Westmeath PPN Public Participation Network July 2021 Volume 3 Issue: 7

Dear WPPN Member We at WPPN hope that this newsletter finds you and your families well and look- ing forward to brighter days. There are three main objectives for Westmeath PPN : Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners of the Cathaoirleach Awards 2020, which were announced on Friday 11th June, well done to everyone • Informing involved—see page 3 for more details. • Provide information relevant to the environmental, social inclusion, Make sure to register to attend WPPN Linkage/Thematic Groups June/ community & voluntary sector and acts July. PPN members are finding them both informative and interesting. PPN as a hub around which information is Linkage Groups are the opportunity and way that PPN member group/ distributed & received. organisations can have a real input into policy and decision making in their area • Developing of work/interest, as it allows them to have conversations with WPPN elected representatives who are on committees and structures throughout the county. • Strengthen the capacity of communities More information on Page 2 and of the environmental, social inclu- sion, community & voluntary groups to Thank you as always to all the groups which have contributed to this month’s contribute positively to the community newsletter, it’s wonderful to hear of the in which they reside/participate. great work volunteer led community groups are doing in these very trying • Representing times. We would love to hear more from • Facilitate the participation and repre- member groups and to share your good sentation of communities in a fair, news stories and initiatives through our equitable and transparent manner PPN network of over 780-member groups. through the environmental, social in- Please let us know if there is anything you clusion, community and voluntary want us to share to: [email protected] sectors on decision making bodies.

Please remember Westmeath PPN website is updated almost daily; Westmeath PPN is co-funded by the Department of Rural & Community keep in touch and up to date www.westmeathppn.ie Development (DRCD) & Westmeath Coun- in a spirit of collaboration, showing due respect to other opinions and views and will be facilitated to come to deci- sions through consensus where possible. Please note that a WPPN Rep/Member can be part of as many Linkage Groups as they have an interest in. The basic Agenda for Linkage Group meetings will be as follows:

• Welcome/ Introductions/Facilitator • Guest Speaker • Minutes of previous meeting • Discussion Register to attend by email to: • Date of next meeting Next Linkage/Thematic group meetings are as follows: [email protected] Community Safety, Crime and Policing PPN Linkage/Thematic Groups June/July 28th June 2021 at 7.30pm via Zoom

Social Inclusion, Rural Development, Youth and Enterprise 30th June 2021 7.30pm Zoom—Guest speaker Ann Moran Age Friendly Local Coordinator

Arts, Community, Heritage and Sports 5th July 2021 at 7.30pm via Zoom - Guest Speaker Melanie McQuade; Westmeath Heritage Officer

Housing, Planning and Transport – 7th July 2021 at 7.30pm via Zoom

Climate Change, Environment & Water 12th July 2021 at 7.30 via Zoom– Guest Speaker Westmeath PPN Linkage groups are up and running; and Catherine O’Toole, Development Officer Irish members are finding them both informative and interest- Environment Network (IEN) ing. PPN Linkage Groups are the opportunity and way that PPN member group/organisations can have a real input To book a place to attend any of the above please into policy and decision making in their area of work/ email: [email protected] interest, as it allows them to have conversations with WPPN Please also let us know if you need any support in access elected representatives who are on committees and struc- Zoom meetings tures throughout the county.

The primary role of WPPN elected reps on committees/ Structures is to consult with WPPN members and to repre- sent the views of the entire PPN membership on the com- mittee/board; the easiest way for this to be done is via Link- age Groups.

Similarly, the PPN Linkage Groups will be there to support and assist the WPPN reps, by peer learning and support, discussion, and letting them know the concerns and issues of WPPN Membership groups. The PPN Linkage Group members will be expected to work 2020 Project of the Year 2020 Cathaoirleach Awards Nominees & Winners • Mount Carmel Drive Res. Association – Winner Project of The Cathaoirleach Awards event honours people or groups who the year 2020 have given special service in their community in County West- • Ashcroft Park residents Association, – Joint Run- meath. ner up 2020 The Westmeath County Council Cathaoirleach Awards for 2020 • Harriers & Athletic Club – Joint Runner up 2020 which couldn’t be held last year was streamed online for the first • Sub Aqua Club time ever on the evening of Friday 11th June. • Community Sports Park The Cathaoirleach Awards are a celebration of partnership of • Castletown Court Res. Group community and voluntary groups working with the local authori- • Coosan Mens Shed ty. The Awards are given over five categories to honour people or groups that have shown leadership, community spirit and com- • LGBTI + Youth Group Work Midlands mitment under the categories with an overall Cathaoirleach • Athlone Youth & Community Project awards winner for 2020. • GAA

The categories are; • Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon • Community Involvement • Emerald Lakes TTC Group • Heritage and the Environment • Mullingar Charity Variety Group • Active Elderly • Children and Youth Supports Cathaoirleach Awards 2020 • Equality and Social Inclusion Nominees • Sport and Recreation • Friendship Club

The event was presented by Annette Barr Jordan the acting Sen- • Myra Glynne ior Executive Officer of the Community Development Dept. in • Emer Holloway Westmeath County Council. The Cathaoirleach for 2020 Mr • Mary Finnegan Paddy Hill, opened the event and congratulated and commended • Ave Maria Park Residents all those who had been nominated. Mr Pat Gallagher the Chief Association Executive of Westmeath County Council spoke on behalf of the • Joe Mullen organisation stating how important the work of the people and their groups was to the well-being of their communities, families • Pat Byrne and friends and in particular their importance throughout the • Gaye Connolly pandemic. He congratulated the Cathaoirleach for 2020 Mr Pad- • Emerald Lakes TTC dy Hill on ensuring the Awards went ahead but in a safe manner. • St. Hilda's Hub, The Cathaoirleach Awards 2020 online Event included video • Terry O’Dowd footage & pictures of all nominees for the Cathaoirleach award. • Kevin Lyster We also had entertainment with singing from Mary Egan and a humorous sketch from Paul Curley as well as the announce- • Martina Griffin ments of Pride of Place National competition participants and • Gabriel Lyster the Project of the year nominations and winners. • Seamus McDermott

Participants, nominees and winners for all our Awards during the event are listed below. The Winners The Active Elderly Award /Fore ICA The event to date has over 930 views and many people and The Community Involvement Award Mount Carmel Drive groups have come back to let us know how grateful they are for Residents Association these awards and how successful the event was. The online event The Heritage and Environment Award Noel Cuffe R.I.P. is still available and can be viewed at this link https:// The Sports and Recreation Award Margaret Beirne www.youtube.com/watch?v=sF2QPlJC4P0 The Children and Youth Award Inny Football Club

The Equality & Social Inclusion Award Gerry Callaghan Pride of place 2020 Competition

Participants included Person/Group of the Year Overall Cathaoirleach Awards Winner • Community Garden – Creative Place Initiative for 2020 • Irish Road Victims Association (IRVA) - Well-Being Initia- M4 Womens Group/Knitting Club tive

• Fore Heritage & Amenity Group – Tourism Initiative Run- ner up winner 2020 Congratulations and Well done to all from Westmeath PPN Short Film Competition - All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation. Films are marked on the level of Science explained, Pro- STEM Video for ReelLife Science duction of the film and X Factor. ReelLife Science Closing date for ReelLife Science is 15th October ReelLife Science is a national short film competition which Full details on https://reellifescience.com/ and is a great summer programme project or add-on activity to watch "What is ReelLife Science?" https:// STEAM programmes. youtu.be/nr4gTgvom7A Support young people of all ages to create a 1- 3 minute Contact [email protected] for additional infor- film or animation, in English or Irish on an element of Sci- mation and available supports ence, Technology, Engineering or Maths. The competition is open to young people in Ireland and Northern Ireland representing their Youth Organisation, Primary School or Secondary School. Prize of €1000 for the winning youth group film. Winning films are screened for the public at the Galway Science and Technology Festival.

Applications for 2021 are now open. Apply for the Thank You Fund now.

The Coca-Cola Thank You Fund is back for 2021 with €100,000 in grants now available to youth-orientated non-profit groups committed to helping young people develop the skills they need to succeed in a post pandemic environment. Launched in 2011 to mark The Coca-Cola Company’s 125th anniversary, the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund has run every year since with a total figure of €1,155,000 in grants donated to over 100 non-profit organisations across the island of Ire- land. In 2021, the Fund will focus on one overall theme – Building for Better – as a recognised and trusted Fund supporting the future of young people across the island of Ireland. Do you know of a non-profit organisation that could deliver an impactful youth project targeted at 16–25-year-olds with the right funding? Applications & More Information https://www.coca-cola.ie/ community/thank-you-fund/how-to-apply-in-five-simple-steps Entry is open to not-for-profit youth-focused organisations seeking support for new or existing projects with a clear commitment to sup- port the future of young people in their local area. Entries must cohere one or more of the following three categories: 1. Educational, Training, Resilience Programmes for Young People 2. Programmes that support diversity and inclusivity in young people 3. Programmes that take an innovative approach to demonstrating sustainability to young people The Coca-Cola Thank You Fund is one of a number of initiatives that the Coca-Cola Company is championing, together with its bottling partner Coca-Cola HBC Ireland, to support young people across the island of Ireland. Youth Empowered is another pro- gramme delivered by the Coca-Cola System which is designed to equip young people with the tools and skills they need to build a better future for themselves. Through these initiatives, and its partnerships with Irish Youth Foundation and Youth Action NI, Coca-Cola wants to inspire young people to build better communities and develop the skills they need to succeed in a post pandemic environment. Closing date 16th July 2021 Think Type 1 Diabetes Think Test If you or your child has diabetes, don’t worry, while a diagno- sis of Type 1 diabetes is a life-long condition, there are thou- TEST…… know what it stands for, recognise the symptoms, sands of Irish people and indeed worldwide with Type 1 dia- and treat early as time is critical in a diagnosis of Type 1 dia- betes living their lives to the full each day. betes Type 1 diabetes occurs because the body stops producing the A delay in the diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes can quickly lead to hormone Insulin which enables the body to use glucose a life-threatening complication called Diabetic Ketoacidosis (sugar) as fuel. As a result, in untreated diabetes the level of or in short DKA. Early recognition of the symptoms and ear- glucose in the body gets too high. If your child has these ly treatment can prevent the development of DKA. symptoms below it is important that you seek urgent medical 4 in every 10 Irish children with new onset Type 1 diabetes help. Early diagnosis improves the long term outcome in dia- have DKA at the time of their diagnosis. This number has betes. Late diagnosis can result in life threatening Diabetic been increasing since 2016. Up to 2015 about 3 in 10 of our Ketoacidosis (DKA). children had DKA at diagnosis. There are 4 main symptoms to watch out for; Delays in diagnosis can happen because the symptoms of The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes in children can be easily Type 1 diabetes are subtle. remembered by thinking of the word TEST: We all need to know the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes so we •Thirst Increased can recognise them early and take action. The symptoms are •Energy Reduced the key indicators that you or your child might have Type 1 diabetes. •Sudden reduction in Weight TEST which is easy to remember as an acronym represents •Toilets Trips Increased the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes. Minor Symptoms may include: Think of TEST and do not delay! • Increased Appetite •Take a TEST – contact your GP or local pharmacist. • Lack of Concentration •Take a TEST – ask for a simple finger prick blood glucose • Bed Wetting test (or bring a urine sample) which will greatly help make • Constipation the diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in a person feeling unwell. • Mood Swings If the test is positive, eg blood sugar over 11 mmol/l, you will • Frequent Infections need to go to your local hospital Emergency Department for If you think you or your child could have Type 1 diabetes, do early assessment and treatment. not delay see your doctor or a pharmacist urgently. Acting fast has great benefits – it will enable earlier diagnosis Many ordinary people achieve extraordinary things every and treatment and can avoid the development of DKA. day while living with Type 1 diabetes. Diabetes does not stop Avoiding DKA can make the initial treatment much easier for them… they are ONESTOPPABLE children and their families and has short and long term ben- https://www.diabetes.ie/think-type-1-diabetes-think-test/ efits.

Clonmellon Farmers Market The next Clonmellon Farmers Market take place on Sunday 4th July from 11 to 1.30 in the Old Market Square, Clonmellon, C15 DK6E. It will also take place on July 4th and 18th/August 1st, 15th, 29th/September 12th and 26th 11am to 1.30pm There will be a great selection of fish, fruit and veg, jams, chutneys, olives, flavoured oils, pestos, tape- nades, hummus, cheese, fermented food, olive oil, raw milk, home baking, fresh donuts, eggs, coffee and much more. Established Food Stallholders include Starcrest Sea- foods from Donegal, Loughpark Farm, Organic for Health Fruit and Vegetables, Backyard Bakery, Dearbhs Donuts, Pat Dempsey Jams, Bellingham Blue Cheese, Keltic Kimchi, Balliskeen House Artisan Pro- duce, Ciaras Candy, Coolronan Eggs, Coffee Perfection, Evolve Super Foods, Home Baking, Tom and Ollie Mediterranean Mezze Products, La Castrilena Olive Oil. The Gluten Free Bakery also joined the Farmers Market recently, offering glu- ten, sugar and vegan free baking and products and also Sean Nua Farm who are local regenerative farmers offering fresh seasonal farm produce including pasture fed eggs. Orders can be placed in advance directly with the food producer for any products and collected at the Farmers Market.. Along with all the regular Food Stallholders the committee are looking forward to welcoming back some of the Arts and Crafts Stallholders who have been with the Market last year as well as some new Stallholders. There will be a wide selec- tion on offer from handmade candles and diffusers/decoupagee/ sustainable products/handmade flower wreaths/handmade knitted crafts/paper crafts/Art/Aloe Vera products as well as fresh flowers and plants and lots more! Jimmy Spud Spiral is also back and will be selling potatoes on a stick. The Cafe at the Market Square will be serving Tea/ Coffee/Hot Chocolate and a selection of home baking. All attending are asked to wear a Face Covering and sanitising of hands and social distancing is to be observed. We look forward to seeing you there - you can also follow Clonmellon Farmers Market on Facebook or Instagram for regular updates.

6 Our Rural Future: National Connected porting remote working and enhancing town centre living as out- lined in Our Rural Future. Hubs Network The ConnectedHubs.ie platform will offer a suite of booking, hub • Ireland’s first ever digital hub network now live via Connect- management and e-commerce applications to members of the edHubs.ie Network. The Network will also facilitate the sharing of innova- • Network to make remote working a reality throughout Rural tion, experience and best practices across the community. These Ireland supports will serve to maximise benefit to member hubs, hub • Some 66 hubs already on board; 100 plus targeted by end of clients, employers, local communities and the wider economy. 2021 The National Hub Network Working Group led by the Depart- The Connected Hubs Network, Ireland’s first national network of ment of Rural and Community Development has identified and remote working hubs. Connectedhubs.ie is a key action of Our mapped over 400 remote working hubs across the country. Rural Future and will see over 100 hubs connected by the end of These hubs will be invited to join the Connected Hubs Network 2021. Already, 66 hubs across the country are on board and are to create shared infrastructure that will deliver real benefits accessible to remote workers via an online map. This number across the country. A National Hub survey is currently underway will rise to over 100 by the end of 2021 with the overall target of to gather further information with regard to services offered by 400 set to be exceeded. these hubs. Announcing the launch of the network in Swinford, Co Mayo, Membership of the Connected Hubs Network is open to all exist- Minister Humphreys said: ing and new hubs who wish to offer remote working services. “Remote Working is a key commitment of ‘Our Rural Future’, the The following initiatives will be developed through this initiative; most ambitious policy for Rural Ireland in decades. • A Shared Connected Hubs brand identity for all member hubs “Today, we are demonstrating the action behind that policy • A Centralised Connected Hubs media and promotional cam- through the launch of Connected Hubs. paigns “Hub working can support the development of employment op- • Access to the ConnectedHubs.ie suite of booking, hub manage- portunities and career paths in rural areas. This will help to give ment and e-commerce applications. young people the choice to stay closer to home while pursuing • Development of a Peer-to-Peer Hub Community their careers and also to encourage people living in cities to con- • Sharing of Innovation, Experience and Best-Practices within sider moving to a more rural location.” the community “Throughout this pandemic, so many of us have experienced the • Developing a shared quality standard for hubs in the Network benefits of remote working – reduced commutes, more time • Supporting collaborative projects in the Network to drive econ- spent with your family, increased footfall in towns, a lower car- omies of scale bon footprint. • Developing a ‘shared voice’ for Connected Hubs “As we look to the reopening of our country, I am determined • Supporting collective engagement between Connected Hubs that we make remote working a permanent and viable reality for and large scale employers thousands of people. • Supporting collective engagement between Connected Hubs “The Connected Hubs Network provides the perfect opportunity and Government Agencies for workers and employers to embrace a ‘blended working’ mod- • Helping to identify the benefits Connected Hubs deliver for el, and to find the balance of hub, home and office working that their local communities and the wider economy works best for them.” • Developing a dataset to inform future investment decisions in “I would also like to remind hub managers of two funding remote working facilities streams which I recently launched, the €5m Connected Hubs fund for existing hubs and the €15m Town and Village Renewal A full list of connected hubs is available on www.gov.ie. Scheme, which will place particular emphasis on projects sup- Book a hub: https://connectedhubs.ie/ Ballinafid Bunbrosna Active Retirement Association Abbey Blooms Multyfarnham Friary The grounds of the Franciscan Friary in Multyfarnham is the venue to an exciting new NUA Health Care parklands and garden development.

Brian Lynch, and Kevin Boyhan didn’t forget their shovel in Abbey Blooms, Multyfarnham

Pauline McCormack is not shy when it comes to hard work. She gives her green fingers a workout, volunteering with BMB ARA in Abbey Blooms, NUA Health Care, Mul-

BMB Active members were hard at work volunteering with plant- ing, mulching, and landscaping this fabulous environment, that features Gazebos, accessible pathways, and ultimately, a bespoke refreshments service.

Pauline McCormack, Traese Bourke, Marian Mooney and Marie Delamere bring their gardening experience to Abbey Blooms

Pickleball in Lir Village and Grange Now that our weather is more seasonal, why not pick up a paddle and join in the fun outdoors with the Multyfarnham Pickleball Club and or wit BMB John Joe Lohan and Jim Bourke from the MENS Shed lead Active. the way in Abbey Blooms Gardens Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world, and is fun for all This fabulous attraction will enhance the visitors experience for ages and ability levels. any who visits the area. NUA Health Care expressed gratitude to You can avail of a the BMB Active crew members who rolled up their sleeves and chance to play on Mon- pitched in to make this dream a reality. day Wednesday and Mini Holiday October 4-7 Saturday mornings from 10:30 and on If you have not already booked your place on this much antici- Thursday evenings at pated event, do so as soon as possible. This mini vacation is “all 7:00. in” with 3 nights in the beautiful Kilkenny Springhill Hotel. The coach will pick you up while you enjoy 3 nights bed and breakfast Principal Teacher of St. Cremin’s Watch this space for with evening meals and tours during the day as an option. All chats with Jim Bourke in Abbey more details on activi- this for €255 for BMB members, €270 for non members. Blooms, aptly named by a pupil ties as restrictions ease! from St Cremin’s. Text “Holiday Yes” to 0871723256 to be included in this fun time. Survey of Thatched Buildings in itage Council with support from Westmeath County Council. Bronagh has worked on many building surveys, including surveys Westmeath Commences of thatched houses in Tipperary and Laois, and she will be travel- Thatched ling to each of the thatched houses in Westmeath”. buildings, “As well as recording the building details and history, we are once typical looking forward to talking to the owners and getting their views in Ireland on the conservation needs of these thatched buildings and on the are now a future use of thatch”, says Melanie. She goes on to explain that rare sight. the survey results will help to inform conservation priorities, in- “Up until the cluding grant assisted works, for original thatched properties in 17th Centu- Westmeath. ry, thatch “I am thrilled to be involved with this project and am looking for- was the ward to getting out and about in to visit main type of roofing in Ireland but over the years other roofing thatched buildings and meeting owners. I’m looking forward to materials became available and fashionable and now there are learning more about the history of these thatched houses, the only a few thatched buildings in the country”, says Heritage Of- families who lived in them, who built the houses and who the lo- ficer Melanie McQuade. cal thatchers were.” says Bronagh. A survey of the thatched buildings in Westmeath is commencing Bronagh is looking for the public’s help in finding the remaining in June. “The aim of this project is to create an up-to-date record thatched houses in the county and any information on the history of all the thatched buildings in the county. The last survey of of thatch in Westmeath. “If people have old photographs of thatched buildings in Westmeath was carried out for the National thatched buildings, have thatching tools in a shed that haven’t Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) in 2004. It included been used or looked at in a while or any information about 28 thatched buildings in Westmeath, but there are several others thatching in the county I’d love to hear from them.” that, for various reasons, were not recorded by the NIAH. We If you are the owner of a thatched building or if you know of a want to ensure that they are included in this survey”. thatched building in your locality, that may not have been includ- “We are delighted to be working with Conservation Consultant, ed on the NIAH (https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/) then the Bronagh Lanigan of AR&R (http://arr.ie) on this project, which is Heritage Office would like to hear from you; contact herit- as an action of the Westmeath Heritage Plan, funded by The Her- [email protected] or Melanie McQuade on 087 607 4496. PPN structural review: online survey

The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) are interested in get- ting your views on Public Participation Net- works (PPNs). PPNs were first set up six years ago. They are now operational in all counties in Ireland and have over 18,000 groups with over 1.5 million members registered with them. The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) has appointed Mazars consultants to carry out an independent structural review of the PPNs to guide their future development and ensure that the structures in place allow for effective repre- sentation of their communities in local deci- sion-making. This survey is the first part of a number of consultations that will take place as part of the review and we are looking to hear from all those who have an interest in the PPNs about your experiences. DRCD is very grateful to all stakeholders who take the time to fill in this survey, whatever your interest, as the answers you provide will inform later consultation phases. You can access the survey by clicking on this link: https:// mazarsconsultancy.eu.qualtrics.com/ jfe/form/SV_eD8bn33TuAufL9Q More information about the aims and time- line of the review are included in the link.

If you have any questions about the review, please contact [email protected]. Local Improvement Scheme 2021 portant community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountain access points or other tourist/heritage sites. Such roads

may not account for more than 25% of the allocation provided to

each Local Authority.

Schemes must have the consent of all affected landholders and a financial contribution of 10% and 15% of the overall cost must be paid by the applicants prior to commencement of works on any project. The maximum amount that any beneficiary is required to contribute is capped at €1,200 Non-eligible road projects The following road projects are not eligible for funding under the Scheme: Department of Rural and Community Development Local Im- •A road open to the public which only benefits one landowner. provement Scheme •A road serving only houses or buildings occupied or used by per- Westmeath County Council is inviting applications for the Local sons not engaged in agriculture. Improvement Scheme which is funded by the Department of Ru- •A road serving only Local Authority properties. ral and Community Development. •A road leading to bogs developed commercially for large scale The 2021 Scheme, the terms and conditions of which have been turf production. revised, enables the carrying out of improvement works on pri- •Projects involving drainage works only. vate/non-public roads. •A road leading to commercial enterprises. Eligible Road Projects •A road involving minor works which is within the competence of Eligible road projects are those that involve the construction or the applicants to do themselves. improvement of non-public roads as follows: •A road which, because of its small size, would involve work •Road projects which provide access to parcels of land of which which the Local Authority would consider as being uneconomic to two or more are owned or occupied by different persons engaged carry out. in separate agricultural activities; or Further information and forms are also available from the Trans- •Road projects which provide access for harvesting purposes portation Department: Tel 044 9332216 or 0449332288. (including turf or seaweed) for two or more persons; or The closing date for applications is the 30th of June •Road projects which provide access to at least one parcel of land 2021. owned or occupied by a person engaged in agricultural activities Application Form http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/ AND which separately provides access for harvesting purposes ourservices/yourcouncil/councilnews/ (including turf or seaweed) for at least one other person. localimprovementscheme2021.html Works can also be carried out on Amenity Roads leading to im-

Have your Say, Public Consultation Land Development Agency launches Columb Barracks Consultation The Land Development Agency (LDA) has launched an extensive phase of Public Consultation on the future development potential of the Columb Barracks site in Mullingar. The consultation which runs until July 16th, 2021, will aim to identify complimentary uses for the site in addition to the housing which the LDA will develop there. This is a very early-stage consultation which will help shape an outline plan for the area. There will be further phases of consultation in advances of a final design and planning application. The LDA invited local groups to join a Columb Barracks Advisory Group in January 2021. This brought together Westmeath County Council, The Public Participation Network of Westmeath County Council, Mullingar Chamber of Commerce, Longford Westmeath Education and Training Board, Enterprise Ireland and the Land Development Agency. The Columb Barracks Advisory Group will play a key role in driving the consultation. The initial LDA concepts for the regeneration plan include a mix of housing, community use, education and enterprise. The project regeneration plan will be based around the most up-to-date principles of design and building innovation to ensure the scheme is so- cially, environmentally and commercially sustainable for the long term. The final concepts will sensitively incorporate the heritage of the barracks, preserving it for future generations. The regeneration plan will seek to incorporate the views of local stakeholders, understanding that there may be many different ideas for the site within the local community. This the opportunity for local groups/communities, to have a say in the future development and regeneration plans for the Columb Barracks Site. Please NEXT Page for flyer –Consultation are available on the project website, https://columbbarracksproject.ie/

Consultation on Westmeath Tourism shape the new Tourism Strategy. A set of ‘issues papers’ are avail- able to view on the Council’s Consultation Portal – accessible via Strategy 2021-2027 https://consult.westmeathcoco.ie/. These aim to set the context Public invited to make submissions to shape new Tourism Strate- and framework for a comprehensive public consultation process. gy Topics for consideration as part of the consultation process for Westmeath County Council have begun a public consultation pro- the new Tourism Strategy are outlined in the issues papers. These cess for the preparation of a new Tourism Strategy for the county. include supporting the growth of the Visitor Destination Towns This new strategy will guide and inform tourism development in of Athlone and Mullingar and how to take full advantage of Fáilte County Westmeath from 2021-2027. Ireland’s regional experience brands: Ireland’s Ancient East and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. In addition, the enhancement and Since the first Westmeath Tourism Strategy was launched in No- marketing of our visitor experiences are to be considered, partic- vember 2016, many actions and initiatives have been developed ularly our greenways, heritage features and food offering. and implemented for the long-term benefit of tourism in West- meath, including Visit Westmeath promotional activities, further The Council are also engaging with stakeholders, including agen- development of the county’s recreational infrastructure and en- cies such as Fáilte Ireland and Waterways Ireland, industry rep- hancement of the visitor experience at destination towns, villages resentatives and relevant interest groups as part of the process. and attractions. Westmeath County Council have also been work- While face-to-face consultations are not possible at the moment, ing closely with Fáilte Ireland in order to encourage a more re- anyone who wishes to discuss their ideas or comments before gional spread of tourism growth in the long term. “With consider- making a written submission, will be facilitated by phone, email able heritage and cultural assets, a scenic and rich natural envi- or online meeting. ronment, vibrant towns and villages and an easily accessible loca- tion, Westmeath has great potential to benefit from tourism”, said Pat Gallagher, Chief Executive of Westmeath County Coun- cil. Much has changed in the sector since the launch of the first strat- egy, including new opportunities offered though the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand, along with the more recent and devas- tating impacts arising from Covid-19. “It’s important that the new Tourism Strategy fully reflects and responds to the range of opportunities and challenges for our county”, said Úna Doris, Tourism Officer. Members of the public are invited to make submissions and proposals which will help to Digital Inclusion in Ireland: cused on digital technologies. There are also a range of state agency, business and community programmes. There is a need Connectivity, Devices & Skills to co-ordinate across these polices and programmes if digital inclusion is to improve. The report recommends a stand-alone Report No.154: Digital Inclusion in Ireland: Connectivi- digital inclusion strategy should be developed. It also recom- ty, Devices & Skills mends a comprehensive framework for digital skills progression Covid-19 lockdowns and certification. It highlights the need for targeted supports for have seen so much of key groups, including those with low incomes, and smaller busi- how we live, work and nesses and farms. Finally, it argues that enhanced guidance is play move online. There needed to develop digital public services which are easily ac- has been a dramatic cessed by all, and assisted-digital public services for the groups shift to digital and this who will continue to face difficulties going online. is likely to grow in im- The report will be launched at an event on 1 July 2021. Further portance in the years to details of this launch can be found here. http://files.nesc.ie/ come. However, a new nesc_reports/en/154_Digital.pdf report from NESC, Digi- About the National Economic and Social Council tal Inclusion in Ireland: (NESC) Connectivity, Devices & The National Economic & Social Council (NESC) was established Skills shows that that in 1973. NESC is an expert advisory and consultative body, fo- there are groups who cusing on strategic economic, social and environmental policies. remain poorly engaged It analyses and reports to the Taoiseach on challenging policy with digital technolo- issues and addresses the public system and the institutional chal- gies. In particular, it highlights those who are older, have lower lenges related to implementation, monitoring and learning. It is levels of education, lower incomes, and live in rural areas; as well chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoi- as smaller businesses and farms. seach. The members of the Council are appointed by the Taoi- The NESC report argues that a digital inclusion strategy would seach, for a three year term. They are representatives of business help address the ‘digital’ needs of people in these key groups. and employers’ organisations, trade unions, agricultural and Doing so would build on Ireland’s large investment in broadband farming organisations, community and voluntary organisations, connectivity. It would also help companies, particularly micro- and environmental organisations; as well as heads of Govern- businesses, compete effectively with other small open econo- ment departments and independent experts. The Council has mies. And critically in the years to come it could be a key means published 154 agreed reports on a wide range of policy issues, as of combatting social exclusion. well as research papers by its professional Secretariat and other Dr Anne-Marie McGauran, author of the report, explains that experts. “Digital inclusion has three key dimensions: connectivity to https://www.nesc.ie/ broadband, access to devices, and the skills and confidence to engage digital technologies. The report shows disparities in these by region, income, age and education level, and these differences are reinforcing existing inequalities. International studies also show that there is no guarantee that the severity of digital divides will shrink without concerted policy action.” The report highlights that there are several State policies fo-

Barn Owl Survey A survey of Barn Owls, a Red-listed Bird of Conservation Con- cern in Ireland, is underway in Westmeath. The survey, which is being led by BirdWatch Ireland, aims to establish how the species is currently faring in the county. The findings of the survey will be used to ensure the protection of nest sites and to direct targeted conservation efforts, including the provision of nest boxes in suit- able areas, to help the local Barn Owl population. Local infor- mation will be really valuable to the survey and we are encourag- ing people to report sighting of Barn Owls, the location of nest boxes or any information on Barn Owls on this link https:// birdwatchireland.ie/our-work/surveys-research/research- monitoring/raptors/barn-owl-survey/ The survey of Barn Owls in Westmeath is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, local Govern- ment and Heritage, through their National Biodiversity Action Plan Grant Scheme, with support from Westmeath County Coun- cil. Great Working being done by Athlone Canal Regeneration Scheme. Some pictures highlighting the recent work on Athlone Canal carried out Canal Regeneration scheme. This work has massively im- proved the flow, aeration and visual appearance of the canal. Already we see the positive knock-on effects with the return of the fish shoals, Wild fowl and native birds, flora and fauna. Many thanks to all who have contributed to this remarkable recovery to date. The work stalled for a while due to Covid but is up and running again and thanks to some hard work from the lads and mother nature's regenerative powers we have a much more vibrant and lively waterway. 2021 Community Enhancement can include 2021 utility & insurance bills). Programme Open for Applications You can access the online application form by using on the button below and is also available on our website under the Community pages at https://www.westmeathcoco.ie/ en/ourservices/communitydevelopment/ communityenhancementprogramme/ If you require further information or a downloadable ap- plication form, please contact the Community Development Section at 044-93-32051 or by email at communi- [email protected]

Westmeath County Council is currently inviting grant ap- The closing date for submission of applications is Friday plications for the Community Enhancement Programme 16th July 2021. 2021. The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) provides funding to communities across Westmeath to enhance fa- cilities primarily in disadvantaged areas. The CEP is funded by the Department of Rural and Com- munity Development and administered by Westmeath Lo- cal Community Development Committee (LCDC). The CEP 2021 grant is directed this year towards; • Projects or purchase of equipment to enhance facil- ities (similar to previous years) • One-off grants towards costs associated with the reopening of a facility or the sustainability of a facility (this

About the Local Authority Pollinator Award & €10,000 prize money The Local Authority Pollinator Award aims to encourage TidyTowns groups to implement pollinator-friendly actions in their towns and villages as part of the TidyTowns competi- tion. Wild Irish bees, crucial to the pollination of our plants, trees and vegetables, are in de- cline - this is because we’ve drastically re- duced the areas where they can nest and the amount of food our countryside provides for them. The aim of the award is to reverse this trend by encouraging TidyTowns groups to take simple pollinator-friendly measures in their local area. The Local Authority Pollinator Award supports the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and is sponsored by the Heritage Offic- es & Biodiversity Offices of Local Authorities across Ireland. The award categories and prizes are listed below. Awards will be given in all categories subject to satisfactory criteria. For more de- tails see www.TidyTowns.ie or www.pollinators.ie New Resources Launched to Future ple must have choice when it comes to housing, and their voice must be placed at the centre of all Age Friendly Housing develop- Proof Housing for Population Ageing ments”. National Launch of Age Friendly Ire- land’s Suite of Age Friendly Housing Re- The ethos of Ireland’s national Age Friendly Programme is to support the development of our whole society as Age Friendly. sources & the agefriendlyhomes.ie web- This programme uses a World Health Organization framework site that defines housing and the built environment as a critical com- ponent of Age Friendly Communities. Population ageing is a major demographic trend facing Ireland. Life expectancy is increasing, which means that people will spend a larger proportion of their lives as older people. In future, our The voice of the older person is at the heart of the programme in homes will need to be more Universally Designed so that we can designing services for the future. Rosaleen Smart from West- live comfortably at home into our later years. meath Older People’s Council sits on the national implementation group for the Housing Options for our Ageing policy. She says: Age Friendly Ireland is launching a new suite of resources to sup- “I am delighted to see this suite of documents and website being port the preparation of housing for the ageing population and a launched today. These resources provide older people with the brand-new website called agefriendlyhomes.ie. information they need to future proof their home or to right size, and most importantly it gives us the independence to make our

own informed decisions.” The Age friendly homes website contains an array of information to support the development of Age Friendly Housing, such as case studies, research, funding information and design templates. This Age Friendly Communities support the participation of older peo- website was developed in collaboration with The Housing Agency ple and accommodate changing needs across the life course. The and Age Friendly Ireland, the Department of Health and Depart- materials being launched by Age Friendly Ireland help to shape ment of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This is a very an understanding of Age Friendly Homes. unique web portal in an Irish context and will provide a one stop shop for all resources to support Age Friendly Housing. Improving the Age Friendliness of our homes will have wide ben- efits for individuals, including health and safety issues such as The Age Friendly suite of resources being launched include guid- reducing falls, and increasing quality of life. It will also contribute ance of features to include in a lifetime adaptable and age friendly towards Sustainable Development Goals and climate action. The home including how to make it more accessible and a checklist to new resources from Age Friendly Ireland complement their exist- use in your own home. Also included is research on older people’s ing guidance documents on Age Friendly Towns, Age Friendly perceptions and experiences of going through a rightsizing pro- Public Realm, Age Friendly Hospitals, walkability audit tools and cess to future proof their home and an information booklet for their unique Housing and Public Realm Training Programme. older people to explain their options regarding future proofing their homes, ranging from adapting the home, Homeshare or Partners in the development of these resources include such bod- moving to more suitable accommodation. Another key resources ies as the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design and The being launched today is the ‘Age Friendly Primary Care Centre Housing Agency. Guidelines’, which provides guidance material on the inclusion of Age Friendly features in the development of new Primary Care About Age Friendly Ireland Centres to meet the needs of the ageing population. Ireland’s National Age Friendly Programme is a statutory cross departmental programme, supported by the Department of Hous- All of these actions are directly related to the implementation of ing Planning and Local Government, the Department of Health, the 2019 policy statement the HSE and all Local Authorities. ‘Housing Options for Our Ageing Population’, a joint policy from the Department of Health and the Department of Housing, Local Age Friendly Ireland is an appointed shared service of local gov- Government and Heritage. ernment, hosted by Meath County Council on behalf of the wider local government sector. The national Age Friendly Programme These resources and website will make a valuable contribution in office brings together, supports and provides technical guidance enabling older people to lead healthy lives at home for longer. to the 31 local authority led, multi-agency, They will contribute to a greater awareness of standards for Age- Friendly Housing, and the options people have as they grow older with regard to housing adaptations and other choices. Older peo- Age Friendly City and County Pro- • Research on Rightsizing – research on older people’s per- ceptions and experiences of going through a rightsizing process grammes across Ireland. Resources to future proof their home environment and living arrangements Launched • Rightsizing Guide – information booklet for older people to The overarching goal of Ireland’s Age Friendly Programme is that explain their options regarding future proofing their homes, every local authority area in Ireland will be a great place in which ranging from adapting the home, Homeshare or moving to more to grow old. Underpinning the Age Friendly Cities and Counties suitable accommodation Programme is the core principle that older people are a most val- • Age Friendly Planning Guidelines – guidance for planning uable resource to their communities and to our society in gen- authorities on preparing development plans that consider all as- eral. For this reason, the voice of the older person is at the very pects of demands that will be generated by population ageing heart of the Programme. • Pre-planning guidance for planning authorities on long- The suite of Age Friendly publications being launched are: term residential care facilities. • Brochure on ‘Ten Universal Design Features to Include in a Lifetime Adaptable and Age Friendly Home’ which synopsis the most critical features that make homes Age friendly • Age Friendly Homes Rating Tool – a user-friendly check- list of features to include in your home to make it more accessible and Age Friendly • Age Friendly Primary Care Centre Guidelines – guid- ance material on the inclusion of Age Friendly features in the development of new Primary Care Centres to meet the needs of the ageing population • Age Friendly Car Parking Template – schematic for devel- oping Age Friendly car parking bays • Age Friendly Seating Template - guidance on making pub- lic seating more Age Friendly using Universal Design features Save Water Ideas

Family Carers report enormous strain The Alzheimer Society of Ireland CEO Pat McLoughlin said the lives of people with dementia and their family carers remain very and plea for re-opening of dementia ser- seriously impacted by the pandemic period. vices “This research shows the enormous sacrifices family carers have made in order to protect those they care for. Their struggles in- clude heightened exhaustion, burnout, anxiety, grief, helplessness and despair. “Other relationships and responsibilities (such as children or work) have also paid a price. The fact that there was no prioritisa- tion of family carers in the vaccine roll out has left these people feeling abandoned. There were even cases of suicide risk reported among family carers. “In parallel many people living with dementia have experienced Family carers report significant decline in mental and physical irreversible deterioration over the past year. These families feel health during COVID-19 angry, betrayed and frustrated and we need the Government to Past year sees ‘Irreversible Deterioration’ for people living with take additional measures to address their needs. dementia “We now need to see urgent and safe re-opening of day care cen- The enormous challenges faced by the family carers of people liv- tres and social clubs. Our research found that family carers’ need ing with dementia – and urgent need for access to support ser- for practical support almost tripled in the past year rising to 70%. vices – have been highlighted in a stark report from The Alz- They also need access to emotional support, including counselling heimer Society of Ireland (ASI). services.” The report found that the pandemic has led to a significant and Recommendations irreversible deterioration in the condition of many people living In response to the report The ASI set out the following recom- with dementia – with their world becoming smaller and more mendations: frightening. •Provide the necessary capital and revenue resources now for day The research Caring and Coping with dementia during COVID-19 care re-opening arising from public health guidelines was launched today and also found family carers to be at breaking •Better assistance for family carers through support groups and point – with their mental and physical wellbeing seriously affect- therapeutic services including counselling ed. •Continued funding of ASI’s Day Care at Home service in order Findings include: for additional support to be provided •81% of respondents were concerned about decline in the person •Provision of additional dementia appropriate home care hours to with dementia be provided urgently •54% of family carers reported a decline in their mental health, •Pilot and develop the Statutory Home Care scheme without fur- and 40% a decline in their physical health ther delay •54% of family carers were worried about how they will continue •Plan and coordinate dementia services post COVID-19 alongside to cope, with 44% feeling less able to cope other major chronic diseases •28% of family carers reported considering a move to long term •Implement fully The National Dementia Strategy. care for the person with dementia, with 65% saying that this has become a consideration sooner due to the pandemic. Download Caring and Coping with Dementia The report comprised telephone and online surveys and focus groups including people living with dementia, family carers, De- during COVID-19 at www.alzheimer.ie mentia Advisers and front-line service managers – and follows earlier surveys by The ASI in 2020. An Cosán Online Open Day Infor- An Cosán offer a range of affordable short and accessible Access courses, with progression options to Further and mation Sessions Higher Education including programmes in early years ed- Are now ac- ucation and care, community development, leadership, ad- cepting appli- diction studies and social enterprise. cations for our An Cosán are hosting a series of online Open Day infor- Higher Educa- mation sessions to help you make an informed decision! If tion pro- you would like to find out more about your options register grammes start- to attend an Information Session today by following the ing in Septem- steps below: ber! [*Covid19 Update: The delivery model in September 2021, We continue to host online Information Sessions every Fri- will be subject to Government Covid19 restrictions in place day at 11am and we invite people to join us to explore your at that time] options. Register to attend on this link: http://bit.ly/ How do I apply for a Programme at An Cosán? AnCosanOpenDays2021 Step 1: Attend one of our weekly online live & interactive Discover your full potential through accessible Adult and Open Day Information Sessions Community Education with An Cosán. Join our online Register to attend an information session by clicking on Open Day to find out more! Select a Date button on this Eventbrite page https://bit.ly/ About this event AnCosanOpenDays2021 Are you thinking about going back to education ? Would •We will send you a Zoom link and brief instructions on you like to join a short unaccredited module or achieve an how to join on the day of your session accredited qualification with the option to progress to Fur- •You will need access to a smart phone / laptop and inter- ther Education or Higher Education and receive a Certifi- net to access this online session. cate, Higher Certificate or BA Degree? •If access to technology is a barrier or if you are unable to An Cosán are now enrolling for a wide range of pro- attend one of the dates listed, please get in touch, by con- grammes across our Adult and Community Education pro- tacting a member of our team directly on email in- vision, through our classroom-based model in An Cosán [email protected] or Phone 01 - 462 8488 and we will be hap- Tallaght and our Online Community Education model to py to make alternative arrangements. individuals all across Ireland.

Calls to SeniorLine Doubled in 2020

SeniorLine is Ireland’s national listening service for older people. Established in 1998, the service received 18,000 calls last year from older people throughout Ireland. SeniorLine is open every day of the year from 10am to 10pm, Freefone 1800 80 45 91. Many callers are lonely or isolated. Serious issues include mation on current vaccine development. elder abuse, suicide ideation, bereavement, anxiety, depres- Many callers describe SeniorLine as their lifeline and phone sion and family conflict. regularly or daily for contact and conversation. Others are SeniorLine’s 180 volunteers are trained to respond with em- supported during times of crisis. pathy, support callers to look at their options and can sign- post them to other helpful services. The peer-to-peer aspect of the service – older people sup- porting older people - is a vital part of the service and has Since Covid-19 many older people who would not have de- been particularly valuable in Covid-19. fined themselves by age felt they were negatively stereo- typed as one vulnerable group, and reacted with indignation If your organisation would like on- or off-line information to this label. ‘I did not recognise myself in that description’ on SeniorLine, please contact Anne Dempsey, Communica- was one of the most common comments to SeniorLine. tions Manager, 087-7450721 annedempsey- In the early days of Covid, SeniorLine provided daily up- [email protected] dates for callers regarding staying safe, community services, www.thirdageireland/seniorline and how best to manage their emotional and mental health. @SeniorLineIreland SeniorLine has been invited by the HSE to join their Vaccine Community Network, delegated to provide accurate infor-

Suicide Alertness Skills Training dress to: [email protected] To register for START training in other regions go to Become Suicide Alert in 2021 www.nosp.ie and look in the local Resource Officer for START Suicide Prevention information section for that region for Free Countrywide 90 min online Suicide Alertness Skills details or contact the email address above. Training It is advised that if you have been bereaved by suicide This free training is for persons*, over 18, especially those please wait at least 12 months before undertaking this working in health, social care, community and educational environments who want to become suicide alert. START trains you to identify people who are at risk of sui- cide, confidently ask them about the topic of suicide and connect them with resources that can help them stay safe from suicide. This course is funded by the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (www.NOSP.ie) and provided by LivingWorks. (www.livingworks.net) To register for START training in the Kildare/West Wick- low, South City, Dublin West, Dublin South East, and East Wicklow region email your name and location ad-

Maynooth University: includes recognition of prior learning (RPL) for suitable candidates. Masters of Social Science Graduates of the programme are currently working in local Community & Youth Work community development and youth work projects, work Masters of Social Science Community & Youth Work with Travellers and Roma, homelessness, migrant rights, (MSocScCYW) rights of sex workers, anti-racist and intercultural work, dis- ability rights, media and communications, international de- Are there social issues that you feel passionate about? velopment, politics, public policy, government departments/ Do you think young people should have opportunities to agencies, education & training, and more. shape the world they live in? For further information visit: Are you inspired to challenge inequality and work for hu- https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/applied-social-studies/ man rights? our-courses Do you want to work on creating the conditions for positive To talk to someone about the programme including part- social change in society? time in-service options contact the team on: The Masters of Social Science Community & Youth Work Email: [email protected] (MSocScCYW) is a two-year master degree programme with two 14-week supervised fieldwork placements at its centre. Application for entry to the MSocScCYW programme is open to those who have a primary degree in one of the social sci- As a student you will participate in a programme of profes- ences and have experience of/ a demonstrated interest in sional education and training that engages you as an active work with communities, youth organisations or projects, participant in your learning, working in solidarity with those minority groups, social movements or international develop- affected by human rights denial, poverty and inequality. You ment. Candidates holding other primary degrees may be will learn to foster the development and empowerment of also considered in light of their relevant experience. communities and young people, and facilitate the active par- ticipation of people in addressing issues that affect them collectively. The MSocScCYW equips students for employment in com- munity development, youth work, and associated equality, human rights, international development, local develop- ment, local authority, national institutions, and internation- al agency work. 2 years full-time or 3 years part-time in-service Professionally endorsed programme (AIEB & NSETS) In-service route provides for specialism in community de- velopment or youth work; Consultation on Westmeath Tourism Consultation for a National Action Plan Strategy 2021-2027 against Racism for Ireland Have your say on the Westmeath Tourism Strategy 2021-27, and help guide the development of tourism in Westmeath. The consultation is open at https://loom.ly/NGaJtsg until 5 July.

The consultation for a National Action Plan against Racism for Ireland is open for submis- sions until July 14th. https://www.gov.ie/en/consultation/017c9- towards-a-national-action-plan-against-racism -for-ireland-public-consultation-2021/

Water Safety For all children, it has been a year with swimming pools closed and without swimming lessons. With summer weather on the way, it is more important than ever that we encourage all children to think and talk about water safety. Water Safety Ireland has launched a water safety resource to over 4,000 Early Learning and Care Centres nationwide. Educators will use the resources to give children the knowledge needed to stay safe from drowning. The ‘Hold Hands’ programme, launched by Minis- ters Heather Humphreys and Roderic O’Gorman has been built around one very simple insight. That a young child should always hold an adult’s hand near water. ABOUT THE HOLD HANDS PROGRAMME The ‘Hold Hands’ resources have been designed by WSI to highlight potential water safety dangers at home, on farms, on the beach, at rivers, lakes and on holiday. Storyboards grab children’s imagina- tion and include a cleverly designed pointer, shaped like a hand, so whenever a child engages in water safety learning, they are physical- ly holding a hand to reinforce the behavioural change the lessons are trying to instil. For more information (PDF etc) www.watersafety.ie/hold-hands/ For more information (PDF etc) www.watersafety.ie/hold-hands/ Communities Integration Fund 2021 available to local communities throughout Ireland to promote the integration of migrants and refugees. Since its inception in 2017,

Minister O’Gorman invites applications to the Communities Inte- the Communities Integration Fund has supported over 480 projects with grant funding totalling €2.26m. gration Fund 2021

• €500,000 will be made available to local community- Purpose of projects/activities This call is open to local community based groups and centres based projects nationwide to support the integration of migrants. around 10 key themes to support migrant integration: • Grants of up to €5,000 will be allocated to successful • Intercultural Awareness; organisations to support integration initiatives. • Combating Racism and Xenophobia;

• Sport & Community Games; 15 June 2021 • Arts; The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and • Food/Cuisine; Youth, Roderic O'Gorman T.D., today announced €500,000 in • Community Events; funding under the Communities Integration Fund 2021. • Capacity Building;

Now in its fifth year, the Communities Integration Fund celebrates • Employment; • Education; the rich cultural diversity within local communities and enables • Integration Research. local community-based organisations across Ireland to play a greater role in supporting the integration of migrants. Eligible As this Fund is intended to support the integration of migrant and organisations can apply for grant funding of €1,000 – €5,000 to host communities, all applications must demonstrate the ability to support local integration initiatives. involve both migrant and host communities in the activities pro- posed. The maximum grant amount that can be applied for is Announcing the funding, Minister O’Gorman said: €5,000 and the minimum grant is €1,000. “I am delighted to announce the launch of the Communities Inte- gration Fund 2021. Irish society has been enriched by increased Types of projects previously funded under the Communities Inte- cultural diversity and we must ensure that migrants are supported gration Fund include: to actively participate in Irish society without having to relinquish their own cultural identity. This funding will bolster the great • Family resource/Support Centres work being done by local communities to welcome new cultures.” • Sports Clubs • Local Community Network Groups How to apply: • Midsummer Festivals Applicants can access a detailed guidance document and complete • Youth Projects an online application form here. • Migrant Groups The closing date for receipt of applications is 6 pm on Friday

02 July 2021. Issued by the Press and Communications Office at the Department

of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Migrant Integration Strategy sets out the Government’s com- Tel: 01 647 - 3153/3114 mitment to the promotion of migrant integration as a key part of More Information & Application: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/ Ireland’s renewal and as an underpinning principle of Irish society. runner/CommunitiesIntegrationFund2021 The Strategy provides a framework for a range of actions to sup- port migrants to participate fully in Irish life.

The Communities Integration Fund arises from Action 51 of the Migrant Integration Strategy, which calls for funding to be made Further details OUTDOOR SEATING AND ACCESSORIES www.localenterprise.ie/Westmeath/Financial-Supports/ FOR TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY Economic Section, Local Enterprise Office, Westmeath County BUSINESS SCHEME Council, Áras an Chontae, Mount Street Mullingar or email [email protected]

Please refer to Failte Ireland document for Best Practice in relation to Outdoor dining:

https://www.failteireland.ie/Identify-Available-Funding/local- authority-schemes/Outdoor-Dining-Enhancement- Scheme.aspx

For information on Section 254 Licences please refer to the following links: http://www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/ ourservices/yourcouncil/onlineservices/applyforit/http:// www.westmeathcoco.ie/en/ourservices/planning/ outdoorseatingsignage/

More information on Local Enterprise Office website: www.localenterprise.ie/Westmeath/Financial-Supports/ Out- Closing Date 30th September 2021 Failte Ireland has launched this scheme to provide a level of fi- nancial support to tourism and hospitality businesses to pur- chase or upgrade equipment to provide additional outdoor seat- ing, and therefore increase their outdoor dining capacity for the summer of 2021. This scheme has now been extended to non dining businesses i.e. pubs and they are eligible to apply for this scheme from Monday 14th June. This scheme will financially assist and support independent tourism and hospitality business owners to create outdoor dining/non dining experiences in a reg- ulated and accessible manner. Funding under the scheme is only available to existing businesses.

The Outdoor Seating and Accessories for Tourism & Hospitality Business Scheme will be administered through Westmeath County Council. Peatlands Gathering 2021 Natural Capital Ireland has joined forces with a collective of peatland community representatives, practitioners, researchers and specialists to bring you a new event, ‘Peatlands Gathering 2021; a new begin- ning’, which will consist of a two-day online forum on 7th- 8th October with presentations and dialogue and hopefully some field trips on 9th October. Further details available at https://peatlandsgathering.wixsite.com/ peatlandgathering21

Mná 100 Podcast Series: Minister Catherine Heritage Week 2021 14th —22nd August Martin recently announced a new podcast series, Mná 100, as part of the Decade of Centenaries programme, which reflects 2021 was offi- on some of the women who were instrumental in shaping Ire- cially launched land’s history, 100 years ago. The first episode, Elections May on 16th June by 2021, is available to listen to online at clicking Elections May 2021 www.mna100.ie Minister for Heritage Malcolm Noonan. You can now Register as an organiser, access key resources for developing your pro- ject and upload your project at : www.heritageweek.ie

€292,658 funding for 9 projects in preparation of Conservation Plans for Kilafree Church, Cas- tlepollard; St Owen's Church, ; Court Devenish Westmeath under the Community House, Athlone and Monasset Tower House. Stream 3 fund- Monuments Fund from the National ing has been awarded to The No.1 Gun Battery, Athlone and for digital interpretation of Mayne Trackway. You can read Monuments more details on the grant scheme here: www.gov.ie/en/ press-release/c0a0e-minister-noonan-announces-2021- Fantastic news with the announcement of €292,658 fund- community-monuments-fund-grants-of-over-4-million/ ing for 9 projects in Westmeath under the Community Monuments Fund from the National Monuments Ser- vice, Department of Housing, Local Government and Herit- age. Funding has been awarded under Stream 1 for capital works to Fore Gaol; Kilbixy Leper Hospital and Athlone Town Wall. Stream 2 funding has been announced for the

Irish Landmark Trust competition Irish Landmark Trust is an official partner of National Heritage Week 2021. Do you fancy a break with a dif- ference? A chance to win a trip to one of the Landmark Trust’s 33 diverse and interesting properties could be just the ticket. Since 1992, the Trust has been transforming historic buildings into truly special self- catering holiday accommodation that allows us experi- ence and understand what our past has conceded to us. That then gives us an informed understanding of what we value in the present and what we choose to preserve for future generations. Ireland’s built heritage is our inheritance. Providing clues to our past and how our society has evolved, it helps us to examine our history and traditions and ena- bles us develop an awareness about ourselves. It also helps us to understand and explain why we are the way we are. For The Irish Landmark Trust and the Heritage Council, exemplary and imaginative re-use of generations’-old buildings is a vital part of preserving our built heritage and bringing it back into use now – and for the future. New RTÉ One television If you would like to experience that care and dedication programme, Take On Me. first hand, you’ve got a chance to win a voucher for a Take On Me is a singing competition game show which will two-night break (worth €400) that can be redeemed require contestants to have tactics as well as talent. We are looking for singers from all over the country to sing for their against a stay in a Irish Landmark Trust property of lives in an effort to be crowned the winner of Take On your choice. Me and take home a massive cash prize of €25,000! HOW TO ENTER WESTMEATH has an abundance of talented singers and To enter the competition, log into Heritage Week web- we’d love to see if any of them is up for the challenge. site www.heritageweek.ie/about/irish-landmark -competition-1 and answer the questions in the ques- More information: https://www.rte.ie/tv/audience- participation/2021/0611/1227529-take-on-me/ for an appli- tionnaire. cation form. Or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ RTEOne/posts/5711849708888822 Schedule of litter, sweeping, bins and public toilets for the Mullingar-Kinnegad Municipal District

MDMK Schedule for Litter MDMK Schedule of Suction sweeper bin emptying and litter pick- Frequencies 7 June 2021 - 29 August 2021 ing 7 June 2021 - 29 August Week- Fort- Month Quar- Location Daily 2021 ly nightly ly terly Town/Village Frequency Mullingar Core Mullingar Town Centre Everyday Mullingar Ap-

Mullingar Town Park Everyday proach Roads Mullingar Hous- Mullingar Estates Once Weekly ing Estates Kinnegad Twice Weekly Castlepollard Twice Weekly Kinnegad Once weekly /Rathwire Killucan/Rathwire Once weekly Raharney Delvin Once weekly Multyfarnham Clonmellon Once weekly Multyfarnham Once weekly Clonmellon Collinstown Twice weekly Delvin Raharney Once weekly Collinstown Milltownpass Once weekly Coole Coole Once weekly Finnea Once weekly Rochfortbridge Street Once weekly The Downs Once weekly Taughmon Fore Once weekly Gainstown Lakeside Amenities - Collinstown Everyday Street Lough Derravarragh - Gart- landstown 3 times per week Crookedwood Lough Ennell - Ladestown Everyday Drumcree Lough Ennell - Butler's Castletown Finnea Bridge Once Weekly Lismacaffrey Lough Ennell - Tudenham Everyday Archerstown Lough Owel - Everyday Lough Owel - Sailing Club Everyday Lough Owel - Tullaghan Everyday MDMK Portable Toilet Locations from 7

Playgrounds June 2021 – 29 August 2021 Ballinea 4 times per week Disabled Standard Port- Portable Fairgreen 4 times per week Location able toilet Toilet Kinnegad 4 times per week Killucan 3 times per week Portnashangan, Lough Owel 1 Delvin Once weekly Tullaghans, Lough Owel 1 Castlepollard Once weekly 2 toilets from Ladestown Lough Ennell 18/6/21 Clonmellon Once weekly Ballinea Playground 1 Tudenham Lough Ennell 2 Blackhall Carpark 2 1

Newbrook Greenway access carpark 1 Mullingar Town Park 1 1 Irish Heart Foundation: Age Action: Getting • Get involved as a volunteer! Our Services Started Computer • Get a school involved as a host venue Training • Get a business involved as a part- More than 35,000 Irish people have ner benefited from Age Action's Getting • Resources for volunteers and Started Computer Training pro- learners gramme, which provides training in We are living in difficult and uncertain • Contact the Getting Started team computers, smartphones and the times and are very aware of the extra • Age Action Silver Surfer Awards Internet for people over the age of 55 challenges people living with the effects • Publications and Research all over Ireland. of heart disease and stroke face. More information on any of above • Getting Started KIT - COVID-19 https://www.ageaction.ie/how- Our nurses are available on phone and Response email support Monday to Friday 9 am we-can-help/getting-started-kit to 1 pm. Call 01 6685001 or email sup- • About Getting Started Computer [email protected] Training • Videos: Meet some of the learn- The Irish Heart Foundation runs 21 ers and volunteers involved in stroke support groups and 5 heart fail- Getting Started ure groups around the country. • Know someone who might be We also have support groups for people interested? Fill in this form with cardiomyopathy, Long QT syn- drome and spontaneous coronary ar- tery dissection (SCAD), as well as groups for people with ICDs and for families who have lost a loved one to Barnardos Back to School Survey is Open! SADS. Children’s Charity Calls on Parents & Children to Share their Views on the All these groups have moved to tele- Return to School in September phone and online support. Barnardos 16th Annual Back to School Survey is now open and aims to shine a We have also launched a new service light on the real cost of Ireland’s free education system. Parents and young for people living with heart failure. Join people are invited to fill out the survey and tell Barnardos how much money our community to meet and learn from they spend on their chil- others living with heart failure to help dren’s education – iPads, you cope better and feel less isolated. school books, clothing, We have a number of private Facebook footwear, photocopying groups to give you access to expert in- fees, voluntary contribu- formation and to allow you to share tions and any other addi- your thoughts and concerns with simi- tional costs. The survey larly affected people: for both primary and sec- •Heart Support Network – a Facebook ondary students is availa- group for people with heart failure and ble at other heart conditions and their carers. www.barnardos.ie/ backtoschool2021 •Life after Stroke – a Facebook group for stroke survivors and their carers. Returning to school each September can be a challenging period for both par- ents and young people. In addition to the extra costs, parents may have addi- •Irish Heart Foundation Carers’ Group tional concerns about their children returning to school and areas they believe – this Facebook group is specifically for their children need further supports in. Barnardos hope to highlight things carers of stroke survivors. parents and children are concerned about in advance of the return to school in We are accepting new members in all of 2021 and are acutely aware that this year the pandemic may have heightened our groups. If you would like to join, anxieties further. please email Tracy on te- [email protected] telling her which Parents and children can take the Barnardos School Costs Survey online at group you would like to join or call 01 www.barnardos.ie/backtoschool2021 6685001. The survey will be open for three weeks from June 14 – July 5. Results from https://irishheart.ie/get-support/ the survey will be released at the end of July. Herbicide Free Challenge Take the challenge to Go Herbicide Free! Flyers created by Dublin Community EN member Steven Doody who has been working on herbicide free projects and polli- nator projects over the last few years. These flyers are available to all. Steven would like to reach all schools and as he collates those who have signed up to the challenge. Please share widely. Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/DublinEnviromentalNetwork/posts/3029572253991925

Deposit Return System for Ireland Voice Ireland

The ‘Return For Change’ campaign wants to see the urgent introduction of a strong Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS), which would see an added charge for certain products, which the customers would redeem when the container is returned to the retailer to be recycled. DRS’s are widely used internationally and have been proven to reduce litter and increase the reuse of these products by recycling the valuable plastic and alumini- um. Please see the Return for Change website for more details www.returnforchange.org or email [email protected] @returnforchange

Beware Scam Phone Calls Be aware of Scam calls which claim to be from Revenue, An Garda Síochána, So- cial Welfare or other government agencies (usually from an 087 number (many different ones))

To avoid falling victim to a scam of this nature, remember the follow- ing tips:

• Be wary of multiple calls or missed calls being received from the same number that you are unfamiliar with • Do not answer or call back any number that you don't recognise where there is a blank or no voicemail message left • If you call back an unknown number by mistake, hang up immediately on calls where there appears to be no recipient on the other end or where you are left on hold • Do not provide any personal information, for example, banking details/PPS number/credit card details/name and address/ passport numbers etc. • If you have friends or relatives abroad that may be calling you, store their number (including the country prefix) in your phone and be aware of the prefix for the country where they might be calling from • Most phones have the capability of allowing you to block a nuisance number from contacting you. You should check your phone manual to see if this is a feature of your handset Unfortunately, in some cases, there is no way to identify a scam call number, and they can resemble a very normal, familiar, geo- graphical or international number that we come across on a daily basis.

WPPN- Westmeath Public Participation Network Community Development Section, Westmeath County Council, Áras an Chontae, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, N91 FH4N Direct Line: 044 9332157 Email: [email protected] Westmeath PPN website: www.westmeathppn.ie for News & Upcoming Events