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Over £500K of National Lottery grants have been awarded to the Newry, Mourne and Down area.
The news comes as part of an announcement of almost £5 million of funding to 110 organisations who are supporting people in Northern Ireland to make social connections, learn new skills and to access services to improve their lives.
Home-Start Newry and Mourne based at Ballybot House, Newry have been awarded an incredible £435,387 grant to provide short-term intensive support for families, to help them manage the crisis or challenge that they face.
Over four years the project will provide support in the home and in group settings, to help parents cope with issues and provide a stable home for their children. The project includes parenting skills workshops, emotional support through peer groups of parents sharing their experiences, practical help to solve issues in the home such as establishing routines, and support to manage difficult behaviours.
The12th Armagh Slieve Gullion Scout Group Scouting Ireland 12th Armagh Slieve Gullion Scout Group Scouting Ireland is using a £9,644 grant to buy equipment for a camping trip in the Mournes. The project will develop the teamwork and outdoor skills of local young people.
Inspire Saval, based between Newry and Rathfriland, are using a £9,500 grant to carry out an options appraisal, business plan and design costings, to support the development of a community hub. The project will assess ways of addressing rural isolation and the lack of facilities in the local area.
Sheepbridge Heritage and Cultural Society is using a £10,000 grant to transform an unused space in their building into a welcoming meeting area for small groups. The project will enable the group to offer space out to more groups in the community and reduce the heating costs needed for their larger room.
Donaghmore (Down) Men's Shed, is using a £9,937 grant to buy woodwork tools and safety equipment to create planters, bird boxes and bat boxes. The project will support local men to learn new skills and connect with each other to reduce isolation.
Rostrevor Men's Shed is using a £6,280 grant to buy new equipment to support the group's activities. The project will enable the group to expand their current activities and for members to learn new skills and improve wellbeing.
Moneydarragh Community Hub also received a £20,000 grant over one-year to improve the energy efficiency of their building by installing double glazing and solar panels. The project will help reduce the cost of running of the building along with creating a warm and welcoming space for the local community.
Thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million a week is raised for good causes like these across the UK, including SMART (NI), based in Castlewellan, is using a £2,889 grant to buy sports and craft equipment to run a summer camp for local young people. The project will enable young people to learn new skills, build new friendships and improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
Community Studio Productions, An Grúpa Tuismitheoirí agus Tachráin and SMART (NI) also received funding.
Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund commented: “Congratulations to all the groups receiving funding in this announcement, which are all making a big impact. We look forward to seeing what they achieve in their area.”
For more information on National Lottery funding visit www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk
