Community groups from the New Lodge Community Empowerment Partnership (GNLCEP) have come together to develop a Social Action Project in collaboration with residents living in the Seven Hills area.
The aim is to give local residents a morale boost by brightening up some of the physical aspects in and around their homes.
This Social Action/ Civic Engagement Project delivered by New Lodge Housing Forum, Star Neighbourhood Centre and Safer Streets Committee is part of the Communities in Transition Capacity Building Programme (North Belfast) led by Ashton Community Trust, funded by TEO and managed by Cooperation Ireland.
Community workers and volunteers have been working hard in recent weeks to organise the project. The local Family Centre has also been involved and recently completed a comprehensive clean-up of their outdoor area.
The first stage of the project involved carrying out a survey with local residents living in the Bruslee/Pinkerton/New Lodge Road area.
Kate Clarke, Chairperson of New lodge Safer Streets Committee said the initiative has received a warm welcome. “We had to be really mindful of social distancing precautions but have managed to engage with most residents on a door-to-door basis," she said. "I have to say the response has been absolutely great and everyone is very supportive of this initiative. Another part of the process is to establish a residents Whats App group to encourage greater communication between residents and Safer Streets which will help in dealing with any problems as and when they arise”.
Liam Wiggins, well known community activist and Chairperson of the New Lodge Housing Forum, added: “For a long time now we have been working alongside residents in this part of the area as well as with various statutory authorities and local elected representatives to improve the living conditions.
“So we see this particular initiative as just another part of that long term process. Our intention is to build on this project to create further improvement and to enhance a sense of togetherness and community spirit”.
