Council Celebrates Civic Pride in Downpatrick

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Charlie Casey celebrated the positive contribution that local community groups make with an event in the council offices in Downpatrick on Wednesday 25 September 2019.

Attending the celebration were representative of community groups that had participated in the Council’s Cleaner, Greener Communities initiative during the summer. Also present were groups that had successfully completed their environmental projects as part of the Council’s Financial Assistance Programme.

Councillor Casey congratulated all the groups for their achievement. He said, “I am very pleased to be able to take this opportunity to recognize our community groups and the important work they do to improve their environment for the benefit of all citizens. I have no doubt that their work has contributed to, and continues to contribute to, a growing sense of civic pride in their local areas.”

Groups that took part in the Cleaner Greener Communities initiative carried out two clean ups during July, promoted an anti-dog fouling message and raised awareness of food waste recycling in their area.

All groups were presented with a commemorative certificate and a voucher sponsored by Natural World Products. The Newcastle-based group Unit T received a special prize of a handicart which can be used by the group for future clean-up activities.

Representatives from Saintfield Development Association, and Clough and District Community Association also received a certificate on the day for accessing funding from the Council’s Financial Assistance Scheme. The groups were recognised for completing their projects, a village planting scheme and a community garden.