Write a commentDown District Council is celebrating the launch of the £1.2 million Active Communities programme which will be delivered with partners Newry and Mourne District Council over the next five years.
The programme, funded by Sport Northern Ireland, seeks to Get Communities Active, and will employ, deploy and train a network of full-time and part-time sports coaches and leaders to deliver activities in community and club settings across Northern Ireland. Active Communities represents a £14.7 million investment by Sport Northern Ireland to increasing participation in sport and physical recreation, especially among under represented groups, creating 100 new coaching posts and benefiting over 100,000 participants.
Speaking at the launch of the programme at the Bridge Centre, Killyleagh, Councillor Dermot Curran, Vice Chair of Down District Council said “Recreation has been long been identified as a keystone in ‘improving the quality of life for all our people’, a vision which I am delighted to say will be greatly aided by the introduction of this innovative programme. Active Communities will help us to engage with people who do not normally participate in physical activities through the creation of opportunities for under-represented groups such as women and girls; older people; people with a disability; people from minority ethnic groups and people from socio-economically deprived groups to participate in sport and physical recreation.”
Brian McCargo, Chair of Sport Northern Ireland’s Participation Committee referred to the Active Communities programme as a significant step towards creating “a culture of lifelong enjoyment and success in sport and physical activity which contributes to a peaceful, fair and prosperous society”.
The Active Community Team for the Down, and Newry and Mourne consortium comprises five full-time and four part-time coaches and leaders to work across the environs of both councils. The team, who were on hand to launch the new initiative, led a number of the programme’s participants, including a group of girls from St Macartan’s Primary School, Loughinisland, a group of disabled participants from South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and a group of older participants, in a demonstration of some of the great activities the programme has to offer.
The Active Community Team is already successfully delivering a number of activity programmes across the consortia area. Physical Activity Coach Gerard McAnulty takes a group from Abbeyfield Fold, Downpatrick for activities that involve hand to eye co-ordination, chair aerobics and overall physical and mental health well-being. In addition, Gerard provides a fundamental multi skills programme for people with a disability which focuses on team building and group games.
Following ‘taster sessions’ in a number of Primary Schools in the Newry area, John Fitzgibbon, Basketball Coach noted “an overwhelming interest of young primary school children wishing to pursue competitive Basketball and join a local club.”
Other programmes include a weekly meeting in Castlewellan between Catherine Crawford, Athletics Coach and the Loughinisland Walking Group, whilst Claire Convery, Physical Activity Coach delivers armchair aerobics, boccia and seated games for the Annalong 50 + Senior Ladies Club, many of whom were both surprised and delighted by the notable improvement in their flexibility and circulation.
For further information on the Active Communities programme, please contact Pat Power, Lead Partner, Active Communities Project Manager on 028 4461 0800.
