1 01 Chairman’s Statement 4 02 Chief Executive’s Statement 6 03 W5 8 04 The SSE Arena, Belfast 12 05 The Belfast Giants 18 06 Trading Activities 20 07 Corporate Governance 21 08 Financial Statements 22 09 Boards of Trustees, Directors & Executive Team 23 3 01 Chairman’s Statement The Odyssey is located at the heart The Odyssey Trust is a registered charity and was It is well recognised that there is a pressing need to established to, ‘hold, manage, safeguard and develop the enhance the knowledge and understanding of STEM of what is an increasingly important investment in the Odyssey project for the benefit of all the (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) subjects in the leisure and recreation destination people of Northern Ireland.’ This is done through providing next generation of young people who will drive Northern in Belfast. With a million visitors a educational advancement activities at W5, the interactive Ireland’s economy in the future. It is with this in mind that science and discovery centre, and by offering a wide range in November W5, entered into an exciting new 10-year year to the SSE Arena, Belfast, W5 of recreation and leisure activities and events in the SSE partnership with Craigavon-based pharmaceutical giant and the Pavilion, The Odyssey Trust Arena, Belfast and the Odyssey Pavilion. the Almac Group, which aims to inspire more budding scientists through interactive learning. is proud to play a major part in 2017 was a busy year at the SSE Arena, Belfast with many making Belfast and Northern Ireland events and performances and the development of our With a global organisation as W5’s health and life sciences the destination of choice for an arena theatre format which has enabled us to explore new partner for the next 10 years, W5 is to expand its current initiatives to bring the best entertainment to Northern footprint into the Odyssey Pavilion and create a dynamic increasing number of people from all Ireland. The popularity of the SSE Arena, Belfast is set to new family learning zone dedicated to health and well- parts of Ireland and from across the continue in 2018 with a busy schedule of world class acts being, due to open late 2018. already scheduled to perform. world. Our development plans have In addition to our own investment plans, the Odyssey been prepared in coordination with It was a very successful year for W5 with record Pavilion after a number of years in administration, is set other major stakeholders to ensure attendance figures and exciting announcements of new to be transformed as part of a £10 million refurbishment developments for the science centre. In September, the proposed by the new owners. Planning permission was that the Odyssey continues to be a Trust announced a £4.5m funding boost for W5. £3m was granted for the first stage of redevelopment, which includes world class attraction for the people awarded through the Inspiring Science Fund, a collaborative a new main entrance to the Pavilion, upgrade of public initiative between Department for Business, Energy and realm and reconfiguration of the existing retail units. of Northern Ireland. Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Wellcome with £1.5m Their key objective is to improve the overall visual quality being invested by the Odyssey Trust. This investment will and tenant offering of the Pavilion, making it a more see W5 embark on a major capital refurbishment and attractive and user friendly destination. public engagement programme over the next three years, supporting and encouraging public participation. 4 W5 Partners with Almac Group Roof-mounted solar panels The Belfast Giants continued to go from strength to World Championships in April when Belfast once Finally, I want to pay a special tribute, on behalf of the strength with former captain Adam Keefe now Head again demonstrated the City’s ability to host a major Board, to Chief Executive Robert Fitzpatrick and all of the Coach and assuming the responsibility of leading the international event – and one in which the Great Britain Odyssey Trust staff who have worked exceedingly hard Giants back to the League Championship – the holy grail team triumphed! in 2017 to ensure that visitors to the Odyssey have a of ice hockey in the UK. I wish him every success in his best experience every time. 2018 promises to be a very endeavours. Investment by the Odyssey Trust has continued on exciting year and I am looking forward to leading the Board site and with the support of the Belfast Harbour we as we embark on another fantastic year at the Odyssey. In November we hosted the 3rd Friendship Four invested in improvements to the car park access and exit Tournament, in which four US college hockey teams join arrangements to assist visitors attending major events. ERIC PORTER - Chairman us in Belfast to play their league games at the SSE Arena, The Odyssey Trust Company Limited Belfast. Our thanks to the US colleges, the NCAA, Belfast Since we began our partnership with SSE Airtricity in 2015, City Council and the Mayor of Boston for making Belfast we have worked on reducing our carbon footprint and in the place to be at Thanksgiving for many years to come. 2017 installed 1,400 roof-mounted solar panels to offset 200 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, covering 2,300m2, The Friendship Four was closely followed in December equivalent to 12 tennis courts. Work also commenced on by the Basketball Hall of Fame Tournament, building our site wide conversion to LED lighting, as work continues on links with American sport even further. Our international our sustainability strategy. sporting events in 2017 also included the IIHF Ice Hockey 5 02 Chief Executive’s Statement We have a lot to celebrate in 2017 The Team at W5 continue to develop the offer and in I was delighted to welcome Wendy Langham to our March 2017 launched Spacebase, the new multi-sensory team as Head of Social Affairs. Wendy is charged with across all facets of our business activity zone for 3 – 11 year olds which has been developing our social impact as well as encouraging public and I am particularly proud of our exceptionally popular. This was a precursor to the exciting participation and developing an integrated communication management and staff who have news that W5 will undergo a major £4.5m refurbishment strategy across all of the business interests. over the next two years thanks to Department for accepted the challenge of creating Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Wellcome Our third and best Friendship Four College Tournament a ‘Best Experience Every Time’ for and the Odyssey Trust. Work has commenced on the was held in November 2017 and cemented ice hockey into integration of 10,000 sq. ft. of former Pavilion space into the fabric of Northern Ireland sport, playing to an audience visitors to the Odyssey. W5, along with the new partnership with Craigavon-based of over 21,000, broadcast to over 20 million homes. I am confident that 2018 will finally pharmaceutical giant the Almac Group, which aims to The appointment of our fearless No 47 Captain, see major construction work inspire more budding scientists through interactive learning, Adam Keefe as our new Head Coach is both inspiring and creating significant opportunity and excitement for the central to the vision that we have for the development of beginning in the Odyssey Pavilion future. the sport under the leadership of Steve Thornton, Head of and I look forward to the roll-out Hockey Operations. Together with Judith Harvey, Head of Education I am of the £10m investment proposals very excited at the prospect for a potential new Science Perhaps 2018 will be the year that sees the Giants back that will complement our ambitions Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) initiative in where they belong – at the top of Ice Hockey in the UK. for the Odyssey as a ‘World Class’ 2018 in collaboration with both the private sector and third level education providers. The SSE Arena, Belfast continues to emphasise its position family destination. as a major Arena on the touring circuit and I am especially In 2017 the Odyssey piloted its first Skills Academy, pleased that our new theatre format has been so successful providing young people with an opportunity for training this year culminating in the development and delivery of and development in employment skills, supported by the our first ever Arena style pantomime, The Spectacular businesses and managers site wide. As a major employer, Aladdin. I want to pay tribute to the Arena Team under the we were very encouraged by the opportunities we could leadership of Neil Walker, who consistently raises the bar offer the trainees, 10 of whom were offered employment and embraces the challenges that each event brings. at the Odyssey at the end of the programme. 6 Building on our ongoing commitment to educational advancement, I was delighted to take up the role of Visiting Professor at Ulster University Business School, with whom the Odyssey Trust has forged a very strong relationship in recent years. It is more important than The Odyssey site ever that students have a clear idea of what employers in Photo credit: Sub-Culture Productions industry want, so they can develop the skills and knowledge to match those needs. I believe the Visiting Professor Programme makes a big contribution by offering business school students real world insight and I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned from my own experiences with them over the next four years. The changes in the Odyssey continue at pace and 2018 will be no exception.