Three Offaly projects nominated for Pride of Place competition
Tullamore International Welcome Centre, Banagher Development Group, and The Acorn Project have all been nominated by Offaly County Council in the annual IFB Pride of Place competition.
Pride of Place is organised by Co-operation Ireland and sponsored by IPB Insurance. It promotes and celebrates the best in community development and recognises the enormous efforts of volunteers in making their local neighbourhoods better places to live, work and socialise.
Tullamore International Welcome Centre represented the Tullamore Municipal District area in the Inclusive Communities category. Banagher Development Group represented the Birr Municipal District area in the Population 1000 - 2000 category. Finally, The Acorn Project represented the Edenderry Municipal District area in the Community Youth Initiative category.
Judging for the three Offaly entries took place on July 24 and 25. The judges for the two days were Mr Eddie Sheehy, former Chief Executive of Roscommon and Wicklow County Councils, and Ms Katrina Murphy, former Director of Finance, Leitrim County Council.
Tullamore International Welcome Centre
Tullamore International Welcome Centre is a group which meets weekly where new arrivals can make friends, chat, get information, and welcome others to the community. It is located at Tullamore Presbyterian Church.
It is a flexible group that has evolved with the needs of the various immigrant and refugee groups that have come through Tullamore over the last decade since it was founded in 2013.
Banagher Development Group (BDG)
The primary goal of Banagher Development Group is to improve the quality of life of all residents and visitors to the town. BDG’s way of “Making the Magic Happen” is to identify needs and opportunities then provide support to interested groups within the community or establish “meitheals”. This has proven very successful in the past and they intend to continue to work with all agencies and groups to improve the town. Success has come with co-operation, good communication and understanding of changing needs.
The Acorn Project
The Acorn Project is a Youth Diversion Project primarily working with targeted young people who have left school or are at risk of dropping out of school. The project aims to respond to the needs of these young persons with education and training opportunities as well as other supports such as mentoring and counselling.
With staff and volunteers The Acorn Project provides this education in an alternative way with sport, allotments, life skills, cooking, entrepreneurial skills and QQI level 3 and 4 awards. For those who are still in school breakfast clubs, homework clubs and evening time programmes are offered to help support them to remain in education.
Anna Marie Delaney, Chief Executive of Offaly County Council, wished all three groups in this year’s competition every success. She thanked them for their participation and for the invaluable contribution they have made to their communities. The Pride of Place awards will be announced in the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan on November 2.