Three Northern Ireland community projects will receive a total of nearly £64,000 in the latest round of the Northern Ireland Office's Connect Fund.

The fund supports work encouraging east-west collaboration across the UK and helping local groups tackle challenges shared with communities in Great Britain.

The three projects receiving the latest funding are:

1. The Castle Community Trust (North Belfast): Their 'Veterans and Volunteers project' will combat social isolation among Northern Ireland veterans by helping them build positive relationships with fellow veterans in Great Britain. The programme involves bringing together over 20 veterans from Belfast and Shrewsbury for workshops and exchange trips focused on legacy, wellbeing, and reconciliation. 2. JoinHER Network CIC (Newtownabbey): This community interest company will support underrepresented individuals from African, Caribbean, and other minority communities by linking people in Belfast, London, Chelmsford, and Austell. Their project includes a fellowship for emerging leaders, a civic and cultural dialogue series, and the launch of a 'Digital Bridge Platform' online hub.

3. Northern Ireland Women's Budget Group: This group will use the funding to hold a Four Nations Summit with Women's Budget Groups from England, Scotland, and Wales. The goal is to produce a cross-nation strategy contributing to the achievement of gender economic equality across the UK.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Matthew Patrick, stated that the funding is "delivering positive change by supporting veterans in need, amplifying communities' voices to ensure they are heard, and combatting gender economic inequality."

This announcement brings the total number of groups benefiting from the Connect Fund to twelve organisations, which have so far received almost £400,000 for work across the UK.