Poots visits rural community organisations

Date published: 07 May 2021

Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots MLA, today met a number of rural community organisations in County Armagh which have received assistance through the Marginalised Minority Communities in Rural Border Areas measure of DAERA’s Rural Community Development Support Service Programme

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA is pictured with (left to right) Allen Hawthorne, The Fews Community Association; Rosemary Harpur, Kingsmills Youth Group and George McKelvey, Bessbrook Institute.

Speaking in Bessbrook Town Hall, where he met representatives from Bessbrook Institute, Kingsmill Youth Group and the Fews Community Group, the Minister said: “The Department’s Rural Community Development Support Service has played a pivotal role in helping rural community groups gain the confidence and capacity to help improve the quality of life for residents in their areas. This was particularly evident during the last 12 months when these groups were involved in co-ordinating the public sector response to the Covid-19 Emergency Response Plan and local frontline delivery of supplies and services to those most in need.

“This work also identified a disparity in the capacity of some rural groups. While many are strong and confident and provide a wide range of services to their local community, in some areas, particularly rural border areas where there are pockets of minority communities, the capacity is weaker. The Marginalised Minority Communities in Rural Border Areas measure of DAERA’s Rural Community Development Support Service seeks to address this by providing tailored support to build capacity in these areas  and help these groups play a full and active role in helping their communities grow and flourish’.

The Minister indicated that the tender process for the new three year Rural Community Development Support Service Programme, financed from the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Inclusion (TRPSI) programme, is due to commence shortly. Funding for the programme, which assists over 1,800 groups across Northern Ireland will be increased from just under £700,000 to just over £960,000 per annum reflecting the additional needs of rural communities.

Notes to editors: 

  1. The local Rural Community Development Support Service Programme (RCDSSP) aims to support and develop the voluntary and community sector in rural areas so that it can help rural communities identify and address their social and economic needs.
  2. The RSNs support over 1,800 member organisations annually and complement the work of other Departments. The broad areas of Programme activities include: Support for Community Planning, Support for isolated rural people and Support for the sustainability of Rural Villages.
  3. The current 3 year Programme which receives funding of just under £700,000 per annum from the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) programme, is delivered through contracts awarded by way of open tenders to 6 Rural Support Networks (RSNs) covering the 10 ‘rural’ District Council areas across Northern Ireland. These contracts expire in September. Funding for the new 3 year Programme will increase to just over £960,000 £950,000 per annum
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  5. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office.
  6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hour’s service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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