Ritchie announces funding for community centre in Crumlin

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie today announced a funding boost for a new youth and community centre in Crumlin.

The funding, from the Department’s Modernisation Fund Capital Programme, will enable Crumlin Together Ltd to purchase a site in the village for the new centre. Together with funding from the International Fund for Ireland, the site will be redeveloped and transformed into a hub for local community organisations. These organisations will be able to share resources and provide services to meet the needs of the people of Crumlin. Services will include social economy projects and programmes for young people.

Margaret Ritchie said: “I want to harness the strength of the Voluntary and Community Sector to deliver better services to those who need them most. This project will provide services to the people of Crumlin as well as being a centre for community activity.

“I also want to target resources in a way that has maximum impact and I welcome that the aims of the Modernisation Programme are being achieved in practical terms as demonstrated here today.”

The Directors of Crumlin Together Limited conveyed their delight at receiving the news today stating: “The Department for Social Development (DSD) has made a significant contribution towards the funding package that will allow us to take forward a major social and economic regeneration project in Crumlin. Accepting the DSD offer in addition to funding from the International Fund for Ireland, Antrim Borough Council and the Alpha Programme, Crumlin Together Limited is now poised to make significant new investment in Crumlin. We look forward with enthusiasm to delivering our proposed project to benefit the community of Crumlin.

The directors of Crumlin Together Limited have a strong track record in business and community development and their interest is in the future of Crumlin for the next generation.

Denis Rooney CBE, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland said: “The International Fund for Ireland is very keen to support interventions such as this one in Crumlin, which will have a sustainable, long-term positive impact on peace building and reconciliation long after the Fund ceases to exist.

“I am very confident that our investment of almost £300,000 in this project will be money well spent, and I look forward to visiting the site when the construction work begins.”

The Department for Social Development has committed £255,000 to the project with match funding of £300,000 from the International Fund for Ireland.

Notes to editors:

1. The objective of the Modernisation Fund is to support voluntary and community organisations to modernise to enable them to become more sustainable and deliver new and better services in an era of change. The capital programme will encourage collaboration and resource sharing among voluntary and community groups and will be managed across the schemes making up the programme.
2. The International Fund for Ireland is an international organisation established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986. The Fund’s main objectives are to promote economic and social advance and encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between unionists and nationalists throughout Ireland.
   Contributors to the Fund are the United States of America, the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, the Fund has committed more than £648m/€811m to a wide variety of projects in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. Developing and funding initiatives that tackle segregation and promote integration to build a lasting peace in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties is a key priority for the Fund.
3. Media enquiries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9496. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699715440 and your call will be returned.