Coming together forthe Mela Festival

The group got the opportunity to experience the festival thanks to the support of the Housing Executive’s Community Cohesion team.

Stephanie Grundon is one of the ethnic minority support workers at Ballymoney Community Resource Centre, which helped to organise the excursion, was delighted with the trip.

“Over the past few years there has been a rise in residents from a diverse ethnic background to the area”, she said.

“We’re working hard to ensure the area is a welcoming one by improving race relations through increased respect for each other’s traditions and cultures.

“This Mela visit was a chance for us to build on the good relations work which has already been undertaken. On behalf of everyone involved I’d like to thank the Housing Executive for its support.”

The Housing Executive’s Good Relations Officer for the area, Eddie Breslin, explained: “The Housing Executive is about more than bricks and mortar it’s about building communities in which people are happy to live.

“We are pleased to have supported this opportunity for people to come together to get to know each other in a fun relaxed way.

“The feedback from the event has been very positive so far and I am delighted the good work of the area’s community group is continuing.

Meanwhile Brendan Doherty, Causeway Area Manager, commented: “The message of good community relations is an important one which came through with this cross community event.

“I commend the hard work of everyone involved and I am pleased the Housing Executive continues to play its part.”