Ballynahinch Community Groups Receive Funding Boost from Choice Housing
Five local community projects in the Ballynahinch area have each been awarded £1,000 by local housing association Choice Housing in partnership with the Department for Communities (DfC) and the NI Housing Executive.
The Participatory Budgeting Programme provides local groups with the opportunity to put forward proposals for funded projects benefitting local communities with a view to strengthening community relations and forming new partnerships for the good of the local area.
Local community groups gathered at the Ballynahinch Campus of South Eastern Regional College to present their funding proposals and the five successful groups awarded funding were: Ballynahinch Community Collective, Harry’s Mates, Ballynahinch Uniform Zone (BUZ), Ballynahinch 1st Scouts and the Heart of Down Reds.
Mark Kent, Choice Housing’s Good Relations Officer said: “The Ballynahinch community knows what the area needs and how best to deliver it.
“Choice Housing and partners are committed to facilitating the delivery of tailored initiatives in an effort to strengthen community relations.
“I would like to congratulate the successful groups and we look forward to continuing this partnership going forward.
“The main element of this programme is ensuring that community funding is allocated based on the needs of the local community, and who is better placed to deliver this than local community groups and residents themselves.”
The Participatory Budgeting Programme forms part of the Ballynahinch Good Relations Plan which is delivered to all communities within a five-mile radius of Choice’s shared housing development Ballymaglave Court.
Speaking about the impact the funding will have, Richard Orme from the Ballynahinch Community Collective said: “We are very pleased to be receiving this support for our project.
“This vital funding will go towards helping our older people in the Ballynahinch area to spend some time together and a hot Christmas dinner.”
The Participatory Budgeting Programme is delivered as part of the Department for Communities and Housing Executive’s Shared Housing Programme – ‘Housing for All’, which has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy.
