Local schools come together for community programme

0

Shares

Chairman Newry, Mourne and Down Council, Councillor Michael Savage with pupils from the four participating schools in the Shared Education Signature Project 'Changing for the Better Together'. Included from left: Alissa Rocha-Cromie Newry High School, Dáithí Murphy St Paul's High School Bessbrook, Jake McConville Newry High School, Conor Sands St Paul's High School Bessbrook, Council Chairman Councillor Michael Savage, Natalie Mulkerns St Paul's High School Bessbrook, Mark Murphy Newtownhamilton High School, Eva Robinson Newtownhamilton High School, Cara Crummie and Mary Gallagher St Joseph's High School Crossmaglen.

Students from Newry High School, St. Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, Newtownhamilton High School and St. Joseph’s High School, Crossmaglen recently celebrated the success of their Together: Building a United Community programme (T:BUC) in the newly built St. Joseph’s High School, Crossmaglen.

Newry High School Principal, Iestyn Brown; Newry High School Shared Education Co-ordinator, Amanda Blakely; Shared Education Co-ordinator, Newtownhamilton High School, Joanne Ferris; Shared Education Co-ordinator, St. Joseph's High School Crossmaglen, Rosie Burns; St. Paul's High School, Bessbrook Principal Jarlath Burns; Newtownhamilton High School Principal Neil Megaw; St. Paul's High School, Bessbrook; Shared Education Co-ordinator, Ciara McCoy; St. Joseph's High School Crossmaglen Vice Principal, Stephen Murray; DEA Co-ordinators Kerri Morrow and Taucher McDonald. — Included from left are: Newry High School Principal, Lestyn Brown; Newry High School Shared Education Co-ordinator, Amanda Blakely; Shared Education Co-ordinator, Newtownhamilton High School, Joanne Ferris; Shared Education Co-ordinator, St. Joseph's High School Crossmaglen, Rosie Burns; St. Paul's High School, Bessbrook Principal Jarlath Burns; Newtownhamilton High School Principal Neil Megaw; St. Paul's High School, Bessbrook; Shared Education Co-ordinator, Ciara McCoy; St. Joseph's High School Crossmaglen Vice Principal, Stephen Murray; DEA Co-ordinators Kerri Morrow and Taucher McDonald.

The T:BUC Programme is funded by the Executive Office and delivered locally by Newry and Slieve Gullion District Electoral Areas (DEAs) in partnership with the Education Authority. It provides a range of opportunities for young people from different backgrounds, to come together to build positive relationships based on mutual understanding and respect through a variety of good relations, safety and health and wellbeing workshops and activities. The aim of the programme is to improve community relations continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.

Included from left are: Dani Graham, Newry High School; Lottie Jones, Newtownhamilton High School; Jessica Murray, St. Joseph's High School Crossmaglen and Shea Loughran, St. Paul's High School Bessbrook present Padraig Harte Fundraising, Marketing and Communications Manager P.I.P.S. Hope and Support Charity with a cheque to the value of £1,500 which they raised during their recent Shared Education Signature Project fundraising Colour Run. — Dani Graham, Newry High School; Lottie Jones, Newtownhamilton High School; Jessica Murray, St. Joseph's High School Crossmaglen and Shea Loughran, St. Paul's High School Bessbrook present Padraig Harte Fundraising, Marketing and Communications Manager P.I.P.S. Hope and Support Charity with a cheque to the value of £1,500 which they raised during their recent Shared Education Signature Project fundraising Colour Run.

As part of the social action aspect of the programme, the pupils from local schools identified mental health as their primary focus and recently arranged a colour run to raise a total of £1,500 which they donated to the charity P.I.P.S Hope and Support.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Aoife Finnegan with (From L to R) Newry High School Principal, Iestyn Brown; St. Paul's High School Bessbrook Principal, Jarlath Burns; Newtownhamilton High School Principal, Neil Megaw; St. Joseph's High School, Crossmaglen Vice Principal, Stephen Murray and Councillor Roisin Mulgrew. — Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Aoife Finnegan with from left: Newry High School Principal, Iestyn Brown; St. Paul's High School Bessbrook Principal, Jarlath Burns; Newtownhamilton High School Principal, Neil Megaw; St. Joseph's High School, Crossmaglen Vice Principal, Stephen Murray and Councillor Roisin Mulgrew.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Michael Savage congratulated the students on their programme of achievement, “Celebrating good relations and learning new skills to build relationships, while promoting diversity and inclusion within our community is important as we reflect upon the richness of our culture.”

Cllr Savage continued, “I am delighted to see first-hand the results of the T:BUC programme and would like to congratulate and encourage all the students and schools that have taken part in this programme to continue to work together to build a united community which is enriched by diversity and welcoming to all.”