Winner: Cregagh, East Belfast

Summary

Cregagh,-East-BelfastCregagh Community Association is a broad based community development organisation that operates through 100% voluntary input. It runs a weekly Parent and Toddler group and organises seasonal events for the local community including Halloween parties and Christmas activities. The Association has recently completed a Youth Project, which involved 16 – 25 year olds. In addition, it delivered an Intergenerational Project with the neighbouring Youth Club and primary school children and older people from the community.

Once a month Cregagh Community Association holds a well-attended Pensioners Lunch Club. It also provides a signposting service on issues such as housing and benefits advice for local people. The Association works very closely with a range of stakeholders including schools, churches, local businesses and statutory agencies and hosts a quarterly interagency meeting. It runs a job club and supports Advice NI in the delivery of independent generalist advice.

Citation

The winning entry’s great strength and invaluable asset is the complex which houses a thriving primary school, a community centre and children’s play park engendered by strong and focussed community effort in the past. The judges were delighted to note the wonderful spirit of ten volunteers, who have taken responsibility for a range of activities. There is a concerted will to improve community life and it shows.