260203 £4.3 Million Local Funding Boost!

The money goes to local groups working in a wide variety of areas but with a common aim - to tackle disadvantage and improve the quality of life in the community.

The Shankill Agoraphobia Stress and Prescribed Drugs Self Help Group were one of the successful groups, receiving £117,399 towards salaries, training and advice costs. The funding will enable the group to continue helping individuals who are or have been traumatised or excluded from society as a result of posttraumatic stress disorder brought on by conflict. The group offer a safe and calming environment with qualified counsellors on hand and run structured sessions.

Also receiving funding in this round of grants, Confederation Of Community Groups were awarded £177,323. The money will enable to organisation to provide a comprehensive welfare rights advice service across the Newry and Mourne district and to research the barriers preventing people from accessing their benefits entitlements. The project will provide informal information and training seminars to community, voluntary and statutory agencies on welfare rights and related issues. The group have also been funded to employ a worker who will help the community and voluntary groups within the Newry and Mourne area develop their external communications systems and facilitate greater communication between groups.

A grant of £136,657 was awarded to Craigavon Travellers Support Committee, paying for salaries and associated costs which will improve access to health services, education, advice and improve levels of inclusion for Travellers.

Portadown Local Action For Community Engagement (PLACE) received £40,373 to create the posts of community development and administration worker. These posts will support the expansion of PLACE's work, developing community activity in the area and improving recreational and community networking opportunities for people of all ages.

A grant of £35,600 was awarded to Feeny Community Association Ltd, a group providing social, recreational and educational facilities for the people of Feeny. The funding will help run formal and non-formal learning programmes, providing training for volunteers and activities and facilities for young people.

Benedy Community Association received £32,779 for salary costs of the centre coordinator/development worker. The funding will help the group run courses and fun days and provide information, advice and support to community groups operating in the area.

An award of £77,721 to Dungiven/Burnfoot Family Support Initiative provides still more support to the communities in Limavady. Through funding of salaries and associated costs, the project will allow the group to train young people to be volunteer youth leaders, facilitate health information workshops and develop a health strategy and forum for the Limavady Borough council area.

Home Start Newry And Mourne received £26,101 to develop the organisation's services for families with children under 5 years of age. The funding pays for salaries of a part time family group worker and family group assistant, training and general running costs.

Omawest Community Development Association received £132,030 to pay for a development worker, training and administration costs, travel, consultancy and office equipment. This award will help the group provide training for the unemployed, people on low incomes, single parent families and elderly and disabled residents. The money will also enable the group to set up a programme of activities and trips for young people in the Omawest area.

Tara Counselling and Personal Development were successful in receiving an award of £144,300 to assist in the continued provision of the high quality counselling and psychotherapy service. The grant will pay for the salaries of psychotherapy and administrative staff and will contribute to producing information and an evaluation study.

A grant of £130,095 went to Mournederg Partnership to enable the group to develop the services it provides in the community. The grant will pay for the salaries of a development officer and administration officer and associated costs.

Hansel And Gretel Community Playgroup received £30,734 to fund two part time staff over two years. The money will also provide a training and information Programme.
Among the other local groups awarded were; Make Your Mark who received £112,114, Rainbow Community Playgroup Ltd who were awarded £32,994 and Rosemount and District Welfare Rights Group who received £105,000.

Professor Jimmy Kearney, Chairman of the Community Fund in Northern Ireland, congratulated all of the successful groups. He said; "These awards are made to projects which are dedicated to creating positive change in the communities they serve. We are delighted to be able to assist so many groups in their excellent work - the awards respond directly to needs identified by the groups and communities themselves, meaning that money goes where it really helps most.'

	26 February 2003 £4.3 Million Local Funding Boost!
	Awards totalling over £4.3 million to 48 local groups were today announced by the Community Fund in Northern Ireland. The money goes to local groups working in a wide variety of areas but with a common aim - to tackle disadvantage and improve the quality of life in the community. The Shankill Agoraphobia Stress and Prescribed Drugs Self Help Group were one of the successful groups, receiving £117,399 towards salaries, training and advice costs. The funding will enable the group to continue helping individuals who are or have been traumatised or excluded from society as a result of posttraumatic stress disorder brought on by conflict. The group offer a safe and calming environment with qualified counsellors on hand and run structured sessions. Also receiving funding in this round of grants, Confederation Of Community Groups were awarded £177,323. The money will enable to organisation to provide a comprehensive welfare rights advice service across the Newry and Mourne district and to research the barriers preventing people from accessing their benefits entitlements. The project will provide informal information and training seminars to community, voluntary and statutory agencies on welfare rights and related issues. The group have also been funded to employ a worker who will help the community and voluntary groups within the Newry and Mourne area develop their external communications systems and facilitate greater communication between groups. A grant of £136,657 was awarded to Craigavon Travellers Support Committee, paying for salaries and associated costs which will improve access to health services, education, advice and improve levels of inclusion for Travellers. Portadown Local Action For Community Engagement (PLACE) received £40,373 to create the posts of community development and administration worker. These posts will support the expansion of PLACE's work, developing community activity in the area and improving recreational and community networking opportunities for people of all ages. A grant of £35,600 was awarded to Feeny Community Association Ltd, a group providing social, recreational and educational facilities for the people of Feeny. The funding will help run formal and non-formal learning programmes, providing training for volunteers and activities and facilities for young people. Benedy Community Association received £32,779 for salary costs of the centre coordinator/development worker. The funding will help the group run courses and fun days and provide information, advice and support to community groups operating in the area. An award of £77,721 to Dungiven/Burnfoot Family Support Initiative provides still more support to the communities in Limavady. Through funding of salaries and associated costs, the project will allow the group to train young people to be volunteer youth leaders, facilitate health information workshops and develop a health strategy and forum for the Limavady Borough council area. Home Start Newry And Mourne received £26,101 to develop the organisation's services for families with children under 5 years of age. The funding pays for salaries of a part time family group worker and family group assistant, training and general running costs. Omawest Community Development Association received £132,030 to pay for a development worker, training and administration costs, travel, consultancy and office equipment. This award will help the group provide training for the unemployed, people on low incomes, single parent families and elderly and disabled residents. The money will also enable the group to set up a programme of activities and trips for young people in the Omawest area. Tara Counselling and Personal Development were successful in receiving an award of £144,300 to assist in the continued provision of the high quality counselling and psychotherapy service. The grant will pay for the salaries of psychotherapy and administrative staff and will contribute to producing information and an evaluation study. A grant of £130,095 went to Mournederg Partnership to enable the group to develop the services it provides in the community. The grant will pay for the salaries of a development officer and administration officer and associated costs. Hansel And Gretel Community Playgroup received £30,734 to fund two part time staff over two years. The money will also provide a training and information Programme. Among the other local groups awarded were; Make Your Mark who received £112,114, Rainbow Community Playgroup Ltd who were awarded £32,994 and Rosemount and District Welfare Rights Group who received £105,000. Professor Jimmy Kearney, Chairman of the Community Fund in Northern Ireland, congratulated all of the successful groups. He said; "These awards are made to projects which are dedicated to creating positive change in the communities they serve. We are delighted to be able to assist so many groups in their excellent work - the awards respond directly to needs identified by the groups and communities themselves, meaning that money goes where it really helps most.'		Media contacts For more information please contact the Office for Northern Ireland on 02890 551455.