A NORTH Belfast community group is celebrating the hard work of their volunteers over the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

TDK Community Group, which covers the Thorndale, Duncairn and Kinnaird areas of North Belfast, have pioneered a food bank service from the 174 Trust at the Duncairn Centre over the past year. 

TDK volunteers have been participating in the Communities in Transition Capacity Building Programme in North Belfast.  The CIT capacity building programme which supports training and social action projects as well as civic engagement across North Belfast is led by Ashton Community Trust.

North Belfast community champion Rosemary McGreevy, who oversees the TDK group, is encouraging people to volunteer in their local community.

“We are celebrating our volunteers and the tireless work they do all year round supporting local families.  Our foodbank, that we run from the 174 Trust in Duncairn Avenue, provides essentials like food, homeware and advice to residents from the surrounding communities.  

“Our work over the Christmas period meant many local families had a Christmas to remember rather not having a Christmas at all."

Rosemary says TDK was delighted to work with other community partners. 

“We in TDK Community Group are really pleased to have had the opportunity to work collaboratively and be part of new exciting partnerships that are emerging here.

“It has been really beneficial for our group to have strengthened partnership working and collaboration with local community stalwarts such as Kate Clarke and Liam Wiggins from Safer Streets and Cailín Hardy and Joe Donnelly from TAMHI.  

“Through the work of TDK we have also strengthened our relationship with Belfast City Council.  We could not do our work without the support of the 174 Trust and local representatives like Councillor JJ Magee."

And Rosemary says she's looking forward to brighter days for North Belfast. “Over recent times, lots of us have been thinking about what we can do to support our local communities.  But while volunteering can positively impact on the people around us, it’s important to remember that it can have meaningful benefits for our own wellbeing too. 

 “I urge everyone to consider getting involved in volunteering in your local community.  Volunteering provides brilliant opportunities for renewing old acquaintances and developing new friendships with people of all ages."