Community groups successful in Community Leading Change funding

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: Columba O'Hare; Category: News; Published: 14 June 2022

Members from local community groups, DEA representatives and organisers from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) who attended the Community Leading Change PB celebratory event at the Ballybot House, Newry. L-R: Naga Yaragndla and Surya Suresh representing the Indian Families community group, Newry; Raymond Jackson, Confederation of Community Groups, Newry; Vice Chairperson of Newry DEA, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew; Siobhan Rooney, Nadine McAteer and Fiona Fitzpatrick, Rascals & Ruffians, Ballyholland; Taucher McDonald, Slieve Gullion DEA Coordinator; Alan Beggs, NMDDC; Annie Clarke, Promoting Wellbeing Team for SHSCT and Kerri Morrow, Newry DEA Coordinator.

Events have been held for Community groups across the district who received funding through the Community Leading Change Participatory Budgeting (PB) project.

The events held in in Ballybot House, Newry; The Burrendale Hotel, Newcastle and Murphys Bar and Restaurant, Downpatrick, were hosted by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Community Planning partners and attended by members from the community groups and their local community.

This year £57,000 of Participatory Funding was allocated to 39 community groups, each of which created and delivered a unique project that aimed to promote positive mental health through social connectivity. At the events, which were compered by the chair or co-chair of the respective DEAs, each group presented how their funding was spent, how many people participated and how their project has helped contribute to positive mental health. As well as acknowledging the hard work and dedication of all those involved, the three receptions provided an opportunity for the public to view how these projects have benefitted the area in which they live.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Michael Savage said, “I would like to thank the groups for their project ideas and for standing up and presenting so articulately.

“Delivering all the projects in such a short period of time is a great achievement. All the grants have been allocated with the community at heart. This goes to show that hearing how the projects were delivered first hand is so much more beneficial than seeing receipts and invoices. These groups have really proven how this funding can impact the citizens of the district so positively.”

The projects were chosen through an online voting platform, Speak NMD, which allowed residents to vote on which one they thought would make the biggest impact on their community. This year, all the projects submitted to the Communities Leading Change campaign received over 6000 votes.

A list of the successful projects can be found at: www.newrymournedown.org

If you would like more information on how to get involved contact communityplanning@nmandd.org