Moneydig sets the 'bench'mark for lively rural chat
A Causeway Coast and Glens hamlet has set the ‘bench’mark for a lively chat in a rural area, with a little help from the Housing Executive.
Recently crowned Best Kept Small Housing area at the Northern Ireland Amenity Awards, Moneydig is enjoying plenty of conversation following the installation of a ‘Chatty Bench’.
Almost £5,000 was provided by the Housing Executive to Moneydig Rural Network, via a Community Cohesion grant, for workshops to create a traditional bench.
Facilitated by David Keys Sustainable Woodworking, a Moneymore-based service, the group creates and installed a traditionally crafted bench, providing a focal point for the area, which sits roughly halfway between Coleraine and Maghera.
As well as recently scooping the award for best kept small housing area, Moneydig also claimed the Ellen Magowan Award, given to the Housing Executive entrant with the highest marks from the judges and these awards are now on display at the entrance of Moneydig Park, while the beautiful wooden bench is situated in a new patio area.
Patricia McQuillan MBE, Secretary of Moneydig Rural Network said: “We’re delighted to see the chatty bench installed and the awards on display – we’ve so much to talk about, conversations on the bench shouldn’t be a problem.
“We’d like it to be a place where the isolated or lonely can sit knowing that someone will come up and connect with them and have a chat.
“I have lived in Moneydig for 41 years and my husband, all his life. Eleven years after I started the community group which became Moneydig Rural Network, we noticed more and more new families were moving into the area and we wanted to expand our work to make sure that we were proactive in reducing isolation and loneliness in the community.
“Over the last 25 years, we have gone from strength to strength running many classes, courses, seasonal events, health and wellbeing activities and annual environmental projects.
“We have welcomed people into the area from as far away as Portugal, Australia, South Africa and recently the Bahamas.
“For many years to come, I’d love to see people from all walks of life come sit on our chatty bench and discover from our friendly local people – it’s what makes Moneydig such a wonderful place to live.
“Our aim is to boost health and wellbeing by encouraging all ages of people to come outdoors into the fresh air to meet others and just have a chat.
“I’m in no doubt that the bench will be put to good use by all ages at our community events. Anyone who sits on it and takes in the beautiful surroundings will understand why the amenity awards judges were so impressed with the area that they visited three times.
“It was a great honour to receive the Ellen McGowan award which is presented to the Housing Executive entry that received the highest mark from the judges.
“Our park looks as lovely as it does because of all the amazing work by residents, community members and of course the amazing volunteers who take care of all the planting and watering.
“We also couldn’t have achieved all this without a partnership approach with the Parks Department within Council and the Housing Executive who designed the beautiful patio which we use as a shared space for fun days and community events.
“So, thank you to the grass cutters, the litter pickers, the cooks and bakers, the waitresses, the painters, the planters and waterers, the weed killers, the crafters, the tutors, the facilitators, the committee and especially the volunteers that make Moneydig the best wee place ever.”