What’s Happening?

South West

South West Belfast Neighbourhood Partnership

Making T hings Happen Within the South West Belfast Community Issue 1. November 2014

A Big Welcome To What’s Happening? Learning and Fun On the Partnership and the people it IT is a new year of learning and represents and works on behalf fun for the children enrolled with of. What’s Happening? will Southcity After School Club and provide opportunities for local Little Teddies Pre-School Group. residents to put forward their Early Years Manager for the two views and give us their ideas. Donegall Road Methodist Church

“As Joint Chairpersons of South complex-based facilities, Alison West Belfast Neighbourhood Simpson, tells us about it. Renewal Partnership, we very “Sixteen P1 to P7 children attend much hope you find What’s our After School Club five days Happening? South West Belfast A BIG w elcome to the first issue of per week. Help with homework is ‘What’s Happening? South West useful and enjoyable”. provided but the focus is on Belfast’ the newsletter of the South learning through play and West Belfast Neighbourhood education play-based activities. Partnership covering the Village, The service is available between Mid-Donegall Road and 2:00pm and 5:00pm Monday to communi ties. Thursday and 4:00pm on Friday. Glenda Davies of Sandy Row “Each day, Little Teddies Pre- Community Forum and Paula school Group supports up to Bradshaw of the Greater Village sixteen children aged between two

Regenera tion Trust are Joint years and ten months and four Chairpersons of the Partnership. They years. They attend between Local Service Delivery Groups explain the motivation behind this 9:00am and 12:30pm Monday to new publ ication. Belfast South Community Resource, Friday. As with the After School 125-147 Sandy Row, Belfast BT12 “What’s Happening? will update 5ET. Call: 028 90244449. Club, the Little Teddies children South West Belfast residents about learn through the medium of play” Greater Village Regeneration Trust, the services being delivered by five 337 Donegall Road, Belfast BT12 6FQ. local gr oups on behalf of the Call: 028 90333527. Partnership. Sandy Row Community Forum, 63-75 Sandy Row, Belfast BT12 5ER. “It will also let them know about Call: 028 90 238446.

planned events and activities as well Southcity Resource and Development as highli ghting the achievements of Centre, 2 Maldon Street, Belfast BT12 6HE. Call: 028 9050 4747. local people. W indsor Women’s Centre, 136-144 “This new community publication Broadway, Belfast BT12 6HY. For more information and an Call: 028 9023545. creates an important link between update on places contact Alison or Georgina on 07857 918419.

Partnership Celebrates Birthday JUNE 2005 was an important time for Garnet Busby, Belfast South the Sandy Row, Mid-Donegall Road Resource Ce ntre’s Operations’

and Village neighbourhoods. It was Manager, explained the background: when loc al community groups came “In 2003, the Government wanted to together to set up the South West work with the communities in N.

Belfast Neighbourhood Partnership. Ireland that experienced the worst health, crime, education, In June 2014, representatives from unemployment, housing and local the local problems were and to these gro ups gathered to remember environment problems. develop plans to tackle them. this significant event. The five groups are Belfast South Community “Across Belfast, Neighbourhood “Since 2005, local groups have Resource s, Greater Village Renewal Partnerships were set up to worked hard to deliver services Regeneration Trust, Sandy Row bring people from local communities that improve life for South West Community Forum, Southcity together with Government bodies Belfast people. We are very Resource and Development Centre and other organisations. The job of pleased to celebrate what has and Windsor Women’s Centre. the Partnerships was to find out what been achieved.”

Ad ult Education Classes Prove a Big Success Reflexology as well as classes to Dander Down the Pride of Belfast directly support improvements in Sandy Row is one of

health, e.g. swimming, yoga and Belfast’s oldest The Tour residential areas with dancercise.” a character all of its T he walking tour own. It is known covers: locally as the Pride Windsor Women’s Centre Adult Sandy Row origins. of Belfast. Education courses are delivered Industrial heritage. On Offer Belfast’s Royal Mile under the ‘Thalia Education and People and character Training Programme’ and the ‘Live Local guides, then and now. including local flute The World Wars. and Learn Project’. For more band and Orange WINDSOR Women’s Centre Co- . information contact the Centre’s Order members with The . ordinator, Eleanor Jordan, has an extensive Historic Sandy Row declared the organisation’s Adult Training Team on 028 90235451 or knowledge of these Churches. drop in to 136-144 Broadway. organisations. Education and Training programme More Information: www.historicsandyrow.co.uk for 2014 to 2015 a big success. ‘Sing and Sign’ “This year, Windsor Women’s Centre Strikes A Chord Strengthening the Village offered sev enteen different accredited A WINDSOR Women’s Centre SOUTHCITY Community and non-accredited courses. Almost Strikes initiative that teaches sign Resource and Development one hundred women signed up for language to children as young as Centre is strengthening the these. U nfortunately, due to a one year is striking a chord across ability of the Village community shortage of places, we had to put forty South Belfast. to tackle the area’s problems. two applicants on a reserve list. Petals Daycare staff have been The Centre offers training and “Some of the courses are for teaching children sign language volunteering opportunities for academic qualifications such as using ‘Sing and Sign’. “So local people who want to help GCSE’s while others help prepare successful has it been that one of improve their neighbourhood. It you for employment, e.g. Food the Petals staff will be taking Sing also provides training for Hygiene a nd Word Processing. and Sign to other South Belfast community, voluntary and faith “Windsor Women’s Centre also play groups”, says Windsor based groups on managing their recognises that adult education can Women’s Centre Childcare Co- organisations. help to improve physical and mental ordinator, Shirley Simpson. For more information, contact health. We therefore deliver For more information contact George Niblock on 028 9050 4747 qualifications in Counselling and Shirley Simpson on 028 or call into the Centre at 2 Complimentary Therapies such as 90235451. Maldon Street.

‘REACH’ For Your Full Potential Low Cost Fitness On Your Doorstep FREE, locally-based training is helping South West Belfast young NO more excuses for not people and adults to reach their full improving your fitness and health potentia l. says Glen McCrum Manager of Trainin g Support Officer, Tracy the Greater Village Regeneration Trust’s ‘Fit 4 Life’ Centre based Kelly, o utlines what’s on offer from the ‘REACH Project’ based at in Richview Regeneration Centre. Belfast South Community Maths and ICT and for an NVQ “The Fit 4 Life Centre offers Resources, Sandy Row. “Our qualification. Employability fitness and health programmes for training covers First Aid, CSR Training provided improves job women and men of all ages. Its Cards, F ork Lift Truck Licence, the search skills while work convenient location makes it ideal Security Industry Authority, Food placements offer real experience for residents of Sandy Row, Mid- Safety, World Host, CompTia A+ of working life.” Donegall Road and the Village. and Chi ldcare. “Many REACH participants have Membership is open to all and “Septem ber 2014 kicked off the been long-term unemployed or new users can enjoy a free first year for ten REACH Childcare parents caring for the home and session and Individual Health trainees. This group of learners will family. At the start they can be a Assessment. Fit 4 Life is a develop their skills by way of work bit anxious but as they identify community facility that keeps placements with local crèches and their strengths, their confidence prices very reasonable. nursery schools. grows and the fear goes.” Instructors are local, fully trained and offer guidance and “Also during September, fifteen For more detail, contact Liz or encouragement.” young adults joined the REACH Tracy at Belfast South Community Employability Course. They will Resources, 125-147 Sandy Row or The Fit 4 Life Gym is open undertake training in English, ring them on 028 90244449. Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 1:00pm and 4:00pm to 8:00pm as well as Saturday morning 9:30am Big Plan For South West Belfast to 11:30am. Current fitness and IF you have to deal with a lot of Village Regeneration Trust, health programmes include: problems the best idea is to get Sandy Row Community Forum,  ‘Women’s Cook It Burn It’. yourself a plan. South West Belfast Southcity Resource and  ‘Men’s Crunch and Munch’. Neighb ourhood Partnership did this Development Centre and  ‘Seniors’ Circuits’. in 2011 when it produced a Windsor Women’s Centre have  ‘Boys’ and Girls’ After School’

Neighbourhood Action Plan for the been working hard to achieve the  ‘Wednesday Night Fitness Class’.  ‘Open Gym’. period A pril 2012 to March 2015. Plan’s aims and objectives.”

Bob St oker of Southcity Resource However, some problems need and Development Centre outlined more time and work. Eleanor what happened. “The Department for Jordan, Windsor Women’s

Social Development wanted Centre Co-ordinator said, “In Neighbourhood Partnerships to help May 2014, the Partnership agreed tackle the area’s many problems a new Action Plan for April 2015 to March 2017. “The Partnership had been working in the a rea since 2005 so it knew the “An application for funding to A new running group, open to all issues. The difficult bit was to decide deliver the Plan was submitted to abilities, meets on Wednesdays at on the responses. After much the Department for Social 6:30pm at the Fit 4 Life Centre. discuss ion, a South West Belfast Development in August 2014. It For more information, call into Neighbourhood Renewal Action then goes to the Fit 4 Life Centre on the First Plan - April 2012 to March 2015 was for a decision. We’re all hopeful Floor of Richview Regeneration agreed. Since 2012, Belfast South for a positive outcome and look Centre, 339 Donegall Road or Community Resources, Greater forward to the challenges ahead.” ring Glen on 028 90333527

Free Study Support New Social Enterprise Hub Opens LEAVING school without the all- A NEW Social Enterprise Hub, important five GCSE’s at grades C based at the Belfast South or abo ve, including Maths and Community Resources, 127 to English, leaves young people facing 145 Sandy Row, is now open. a big hurdle when seeking work and Its purpose is to encourage and accessi ng further education. develop fledgling social “Encou ragement from their parents enterprise businesses in South can help boost a child’s school Belfast. performance”, says Nikki Johnston A social enterprise is like other of B elfast South Community businesses in that it aims to Resources. “Also, some pupils may make money or cover its costs. need a little extra help with their and the Fit 4 Life Centre. school work. If this is your child, However, it differs in that For more information contact the encourage them to come along to our profits are reinvested in the Hub Co-ordinator, Michelle After School Study Support Group business or used to benefit the Wilson on 07921820977 or email based a t 127 to 145 Sandy Row.” local community. Examples of her at [email protected] . You social enterprises are credit For mo re information, contact Nikki can also check out the website – unions, Common Ground Cafe Johnston on 028 90244449. www.sbseh.org .

Up To £25,000 Housing Grants Available

HOME owners and landlords Environmental Health

with a property in the Village Department.” The final amount

Improvement Area may qualify is linked to the rateable

for a Home Improvement Grant valuation of a property.” of up to £25,000. Housing Executive Meli ssa Lynas, Community Sustainability Officer with In many cases, applicants have little or no contribution to make Greater Village Regeneration contribution towards the towards the cost of grant aided Trus t said, “There are four types approved cost of the work. work. Housing Executive of grant aid. Disabled Facilities Grants are (NIHE), Belfast Grants’ Office Renovation Grants not means-tested if the staff can carry out an initial adaptation works are for a child. “Up to £25,000 is available for assessment before you make an majo r works such as kitchen and Home Repair Assistance application. Staff will also continue to call at properties in bathr oom extensions and work of “Up to £5,000 can be paid over the Village Housing a serious nature, e.g rewiring, three years for work such as Improvement Area to provide roof replacement and damp proof replacing windows and doors, installation. advice and offer a ‘no roof repairs, pointing brickwork obligation’ inspection. and rewiring. These grants are Disa bled Facilities Grant available to people who receive Further Information “Up to £25,000 is available for certain benefits. adaption works recommended by Contact any of these NIHE the Health Trust Occupational Landlord Property Repairs Belfast Grants Office staff: Therapy Department. “Up to £7,500 over three years is - Artie Toner: 028 90470184. - Gail Speer: 028 90470191. “If you apply for a Renovation available for work to a landlord - Mary Heaney: 028 90470189. Grant or Disabled Facilities Grant owned property that is subject to you will be means-tested to find a statutory notice served by Alternatively, email: Belfast City Council’s out if you can make a financial [email protected]