County Down Groups Receive Support From Community Fund To Tackle Covid-19.
The National Lottery Community Fund has announced over £124,000 to projects across County Down helping those groups tackle the issues affecting families and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This funding is part of a roll-out of £1.8million to more than 100 projects across Northern Ireland.
Bangor Foodbank and Community Support is using a £10,000 grant to contribute to the running of the foodbank through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. The group have increased their service to include all areas and communities along the Ards Peninsula, providing emergency non-perishable food for families and people in crisis in the Ards and North Down Borough Council area. This enhanced service is being offered seven days a week and includes a home delivery option.
Clandeboye Village Community Association, based in Bangor, is using a £10,000 grant to support the local community through the COVID-19 crisis by providing residents on low incomes with food vouchers and top-ups for gas, electric and oil.
Donaghadee Community Development Association is using a £5,000 grant to deliver food parcels to older members of the community, the vulnerable, those self-isolating and those in financial difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group are also collecting and delivering groceries and prescriptions as needed.
Portaferry Community Collective is using a £10,000 grant to provide food parcels and electric/oil vouchers for those most in need as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. They are also addressing the issues of loneliness, social isolation and boredom caused by the pandemic by distributing activity packs, containing craft materials and instructions, to older people and families so they can take part in creative activities during this time.
Repair Café Northern Ireland runs community repair events, where volunteers help visitors fix beloved but broken items for free. The group have held 18 repair café events in different communities across Belfast but are using a £10,000 grant to support four new communities, Loughinisland, Whitehead, Derry/Londonderry and Bangor.
Carrivemaclone and Lisdrumliska Community Association, based outside Newry, is using a £8,480 grant to deliver a programme of activities for the community including arts and crafts workshops for teenagers and older people, a family fun day and an evening of food and music. The project helps build community cohesion, teach new skills, encourage physical activity and improve well-being.
Moneydarragh Community Hub, based outside Annalong, is using a £9,750 grant to improve their facility by upgrading the kitchen and meeting room. The group are also creating a ‘Cozy Room’ where people can relax, read books and magazines from their library, and are using the money to purchase new tables and chairs for the area. The improvements help create a more welcoming environment for the wide range of community groups that use the hall.
Respect Youth Project is using a grant of £10,000 to deliver a ‘Community Youth Champions’ programme for young people living in Newry. The programme involves a mix of sports and educational based sessions including sports leadership skills training, mental health, drug and alcohol awareness, interview skills and CV writing.
Centred Soul-Health and Wellbeing for all the Family, based in Newry, is using a £10,000 grant to run weekly online support groups for those affected by perinatal mental illness and birth trauma, which cannot be held in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The group is also using the funding to provide telephone counselling services.
Camlough Community Association is using a £9,600 grant to provide food vouchers to those most in need in the Camlough, Bessbrook and Cloughreagh areas during the COVID-19 crisis. The project helps ease the new financial burden facing local people during this uncertain time.
Samaritans of Newry is using a £9,700 grant to provide a ‘listening ear’ to people experiencing distress and who are struggling to cope during the COVID-19 crisis. The project helps improve mental health and well-being which is expected to be significantly impacted by the outbreak.
Drumgath Ladies Group is using a £9,095 grant to provide food vouchers in the greater Rathfriland and Hilltown area to those over 50 who are self-isolating or living in financial hardship due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The vouchers reduce additional worries felt during this time and help ease the new financial burden of the current situation.
Newtownhamilton Community Association is using a £3,000 grant to provide food parcels, basic necessities including toiletries and prescription deliveries to vulnerable, older, socially isolated people in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project helps reduce isolation and builds stronger relationships across the community.
Whitecross Community Association is using a £10,000 grant to provide food parcels, toiletries and electricity/heating vouchers for residents in the Whitecross, Belleeks, Ballymoyer and Tullyherron areas in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The project supports those residents who may be self-isolating, have lost employment, have a reduced income and who don’t have access to transport to access foodbanks, supermarkets or other available support during this time.
Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund said: “Thanks to National Lottery funding, these groups are able to step up to help people and communities through these difficult times. We are here to support them to overcome obstacles in bringing people together and get help to those in need, as well as to think about recovery and longer-term needs.
“We are getting millions out quickly to support communities across the UK during the crisis. It is all thanks to National Lottery players who provide our funding so projects like these can continue their amazing work.”
All National Lottery funded projects can contact their Funding Officer if they need advice or have any questions about their grant.
Full updates from the organisation regarding our response to Covid-19, information on applying for grants and general contact details can be found on our website: www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk.
