Ritchie launches fund raising drive for new family counselling and therapy centre in Lurgan

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA today launched a fund raising drive for the Springwell Centre in Lurgan.

She visited the site today to help generate the necessary finance to create a purpose built family counselling and therapy centre.

Thanks to a grant of £116,000, which the Minister made available through the Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund, the Centre has been able to acquire the site of the former St Mary’s School canteen. This leaves it in a position where it can now approach other funders in its attempts to generate the necessary funds to realise its ambitions.

Margaret Ritchie said: “The whole ethos of Springwell is to provide assistance for a range of people including the bereaved, under performing students and vulnerable families. However it is clear that their current premises are not fit for purpose. Providing this funding will allow the Centre to acquire a site for a new facility and I hope this will be the springboard from which other potential funders will come on board. It is important that we in government help that process of renewing the local community and I call on other relevant funding agencies to do the same. Such a Centre would help enrich the local community and give better opportunities for young people to develop.

“I commend Dr Sr Philomena Horner for her vision and the tremendous work which she and her team of volunteers, who give so freely of their time, are currently involved in helping to support vulnerable people of all ages through a wide range of programmes. I wish them every success as they embark on this new, and challenging, phase of their development.”

As an interim measure, the Centre has removed the old St Mary’s Canteen and carried out a range of environmental improvements which have helped to transform the area by removing a major eyesore. During the visit the Minister met the local artist who designed a mural on the site, in conjunction with children from local schools and a sculptor who created a centrepiece statue depicting a woman kneeling at a well.

Notes to editors:

1. The Springwell Centre currently receives referrals, and associated funding, from the Child & Family Social Workers, Child & Family Clinic, Schools, Court Welfare Services, GPs, the Health Team, MacMillan Nurses, Family Placement Team and the Hearing Impaired Team among others. Although health professionals rely on the services of the Centre, there is only one counselling room available in the current premises and as a result the Centre has drawn up proposals to provide a new purpose built family counselling and therapy centre, including five counselling rooms, at a new location.
2. The Centre had identified the site of the former St Mary’s School canteen, which currently lies derelict, at nearby Waring Street and planning approval was obtained in December 2006. The project would cost in excess of £700,000 and whilst a number of bodies have indicated their support, no funding package has been put in place. The Centre is actively pursuing funding, however given the costs involved, the likelihood is that the project will require a cocktail of funders which will take some time to assemble and as a result the Planning Approval was in danger of expiring.
3. Following an approach from the Centre, and with the endorsement of the Lurgan Neighbourhood Partnership, DSD provided the Centre with a grant of £116,635 to enable it to purchase the site and demolish the derelict building, thus allowing it to act on its Planning Approval and secure this.
4. The site has now been cleared and an environmental improvement scheme has been carried out thus removing a former eyesore.
5. Media enquiries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9078 or Joe Livingston on 07970 976894. Out of office hours please contact Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.