Glenanne takes £1,000 prize at Housing Executive Rural Community Awards

A County Armagh community group has won £1,000 at the Housing Executive's Rural Community Awards. Glenanne Community Association took top honours in the Cleaner and Greener category for its environmental work in the village.

The awards ceremony was held this year at The Seamus Heaney Home Place and provides a platform for individuals and groups carrying out outstanding volunteering work at grassroots level in rural areas across the north. The annual event recognises those helping to maintain local neighbourhoods and boost civic pride.

Glenanne Community Association has been working hard to combine environmental education, practical action and inclusive participation with the aim of creating a more sustainable village that cares for its environment and future generations.

Pauline Beattie, Housing Executive South Area Manager, said: "A big well done to Glenanne Community Association on their well-deserved award, as they took the top prize in our Cleaner and Greener section which was sponsored by Northern Ireland Housing Council. I commend them for their outstanding environmental work in the village - their efforts in encouraging environmental sustainability in the wider community is inspirational."

Joanne Armstrong, Chairperson of Glenanne Community Association, outlined the range of work being carried out in the village. "We work tirelessly with our fantastic volunteers and the community to enhance the appearance of our rural village while lobbying statutory agencies," she said.

Central to the association's efforts has been its Adopt-a-Spot initiative, which has seen litter picks organised involving residents of all ages, including tenants from Housing Executive estates. Armstrong explained that these clean-ups improve safety, reduce waste and encourage pride in the local area.

Over the past year, the group also launched a village composting project aimed at reducing food waste and promoting environmentally responsible habits through open days and practical workshops. The association's community gardens, established in 2023 and fully maintained by volunteers, continue to be a focal point of village life, with two large community greenhouses used to grow fruit and vegetables that are distributed within the local community, supporting healthy living and helping families in need, including Housing Executive tenants.

Looking ahead, Armstrong said new family workshops are planned alongside a new leaf compost company, with further additions such as a bug hotel and wildlife den also in the pipeline.

On winning the award, she added: "The Housing Executive are a great support to us and we are delighted to win the cleaner and greener award. We plan on using the prize money to invest in community projects and initiatives that will create a healthy environment that our kids can grow up in happy and be proud to call home."

Further information is available at nihe.gov.uk.