A CAN do attitude to peace building delivers £0.5 million

THERE was a big funding boost for 20 local projects last month when the Carrickfergus, Antrim and Newtownabbey (CAN) Peace III Partnership approved more than half a million pounds worth of grant awards.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Jan 2010, 10:00 BST
Updated 26th Jan 2010, 16:58 BST

The CAN Peace III Partnership and its action plan are financed by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund through the EU programme for Peace and Reconciliation managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

The projects supported are being led by groups from all three boroughs, operating in the community, voluntary and public sectors.

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Funding awarded includes support for sports clubs, innovative music projects and multi-media history projects. It includes work with pre-schools, teenagers, young adults and the wider community.

Included were the Community Development Agency/SEACF which deals with perceptions; the Community Relations Forum, based at Barron Hall and another project ‘Ourself - A Work in Progress’; Making Music Workshops; University of Ulster, sport and community education and integration; Bytes Project which is an apprentice good relations educator, plus a further project ‘Reaching the Community’; Monkstown Sports Facility’s ‘Future Kid Gloves Project’ and Early Years - a media initiative for children about respecting differences.

The number and range of successful projects demonstrates not just the commitment to moving forward in local communities, but also the creative and innovative ways in which to do so.

Sam Crowe, Chair of the CAN Peace III Partnership said: “The Partnership has been working hard over the last number of months to process applications to its small grants programme. We have been pleased with the level of interest in Peace and Reconciliation work across the cluster area and believe that the projects we are supporting will make a real difference to building positive relations across the Carrickfergus, Antrim and Newtownabbey areas.

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“These grants are just the start of the work that the CAN Partnership will be supporting over the coming months as we strive to tackle sectarianism and racism across the three boroughs.”

Alderman Nigel Hamilton from Newtownabbey Borough Council, who chairs the Partnership’s Joint Committee, added: “As the credit crunch hits all sectors and the public purse, we are delighted to be in a position to provide funds which ensure that projects which will make a valuable contribution to local communities will be able to go ahead.”

Further information on the programme is available from the Peace III team based at Mossley Mill or on the council website http://www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/community/peace3.asp

Related topics:CANNewtownabbeyCarrickfergusAntrim