Local groups to share in £600k funding boost

Minister for Communities Paul Givan MLA has announced that 39 local organisations are among the 727 groups successful in sharing £600,000 from the 2016/17 Volunteering Small Grants Programme.

The programme provides grants of between £200 and £1,200 to help organisations throughout Northern Ireland recruit and support volunteers.

“The value of volunteering in our society cannot be overstated and I am delighted to announce that 727 voluntary and community organisations have been successful in sharing £600,000 from the programme,” Mr Givan said.

“I hope this goes some way to assist the significant contribution to society made by so many dedicated volunteering groups throughout Northern Ireland.”

Organisations in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area awarded grants are:

186th Co. Girls’ Brigade - £500

32nd Belfast Boys Brigade - £960

Ballybeen Improvement Group - £960

Ballyoran Community & Arts Group - £960

Carryduff Colts - £1,058

Carryduff Regeneration Forum - £960

Christ Church Youth Council - £900

Crewe United FC - £918

Dreamscheme Northern Ireland - £855

Drumlough Community Association - £880

Dundonald district Girlguiding - £803

Dungoyne Boys FC - £960

Food Reaction NI C.I.C - £691

Glenavy Conservation and Angling Club - £918

Glenclare Community Group - £960

Halftown Residents Association - £875

Harmony Hill Community Group - £665

Hilden Community Association - £960

Hillhall Regeneration Group - £850

Hillsborough Boys Football Club - £960

Home-Start Lisburn/Colin - £1,080

Killynure Community Association - £640

Lisburn Distillery Football Club - £960

Lisburn Downtown Centre - £800

Lisburn Rangers Football Club - £752

Lisburn Taekwondo Club - £800

Lisburn University of Third Age - £920

Moira Friendship Group - £900

Moneyreagh & District Community Association - £350

Old Warren Community Association - £960

R Space Gallery CIC - £990

Ridgeway Rovers Football Club - £800

Santos Football Club - £1,080

Shopmobility Lisburn - £600

The Judo Academy - £960

The Lambeg Project (Base Drop In Centre) - £600

The Welcome Project - £1,080

Tuesday Break - £650

Ulster New Zealand Trust at The Ballance House - £800.

The overall aim of the Volunteering Small Grants Programme is to increase diversity within volunteering in Northern Ireland, based on four objectives:

• To increase volunteer activity by groups under-represented in the volunteering population, including people not in paid work;

• To increase the number of new volunteers;

• To promote innovative methods of recruiting new volunteers; and

• To promote innovative methods of engaging with and supporting both new and existing volunteers.