Begin Together Fund

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.

North West Clare Family Resource Centre provides a range of services to individuals, families and community groups such as childcare, youth programmes, parenting courses, counselling, Men’s Sheds and a gardening group.

The centre’s project ‘Perspectives on Life’ will address bullying in secondary schools which was highlighted as an area for support based on a survey they conducted.

Clare Youth Action Group will work with 6th class students to build their self-esteem as they transition to secondary school. The project will include team-building days, weekly hikes and workshops, and it is hoped that ongoing support will be provided to the children who participate.

West Clare Family Resource Centre promotes social inclusion, equality and empowerment of families and communities through participation, teamwork and learning.

The centre supports older people who live alone by running regular social groups and outings. It also administers a senior, alert scheme which provides a personal, monitored alarm to vulnerable and older people in the community.

The Begin Together funds will be used to provide technology and training to their members to help reduce social isolation and make it easier for them to access support and services. It will also be used to provide support for physical wellbeing by offering online exercise classes to older people.

Sláinte an Chláir provides practical support, information and supportive therapies to help those affected by cancer.

They will deliver a number of physical classes to support cancer patients in achieving their best quality of life. Through the expert guidance of a registered physiotherapist and a physical therapist, classes will be tailored to this population.

Classes will run twice a week and include aqua aerobics and tai chi. The evidence suggests that exercise for cancer survivors has both physical and psychological benefits, helping improve fatigue, bone health, and pelvic floor muscles, and increasing feelings of general wellbeing and a better quality of life.

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.

West Cork Development Partnership CLG works to promote the welfare of individuals and local communities dealing with the causes and consequences of social and economic disadvantage or poverty.

The partnership currently runs an ‘Ability Programme’ for 50 young people to help them develop social and practical skills and will use the Begin Together funds to run an outdoor activity programme for these young people.

Cork Samaritans provide telephone, online, email and face-to-face support to people at risk of suicide.

The Begin Together funds will be used to train 10 volunteers to run a suicide support group for those bereaved by suicide. Once these volunteers are trained, they will support further groups on an ongoing basis.

The Kabin Studio is an inclusive community learning, arts and performance hub that holds workshops for young people from all backgrounds, abilities and cultures to develop their confidence, skills, creativity and employability through the arts.

The Studio will use the Begin Together funds to involve young people in direct provision, asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants in these creative workshops to support their mental wellbeing.

Together-Razem Centre provides services that support and promote the integration and wellbeing of the Polish and east-central European community in Cork.

The Begin Together fund will support a project which will improve the digital literacy and capability of this group, and provide people with an enhanced ability to manage their money and navigate the wider, online economy.

Improving the digital literacy and the financial capability will boost integration and further empower this community.

Helpful Steps provides state-of-the-art rehabilitation devices and training for wheelchair users.

The Begin Together funding will purchase specialised exercise devices to improve rehabilitation requirements for those suffering from physical disabilities. The devices will include the exoskeleton, a wearable bionic suit that allows wheelchair users to stand and move; the Alter G Anti-Gravity Treadmill; and the Functional Electrical Stimulation Moto Med.

Access to the devices will improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, allowing them to train in the same facility as professional elite athletes.

The Down Syndrome Centre Cork provides vital early intervention services to young children with Down syndrome and to their families.

The Begin Together funding will support group sessions for children with Down syndrome and their families by giving children an opportunity to practice their fine and motor skills in a play environment that will help them develop without getting frustrated.

New Wave Adventure Therapy Wild Project CLG provides professional, adventure therapy for the benefit of individuals, families and communities.

Their project will provide professional, intensive, therapeutic, mental health support for 10 young people in County Kerry who are at risk and in need of immediate support in relaxed, open spaces in nature.

They aim to roll out this programme and offer it on a quarterly basis, to continue to support young people in Kerry.

AK Inspired Ability CLG supports young people with mild to moderate, intellectual disabilities to transition from secondary school to further education or employment in their communities.

They have developed an online ‘Connect-Ability Programme’ which allows participants to keep active throughout the day and stay in touch while remaining at home. This programme also supports social interaction as it includes an online friendship club.

Alongside the live programmes, a suite of recorded, exercise routines and tutorials on healthy eating, including recipes, will also be provided through a dedicated site.

Ballyfinane N.S. is a rural, two-teacher, primary school with just 26 pupils.

Thirteen of the pupils have special educational needs and there are two special needs assistants and two special needs teachers employed in the school. Nine of the children have either a developmental coordination disorder or sensory processing needs.

The Begin Together funding will pay for an outdoor sensory area in the school offering a diverse range of play experiences and supporting the diverse needs of the students in an inclusive way. As a ‘third teacher’, it will enable children to engage in play including the world full of smells, sounds, sights, texture, air and light.

Enable Ireland Disability Services support 8,500 children and adults with disabilities and their families, in 15 counties across Ireland.

At Enable Ireland Kerry, we deliver our services using a person-centred approach, providing services tailored to individual needs of people with physical disabilities helping them to achieve a good life.

We urgently need to develop a mental health programme to educate those who use our services on the importance of good mental health and wellness as well as the skills to deal with these issues.

The Begin Together funding will help us to develop a health and wellness programme and deliver a programme specific for people with physical disabilities.

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.

Limerick Autism Group provides socially-inclusive activities for over 250 children and young people with autism, and their families.

With the Begin Together fund money, the Group will develop a new financial wellbeing course for over 60 teenagers, as well as purchasing additional equipment to accommodate more people within a weekly, physical movement group.

The financial wellbeing course will help ensure that the teenagers will be more financially self-sufficient to support themselves in later life, while the weekly movement group will help develop coordination, balance, and peer to peer interaction.

Limerick Mental Health Association LMHA aims to promote positive mental health and to support people in the local community who may be experiencing mental health difficulties.

In collaboration with Le Cheile, they run a project to provide practical and other supports to adults under the care of mental health services in Limerick City and county. In a friendly, warm and welcoming space, they offer peer support, friendship, activities and wellness programmes.

LMHA is committed to the longer term roll out of activities, courses in recovery, the establishment of new groups and support to existing groups.

West Limerick Sports Complex is a not-for-profit, sports complex that provides sports, swimming and exercise facilities to the whole community and the greater region.

The Sports Complex aims to increase overall participation especially among schools, families, disability and disadvantaged groups. The Begin Together funding will provide hydrotherapy and swimming sessions for vulnerable and disabled children in individual and group sessions.

The project will involve the specialised training of our staff and the purchase of swimming and disability equipment to be able to provide these sessions. As well as the therapeutic benefits, it will have a positive impact on the physical and mental wellbeing on the children and their families.

St. Gabriel’s aims to improve the quality of life for children with disabilities, to help them reach their potential and live their life in a dignified manner.

It delivers a range of specialist disability services for up to 650 children, from birth to eighteen, who present with a complex disability or a developmental delay.

The funding will support a swimming programme for students who have the most profound physical disabilities. They will be able to participate with their peer group as part of their PE class. This will provide invaluable therapeutic, mental and social benefits to the children who otherwise would find it very difficult to go swimming or socialise.

Yarn Social Day Club CareBright CLG runs a senior social club primarily for people living with dementia.

The club provides a safe, supported, environment for members to actively participate in everyday activities, to the best of their cognitive and physical abilities.

Research shows that art therapy activities improve cognitive function and social interaction for people living with dementia, so the club wants to run art therapy activities for their members, and hold an art exhibition to display the art to families and friends.

Founded in 1884, Clonmore N.S. is a small, rural school located in the village of Clonmore, near Templemore, in Co. Tipperary. There are 66 pupils attending the school at present, with three mainstream class teachers, two special education teachers and an SNA on the staff.

The Begin Together fund will support a project to install an all-weather, astro turf, playing area to be used by both the children of the school and community.

This will enable the children and wider community to be physically active, all year round, in a rural area that has limited facilities.

Waterford Integration Services provides a range of services and programmes to refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants in Waterford, including residents in five, direct provision, accommodation centres.

Among the challenges that women in this community face, the ability to manage their finances and develop economic opportunities is pronounced and has been accentuated by Covid-19.

This project will deliver training in basic digital and language skills, before supporting the development of a social enterprise within the group.

The Shona Project aims to educate, empower and inspire today’s Irish girls to become tomorrow’s strong, confident and curious young women.

The funding will support the production and distribution of 30,000 copies of the ‘Survival Handbook’. The handbook is a printed resource for all girls starting 1st year in secondary schools across Ireland, and will provide positive messaging around physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing.

Gaultier GAA Club is a Gaelic football club based in Dunmore East, Co Waterford.

The funding will allow the delivery of workshops for the wider community addressing several areas related to mental wellbeing including mental fitness and addiction.

It will also include a men’s over-35 blitz which will support the social physical and mental wellbeing of a demographic which can be vulnerable to mental health challenges.

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.