More than 350 local Cork groups share €550k ‘helping hand’ funding package

A total of 352 groups across Cork city and county have shared a total of €550,000 in funding under the Local Enhancement Programme.

Allocations ranging from a few hundred euro up to €10,000 were announced by the minister of state for community development and charities, and Cork South Central Fine Gael TD, Jerry Buttimer.

Assist

In total, €7m was allocated to almost 4,500 groups across the country under the initiative, which aims to assist with running costs as well as providing capital supports for many small community organisations and, in particular, those who serve disadvantaged areas in rural and urban areas.

Among the groups to be allocated funding are the Mayfield Arts Centre, based in the Newbury House Family Centre, which has been allocated €810; the Middle Parish Community Community Association, which has been awarded €2,311.55, and the Let’s Grow Together/Infant & Childhood Partnerships which has been allocated €810.

The Graffiti Theatre Company in Blackpool has been awarded €5,000, while the Friday Morning Drop In Group in Gurranabraher will receive €410.

Iain McGregor, of the Clogheen/Kerry Pike Community Association, welcomed the award of €2,721.54 for the group on the outskirts of the city.

Enhance

“We will use this fund to enhance the amenities in Ballycannon Park,” he said, adding his gratitude to Cork City Council, the Department of Rural and Community Development, and the community association’s own group of volunteers who applied for the grant and continued to improve and maintain the amenity for the people of Cork.

Mr Buttimer described the Local Enhancement Programme as giving “a helping hand to our local groups and clubs, which are the building blocks of Irish community life”.

He said the grants might be small, but the value of the projects being funded to the groups was considerable.

His Fine Gael party colleague and Cork North Central TD Colm Burke said he was particularly pleased to see so many worthwhile organisations in the city and county benefit from the funding.

“Everyone living here has benefitted in some way from the work carried out by our local organisations and community groups, with so many of the people involved giving their time voluntarily,” he said.