Derry community group celebrates financial boost

Local community group, Culmore Community Partnership, is today celebrating after being awarded £499,000 in National Lottery funding to support its work in the Culmore area. 

Culmore Community Partnership (CCP) was established by a group of volunteers in January 2018, they renovated the former Victoria Hall at Culmore Point Road to provide a community Hub for local residents.  Culmore Community Hub opened in May 2021 providing services, support and activities for the whole community.  

In May 2024 CCP secured £499,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund to deliver a   4-year programme which will provide them with the stability to continue with the delivery of their activities and support for the Culmore community.

Culmore Community Partnership Chairman Neil Doherty said: “The Culmore Hub Community Support programme will help us on our journey to create a connected and cohesive community.  The National Lottery Community Fund has been a great support to Culmore and through their generous funding we have been able to bring much needed services to Culmore for people of all ages. 

"This new funding will allow us to continue to support local people. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who plays the National Lottery as this would not be possible without their input.”

Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted to award Culmore Community Partnership with a £499,000 National Lottery grant to provide activities, support and events for local residents, to reduce isolation and improve wellbeing. We look forward to seeing what they achieve over the coming months and years.

“National Lottery players can be proud to know the £30 million they raise each week for good causes, is making such a difference to people in Northern Ireland.” 

The Culmore Hub Community Support programme will provide a wide range of activities and services including mental and physical well-being sessions for the whole community, parent and toddler support, activities and support for older people and sessions tailored to the specific needs of men and women, environmental programmes, and the much-loved Culmore community festivals programme.

This funding will help CCP to continue to combat loneliness and isolation by creating a purpose for residents to become involved in their own community either by volunteering or taking part.  

Una Cooper, Manager of Culmore Community Partnership, said “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to provide the ongoing services, support and activities our community needs.’

The Community Launch of the Culmore Hub Support Programme will take place on Tuesday, 10th September 2024 from 4.00pm to 7.00pm at Culmore Community Hub. There will be entertainment, food and taster sessions for some of the activities that will be on offer at Hub.  

Una said: “The local community helped us design this project and we want them to come along and help us celebrate the launch of the Culmore Hub Community Support programme.

"We will have hot food available at the Hub so there’s no need to worry about cooking for the family, just come along and enjoy activities and register for some of the wide range of sessions we have on offer at the Hub this Autumn.  We’ll have lots of activities on offer to keep everyone entertained.”  

If you would like to attend the Culmore Hub Community Support Programme Launch please contact Culmore Community Partnership on 028 71136 3713 or email admin@culmorehub.org.