Ballymena Orange Hall user groups set for funding boost

Orange Community Network Ltd has been awarded a grant of 495,608 to run the five-year Community Development Outreach and Support project which will mentor, support and develop the work of emerging and existing community groups that meet in Orange Halls in Ballymena and across the North East and South West of Northern Ireland.

The project will employ two community development officers who will go out into communities and offer groups guidance in areas such as setting up groups, community development training, as well as organising networking sessions and expanding the activities they run.

Chairman Drew Nelson explained that the project will work to re-establish Orange Halls as focal points for community activity by supporting groups that want to improve the confidence of local people, tackle isolation in disadvantaged communities, and boost people’s skills and education.

“Most Orange Halls were built between 1890 and 1910. Up until about 1970 they were hives of activity and served not only as meeting places for the Orange Lodges, but also as centres for the local community,” said Drew.

“But when the Troubles started in about 1970, people became nervous about using Orange Halls, so the amount of community activity really plummeted.

“So, coming out of the Troubles over the past few years, it has required an extra effort to re-establish community activity in Orange Halls and the purpose of the Orange Community Network is to encourage, mentor and support the both existing and emerging groups which are re-establishing that community work.”

Drew explained that the development officers will provide support for the likes of rural development groups, cultural groups, older people’s support groups, historical societies and sporting activities – helping to establish new organisations and develop the skills of existing organisations.

He added: “We have run two pilot schemes, the first in County Down, and the second in the North East and South West areas of Northern Ireland and both were very successful. The groups we supported really benefited from the advice they were offered.

“The projects we support will benefit from our expertise and knowledge of the support that’s out there. A lot of these groups are in very rural areas and are run by volunteers so our advice and guidance will really help to boost confidence and develop their activities.

“By the time this project is finished we want to leave a legacy of confident, self-sustaining groups which are running more activities and engaging and involving more people.

“We are tackling isolation, and a lack of confidence among people in community groups, and we are tackling a legacy of the Troubles that has meant people have retreated into the comfort of their own communities and have stopped using their local hall.

“We want to re-establish Orange Halls as focal points for local communities and through that to build confidence in local communities.”

Grants totalling over 2.5 million have been awarded to seven projects under the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities Northern Ireland programme. The 18 million programme has supported a wide range of projects that have improved people’s lives, created stronger communities and improved local environments.

Big Lottery Fund NI Chair, Frank Hewitt, said: “I am delighted that the Big Lottery Fund has supported such a diverse range of projects under this programme. It is heartening to see so many projects supporting disadvantaged groups within our society”.