Begin Together Fund 2020

The Bluebell CDP promotes a vibrant, inclusive community through innovative and comprehensive services and programs.

The Begin Together funding will enable delivery of a six-week, community-wide, wellness programme designed in collaboration with Karl Henry. The programme will consist of classes, expert lectures, a couch to 5k, weigh-in sessions and fitness checks with trainer advice and a weight loss or fitness competition.

The area sees anti-social behaviour perpetrated by young teenagers and unfortunately targeted at the most vulnerable. Local youth workers believe that the project will enable kids to get to know vulnerable people in their area and they realise that a real person is impacted by their actions.

Carmona School caters for children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities.

Funds will be used to expand the current range of physical activates available to children who have restricted movements and are unable to take part in mainstream sports by providing free, weekly, physical education and swimming classes to 36 children.

All classes will be tailored to the needs of the children and benefits will include improved overall fitness, cognitive benefits, better control of weight and improved emotional and psychological health. Being able to take part in these activities will bring enjoyment and fun to the children while improving their communication and motor skills.

Move4Parkinson’s Foundation Ltd engages people with Parkinson’s running weekly choral, dance and exercise classes to relieve their symptoms, and bring them back into their communities, enabling a higher quality of life.

The Begin Together funding will enable the group to engage more closely with the Parkinson’s Association of Ireland and to invest more time to cultivate this relationship in practical terms to increase the reach to people with Parkinson’s.

The enhanced project will improve participants’ physical and mental wellbeing, reduce social isolation and transform what it means to live with Parkinson’s.

Sporting Pride inspires the LGBTQ+ community to get active and develop and implement initiatives to assist sport organisations to become more diverse and inclusive.

Begin Together funding will assist with the launch of #GetOutGetActive campaign which will showcase the importance of fitness and exercise to physical and mental wellbeing, increase the numbers within the LGBTQ+ community involved in exercise, and offer opportunities to meet like-minded people in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

By supporting established LGBTQ+ sports clubs, and working with various partnerships and government departments, Sporting Pride’s aim is to develop LGBTQ+ inclusive programmes for every sports club in Ireland.

Global Action Plan is an environmental education organisation leading a sustainability action plan with the aim of creating sustainable communities across Ireland.

The Begin Together funding will help local working groups to deliver a project that will help meet the need for inclusion and diversity of older people in the community through growing their own produce.

A community garden setting will be provided for two years in the Ballymun area (growing season). Providing this space and allowing elderly people living in disadvantaged areas to “Grow Your Own” will encourage physical activity, learning, creativity, sharing and social engagement with all ages and members of the wider community.

An Siol CDP is a community development project that promotes social inclusion and delivers initiatives that promote positive ageing, inclusion and proactive health care for the senior population.

The Begin Together funding will help deliver a structured, affordable or subsidised local programme that will engage seniors in a range of classes which will aim to link participants with a wider social circle within the senior community.

Sessions will increase confidence, highlight health issues associated with aging, and give those suffering from arthritis and early stages of dementia an opportunity to try a new initiative. This project will bring about stronger ties with the senior community and increase levels of contact.

Citywise works with young people aged between 8-21 and aims to raise their personal and educational aspirations and support them to achieve their goals.

‘Citywise Means Business’ will provide support to a cohort of over 120, under-served, young people. Supports will include interactive games and workshops covering topics ranging from budgeting, personal finances and the stock market. The participants will be involved in the design and organisation of the programme.

A successful pilot programme has already been delivered, in partnership with the South Dublin Local Enterprise Office, and it is hoped that empowering young people with basic financial knowledge will lead to long-term economic opportunities for them and their community.

Dress for Success aims to empower women to secure and maintain meaningful and sustainable employment, to reach their full potential and to have a positive impact on those around them.

This programme covers a wide range of practical topics from understanding your payslip, to how to look stylish without overspending, and planning for financial shocks.

An overarching goal for ‘Dress for Success’ is to support women in achieving economic independence and their wider financial wellbeing.

Release Prison Partnership provides training in areas such as addiction, parenting, communication skills, life skills and music in Mountjoy and Arbour Hill prisons. It’s service also includes a mentoring and post-prison programme

The Begin Together funding will help them to provide mentoring services to an additional 30 men and to develop their ‘cornerstone’ life skills project to assist the men to look after their mental health while developing their life skills.

Walkinstown Greenhills Resource Centre works in solidarity with the community to tackle the causes and symptoms of substance misuse and mental health difficulties and to develop appropriate responses.

The Centre plans to run six ‘Well Connected’ programmes over the course of 12 months, supporting approximately 90 adults. This programme places an emphasis on shared learning between the participants and the facilitators and on self-care.

A ‘Wellness Recovery Action Program Plan’ (WRAP) will help participants to identify their next steps in life and create their personal WRAP plan. Sustained involvement in the ‘Well Connected’ programme will facilitate the participants to learn and develop in a supportive environment.

Anam Cara Parental and Sibling Bereavement Support CLG want to ensure that families throughout Ireland have the relevant support services they need following the death of a child.

Although Anam Cara currently provides information about other organisations to the support groups they run. This project will connect parents directly to the support services they need as they begin their journey through grief, and, in turn, ensure a better outcome for them.

The group plans to connect parents to these services by facilitating regional bereavement support evenings for recently bereaved parents and the Begin Together fund will support the promotion and running of these information sessions.

Look Good Feel Better helps improve the wellbeing and confidence of people undergoing treatment for cancer by providing free workshops.

The workshops offer advice on managing the visible side effects of cancer and its treatment. They are designed to increase participants’ self-esteem and mental wellbeing.

An initial pilot programme will be run for 20 people and, after that, the offering will be refined and rolled out as awareness of it is created and more volunteers are trained.

Faith Mission Intl Ministries Ireland T/A AFM Praise Tabernacle holds regular, faith-based meetings and church services for their local area. They have also run a soup kitchen and clothing bank which they are in the process of revitalising.

The church wants to help newcomers to Ireland have a better understanding of mental health issues, how to access early intervention and how to become part of a supportive community.

They will set up a clinic where vetted, qualified and insured volunteer, mental health, clinicians will offer advice and support. They will also organise educational events to provide practical advice and support with money management and gaining employment.

Clowns Without Borders Ireland is a group of professional street and circus artists who bring laughter and stimulating performances and programmes to children in disadvantaged communities in Ireland and around the world. Their overall objective is to improve the well-being of refugees.

‘The Teeny Weeny Circus’ is a parent-toddler programme they created for parents and young children in disadvantaged communities or direct provision centres. It focuses on children’s physical and mental health and their social skills through fun activities with parents and with other children. The Begin Together fund will enable Clowns without Borders to run and expand this programme.

Raytown men’s shed, based in the Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre, provides a social meeting place for men in the area to become involved in community projects.

Activities include events and trips that stimulate the physical and mental health of members, with the wider aim of improving the general mental wellbeing of the retired and unemployed men in the community.

The Begin Together funding will help deliver an ‘introduction to hill walking course’ which will take place over three full days in the Wicklow Mountains.

The Open Doors Initiative provides training and employment support to people with disabilities, migrants and disadvantaged young people.

It creates pathways to work by supporting prospective employers to successfully seek out and embed new employees into the workplace, and help them have an impactful start in a new position.

The Begin Together fund will help the Open Doors Initiative develop a project which will focus on the mental wellbeing of marginalised individuals seeking employment in the current, challenging, labour market.

Colaiste Eoin Parents Association tries to provide extra projects and facilities for the 230 students of the school.

Having lost a student to suicide last year, the Association wants to offer talks on mental wellbeing, bring the students on excursions to support their mental health and help parents and students to identify the signs of depression in others and learn how to respond.

The funds will be used to organise a series of talks, to cover the cost of transport for the excursions, and for team-building activities.

Setanta Boxing Academy facilitates young people to participate in boxing and develop their self-esteem, and confidence while promoting loyalty to school and teachers, positive reinforcement, parental support and good health.

The club will use the Begin Together funding to install a defibrillator which will be available to club users as well as the two adjacent schools.

Having a defibrillator available to the club and wider community is fundamental to supporting physical wellbeing and wider community wellbeing.

Naas No Name! Club works with transition year students to promote social confidence without reliance on alcohol and other drugs.

The Club plans to run a project of active and accessible mental wellbeing classes combined with participation in physical activity. This will include mental health talks, self-defence and personal safety, mindfulness to support self-awareness and emotional intelligence. This will be delivered by adult volunteers trained in mental health first aid.

KARE – Outreach Services supports and provides services to young children, schoolchildren and adults with intellectual disabilities so that they can live the life they want in their own community.

With the support of the Begin Together Fund, KARE will deliver accessible and empowering ‘Purpose for Life Workshops’ to equip the participants with the tools and skills to maintain and take control of their mental health.

It is envisaged that the participants will become buddies and mentors to future participants in the workshops.

Cois Nore Cancer Support Centre is the only cancer support centre in Kilkenny. They provide compassionate, practical and emotional support to those dealing with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and to their families.

The centre is aware of the need for services to support children living with cancer within their family and would like to develop supports that allow children to work though this difficult time with a group of their peers.

Their project ‘Children Coping with Cancer’ is a tailored service for children, aged 5-12 years old, which will help them to express their fears and acquire coping skills to help them deal with their feelings.

Twilight Community Group was established for the promotion, integration and social inclusion of communities, focusing on the needs of immigrants, ethnic minorities, disadvantaged and disability groups.

We do this by organising and providing support for education, exchange programmes, festivals, exhibitions, workshops, arts training, performances and other cultural events.
With the Begin Together funding, the group will deliver a physical wellbeing programme aimed at the migrant community in the area. Activities will be both physical and information-based, will be open to all ages and designed to stimulate social interaction.

Dignity Partnership (DiP) is committed to exploring the untapped skills of refugees and asylum seekers.

They plan to run workshops for those living in direct provision to promote positive mental wellbeing and self-confidence and to help them to learn about personal finance management.

Participants will develop a personal self-care strategy and the partnership hopes to extend the project, beyond the initial 12 months, with an aftercare programme, to follow up with the participants on their progress.

The LAOIS Traveller Action Group represents, promotes, supports and empowers members of the travelling community to achieve equality, better living conditions and better health outcomes.

Their project involves providing a space for traveller men to discuss and develop tools to improve their mental health. The group will help these men to access appropriate services by giving them a weekly point of contact and structured activities including workshops on different elements of wellbeing.

The Begin Together fund will help to promote this project to the target group and provide materials for the activities they will engage in.

Clonaslee Wheelchair Basketball caters for people with physical disabilities to play the sport of wheelchair basketball in the midlands area.

Established in 2004 and affiliated to the Irish Wheelchair Association, the club trains weekly and competes nationally, in wintertime, as well as some more recreational activities in the summer.

The Begin Together funding will be used to acquire specialist basketball wheelchairs, which will enable those without a specialist chair to participate in the club. In addition to the obvious physical benefits, participation supports people’s social and mental wellbeing, as well as their participation in community life.

Lough Ree Angling Hub promotes angling tourism in Longford- Roscommon and in
Westmeath. They organise annual coaching and competitions for children, from the age of 8
to 18, and for adults.

They have worked hard to grow the recreational sport of fishing among youth and the
unemployed in the community as a healthy recreational activity.

‘Fishing for Life after redundancy’ is their project. Through it, they will engage men who have been made redundant in regular weekly social activities and help them to remain active and enjoy the company of others. They are also working with Pieta House to provide advice, information and therapeutic support.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland empowers people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) to live the life of their choice to their fullest potential. Funds from Begin Together will allow an exercise leader who understands the limitations and variability of MS to give expert advice and direction via a tailored physio programme.

Begin Together Funding has been awarded to eight local branches which separately applied to the fund. The branches are; Clare, Leitrim, Longford, Meath, Roscommon, South Kerry, South Wexford and Waterford.

Each local branch will implement and evaluate a community-based, physio program under the direction and support of a qualified physiotherapist. Exercising with people who have similar physical limitations helps people with MS to develop confidence. The support, camaraderie and encouragement of a group will also lead people to exercise at home between sessions.

The Red Door Project offers assistance and rehabilitation services to individuals and families in the community who experience drug and or alcohol addictions.

The Project wants to introduce a ‘Reduce the Use Programme’ for those who attend their drop-in centre and for people referred from other community organisations. This is a 10-week programme, facilitated by two professional counsellors, and will give participants the opportunity to address their social and addiction behaviours in a safe and trusting environment. Follow-up sessions and a care plan will also be made available, to sustain the impact of the programme.

Outcomers Drogheda is an independent, support organisation providing a confidential drop-in space, information, integration and advocacy for LGBTQ+ adults in the Drogheda area.

The funding will support a series of bi-monthly information evenings for the local LGBTQ+ community to support their mental and physical wellbeing. Topics will include ‘Wellbeing and Resilience’, ‘Transgender Information and Support’,’ LGBTQ+ Family Information Sessions’, ‘LGBTQ+ Sexual Health Information’, ‘Hate Crime’, and ‘Information LGBTQ+ Asylum’. This programme will provide valuable knowledge and support the community’s mental and physical wellbeing.

Autism Support Louth and Meath is a self-help, support group, formed by parents of children with autism in 2002, in order to provide an appropriate education for their children. The group founded the Drogheda ABACAS Special School for children with autism in 2003, and currently provides support including a helpline, information and advocacy services and training.

The Begin Together funding will support a ‘Fitness Friends’ project which will enable participants with autism to take part in a variety of different activities each week.

Many children with autism experience difficulties participating in physical activity and a bespoke programme will alleviate this, supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

The Centre aims to identify and address issues of social exclusion and poverty in the area and empower families and the community to identify their own needs and explore solutions to best address these.

The funding will support an eight-month ‘Women’s Health and Development Programme’ comprising group sessions and one-to-one support, which will foster participants’ ‘personal toolbox’ of practical skills and competencies.

This will empower low-income women to explore supports, alternative education and employment options available in their community.

Involve Youth Project Meath operates a youth service in the towns of Navan and Trim to promote the participation of the traveller community in Irish society.

The funding will support the ‘Low Tech, High Activity’ initiative which will improve participants’ mental and physical wellbeing by introducing them to low-tech outdoor activities.

These will include mental health-themed workshops and outdoor sports activities in an adventure residential setting.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland empowers people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) to live the life of their choice to their fullest potential.

Funds from Begin Together will allow an exercise leader who understands the limitations and variability of MS to give expert advice and direction via a tailored physio programme.

Begin Together Funding has been awarded to eight local branches which separately applied to the fund. The branches are; Clare, Leitrim, Longford, Meath, Roscommon, South Kerry, South Wexford and Waterford.

Each local branch will implement and evaluate a community-based, physio program under the direction and support of a qualified physiotherapist. Exercising with people who have similar physical limitations helps people with MS to develop confidence. The support, camaraderie and encouragement of a group will also lead people to exercise at home between sessions.

SOSAD provides free counselling and support to those who are suicidal, self-harming, bereaved by suicide or suffering with depression. SOSAD has five locations in the north-east of the country and a 24-hour helpline.

The funding is supporting the “DBT Informed Skills Group” which will involve counsellors delivering dialectical, behaviour therapy in a weekly group setting.

This kind of therapy has been found to be particularly effective for some people including those with acute issues, equipping them with fundamental life skills.

Offaly Traveller Movement is a community development organisation working towards social justice for travellers in Offaly through a partnership approach between the traveller community and the settled community.

The ‘Young Minceirs Tairean’ project aims to equip young travellers with the tools to manage their mental health and wellbeing. It will also include wellbeing activities such as art therapy, drumming, meditation and mindfulness and aim to empower young people to take responsibility for their own mental health and wellbeing.

Edenderry swimming pool aims to encourage and promote swimming and meet the recreational, fitness and educational needs of the whole community including children, adults, the elderly, and those with special needs.

The Begin Together funding will be used to make the pool more inclusive and accessible, by rolling out a special needs program for children.

This will support users and their families to maintain a healthy lifestyle, supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

The purpose of New Horizon is to provide social supports to asylum seekers and refugees living at the Accommodation Centre in Athlone, Co. Westmeath and to support their integration into Irish society.

The Begin Together funding will enable the expansion of the ‘swim and gym’ programme to the 80 people living at the Temple Accommodation Centre, in Horesleap.

The programme will consist of individualised training programmes, along with a subsidised gym and pool membership, so that the residents can successfully complete the training programme.

The Support Centre, which is the only dedicated cancer support service in Wexford, offers practical and emotional support to people with a cancer diagnosis and to their supporters and carers.

Psychosocial classes are a core part of the centre’s activity and provide people with information on cancer and the strategies and techniques to cope with the diagnosis.

The Begin Together funding will enable expansion of the psychosocial classes and support participants’ physical and mental wellbeing.

Active Connections supports vulnerable, young people through outdoor, adventure therapy.

The Begin Together money will fund the ‘EMBER’ camp, a bespoke programme of outdoor activity for young people with autism. The camp will support the continued emotional and social development of these young people for whom mainstream activities and camps may not be suitable.

As well as supporting their mental and physical wellbeing, it will also benefit their families, providing much needed respite.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland empowers people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) to live the life of their choice to their fullest potential.

Funds from Begin Together will allow an exercise leader who understands the limitations and variability of MS to give expert advice and direction via a tailored physio programme. Begin Together Funding has been awarded to eight local branches which separately applied to the fund. The branches are; Clare, Leitrim, Longford, Meath, Roscommon, South Kerry, South Wexford and Waterford.

Each local branch will implement and evaluate a community-based, physio program under the direction and support of a qualified physiotherapist. Exercising with people who have similar physical limitations helps people with MS to develop confidence. The support, camaraderie and encouragement of a group will also lead people to exercise at home between sessions.

Purple House provides cancer support in a community setting, via its drop-in centre, including psychological and practical help to those who had, or have, cancer and their families and friends.

The project will provide weekly groups to support the emotional and mental wellbeing for families of those who have received a cancer diagnosis.

Providing the skills and coping strategies to manage the difficult period of a loved one’s cancer diagnosis will be invaluable during that difficult time and beyond.

Lakers Social and Recreational Club supports nearly 400 people with intellectual disabilities. It offers a range of sports, arts, educational, and social activities, and is open seven days a week, running sixty classes.

Lakers Online Community Project will allow the club to deliver activities such as keep fit, dance, cookery and art, to its members, virtually, and continue to support them as they cocoon, supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

Greystones Family Resource Centre supports the Greystones, Delgany, Kilcoole and Newtown communities, with a wide range of family- focussed activities and recreational supports.

The Begin Together funding will support dance and movement classes for children with additional needs through three, weekly classes delivered by a qualified teacher.

This will support the physical wellbeing, self-esteem and social opportunities for the children as well as the mental wellbeing of them and their families.

St Paul’s A.B.C was established to promote health by the provision of facilities for recreation in the interests of social welfare.

St Paul’s will deliver weekly, two-hour boxing, physical, activity sessions and one 2-hour mental health workshop with 30 participants, 13 – 17 years, to reduce multiple forms of deprivation and high levels of antisocial behaviour.

The sessions will encourage children to work individually and as a team, improve their endurance and agility, make friends and be distracted from becoming involved in antisocial behaviour.

Workshops will include topics such as positive mental health, suicide awareness, substance abuse, the pressures of social media and the dangers of becoming involved in antisocial behaviour.

Cloughmills Community Action Team offers a range of supports to help people lead more sustainable lives.

With the Begin Together funding, the team will run a nine-week programme for young people and adults based on three themes – gardening, yoga and natural crafts – to support their physical and mental wellbeing. The programme will teach them new life skills that will be of value to the quality of their lives and to the community.

It is intended to run the programme for further groups to sustain its impact.

Established in 2016, Kith and Kin helps people manage their finances better.

The Begin Together funding will support the delivery of a programme called ‘Preparing for work and home life’ to 16 to 30-year-olds, in Belfast. Topics covered will range from payslips to pensions and how the different elements of your finances work together and can impact your life.

Through developing financial skills, the programme will nurture resilience and self-confidence which will improve financial and mental wellbeing.

Mae Murray Foundation is a membership-led organisation which aims to improve the quality of life for individuals and entire families who may be otherwise excluded as a result of disability, age or medical condition.

The Foundation wants to enable social inclusion and active participation among people with disabilities, disability groups, the elderly, their families and carers at four beach environments across Northern Ireland. This project aims to enable over 1,000 people to have the opportunity to enjoy a day at the beach.

The group will engage with special schools and care homes to present the project and will implement PR plans for each beach and create a beach leaflet.

St Malachy’s Old Boys Youth Football Club provides Irish Football Association-accredited football coaching to 320 boys and girls, aged 4-13 years.

With the support of Begin Together, the club will train 100 people in Safe Talk, a half-day, certified training programme that prepares the participants to identify people with suicidal thoughts and connect them to suicide first aid resources.

North Belfast suffers a very high suicide rate and one of the club’s players was personally impacted by the loss of an 11-year-old friend to suicide. The club feels it is well-placed to support its club members and the wider community with this project.

Gilford Youth is a community-based, volunteer-led, youth work organisation. They will deliver a programme for 9-11 year olds that will provide opportunities to participate in physical activities, to expand their experience of the range of exercise types open to them.

A programme of American football, boxing, basketball, dance, rock climbing, canoeing, hip-hop dancing, orienteering, bush craft, dodge ball and ultimate Frisbee will be delivered to young people.

Activities will be facilitated by trained professionals and will enable children to become familiar with the basics of each activity, aiming to make them enthusiastic about physical exercise.

Derrynoose GAC has members who play all forms of GAA sports and its health and wellbeing committee has run programmes, for all ages, for many years.

The aim of the project is to address the impact of social and rural isolation, and lack of facilities in the area. The project consists of a board game club to promote inter-generational relationships, a course to build children’s mental wellbeing and confidence, a confidence-building course for the over-50s, a ‘relationship with food’ course and addiction awareness presentations.

The club hopes the project will help people in this rural community establish and maintain the connections they form by participation.

Clan Na Gael is a local football club which has set up a health and wellbeing committee for their players and the community.

The club wants to develop a year-long programme to deliver improved health outcomes for people of all ages in the community. The programme will be wide-ranging and will include seminars, an older people’s social club and physical activity summer camps. The club is located in an area which has a lack of access to this kind of community support.

The Begin Together funding will be used to develop and run the programme, and for equipment, training and facilities costs.

John Mitchel’s GAC Gleann an lolair is a Gaelic and camogie club focussed on providing sports, cultural and social opportunities for the community.

In collaboration with the Eagle Glen Community Partnership, the club plans to deliver a programme encompassing all the elements of wellbeing including mindfulness and building resilience.

This programme will benefit the entire community including isolated older people and young people.

Waterside Women’s Centre provides health, education programmes and support for local women to reach their full potential.

The Centre will provide a’ Health Awareness Programme’ targeted at women living in disadvantaged areas and in most need. It will tackle health inequalities by increasing participation in physical and mental health activities.

The ‘Energy for Life programme’ will target 115 women and will include a variety of physical and mental health activities and an onsite crèche. The physical activities will include yoga, aqua aerobics and dancercise. The mental health activities will include a ‘Self-Esteem and Confidence Building’ course and a ‘Feel Good’ course.

The Women’s Centre, Derry, provides educational and other development opportunities for women, and provides onsite childcare so they can gain qualifications and skills to help them enter employment and grow in confidence.

The Centre will provide a’ Health Awareness Programme’ targeted at women living in disadvantaged areas and in most need. It will tackle health inequalities by increasing participation in physical and mental health activities.

NWMF works with vulnerable migrants and refugees to promote equality, diversity and integration.

The Begin Together funding will support a 10-week mental health and wellbeing training programme for black and minority ethnic people (BME).

The programme aims to work with 10 families introducing them to basic mental health awareness courses such as managing mental health and wellbeing, managing stress, and eating-healthy living styles. In addition, 15 BME people will be trained in suicide first aid and ASSIT training.

The project will provide an opportunity for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to connect, share experiences, undertake various wellbeing group work sessions and together engage in physical activities.

Down Right Brilliant is a parent-led support group for children and young adults with Down syndrome. The group provides advice to parents and runs activities for children to ensure they are given every opportunity in life to reach their potential and participate fully in the community.

To further support parents, the group plan to hold information days with guest speakers on a variety of wellbeing topics. They will also launch relaxation days and a walking group to bring parents together so they can share their experiences and support each other.

Kilclief Ben Dearg GAC is at the heart of the community in Kilclief village and, apart from its sports activities, hosts social gatherings, public meetings and education classes.

The club wishes to further develop its activities to address mental and physical wellbeing for the wider community by focusing on those who are not already involved.

To do this, they plan a year-long programme which will give the community the opportunity to avail of their recently re-developed facilities including meeting rooms, a walking track, a gym and a play park.

The company designs and presents a series of innovative and motivational workshops for people of all ages encouraging them to be creative and to learn a traditional skill.

The Begin Together funding will enable the Company to deliver a programme of activities that will improve mental health and emotional wellbeing through reducing social isolation and feelings of loneliness.

‘Connecting to Health and Wellness’ is a four-month programme of activities. The project will launch with a ‘Health and Wellness Fair’ and will be delivered through 25 workshop sessions engaging at least 45-50 participants. Each participant will build their own individually-tailored programmes from a selection of activities including pottery, culinary, mindfulness and tai-chi.

St Bronagh’s GAA promotes the sporting and cultural ethos of the Irish heritage for members of the local community and provides events that tackle social and rural Isolation, mental health and wellbeing, drug and alcohol abuse, and social behaviour issues.

With the Begin Together funding, they will run a cross-community ‘Your Health is Your Wealth’ fitness and wellbeing programme, encouraging participation across the female and middle aged population.

They will run a nine-week, age-specific, 5k running programme. The participants will then take part in a local Park Run initiative. The physical programme will be supplemented with a wellbeing programme that delivers key talks and demonstrations on a range of issues.

Fermanagh Rural Community Initiative aims to make employment accessible in the community of Fermanagh and bordering counties in order to increase social inclusion and reduce poverty.

The ‘Moving On’ project aims to enable financial wellbeing by improving digital capability. It will include basic training on accessing banking and other services, digitally, and wider online competencies such as socialising and staying safe.

Many of the challenges around rural isolation and exclusion have been accentuated by the movement of services online. Providing support to marginalised people in rural areas will enable them to fully participate in life, online, and inclusion in the wider community.

The Cashel Community Association provides social and educational activities aimed at reducing social isolation in the rural area of west Fermanagh.

The Association will use the Begin Together funds to run a wellbeing programme which will include a series of courses and health clinics on different aspects of wellbeing. The courses and clinics will involve the community in activities such as cooking, yoga, sports and dance.

This will improve the quality of life for local residents and strengthen their connections to the community.

Home-Start Lakeland provides friendship and practical and emotional support for families with young children.

They recruit, train, support and supervise a team of volunteers who visit families in their own homes to offer a listening ear and to provide time out for parents for self-care or to attend appointments.

They want to be able to meet the demand for this service by continuing to recruit and train volunteers and provide more frequent home visits.

The Knocks Community Association provides social support and a local, focal point through its community premises and culture centre.

The Begin Together funding will help create a greater scope of programmes that will address mental, physical and financial wellbeing and address the effects of Covid-19.

Qualified coaches will provide mental health coaching and wellbeing advice on how to overcome and alleviate loneliness and stress; lifestyle coaching will address physical health and promote activities for all age groups and; financial advice classes for all including one-to-one mentoring will improve financial literacy and awareness.

Devenish Partnership Forum aims to add value to the whole community through coordination, communication, capacity building and integration.

The Begin Together funding will allow the group to expand their existing health programme and address physical and emotional health issues that older men and women in deprived areas face.

The project aims to reduce the health deprivation rank, and increase community capacity by education and training. Participants will gain enhanced cooking skills, improved shopping, budgeting and eating habits, better lifestyle changes, increased knowledge of and improved access to local health programmes, and increased access to services.

First Steps Women’s Centre (FSWC) supports women’s professional and personal development through education and training.

With the Begin Together Fund money, the centre will improve the digital skills of older and migrant women empowering them in the online economy. The skills will range from basic digital literacy through to online shopping and using the online benefits system. This will give participants greater control and confidence over their spending and their money.

Coalisland Na Fianna GFC enables participation in Gaelic Games and wider cultural and recreational activities among the local community.

The Begin Together Fund will support the delivery of the club’s ‘Fianna Fit for life’ iniaitive which will offer female members of the club support in taking care of their physical wellbeing.

The target audience will include mothers and grandmothers of players, who have become inactive or socially isolated. The 10-week programme will provide fitness testing, specific challenges and classes and group sessions, and will place as part of the core club activity in the wider community setting.

Tummery Athletic has a membership of over 175 people and its aim is to facilitate the participation of the local community in football and support its wider wellbeing.

The Begin Together funding will support the TAFC Youth Health and Wellbeing Project which will provide a programme of physical and mental health and wellbeing opportunities for 120 young people, aged 10-15 years, in the Dromore and surrounding areas.

Structured around three strands of football, exercise, and mental health, it will see weekly sessions delivered under each of the strands over 12 weeks. This will enable active participation of the club’s younger members in their overall wellbeing, and that of the wider community.

Killeter and District Development Trust provide a community hub, which is the focal point of the village, where a wide variety of activities are organised for individuals of all ages. The objectives of the group are to advance education, provide facilities for recreation and improve the quality of life for the residents of Killeter and surrounding areas.

The Begin Together funding will support a project which will provide a range of activities geared towards the older population.

The activities will include exercise classes, dances, historical walks, healthy living talks and litter picks. All activities will be accompanied by refreshments and an opportunity to socialise and connect with the wider community.