Whitehead Wombles scoop £500 award

The Whitehead Wombles scooped a £500 prize cheque at the Allianz Arts & Business NI Awards ceremony which was held in the Ulster Hall, Belfast, on Thursday.

The Community Art Prize supports a local art project nominated by an Allianz member of staff.

The Whitehead Wombles, an initiative spearheaded by resident Noel McKee, has for the past eight years been bringing together a group of volunteers to combat litter in the town.

This small but energetic group, the award organisers explained, has worked hard to improve the area and have grown to include family focused days where all ages come together to work on specific tidy up projects.

The group is now expanding the scope of the project by hoping to get the local primary school involved and have pupils create anti-litter images.

These will then be assessed by artist Naomi Hunter who is primed to run a workshop with the children to develop material highlighting social awareness of litter.

Noel, who attended the awards ceremony, commented “We need to respect each other, respect ourselves and respect the town we live in if we want to engender a sense of community.”

Allianz staff member Marianne McVey, who recently relocated to Whitehead, was so impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm of Noel and his volunteers that she nominated them for the prestigious award,

She said: “It was terrific to see The Whitehead Wombles make the shortlist for the Allianz Arts & Business NI Community Art Prize.

“£500 will go a long way for a voluntary organisation that has never had any money to spend in the past. Next year we will aim to scoop the top prize of £2000.”

The Whitehead Wombles are no stranger to success. In 2010 they received the Coca-Cola Coast Care Group Award, managed by TIDY Northern Ireland, for outstanding efforts by individuals and groups to clean up beaches.

It was in recognition of the excellent work done throughout the year, teaming up with their local beach operator and key stakeholders on the Whitehead stretch of coastline.

Meanwhile, community-minded residents are reminded that Transition Town Whitehead is leading a fruit tree planting event at Diamond Jubilee Wood on Sunday, February 23 (1.00pm).