Write a comment
County Down Rural Community Network celebrated a milestone event in Newcastle in recent days marking over 25 years of working with the local community sector.
The network has come a long way from small beginnings set up by 5 local groups in 1995, to an organisation that now supports over 300 charities and community groups in two council areas, as well as delivering numerous rural development and health & wellbeing projects and initiatives.
Over 220 community volunteers, funders, partners and stakeholders came together in Hugh McCanns function room in Newcastle. Young people from a local string quartet and “The Flat Broke Band” added quality entertainment to a fantastic meal enjoyed by all.
County Down Rural Community Network (CDRCN) supports its members from Crossmaglen to Holywood across a huge range of projects. The network helps with fundraising, action planning, legal, technical, charity commission, AGMs and much, much more.
Frank Mitchell was the compere for the evening and Frank was quick to commend the organisation for 27 years of growth and support to the local community. A prize draw awarded £1000 to four groups from Downpatrick, Millisle and Saintfield. The winners were interviewed by Frank and they congratulated CDRCN on its growth, thanked the network for its support and promised to put the prize money to good use in their local areas.
Cllr Hugh Savage representing the Chair of Newry, Mourne and Down Council opened proceedings thanking the network for its cooperation with council over the decades and in particular for its work on emergency food distribution and other work during the pandemic.
Alan Poots, Chairman of CDRCN reminded guests why and how the network was created in the difficult days before the Good Friday Agreement and how our local towns and villages have been improved with tens of millions of pounds of investment drawn down, in large part, with the support of an excellent team of staff in the Network.
Nicholas McCrickard, Manager of CDRCN and its first development officer spoke about how the network has always maintained a cross community ethos and was looking forward to tackling the broad range of issues affecting local communities. He thanked the staff team in CDRCN their commitment to the local community and for their hard work over the years. He urged the volunteers to continue with their invaluable work in their own areas and called on them to prepare for the future.
“That means we will be asking you as community groups and volunteers to help the Health Service by creating and maintaining activities for local people to improve their mental and physical health. Town and village groups, GAA, Soccer and Rugby Clubs, Orange Halls and drama groups can all help people who are stuck in the house, lonely or physically inactive. So that’s a huge task ahead for all of us.
"With the final tranche of EU funding just starting to roll out, there are huge opportunities for you all. The Peace Plus programme has nearly a billion pounds to spend here over the next 5 years. We need to get organised and we need to be willing to work together, nationalist and unionist, local and migrant, straight and gay and much more. None of us have anything to fear from trying to improve the lives of the people around us, our families and our loved ones.
"Climate change is the biggest issue facing all of us and we can do so much more to insulate houses and community halls and make better use of our precious energy. We can install electric car charging points all over our rural areas and we can work with others to improve fibre broadband connections too. All these things can also create work and jobs in our local areas.”
Mr McCrickard concluded by saying, “People in our communities are rightly worried about the winter ahead and about the cost of living crisis. We all have a responsibility to find solutions so that no one is left cold or lonely or in fear. We want to continue to build a welcoming community.
"This event to mark over 25 years of community development in Down and South Armagh was a wonderful way to thank our amazing volunteers and we look forward to the next 25 years”
