DIY makeover for Ballymoney's Lislagan Farm thanks to two Belfast businesses

A Ballymoney charity for adults and children with learning difficulties has had a DIY makeover thanks to two Belfast businesses.

40 team members from ICC Belfast and the Waterfront Hall and their hospitality partners Pan & Pour descended on Compass Advocacy Network CAN’s eleven-acre Lislagan Farm for the one-day makeover.

Three of the 40-strong volunteer squad from ICC Belfast who completed a mammoth one-day makeover at CAN's Lislagan Farm Cottages - Alex Wilkinson, Emilie Talbot and CEO Rob McConnell. CREDIT CAN

placeholder image — Three of the 40-strong volunteer squad from ICC Belfast who completed a mammoth one-day makeover at CAN's Lislagan Farm Cottages - Alex Wilkinson, Emilie Talbot and CEO Rob McConnell. CREDIT CAN

CAN was founded over 25 year ago and delivers a range of creative, therapeutic and community-based programmes that support participants to build confidence, independence, friendships, well-being and life skills.

In 2021, CAN bought its first property – Lislagan Farm. Their vision was to create something truly special – a social and nature-based hub where CAN’s community can be shared with others, and its activities can give back through social enterprise, horticulture, tourism and hospitality.

200 year old cottages at Lislagan Farm are being transformed for use by Ballymoney-based charity Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) for children and adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health challenges. A team of volunteers from ICC Belfast undertook a mammoth spring makeover in a day. CREDIT CAN

It is an evolving, large-scale and resource-intensive project which relies on volunteers and funders to make it happen.

Under the direction of SPLASH Projects, a team of enthusiastic volunteers from ICC Belfast and Pan & Pour arrived in Ballymoney to carry out a dramatic overhaul of the outdoor area of a 200 year old cottage on the site.

This has been earmarked for use as accessible accommodation for service users and their families for short breaks or to be let for private hire to generate income to sustain the charity’s other work.

The 40 volunteers transformed the outdoor area and gardens through extensive clearing, landscaping and planting, the installation of seating, tables and child-friendly play areas.

A 40-strong group of volunteers from ICC Belfast and Pan & Pour completed a mega one-day DIY transformation of CAN's outdoor play area at Lislagan Farm, Ballymoney. CREDIT CAN

Janet Schofield, CEO of CAN said: “This group of incredible individuals from ICC Belfast have totally transformed this whole area in just one day!

"What a huge team effort – there’s no way we could have done it without their help.

"Now we can get our cottage and accommodation ready for use by people with complex needs for much-needed short breaks on the farm; and when it’s not in use, we plan to offer it for private holiday lets in this highly sought-after part of Northern Ireland, which will support our other work.”

Rob McConnell, CEO of ICC Belfast said: “This has been an emotional (and exhausting) project which has given me immense pride in our ICC Belfast and Pan & Pour teams.

"Many of them had absolutely no gardening or DIY experience at all and yet they threw themselves into physical, dirty work, because they could see very clearly what CAN are trying to achieve at Lislagan Farm.

"We’re delighted to have moved them another step closer to realising more of their ambitions for the people who use and rely on and benefit from CAN’s support and care.”