7,348,237 Expenditure: Charitable activities 6 (7,797,760) (407,427) - (8,205,187) (8,972,764) Other trading activities - - - - - Total expenditure (7,797,760) (407,427) - (8,205,187) (8,972,764) Net (expenditure) / income (357,451) 57,816 250,000 (49,635) (1,624,527) Transfers between funds - - - - - Other recognised (losses) / gains: Actuarial (losses) / gains on defined benefit pension schemes 15 - - (250,000) (250,000) 4,809,000 Net movement in funds (357,451) 57,816 - (299,635) 3,184,473 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 1,595,794 93,097 - 1,688,891 (1,495,582) Total funds carried forward 1,238,343 150,913 - 1,389,256 1,688,891
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liveArgyll.co.uk 33 FINANCIAL STATEMENT Company Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating the income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2024 The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities. Company Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating the income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2024 The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities. Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Pension Fund Total Funds 2024 Total Funds 2023 Note £ £ £ £ £ Income: Donations and legacies 5 - 660 - 660 1,099 Charitable activities 4 3,605,705 464,583 250,000 4,320,288 3,271,674 Management fee 4 3,834,604 - - 3,834,604 4,075,464 Total income 7,440,309 465,243 250,000 8,155,552 7,348,237 Expenditure: Charitable activities 6 (7,797,760) (407,427) - (8,205,187) (8,972,764) Total expenditure (7,797,760) (407,427) - (8,205,187) (8,972,764) Net (expenditure) / income (357,451) 57,816 250,000 (49,635) (1,624,527) Transfers between funds - - - - - Other recognised gains: Actuarial (losses) / gains on defined benefit pension schemes 15 - - (250,000) (250,000) 4,809,000 Net movement in funds (357,451) 57,816 - (299,635) 3,184,473 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 1,594,715 93,097 - 1,687,812 (1,496,661) Total funds carried forward 1,237,264 150,913 - 1,388,177 1,687,812
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liveArgyll.co.uk 34 FINANCIAL STATEMENT Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024 Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024 2024 2023 Note £ £ £ £ Current assets Stock 12 15,862 14,545 Debtors 13 160,976 56,592 Cash and cash equivalents 1,894,908 2,285,919 Total current assets 2,071,746 2,357,056 Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 14 (682,490) (668,165) Net current assets 1,389,256 1,688,891 Net assets excluding pension liability 1,389,256 1,688,891 Defined benefit pension scheme asset/(liability) 15 - - Net liabilities 1,389,256 1,688,891 Funds Unrestricted funds 16 1,238,343 1,595,794 Restricted funds 16 150,913 93,097 Pension reserve 15 - - Total Funds 1,389,256 1,688,891
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liveArgyll.co.uk 35 FINANCIAL STATEMENT Company Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024Company Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024 2024 2023 Note £ £ £ £ Fixed assets Investments 11 1 1 Total fixed assets 1 1 Current assets Stock 12 15,862 14,545 Debtors 13 160,976 56,592 Cash and cash equivalents 1,893,828 2,284,839 Total current assets 2,070,666 2,355,976 Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 14 (682,490) (668,165) Net current assets 1,388,176 1,687,811 Net assets excluding pension liability 1,388,177 1,687,812 Defined benefit pension scheme asset/(liability) 15 - - Net liabilities 1,388,177 1,687,812 Funds Unrestricted funds 16 1,237,264 1,594,715 Restricted funds 16 150,913 93,097 Pension reserve 15 - - Total Funds 1,388,177 1,687,812
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liveArgyll.co.uk 36 FINANCIAL STATEMENT Operating results (excluding the pension liability adjustment) The operating results for liveArgyll for the year ended 31 March 2024, excluding the pension adjustment, report an overall deficit of £299,635. Operating results (excluding the pension adjustment) The operating results for liveArgyll for the year ended 31 March 2024, excluding the pension adjustment, report an overall deficit of £299,635. Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Funds 2024 Total Funds 2023 £ £ £ £ Income: Donations and legacies - 660 660 1,099 Charitable activities 3,605,705 464,583 4,070,288 3,271,674 Management fee 3,834,604 - 3,834,604 4,075,464 Total income 7,440,309 465,243 7,905,552 7,348,237 Expenditure: Charitable activities (7,797,760) (407,427) (8,205,187) (7,713,764) Total expenditure (7,797,760) (407,427) (8,205,187) (7,713,764) Net expenditure (357,451) 57,816 (299,635) (365,527) Transfers between funds - - - - Deficit from operations (357,451) 57,816 (299,635) (365,527)
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liveArgyll.co.uk 37 THANK YOU Thank you to our partners, funders and stakeholders for their invaluable support throughout the year. As a local charity we couldn’t achieve what we do without you!