New centre to host Saintfield community fair

New centre to host Saintfield community fair

22 May 2019

A COMMUNITY fair is being held in Saintfield this Sunday.

The event takes place in the recently completed community centre on the Belfast Road opposite Saintfield High School from 1pm to 4.30pm and admission is free.

Saintfield Community Trust, in conjunction with local traders, sports clubs and associations in Saintfield, have put together an afternoon of music, entertainment and demonstrations to celebrate the new communal facility.

One of the aims of the event is to encourage local people to become more involved with Saintfield’s community groups.

Peter Corry will headline the musical segment of the afternoon, supported by a variety of other musical acts.

There will be displays of various disciplines for the health conscious, including a wellness centred and demonstrations by local sports clubs, together with lots of craft, shop and food stalls.

For the children, there will be a magic show, face painting, kite making, storytelling, an obstacle course and much more to keep them entertained.

The fair will provide an opportunity for residents to tour the new centre and see all that it and local groups have to offer.

Due to the number of activities scheduled to take place in the grounds of the facility during the fair, parking within the centre will be restricted to disabled badge holders only.

Parking is available at Saintfield High School, Windmill Business Park, Downpatrick Street car park and the Church of Mary, Mother of the Church on Crossgar Road.

Parking on the road verges adjoining the community centre may constitute a traffic hazard and is not recommended. 

Contrary to recent reports, the new centre has only recently been given the green light to operate due to various finishing tasks and certification procedures which had to be completed before the centre could open to the public.

The keys have now been handed over to the Saintfield Community Trust, a body of volunteers who have formed a company limited by guarantee — with charitable status applied for — to manage the facility on behalf of Newry Mourne and Down Council.

A spokesman for the Trust said interest and enquiries from potential users have been “very encouraging” to date.

Full details of attractions and activities at Sunday’s fair can be found at www.discoversaintfield.com.