SDLP listen to groups of the Glens

SDLP Councillor Margaret Anne McKillop and party colleagues have heard first hand from a number of community-based organisations in the Glens of Antrim about what issues they feel are important and about their future plans.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Sep 2014, 13:20 BST
Margaret Anne McKillop, Stephanie Quigley and Roisin Loftus - meeting with Friends of Glenarriff. INBM40-14SMargaret Anne McKillop, Stephanie Quigley and Roisin Loftus - meeting with Friends of Glenarriff. INBM40-14S
Margaret Anne McKillop, Stephanie Quigley and Roisin Loftus - meeting with Friends of Glenarriff. INBM40-14S

Cllr McKillop, accompanied by Chairperson of Moyle District Council, Donal Cunningham, introduced fellow councillors, Roisin Loftus and Stephanie Quigley from the Causeway Coast and Glens Council to various community-based organisations in the Glens.

“I felt it was essential my new colleagues on the Causeway Coast and Glens Council met the many community-based organisations, heard their stories of success in the past and their plans for the future,” explained Cllr McKillop.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The community spirit in the Glens must be kept alive, and not lost when the new super council begins in earnest next April.”

Margaret Anne McKillop, Stephanie Quigley and Roisin Loftus - meeting with Glenariff Improvement Group. INBM40-14SMargaret Anne McKillop, Stephanie Quigley and Roisin Loftus - meeting with Glenariff Improvement Group. INBM40-14S
Margaret Anne McKillop, Stephanie Quigley and Roisin Loftus - meeting with Glenariff Improvement Group. INBM40-14S

Cllr McKillop spoke of her pride at introducing her new council colleagues to so many great local people, and expressed delight at the generous welcome they received in the Glens.

“The GAA clubs have played a major role in contributing to the lives of our people, and they play a huge role in the community. Their voices must continue to be represented and heard,” said Cllr McKillop.

“We were very pleased to meet with the chairman of Ruairí Óg CLG Cushendall and heard at first hand their plans and aspirations for the club. Our young people in the various sports and youth clubs deserve to have their needs provided for by the new Council and I hope they will.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cllr McKillop said all community groups, whether it is the Friends of Glenariff or the Glenariff Improvement Group, the Glens Youth Club or “any of the other wonderful community-based organisations we met in Cushendun and Cushendall, they all have an even greater role to play in the times ahead and the SDLP is committed to working with them for the greater good of the whole communities they serve”.

Cllr McKillop added: “We also visited the North Antrim Community Network to hear of their role in supporting the various organisations under their remit and, in the future, we will visit other organisations we didn’t get to meet on this occasion.

“Donal Cunningham and I were delighted to be accompanied by councillor Roisin Loftus and Stephanie Quigley who have a wealth of experience working within community-based organisations and, together with our remaining councillors Maura Hickey, Orla Beattie and Gerry Mullan on the new council, the Glens will be well represented when the new council settles down to making very important decisions on behalf of all the people it will serve.”

Related topics:Council