West Belfast community forum gets Government funding

A west Belfast community forum has received £160,000 in funding from the Department for Social Development's (DSD's) Belfast Regeneration Office to maintain essential services in the west of the city.

The money will protect four jobs at the Upper Andersonstown Community Forum including those of the Director and Co-ordinator, and will help the Forum to implement a 10-year strategy to tackle poverty and disadvantage in the Greater Andersonstown, Glen Road and Lenadoon areas through local community development.

These initiatives include childcare facilities, youth training schemes, computer skills, numeracy and literacy programmes, health and fitness advice and helping local people get back into the workplace.

Minister for Social Development David Hanson said: "The Upper Andersonstown Community Forum is doing an important job of helping residents to develop the skills and confidence they need to improve the quality of life within their own neighbourhood.

"DSD is committed to building genuine partnerships with key stakeholders and people living in areas that are suffering from social, economic and physical disadvantage to deliver results that make a real difference."

Barney Kane, Chair of the Upper Andersonstown Community Forum welcomed the announcement. "The management, staff and volunteers are delighted to have secured this funding from the Department as it will enable us to continue to offer opportunities which make a positive impact on our community," he said.

The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy 'People and Place' was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society.

(MB)