County Down groups given grants boost from National Lottery Awards for All.
Community groups across County Down are celebrating after being awarded National Lottery funding.
Mind Your Mate and Yourself is amongst the 104 groups across Northern Ireland who are sharing £906,303 from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All programme.
The organisation, based in Newcastle, runs a support service including one-to-one counselling, complementary therapies, self-help groups and a drop in service. They are using a £10,000 grant to run mindfulness programmes and cycling sessions to improve people’s wellbeing.
1st Holywood Scout Group, based in Holywood, is using a £4,600 grant to pay for camping equipment and tents, and to run a summer adventure camp.
Hollymount Pipe Band, based in Downpatrick, is using the £9,915 grant to run a series of events to mark the group’s 100th Anniversary including a concert, family fun day and BBQ.
Scouting Ireland Down and Conor Scout County are using a £10,000 grant to make improvements to their scout centre in Ballyhornan near Downpatrick, including new cooking and heating equipment. These improvements will support the group’s work with local young people.
River Valley Development Association Limited, based in Kilkeel, restores old buildings to help people learn about the history of the area. They are using a grant of £9,530 to make their facilities more accessible for young people and people with disabilities, to train volunteers, and to run cookery demonstrations for local people.
St Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel is using the £10,000 grant to run classes for parents and the wider community on subjects including literacy, numeracy, fitness, first aid and ICT.
Camphill Community Mourne Grange, also based in Kilkeel, supports adults with learning disabilities and care needs. They are using a grant of £9,230 to develop a multi-media Residents’ Guide made by current residents, including film-making workshops and shoot days as well as paying for editing, music and graphics.
YMCA Newcastle is using a £10,000 grant to run a celebration event, a photography project and a summer scheme for local young people. They are also making improvements to the security and safety equipment of their drop-in centre.
FIGHTED, based in Groomsport, supports, educates and empowers families affected by eating disorders. They are using a grant of £9,700 to run workshops for the families they support, buy office equipment and pay for promotional materials.
North Down & Ards Women’s Aid, based in Bangor, supports women and children experiencing domestic or sexual violence. They are using a grant of £9,950 to repair and upgrade their facilities to make them more fit for purpose, including new sky lights, decorations, and radiators.
North Down and Ards U3A Astronomy Group, also based in Bangor, is using a grant of £10,000 to build a small community observatory on the Clandeboye estate to encourage people to learn about astronomy and get hands-on experience with the subject.
Banbridge Masonic Hall Committee is using a £9,680 grant to buy a defibrillator, wireless headphones and speakers for public events, a projector and screen, and tables and chairs. The new equipment will support the group’s work with the local community.
Iveagh Area Women’s Institute, which has members from Co. Down and Armagh, are using a £7,388 grant to run an information day for local women to learn about personal safety, crime prevention, health and wellbeing, and personal confidence. It will include talks from a pharmacist, the fire service, community police, and a personal confidence advisor.
Knock Child Contact Centre supports children and parents who no longer live together because of a breakdown in the family relationships. They are using a £10,000 grant to buy new toys and equipment for their centres in Newtownards and Bangor. This will include sensory toys for children with additional needs, and replacing supplies for arts and crafts activities. They are also giving more training to their staff and volunteers and buying new uniforms.
St Mary’s High School in Newry is using the £9,989 grant to buy gym equipment and run activities like team building, yoga and dance to support students to help build resilience and encourage physical activity.
Accolade, also based in Newry, is using a £10,000 grant to run a series of music activity workshops, primarily focused on older people, to bring people together and improve wellbeing.
Advocacy VSV in Newry supports victims of sexual violence. They are using a grant of £9,775 to fund start-up costs and sessional staff for a weekly drop-in for victims of sexual violence.
Cosy Club Hilltown, based in Newry, supports older people from the Hilltown, Rathfriland and Mayobridge areas. They are using a £9,997 grant to run craft, exercise and dance sessions to bring people together to share and learn new skills and support each other.
Drumclose Craft Group, based in Dromalane in Newry, brings older women together for social activities. They’re using a grant of £6,567 to run a range of activities, including arts and crafts and bus trips.
Rathore School Parents and Friends’ Association supports the Newry school for children with severe and profound learning difficulties. They are using a £9,940 grant to replace their multi-sensory room with one that is wheelchair accessible and more suited to the pupils’ needs. The new space will include a fibre optic wall cascade, a soundboard and a light wand.
Saval GAC, based in Newry, is using the £10,000 grant to install a new kitchen and buy appliances for their club to support the work they do with the local community.
Also receiving funding are PBC Foundation (UK) Limited. The organisation supports those affected by Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), an autoimmune liver condition. They are using a grant of £7,037 to run workshops in Belfast, Derry/Londonderry and Newry for PBC sufferers to help them change the way in which they view their condition and learn how to self-manage it.
Kate Beggs, The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland Director, said: “I am delighted to announce these new grants. It’s great to see National Lottery money being used by people who are taking the lead in developing great ideas to help their communities thrive.
“Small pots of funding from National Lottery Awards for All are bringing people together to make good things happen. I want to say thanks to all the National Lottery players who have helped make this possible.”
Application forms and guidance notes are available to download at www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk. For more details call us on 028 9055 1455, or e-mail us atenquiries.ni@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk
