News Release Page Title

21 March 2006

FUNDING BONUS FOR NORTH BELFAST FAMILY CENTRE

The Wishing Well Family Centre in North Belfast has received a £70,000 bonus from Department for Social Development's (DSD's) Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

The Centre provides a range of essential services to children, parents and senior citizens living in the Ardoyne, Alliance and Glenbryn communities. These include education and training courses, childcare, parenting skills, housing and benefits advice.

Minister for Social Development David Hanson said: "The Department for Social Development wants to ensure that people living in deprived areas have access to opportunities that improve their prospects. That is why we are supporting The Wishing Well Family Centre.

"It provides much needed services to people living in neighbourhoods which have suffered from high levels of social, economic and physical disadvantage. The Centre is making a major contribution to developing and strengthening the ability and confidence of local residents to make a better life for them and their families."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. In 2001 DSD's Belfast Regeneration Office, in partnership with the National Lottery and the Belfast European Partnership Board invested £400,000 in the new Wishing Well premises.

2. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy 'People and Place' was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society.

3. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy has four interlinking strategic objectives:

  • Community Renewal - to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas.
  • Economic Renewal - to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy.
  • Social Renewal - to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments.
  • Physical Renewal - to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.

4. For further information, contact the DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9496.

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