Members of the Ballee Community Association
The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded funding to organisations in Ballymena. This is part of wider announcement of over £10.5 million across Northern Ireland, including grass roots community organisations delivering vital activities to local people to reduce isolation and build connections.
One of the organisations receiving funding is Ballee Community Association. They have been awarded a £20,000 grant over two years to extend their luncheon club to include a programme of activities for local older people.
The project will improve health and wellbeing through a variety of activities including arts and crafts, music therapy, movie screenings, health talks and trips.
Iris Smyth, Treasurer, Ballee Community Association, said:
“With this new funding we are thrilled to expand and improve our weekly luncheon club to include outings. The project will provide our members with nutritious meals, opportunities for social interaction, and educational and enriching experiences.
“It's a wonderful step towards enhancing the wellbeing and quality of life for everyone in our community. Our thanks go out to The National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery Players for the huge difference this will make to our project.”
Portglenone Enterprise Group is using a £479,285 grant to support smaller community groups in this rural area to deliver activities for the local community. Over five years the project will bring these groups together to share resources, plan programmes and develop their skills.
The groups include Bannside Stitchers Group, Bannside Beekeepers, Portglenone Seniors Bowling Club, Portglenone Community Workshop and Men’s Shed, Monday Club Portglenone, Portglenone Arts and Crafts Group, and the Women’s Institute. The joint programme of activities, which include a summer festival, gardening activities and crafts, will be open to all ages and will reduce isolation, improve health and wellbeing and build relationships.
Damien Clarke, Director, Portglenone Enterprise Group, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to receive support from the National Lottery Community Fund. This funding will benefit hundreds of people in and around our village including those members of the fifteen social interest groups on whose behalf the grant was sought.”
Thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million a week is raised for good causes like these across the UK.
Other organisations being funded include Ballykeel 1 Moving Forward Community Group, Ballykeel 2 & District Community Association, Ballymena Walking for Health Group, Bann Maine West, Broughshane Improvement Committee Samaritans of Ballymena and Victory Praise Community Church.
Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “It’s incredible to see this £10.5 million of funding going to the charities, community organisations and voluntary groups which are doing vital work every day to support people in their community.
“We’re proud to invest money raised by people who play the National Lottery back into communities, to strengthen them and improve lives. As part of our new strategy ‘It starts with community’, we’re developing a new large grant programme to continue to reach people most in need which will open in the Autumn.”
BALLYMENA
• Ballee Community Association
£20,000
Ballee Community Association in Ballymena is using a £20,000 grant over two years to extend their luncheon club to include a programme of activities for local older people. The project will improve health and wellbeing through a variety of activities including arts and crafts, music therapy, movie screenings, health talks and trips.
• Ballykeel 1 Moving Forward Community Group
£19,635
Ballykeel 1 Moving Forward Community Group, based in Ballymena, is using a £19,635 grant over two years to run lunch and learn events, community fun days and to transform an old bonfire site into a community garden. The project will promote community spirit, bring people together to connect and reduce loneliness.
• Ballykeel 2 and District Community Association
£20,000
Ballykeel 2 and District Community Association in Ballymena is using a £20,000 grant over two years to run activities for local people of all ages to bring people together and improve their wellbeing. The project includes a homework club, youth activities, support group for dads, tea dances for older people and community fun days.
• Ballymena Walking for Health Group
£10,000
Ballymena Walking for Health Group is using a £10,000 grant to deliver walking activities and trips for older people to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
• Bann Maine West
£297,339
Bann Maine West in Cullybackey is using a £297,339 grant to provide activities for older people living in isolated rural areas to build friendships, improve mental health and learn new skills. Over five years the project will run lunch and learn sessions to bring people together to hear an informative talk and socialise over a hot meal, educational trips outside of the Ballymena area, skills building workshops on topics of interest, and a breakfast club to promote engagement from older men. The project will also run a community hub to provide a warm and welcoming environment with a chatty cafe, access to information, tech/digital advice, and a Community Gift Shop to sell products made in workshops.
• Broughshane Improvement Committee
£17,990
Broughshane Improvement Committee is using a £17,990 grant over two years to bring gardeners, older people and school children together to plant flowers, shrubs and trees in the village to enhance the local environment, build relationships and improve their health and wellbeing.
• Cloughmills Cultural & Historical Society
£5,323
Cloughmills Cultural and Historical Society is using a £5,323 to deliver a programme of activities to reduce isolation and loneliness for older people in this rural area. Activities will include day trips, crafts, bowling, flower arranging and armchair aerobics.
• Portglenone Enterprise Group
£479,285
Portglenone Enterprise Group is using a £479,285 grant to support smaller community groups in this rural area to deliver activities for the local community.
Over five years the project will bring these groups together to share resources, plan programmes and develop their skills. The groups include Bannside Stitchers Group, Bannside Beekeepers, Portglenone Seniors Bowling Club, Portglenone Community Workshop and Men's Shed, Monday Club Portglenone, Portglenone Arts and Crafts Group, and the Women's Institute. The joint programme of activities. which include a summer festival. gardening activities and crafts. will
• Samaritans Ballymena
£5,250
Samaritans of Ballymena is using a £5,250 grant to run activities for their volunteers and celebrate their 50th anniversary. The project will bring volunteers together to boost team spirit, build connections so they can support each other and host events to thank volunteers for their work.
• Victory Praise Community Church
£20,000
Victory Praise Community Church, based in Ballymena, is using a £20,000 grant over two years to support the local community through the cost-of-living crisis and boost wellbeing. The project will organise educational outings for young people, creating a sensory den for children with autism or additional needs, bringing people together to connect over a hot meal, and open a food bank.
LARNE
• Antrim Coast Vineyard Church
£20,000
Antrim Coast Vineyard Church, based in Larne, is using a £20,000 grant over two years to run to a hygiene bank to provide personal care items and support for local people in need.
• Sixth Larne Brownie Unit
£6,525
6th Larne Brownie Unit is using a £6,525 grant to run a programme of personal development, physical activities and a residential trip for their members who are girls aged 7-11 years old. The project will help the Brownies to make new friendships, learn new skills, build their self-esteem and improve their wellbeing.