Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Mark Cooper BEM and Head of Community Planning Ronan McKenna (second from right) congratulate Impact Network NI Manager Wendy Kerr and Impact Network NI Chair Sam Bell for their recent funding success.
The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Mark Cooper has paid a visit to Impact Network NI Ltd in Randalstown to offer his personal congratulations on their recent £500,000 funding success.
The group’s regeneration plans have been supported through £250,000 of funding from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Community Capital Fund and £250,000 from the Department of Levelling Up, Community Ownership Fund.
This funding will go towards the regeneration and upgrade of the facilities at 45 Main Street, Randalstown, and see its transformation from a vacant, derelict property of over ten years into a new, vibrant, fit for purpose events and activities space for the community.
As provider of an essential service in the area, the upgraded premises will bolster a number of vital activities:
• Youth focussed services, delivered by Impact Network NI and other specialist partners
• Suicide prevention programmes and interventions
• Good Relations activities and programmes
• Community events such as charity fundraisers, recreational education classes and social drop-ins
• Training and personal development programmes, including employability and accredited skills development courses
The capital funding for renovations will also ensure energy efficiency and environmental awareness at the upgraded Impact NI premises.
It is anticipated the new facility will enable a substantial increase in footfall and an increase in Impact Network NI activities.
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Mark Cooper BEM said the plans will deliver a valuable asset for the community:
“This ambitious project will put a superb community space at the heart of Randalstown.“The impressive, and extremely important, variety of services Impact Network NI will be able to offer from the upgraded property will help a large number of people. I’m delighted to see the project move one step closer to launch day.”
Sam Bell, Impact Network NI, added:
“Our organisation, established almost 21 years ago, has delivered a range of community programmes including health and wellbeing, suicide prevention, community development support, community transformation, peace and reconciliation programmes and inter-estate programmes.
“Cementing our purpose-built hub will support not only the regeneration of the local area but the continuous growth of Impact Network NI to serve further within the community.”