Attwood announces funding for ‘Gannonball Run’

Social Development Minister Alex Attwood today announced funding for Coalisland and Dungannon local residents to take part in the local Gannonball Run.

The £7,500 funding will help bring together 10 groups from the Coalisland and Dungannon Neighbourhood Renewal areas, to construct ‘soap box’ carts for this years action packed racing event on 30 August bank holiday.

Alex Attwood said: “This funding will allow local residents to participate in a popular event, while at the same time learn new skills. They will get first hand experience of engineering, joinery and team working as well as gaining the opportunity to forge inter-community links through their area.

“By contributing to this project my department is demonstrating its commitment to improving the quality of life and social conditions for people living in the Coalisland and Dungannon areas.”

The initiative has been developed by the Department for Social Development in consultation with the Dungannon Enterprise Centre and Coalisland Training Services.

Dungannon Enterprise Centre and Coalisland Training Services are providing both the tuition and premises, giving this project a total value of £9,300. Dungannon Enterprise Centre will also manage the project.

The total amount of Neighbourhood Renewal funding spent to date in the Coalisland area is £1,264,872. The total in Dungannon Neighbourhood Renewal Area is £1,097,449.

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. 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.
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