News Release Page Title

7 June 2006

DOUBLE FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT FOR LENADOON

Community services in the Lenadoon area of West Belfast are to continue thanks to over £100,000 from the Government.

The Department for Social Development's Belfast Regeneration Office is supporting five posts in the Lenadoon Community Forum and Lenadoon Women's Group. This will enable them to continue delivering a wide range of services including parenting skills, training and education, counselling, youth support and environmental improvements.

Social Development Minister David Hanson MP said: "Lenadoon Community Forum and Lenadoon Women's Group have established themselves as a vital part of the community. They are both working to break the cycle of decline in the Lenadoon area and to help local residents improve their quality of life. This makes them a valued contributor to the implementation of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy."

Lenadoon Neighbourhood Partnership Chairman Michael Doherty said: "Lenadoon welcomes the decision by the Department to award the funding to enable it to retain our development team for the next year. This interim funding will allow the forum to continue to play a key role in community development and capacity building in the area."

Lenadoon Women's Group Chairperson Angela Power said: "We welcome this funding from Belfast Regeneration Office. It will allow the group to continue its much-needed parenting, personal development and domestic violence support programmes."

Lenadoon Community Forum was established in 1992 and is an umbrella organisation for some 20 smaller community groups. It has received over £66,000 for three posts - Strategic Co-ordinator, Community Development Worker and Administrator.

Lenadoon Women's Group was formed in 1994. It has received funding of over £36,000 for the salaries of the Parenting Co-ordinator and Family Support Worker and overheads such as telephone, stationery etc.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. For further information, contact the DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9078.

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