Our Children … Their Education

East Down Rural Community Network in partnership with Integrated Education Fund and Rural Community Network is holding an event to discuss the challenges and opportunities for our schools and communities in Down District Council area.

On Thursday, 26th January 2012 at 6.00 pm,  Millbrook Lodge Hotel, 5 Drumaness Road, Ballynahinch.  Event Chaired by William Crawley, BBC Journalist and Broadcaster.

The purpose of the event is to explore some of the issues which could lead to significant changes in how schools are planned, funded, managed and structured.  This presents challenges, particularly in areas where there are a large number of small schools that are below the Dept of Education’s sustainable enrolment criteria.

The context presents real opportunities for communities and their schools to do things differently; to imagine how education might be delivered differently in their area in the best interests of children, both today and in the future.

Shared past / Shared future

Talbot House in Ballyhalbert was the venue for the United Ulster History Forum’s Shared Past/Shared Future exhibition which was held from Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th November.

This exhibition was held as part of the Peninsula Shared History Project which is about exploring and developing understanding of history, culture and identity within a shared context looking at European, Irish and British history.

This event was supported by Rural Community Network’s Rural Enabler Programme which is funded under the European Union’s PEACE III Programme through the Special EU Programmes Body.

For further details click on the following link – http://www.ruralcommunitynetwork.org/news/news.aspx?ID=390&type=press

Co-operation Ireland All-Island Pride of Place – Special Award Winners

EDRCN are pleased to announce we received a special award at the Co-operation Ireland Pride Of Place Awards 2011  held in Gorey Co. Wexford on November 5th 2011.

We would like to thank Down District Council Chief Executive John Dumigan, and Damien Brannigan, Community Relations Officer, for the kind nomination and for their support in organising and financing our role in the competition.

However, it is vital to also acknowledge the role of all our staff, board members and volunteers over all these years for their commitment and dedication to the community in Down & Ards and beyond.

Below is the citation read out at the Awards Ceremony announcing EDRCN’s success -

“The final Special Award is in respect of a group that has established and is implementing an excellent model of community development. This is to meet the needs of rural communities and this is achieved by stimulating and facilitating community and voluntary activity. This has the effect of ensuring an effective input from the community to the social, economic and environmental development of the area. The success of the Ballymote Centre in revitalising a previously very depressed area is testament to their work. The winner of the final Special Award is……East Down Rural Community Network.”

Press release from Cooperation Ireland -

Downpatrick takes Top Prize in All-Island Pride of Place Competition

East Down Rural Community Network took top prize in the annual Co-operation Ireland All-Island Pride of Place Awards announced at the gala ceremony in Gorey, County Wexford on Saturday (5 November).

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan TD along with Co-operation Ireland Chairman Christopher Moran and Pride of Place Committee Chairman Tom Dowling presented the group with their award.

Winning a Special Award, the judges said that the group had established and implemented an excellent model of community development which meets the needs of rural communities. The group achieved this by stimulating and facilitating community and voluntary activity. They continued “This has the effect of ensuring an effective input from the community to the social, economic and environmental development of the area. The success of the Ballymote Centre in revitalising a previously very depressed area is testament to their work.”

During the evening, the Minister paid tribute to all the participating groups who work tirelessly to create and promote pride in their cities, towns and villages.

The All-Island Pride of Place Competition recognises and celebrates the vital contributions that community partnerships make to society. The focus is on people coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their local area. It differs from other similar projects in thatthey specifically recognise the involvement of the local community in all aspects of rural and urban regeneration including, promoting social cohesion, involvement in planning, the promotion of heritage and environmental awareness.

The Competition is run by Co-operation Ireland in conjunction with the Pride of Place Steering Committee.

Peter Sheridan Chief Executive of Co-operation Ireland said:

“I congratulate all the winners of this year’s Pride of Place Awards. The accolade is recognition of the commitment and hard work groups undertake for the good of their local community.

Although there can only be one winner in each category, this Awards Ceremony is an occasion to acknowledge the efforts of all groups, throughout the island, who were nominated by their local authority. In effect getting to this point is success in itself”.

Pride of Place Chairman Tom Dowling declared,

“I am delighted with the turnout and support all the groups received this evening, both winners and all groups in attendance. It highlights the appreciation and esteem in which community and voluntary organisations are held in throughout the island”.

Building Your Community Assets for Future Success Seminar

East Down Rural Community Network in partnership with Building Change Trust – Catalyst for Change Partnership held a ½ day seminar on Saturday 1^st October 2011 to provide information and advice to groups within thePeninsula on developing and building community assets.

The event provided opportunities for community groups to learn from the experiences of a range of local groups.  Carol Ann Hewitt, Kircubbin Regeneration Project, Colin Dempster, Ballywalter Youth & Community Co-operative and Gary Laverty, Portaferry Regeneration Ltd all gave excellent presentations on the reality for groups in owning and managing community assets detailing the challenges and advantages for groups.  This was followed by two workshops where groups were able to hear good practice tips from a range of support providers on:   Effectively Marketing and Promoting Your Group; and Acquiring, Managing and Sustaining aCommunityBuilding.

The seminar came about as a follow up to research report undertaken by CENI with the above groups into Owning and Managing Community Assets in Upper Ards.  Anyone seeking further information on the report please contact Frances Hughes, EDRCN at Tel No. 028 9182 8884 or alternatively copies of the report can be downloaded from EDRCN website www.eastdownrcn.com.

STEP OUT! For Breast Cancer

Someone is diagnosed with breast cancer every 11 minutes. That’s 48,000 mums, wives, grandmothers and sisters every year.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer is fighting for a future free from the fear of breast cancer, a future where breast cancer no longer threatens lives.

Join the fight by Stepping Out and organising a fundraising walk. It’s simple: you choose the time and the place and then invite your friends to join you.

Register now! 

Call for your free fundraising pack on 08080 100 200 or visit www.breakthrough.org.uk/stepout

Rural White Paper Action Plan Consultation

After many years of campaigning for a Rural White Paper for Northern Ireland, we welcome the publication by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) of the Draft Rural White Paper Action Plan and the associated consultation process.

EDRCN in partnership with Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Rural Community Network carried out a community consultation on the Rural White Paper Action Plan on 10th May 2011 in the St Patrick’s Centre, Downpatrick.  Several community representatives attended and were vocal in their views of the Action Plan and its impact on rural community.    See below Rural White Paper Flyer for information.

Rural White Paper Flyer

The New Issue of Rural Matters

Available for download at the link below is the January issue of Rural Matters – The Housing Executive Newsletter for all rural homeowners and tenants.  This issue features an interview with Minister Alex Attwood and articles on Community Cohesion, Energy efficiency and money saving tips, and the Rural Enabler Programme.

Download Rural Matters here - Rural Matters January 2011

Stormont Visit for Louth and Ards Women’s Network

December might have been a month of severe weather conditions with snow and ice seeing many people housebound, but it didn’t deter two groups of women from the Ards Peninsula and Louth from getting together and visiting Stormont and Belfast City Hall.

The women’s groups which have been supported by East Down Rural Community Network have been meeting for two years getting to know each other and building cross border relationships. The visit to Stormont was hosted by Alderman Kieran McCarthy, MLA and was very successful as the women had the opportunity to meet with MLAs from all the political parties while lingering in the Great Hall as well as sitting in the Stranger’s Gallery to witness the NI Assembly at work.

Following this the women spent the later afternoon taking a tour of Belfast City Hall and learning some of the history of the this very important building. The event was funded by SEUPB Peace III Programme through County Louth Peace & Reconciliation Partnership.

 

 

Are Churches Central to the Community?

Maxwell’s Courtyard, Kircubbin was the venue for the launch of a major research report which seeks to explore the relations between churches in the Ards Peninsula and the role they can play individually and collective in local communities.

The research was fully funded by the International Fund for Ireland.  The lead partner for the research, The Link Family and Community Centre in Newtownards, believe that churches can work together positively on social, civic and community issues.  East Down Rural Community Network and Peninsula Healthy Living, also research partners, wish to see churches fully engaged in community life and are hopefully that new and beneficial partnerships can be forged as an outcome of the research.

Speaking at the launch event Tommy Stewart, who led the research team, said that consultation had shown that churches already contribute significantly to life on the Peninsula and that a number are actively seeking to come together with the community and voluntary sector to provide support to people and help develop local areas.  It is hoped that as a result of the research a project can be taken forward over the next number of years that would promote and support churches and community and voluntary organisations to develop skills and services that will enable churches and communities collectively to contribute to and embrace a healthy, harmonious and shared future for the Ards Peninsula.

The research partners invite churches and community and voluntary groups to join with them as they seek to make this vision a reality.

Further information can be obtained from Diane Holt, The Link Centre, Newtownards Tel: 028 91 821124, Frances Hughes, East Down Rural Community Network, Tel: 028 9182 8884 Sheila Bailie, Peninsula Healthy Living Partnership Tel: 028 427 39021

‘Women Together’ Louth & Ards Women’s Network

In an ongoing series of meetings this group spent a week-end together in Dublin in September as part of their “Building Bridges” project. The two groups met up in Dundalk and travelled on to Glasnevin, Dublin where they had lunch and a tour of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland.

The rest of the week-end was spent sharing experiences of rural life and peace building.

One of the highlights of the week-end was an unexpected invitation from the “Miss World Charity Gala” requesting the group to join them in the hotel ballroom, when everyone had the opportunity to meet Kaiane Aldorino, the current Miss World in person.

The cross border linkage continues to flourish and will follow on with the groups participating in a peace building conference in November.

This event was funded through SEUPB Peace III Programme through the County Louth Peace & Reconciliation Partnership.