Grant boost forPortballintrae

The small grants programme is awarding nearly 20,000 to the local groups as part of a grants roll-out of 604,974 to 75 groups across Northern Ireland.

Awards for All offers community, voluntary and statutory groups the chance to apply for small grants of between 500 and 10,000 that will have a big impact on local communities and the lives of people most in need.

Portballintrae Residents' Association, based in Portballintrae Village Hall, has been awarded 10,000 to buy new equipment to improve the new Portballintrae Village Hall.

The equipment will make it possible to offer more activities for people of all ages in the local community to enjoy.

Chairperson Joyce Feder-Rankin, who moved from New York City to Portballintrae 11 years ago after marrying a local man, said that the grant will continue to boost the community spirit that has started to develop in recent years.

“I feel in love with this village when I first saw it. This is a beautiful place to live with great people and that’s why I moved here,” said Joyce.

“There used to be three hotels, two shops, a post office and a pub in Portballintrae. Through over-development in the second-home market there was a complete imbalance. We lost all but one hotel and the shop closed 13 years ago. There was no place for people to come together as a village.

“Local people were not only priced out of the housing market in the village, but with no facilities many young families were being forced to move out of the village. It was thought that Portballintrae no longer had a sustainable community.”

She continued: “The Residents’ Association decided that there needed to be some positive change. Working with Coleraine Borough Council and other government agencies the association has gradually managed to turn things round. There is now a village hall as well as a local shop.”

Joyce explained that the grant will help the group continue to improve life for local people. “This funding will be used to buy a state-of-the-art projection system so we can host lectures and show films, a portable stage and audio equipment that can be used for plays and events, as well as some additional kitchen equipment.

“Getting the new equipment for the hall is such a big help. It will be used for our upcoming Halloween Festival where there will be dancing, music, fancy dress, movies and children’s entertainment.

“The festival attracts not only people from the local area, but as far away as Belfast to the hall and the village. This equipment is also available for other groups that use the hall so it will be in much demand over the coming years.

“We have noticed an amazing change since the hall was built, there’s community spirit here again and this new equipment will help us to continue to build on that spirit and bring people in the area together.”

Catherwoodstown Seniors runs social and educational activities for older people within the Catherwoodstown and the surrounding areas of Movenis, will use a grant of 9,095 to run a programme of activities and information events.