£10k funding boost for Forum

A local service which helps to promote positive mental health among women in the Carrick area has received a £10,000 funding boost.
Pictured are Anne Magill and Kelley McKeown from Carrickfergus Womens Forum with Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI director.  INCT 46-726-CONPictured are Anne Magill and Kelley McKeown from Carrickfergus Womens Forum with Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI director.  INCT 46-726-CON
Pictured are Anne Magill and Kelley McKeown from Carrickfergus Womens Forum with Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI director. INCT 46-726-CON

Carrickfergus Women’s Forum provides a community-based model of mental health care for those referred to the service.

The grant was awarded as part of the Big Lottery Fund’s 10th anniversary celebrations, with the National Lottery programme one of the Forum’s main sources of financial support over the past number of years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Project coordinator Anne Magill explained: “The Big Lottery Fund were offering 10 community groups the chance to win £10,000 each; we were nominated by five of our women who use the service to go through to the next round.”

Earlier this year, the Women’s Forum was nearing crisis point with its funding stream due to come to an end.

Although the financial situation remains uncertain, the grant will go a long way towards helping with the running of the Forum, said Anne.

“Most of the funding will be going towards specific projects: we’ll be using it to run creative writing and African drumming classes, to produce a DVD and a booklet,” she added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We will be able to use some of the funding towards staff costs, which will be a great help, but we are running a few fund-raisers in the coming months as well, including a cafe quiz at Sainsbury’s on November 21 (7:30pm).”

The Forum is based at Carrick YMCA after moving from Rhanbuoy Park last month.