New Mossley Community Group
The New Mossley Community Group, based at the Community House in the New Mossley estate, are the local representatives of the East Antrim Conflict Transformation Forum.
The Group is represented on the Core Focus Group and the main Forum and has been pro-active in seeking to address the legacy of the conflict within the New Mossley area.
New Mossley is working hard to move forward and striving to make changes. All of our community, even if only by giving us their support, have a part in this. The East Antrim Focus Group gives us a chance to hear what community groups can achieve. They are addressing the issue of conflict in loyalist areas right across the East Antrim area , something no one else currently doing with the people on the ground. If they can achieve their goals, we in the wider community will all be the beneficiaries. We would like to thank them on behalf of the New Mossley Community Group.
Nature Walkway
The opening of the nature walkway taking in land previously used as a dumping ground in conjunction with the Housing Executive and Groundwork.
We officially opened the walkway at the end of April. Some members of the wider community came along to join with us in this event. The path runs approximately half a mile round the estate, through the forest, which was previously being used as a dumping ground. However, we do have a lot more planned for this area. We are applying for a grant to improve it further. The Conservation Volunteers have been very helpful and we are going along with some of the local children to meet them and build bird boxes, which can be put up into the trees out of harms way. As we are a member of the Housing Community Network, District 2.
The Housing Executive, have said come the autumn, they will look at cutting down any diseased trees along the path as there are a few. They will then hopefully be able to clear away a lot of the overgrown areas and plant wild flowers, such as Bluebells, Poppies, etc. The Children from the local Primary School will be asked for their ideas and work along with us. This should attract more birds and wildlife to the area and can possibly be used for educational purposes for the schoolchildren, whilst giving the residents a pleasant nature walk.
Community Garden
We have applied for funding for a community garden and so far it looks promising. It will be built at the heart of our estate beside the shops and the community house. We are hopeful the work will begin late this year or early next year.
The Community Garden has been in the pipe-line for a long time and we would consider it a great achievement to actually have one. Our vision for this is to have somewhere the residents of our estate can go along to, sit and have a chat and relax. It would have a few benches or seating areas, some plants and shrubbery and, as a centrepiece, we would like to erect a war memorial. It will obviously have to be looked after and maintained, but we are confident we can do this.
Renovations to Community House
Earlier this year we were successful in obtaining a grant of £2,700 from The John Moore Foundation to revamp our community house.
With the help and advice of NNHAZ and the Linc Resource Centre, the house was redecorated from top to bottom, gardens front and back cleaned up, we were able to get approximately a years worth of telephone use, electricity and heating oil as well as our stationery from this. The District Manager from the Housing Executive, Brian Newman, along with other invited guests from the wider community came along for our grand re-opening.
Since the Community house has been re-opened local volunteers from the Group are present two mornings per week for advice and information.
At the moment we have the house opens each Tuesday morning for people to call in and have a look around, or see if they would be interested in becoming members of our group. Each Thursday morning we a have the community warden, Olivia Ferguson, from the Housing Executive with us to offer help and advice on housing issues. We are currently speaking with CAB and Women's aid about possible afternoon openings for them. This will help our residents who are not always able to make it to these places.
Local Churches & Senior Citizens
Due to lack of facilities and volunteers, we have been unable to provide resources for senior citizens at the Community House. As a means of addressing this we have shared some of our funding with the local churches to enable them provide afternoon tea, refreshments and entertainment for senior citizens. Hopefully this will be starting in September and we are confident that it will prove to be a success.
Healthy Living Programme
Facilitating a Healthy Living programme for local residents in conjunction with the Health Action Zone.
Northern Neighbourhoods Health Action Zone, have been invaluable to us since the community group began. They have hosted a Fair Day during last years festival and are doing the same this year. We have had pampering sessions, blood pressure checks etc. These include massage and it's amazing how many of the male gender turn out for these events. The advice and information they provide us with to improve the quality of life is fantastic, especially for people living within deprived areas. We are also pleased to say we have been nominated for The Good Practice Award by the Housing Community Network and NITAP. (N.I. Tenants Action Project)
Home Accident Prevention
Earlier this year we were approached by ROSpa to pilot a home accident prevention day. This included hot water gauges to avoid scalds, poison cabinets for bleach etc, and childproof medication boxes. These have all been supplied and fitted free of charge. The project is now being carried out in other estates in Northern Ireland.
Fuel Poverty
Held information days on how best local residents can address the issue of Fuel Poverty. During this information day we discussed saving energy and so on, but due to this years massive increase in fuel prices we can see this becoming one of the most serious problems within our communities this winter. In light of this we will be looking at it again towards the end of the summer to see if there is anything we can do. We suspect other groups will have to do the same.
Gardening Service
The Group is in discussions with The Headmaster of the High School, the Church and the Army Cadets regarding the development of a volunteer gardening scheme for senior citizens and other vulnerable residents.
The Housing Executive, have agreed to supply us with some equipment for this scheme. It is hoped this will be launched within the next few weeks.
Culture and Identity
At the moment we are working on our 11th day cultural event. This will include fun and games for the children and BBQ etc. We are also working on our Annual Festival which will run for 3 days this year. After last years success we hope both of these events will be enjoyed by the whole community. We are also planning a week-long Ulster-Scots Festival for August.
The Group plans to work with the local Primary School to remove faded murals and replace them with Ulster-Scots cultural themes.There is a little subway which runs along to the school, this is currently in a filthy state, is unlit, and covered in graffiti. We are hoping with the help of the Ulster-Scots Agency to secure funding for a clean-up. We would also like to clean up one of the murals the children had previously designed which has become a bit faded.
The Group is also supporting the implementation locally of the Flags and Emblems Protocol of the East Antrim Athletic & Cultural Society.
With the support of the Fire Authorities and the Police Service of Northern Ireland the Group have worked with the local Bonfire Committee to ensure that Health and Safety is at a premium during the 11th night celebrations.