The National Lottery Community Fund has recently granted over £200,000 in funding to organisations in the Newry, Mourne and Down areas.
These grants aim to bring communities together, alleviate the impact of rising living costs, enhance mental health and foster social connections — following in the footsteps of similar initiatives across Northern Ireland.
One recipient of this funding is the Saintfield Community Association, which has been awarded a grant of £9,998. This grant will be used to establish youth clubs for young people to engage in activities and acquire new skills.
Another noteworthy recipient is Home-Start Down District, which has received a grant of £152,794. This funding supports its project aimed at providing mental health support for mothers facing additional health needs.
Deborah Boden, CEO of Mind Your Mate and Yourself (MYMY), expressed her gratitude for the £9,700 grant awarded to cover the running costs of its services in Castlewellan.
Boden stated: “We are delighted to receive this grant from The National Lottery Community Fund to provide early mental health intervention. Our trained staff and volunteer team will continue to provide a listening ear and a range of wellbeing activities as well as signposting to our counselling service."
St. Patrick's Parish Church in Newry received a grant of £5,995, used to organise activities for older members of the community. These activities include music sessions, light exercise classes, day trips and informative talks.
Creggan Parish Church Creggan Hall Management secured a grant of £9,940 to make improvements to their hall. The project includes installing a loop mic system, a sink outlet and equipment for refreshments. The group will host a luncheon club, training workshops and cultural seminars.
The 1st Dromore Newry Scout Group Scouting Ireland received a £10,000 grant to install accessible toilets in its hall to improve inclusivity for young people and volunteers with disabilities.
Newtownhamilton and District Community First Responders received a £10,000 grant to host a community fun day, to celebrate its five-year anniversary by promoting positive mental health and physical wellbeing, much like similar events supported by The National Lottery in the past.
