Co Down Rural Community network in major cash boost from National Lottery

Co Down Rural Community network in major cash boost from National Lottery

2 October 2024

THE County Down Rural Community Network has secured almost £453,000 in funding to support people and projects in the Down and Ards areas over the next three years.

The cash has been secured from the National Lottery Community Fund NI and paves the way for the so-called “Building Healthy Sustainable Communities Across Ards and Down Project” to be rolled out.

Delighted with the success of its funding application, the mone will enable the Network to work with communities in Down and Ards, empowering, supporting, upskilling and connecting with people in marginalised, isolated and vulnerable communities. 

The project aims to reduce social isolation, strengthen community connections and cohesion and create healthy, sustainable communities that promote equality of opportunities for all.

It will focus on providing training, peer support, outings, workshops, events, summer schemes and social activity programmes supporting more than 70 groups. 

The Network says strengthening community connections underpins all its work, connecting people with their neighbours and providing opportunities for them to actively participate and contribute to their local communities to enhance and improve lives.

Network manager, Nicholas McCrickard, said the National Lottery grant will allow the staff team to deliver a huge range of local activities and projects all across Down and Ards. 

“People of all ages will benefit from these projects and we will keep bureaucracy to a minimum,” he continued.

“Many of the groups we work with are run by small numbers of volunteers. We will take much of the paperwork off their hands and allow them to deliver what is needed in their own areas.”

Mr McCrickard said The Building Healthy Sustainable Communities Across Ards & Down Project is people-led will enable it to compliment and add value to its existing work.

The Network was established by local community organisations to articulate the voice of communities and empower them to tackle needs whilst adopting a community development approach building confident, connected communities that are motivated and empowered to help themselves. 

Managed by a voluntary Board of Directors elected  every two years from its’ member groups, the Network has nearly 400 member groups and from North Down to South Armagh.

The Network would like to thank Lesley Johnston from the National Lottery Community Fund NI for her help and support throughout the process and also highlighted the work of local volunteers, thanking them for contributing so much with the Lottery application.