Mournes Community Agree on Project Funding Priorities

Residents in the Mournes District Electoral Area have decided which projects they would like to see funded in the Mournes area through Communities Leading Change participatory budgeting event.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Vice Chairperson, Councillor Oksana McMahon, who attended the event said, “I was very pleased to be asked to attend this event which took place on Thursday 18 October in Newry Street Unite Community Centre. This was a very successful evening with nine groups pitching their project ideas in front of over 70 people from the Mournes community.

“Six projects were successful in obtaining approval and funding from those present: The Ladies of Mourne: Cultural Trip to Stormont; MYMY: updating their multipurpose and crisis room; Advocacy VSV: finishing their website and promotional leaflets; Atticall: Youth Participation project; ARK Community Gardens: Winter Market; and Newry Street Unite: Big Community Quiz. Each of the projects tackled one or more of the three priority areas of rural isolation, mental health and emotional wellbeing, and improving the area and I congratulate all these worthy groups on their achievement.

“I want to thank the groups for presenting their ideas as well as those who attended and voted on which groups should receive funding. I hope that this is the first of many Participatory Budgeting programmes across the district. I look forward to catching up with everyone in the next few months to hear how the funding was spent and to see the impact the projects have made in the Mournes community.”

Also attending the event were representatives from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council District Electoral Area coordinators and the Mournes DEA Councillors, Southern Trust, South Eastern Trust, NI Housing Executive, Department for Communities, County Down Rural Community Network and Confederation for Community Groups.

The next Participatory Budgeting project – Youth Leading Change will be an online event for the whole of Newry, Mourne and Down district. All district residents are invited to vote for their favourite videos by following a link which will be promoted through the Council’s social media and website channels. The link will be published on the Council website once all videos have been submitted, and everyone will be invited to attend an event on 24 November at 10am. The venue for this event will be announced closer to the date.