New Cost-Of-Living Support For NI Community Groups

New funding has been announced to support 287 Voluntary and Community organisations across Northern Ireland, funded through Department for Communities Voluntary & Community Division (V&CD) and Community Empowerment Division (CED).

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited Kilcooley Women's Centre in Bangor, which is one of the many organisations to benefit from this support. Minister Lyons said: "I remain acutely aware of the challenges that persist within the voluntary and community sector due to the ongoing cost of living crisis. Organisations continue to face significant cost-of-living pressures as running costs continue to increase and the impact can be significant for the most vulnerable in our communities, at a time when demand for services and support remains high. The groups that will benefit from this funding are at the forefront in the delivery of key services across many of our most at-risk communities."

The Minister continued: "I hope this funding will go some way to help these vital organisations keep their doors open and ensure that services continue to be delivered in a safe and comfortable environment. My department and I remain committed to ensuring they are supported to enable them to continue to provide vital services to the most vulnerable in Northern Ireland."