Ritchie helps rejuvenate Trojan Mobile at Downpatrick

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie today joined a team of volunteers to spruce up the Trojan Mobile at the New Model Farm, Downpatrick.

The team, from the Department for Social Development, painted the building and tidied the grounds around the mobile which is used by over 300 local people every week from a variety of community groups including women’s groups, residents groups and after school clubs.

Today’s event is the first of 10 challenges which DSD staff will complete this year which have been organised through the Business in the Community (BITC) Cares scheme, which helps employers to set up Employer Supported Volunteering schemes.

Margaret Ritchie said: “As Minister responsible for volunteering, I want to highlight the important role businesses can play in supporting volunteering among their employees. That is why my Department has joined the Business in the Community Cares Scheme, and I would hope to encourage other businesses to follow suit.

“Here in Downpatrick today, we have seen the real difference staff and their employers can make to the lives of local people. We need more people to volunteer and more employers to encourage their staff to volunteer.

“My Department is currently consulting with the public on the Volunteering Strategy and I would like to take this opportunity to invite views on a number of Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) proposals, set out in the public consultation document.

Notes to Editors:

1. The public consultation on the Volunteering Strategy is currently underway and ends on 9 October. A number of Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) proposals are set out in the public consultation document, which can be found at the DSD web site.

2. Regeneration Office has committed over £5million to the Colin area over a six year period, for the delivery of a variety of services for children, young people, women, environment and community safety initiatives. Funding has provided training, education, health services, social activities and opportunities for employment.

3. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy “People and Places,” which was published in June 2003, sets out governments proposals for closing 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 the areas;
• Economic Renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy;
• Physical Renewal – to help create attractive, safe, and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods; and
• 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.

4. Media inquiries to Fiona Nelson, DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9454 or mobile 07816157480. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07966 715440 and your call will be returned.