Health scheme receives helping hand from lottery

An innovative scheme tasked with improving the health and well being of a socially deprived area in Derry, entitled Health in Our Hands, has received a lottery windfall from the New Opportunities Fund.

Children with disabilities, lone parents and the long term unemployed are among groups who will benefit from a grant of £960,462 to the Bogside and Brandywell Initiative’s Health in Our Hands project announced on Wednesday August 8.

The lottery cash will be used to develop a range of innovative health services in the area and build a state-of-the-art healthy living centre on the site of the Brandywell’s gas yard on the Lecky Road.

Breidge Gadd, the Fund’s Northern Ireland Board Member, said: "This project has been an exciting partnership between the community and statutory sector. It is built on strong community involvement, comprehensive research and a commitment to improve the health and well being of local people.

The Minister for Health Social Services and Public Safety Bairbre de Brún has also welcomed the decision saying such initiatives improve health in local communities and broaden participation in positive action for health through partnerships. She added: “This will give a tremendous boost to those who are actively addressing the current health challenges in the Bogside and Brandywell area of Derry.”

The Bogside and Brandywell Initiative applied for funding for the major project after setting up a Health Forum with community groups and health chiefs in 1999 and conducting a survey into the health needs of the local community.

The survey of 200 homes revealed that unemployment, making ends meet and alcohol abuse were seen as the biggest problems in the area.

Charles Lamberton, chairman of the Bogside and Brandywell Initiative, said: "We are delighted to receive this substantial grant from the New Opportunities Fund as it is a powerful endorsement of our efforts to promote health and well-being in the local community.

"Poor health is clearly linked to poverty and the Bogside and Brandywell areas suffer from high unemployment and severe deprivation. Both wards rank in the top ten of the most deprived in Northern Ireland and the Brandywell ranks second across Northern Ireland for child poverty.” (AMcE)