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Below is a list of all the projects that SLNRA is
currently involved in. For more information click
on any of the links below.
Cultural Awareness
Programme
Cultural Awareness Programme, a Peace II funded project
by the Rural Development Council (RDC) has been instrumental
in raising the profile of SLNRA.
The 2 year project is one of 35 projects benefiting
from £1.1 million investment in Northern Ireland
under the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.
The overall project is to promote good community relations
and raise awareness of the local culture, history
and identity of the south Lough Neagh area.
The implementation of the project has resulted in
SLNRA recruiting a part-time project Coordinator and
four part-time local Researchers responsible for the
delivery of the programme in their own designated
areas.
At this stage, Year 1 of the programme has been successfully
completed which has included four presentations in
each of the areas involved: Derryloughan/Derrytresk/Brocagh,
Maghery/Birches, Derryinver/Derrytrasna/Derrymacash
and Aghagallon and has been focused on Townlands &
Place names, Fishing & Farming Traditions, Bogs
and Transport. SLNRA have ensured the project reaches
all generations and sections of the community by hosting
both evening lectures in a variety of venues accessible
to all and the delivery of educational talks to ten
primary schools located within the area.
Year 1 of the programme concluded with a socially
entertaining evening ‘Celebration of Local Culture’
held in the Ferryside inn, Maghery. The evening provided
an opportunity for all areas to meet and come together
to share the information they had established through
the programme by means of exhibitions and short talks.
Year 2 of the programme will commence September 2003
and will be dedicated to researching Family Names,
Superstitions & Cures, Pastimes and Local Poems
& Writings. All information collected throughout
the duration of the programme will be collated and
published in book and website format. Archiving of
this valuable information as a result will be available
to our future generations and will hopefully keep
our unique culture and traditions alive.
The Cultural Awareness programme has been a success
to date in its own right however it has also assisted
SLNRA to generate ideas for future projects.
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Townlands in Art
SLNRA provided 7 of our local primary schools involved
in the Cultural Awareness Programme with information
to submit entries to the QUB ‘Townlands in Art’
competition. The competition, supported by the ‘Vice-Chancellors
Fund’ to mark the fact that townlands are to
be restored to the Northern Ireland addresses with
the launch of a new database.
The prize giving event was held on Thursday 12th June
at the Visitor’s Centre in Queen’s. Primary
schools from across the province had submitted entries,
however loughshore schools managed to scoop 7 of the
top prizes.
St. Mary’s P. S. Derrymore: 2nd in primary
1 – 4 category.
In the primary 5 – 7 category loughshore schools
were awarded the top 5 places.
1st Jane Mc Stay – St. Mary’s P. S. Derrytrasna
2nd Margaret Mc Govern – St. Patrick’s
P.S. Aghacommon.
3rd Emma Cooney – St. Mary’s P.S. Derrymore.
4th Shane Lennon – St. Mary’s P.S. Derrytrasna
5th Danielle Kelly – St. Patrick’s P.S.
Aghacommon.
Uel Mc Creary from the Birches P.S. was also awarded
2nd place in the signage
competition.
Involvement in this project has forged links with
Queen’s Northern Ireland Name
Project whom have also used SLNRA’s suggestion
of involving the Armagh Rhymers
at the prize giving ceremony.
SLNRA have worked in partnership with Craigavon Borough
Council to help preserve and retain townland names
throughout the Derryinver, Derrytrasna and Derrymacash
areas in the Borough. A proposal of SLNRA’s
to ‘Include townland names on any new road sign
being replaced or erected’ was agreed by the
Council in October 2002 and in response SLNRA provided
the council with a report determining the current
condition of existing road signage in previously mentioned
areas. Expressions of gratitude were received from
Council for the study undertaken and requested road
signs have been ordered awaiting delivery and erection.
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Quarterly
Newssheet
Production of a quarterly newssheet ‘Loughshore
Horizons’ incorporates local articles of interest,
community group updates, funding opportunities and
features such as ‘Wildlife in the Wetlands’
to keep the local community and statutory agencies
informed of the work that SLNRA are involved.
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Strategy Marketing
Plan
A marketing plan, setting out how, when and why the
Strategy should be promoted was developed. This plan
lays out the blueprint as to how all projects and
events should be marketed with particular emphasis
put upon good local consultation and being aware of
raising expectations. The plan is an essential tool
to guiding present and new staff members and keeping
firm control of the evolving Wetlands Regional Development
Strategy.
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Lobbying
of both representative Councils
Representations have been made to all political parties
and presentations have been delivered to both the
Leisure Services Committee and to the Development
Committee. A five year financial package has been
requested on the basis of attracting a further £2.5
million of funding into the area. A strong emphasis
for this proposal is made regarding attracting funding
from the newly launched Lough Neagh Strategic Fund.
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Promotion of the Wetlands
Strategy
The WRDS received good coverage in the press, particularly
The Irish News regarding the importance of The Wetlands,
the Ramsar and the role of The Wetlands Land Officer.
Local press articles focusing on the value of wetlands
and successful projects also received decent coverage.
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Maghery Canal Project
Successful application to DCAL for Maghery Cut bridge
replacement, reinstating the existing towpath and
providing mooring facilities on the River Blackwater.
Total cost of project £292,000. An economic
appraisal was accepted for the EU Peace II Programme.
Consultant engineers have been employed and project
is expected to commence on site in January 2004. This
project should generate further interest in water
recreation and the reopening of the canal system.
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Continued Representation
on the Lough Neagh Partnership
SLNRA and The Wetlands continued to be represented
on the Lough Neagh Partnership over the past year.
This critical phase of the Partnership’s development
culminated in the attraction of £3.2m of Rural
Development finances to Lough Neagh with much emphasis
and opportunity for projects in The Wetlands. The
Wetlands Strategy is in a very good position to initiate
and deliver appropriate projects into the area.
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Wetlands Land Officer
SLNRA were successful in getting match funding from
EHS (£30,000) for to implement the Land Officers
post. In conjunction with funding from the Rural Development
Council, the total package for this role was £90,000.
The advertised role attracted 100 expressions of interest
and fifty applications. The selected Officer commenced
work in May. The role entails the Officer assisting
farmers to uptake EHS and DARD agri-environmental
initiatives as well recording biodiversity information
from the farmland visited.
Initially an introduction to the Wetlands area of
South Lough Neagh was undertaken. This was followed
by meetings with The Environment and Heritage Service
(EHS), Rural Development Council (RDC), Craigavon
Borough Council (CBC) including those forecasted to
be directly involved in the project. At these meetings,
future targets and benefits of the role were discussed
and agreed.
Further meetings were undertaken with RSPB, DARD
and EHS countryside officers where the support and
blending of roles were identified and agreed.
After a launching exercise in national newspapers
and further promotions in local papers, June began
the farm and farmer group visits. Greenacres Farmers
Group was addressed and made aware of potential benefits
of the position. A very positive atmosphere was sensed
regarding the value of the position from these early
dates.
A strategic local newspaper advertising campaign
was designed and initiated including advertising in
the SLNRA Loughshore newssheet. Satisfactory levels
of interest were raised and a number of visits were
undertaken.
Preparations are currently being undertaken with
a view to structuring a surveying and feedback approach
to clients in conjunction with ongoing farm visits
and facilitating the Low Country Small Holders and
Farmers (west of Blackwater).
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