Poots sees benefits of £270k Rural Development funding in County Armagh

Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots met with community groups in Ballymacnab and Redrock in Co Armagh to see and hear how funding of £270,000 from the Rural Development Programme (RDP) has made a positive difference for their rural areas.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Nov 2020, 12:00 BST
DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA officially opens the refurbished Ballymacnab Community Hall in Co.Armagh. The Ballymacnab Community Development Association Limited received funding of £172,000 from the Rural Development Programme to refurbish and extend the facility, which now includes a modernised and professional catering area and showering facilities. Pictured (from left-right) are; Roisin McAliskey, Deputy Chair of the Local Action Group, Gerard McClelland, Chairman of Ballymacnab Community Development Association (BCDA), Kevin Savage, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge And Craigavon Council, Kyle Savage, LAG Chairman, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA and Sharon Digby, Secretary of BCDA.DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA officially opens the refurbished Ballymacnab Community Hall in Co.Armagh. The Ballymacnab Community Development Association Limited received funding of £172,000 from the Rural Development Programme to refurbish and extend the facility, which now includes a modernised and professional catering area and showering facilities. Pictured (from left-right) are; Roisin McAliskey, Deputy Chair of the Local Action Group, Gerard McClelland, Chairman of Ballymacnab Community Development Association (BCDA), Kevin Savage, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge And Craigavon Council, Kyle Savage, LAG Chairman, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA and Sharon Digby, Secretary of BCDA.
DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA officially opens the refurbished Ballymacnab Community Hall in Co.Armagh. The Ballymacnab Community Development Association Limited received funding of £172,000 from the Rural Development Programme to refurbish and extend the facility, which now includes a modernised and professional catering area and showering facilities. Pictured (from left-right) are; Roisin McAliskey, Deputy Chair of the Local Action Group, Gerard McClelland, Chairman of Ballymacnab Community Development Association (BCDA), Kevin Savage, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge And Craigavon Council, Kyle Savage, LAG Chairman, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA and Sharon Digby, Secretary of BCDA.

The minister began his visit in Ballymacnab, where he met with representatives from Ballymacnab Community Development Association Limited, to view their refurbished and extended community building which received funding of £172,000 from the RDP.

The building now provides facilities that enable various groups to meet including Parent and Toddler group, Zumba group, Golden Year’s, and the Men’s Shed. Talks and information sessions on improving health for the local community have also taken place in the hall.

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Minister Poots then travelled to the Redrock Orange Hall where he met with representatives of Redrock Development Partnership to hear how RDP funding of £97,000 improved and transformed the hall for wider use by the local community.

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA visits Redrock Orange Hall to see the benefits of £97,000 funding from the Rural Development Programme to upgrade current facilities that will benefit the whole community. Pictured (from left-right) are; Roisin McAliskey, Deputy Chair of the Local Action Group, Mervyn Dougan, Assistant Secretary of Redrock Organge Hall, Kyle Savage, LAG Chairman, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA, Kevin Savage, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge And Craigavon Council and William Irwin MLADAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA visits Redrock Orange Hall to see the benefits of £97,000 funding from the Rural Development Programme to upgrade current facilities that will benefit the whole community. Pictured (from left-right) are; Roisin McAliskey, Deputy Chair of the Local Action Group, Mervyn Dougan, Assistant Secretary of Redrock Organge Hall, Kyle Savage, LAG Chairman, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA, Kevin Savage, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge And Craigavon Council and William Irwin MLA
DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA visits Redrock Orange Hall to see the benefits of £97,000 funding from the Rural Development Programme to upgrade current facilities that will benefit the whole community. Pictured (from left-right) are; Roisin McAliskey, Deputy Chair of the Local Action Group, Mervyn Dougan, Assistant Secretary of Redrock Organge Hall, Kyle Savage, LAG Chairman, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA, Kevin Savage, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge And Craigavon Council and William Irwin MLA

A dedicated health and well–being hub has now been established, along with a youth, gaming area and drop in facilities.

Access to ICT has also been made possible for those needing this service in the community.

Welcoming the refurbishment of both community halls, Minster Poots said: “I would like to congratulate both Ballymacnab Community Development Association and Redrock Development Partnership for their hard work in securing a total of just under £270,000 grant funding from the RDP.

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“I’ve had the opportunity today to see and hear how this funding has made a real difference to these rural communities through the excellent refurbished community buildings.

“When Covid restrictions recede, community halls like these will become a central hub and play an invaluable role in helping communities to build stronger relationships, and help to address the impact of the isolation associated with social distancing and shielding.”

Related topics:Edwin Poots

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