An Afternoon of Culture in Dunsford

To mark Good Relations Week, Downpatrick District Electoral Area Forum organised a very successful Cultural Awareness event for members of the Jam’N’Ire Association in Dunsford on Sunday 25 September 2022.

The Jam’N’Ire Association was recently established to provide support for families with children of mixed heritage. The organisation has helped over 90 families to develop new friendships and gain a greater understanding of the different cultures throughout Northern Ireland. 

The initiative, funded through T:BUC, marked this year’s Good Relations Week, which focused on building a stronger shared society.  The event provided an afternoon of activities for both children and adults which involved a session with Still I Rise, an organisation that focuses on diversity storytelling, and Fired Cookery School. Children were entertained with arts and craft activities and storytelling through books that focused on our shared and multi-cultural communities and the diversity of today’s modern family life. Fired Cookery School helped adults improve their culinary skills by providing a cookery class featuring different foods from around the world. 

Downpatrick DEA Chairperson, Councillor Oonagh Hanlon, said, “This initiative highlights the mutual understanding and respect this Council has for members of our diverse community. Although the Jam’N’Ire Association are based in the Downpatrick DEA, they encompass members from throughout Northern Ireland. These families come together every month and have built up a network of support for each other and I am delighted that Downpatrick DEA has been able to host this event to further support the work that they do.”