Lisburn & Castlereagh Council

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council investment for 2023/24 provided funding for 6 projects through the Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme:

St Johns Parish Church Upper Kilwarlin transformed a neglected area to create a beautifully manicured bus top for a dozen daily users. The bond in the community has been strengthened and with elderly and young encouraged to plant and celebrate nature together. Road signs are lit and seasonal bulbs and flowers attract insects and pollinators. It is now an area that gives a better sense of well-being for the community.

Newtownbreda Community Association received funding for an Irrigation Project enhancing the upkeep of a community garden, enabling successful growing of crops of tomatoes, peppers and salad vegetation. Volunteers spend time learning and passing on new gardening skills to our diverse community.

Crewe United FC created a biodiversity space at their club establishing a wildflower meadow, allotments, trees and hedgerows. Funding enabled them to plant 2,500 native trees as part of their Environmental Plan for the site. The project turned the space into an area that is accessible to all providing ownership and pride to the local community through allotment use and volunteering. The project will continue to improve mental health and well-being, promote positive physical health through the walking trail created. Collaborations have also been established with local schools to aid learning about natural heritage.  

Old Warren Community Association used their Small Grant for bulbs, compost and planters to create raised beds at 3D Youth Centre. Flowering plants help pollinators and connects the young people to nature-based activities.  Young people run a mini pilot project to build wooden planters with the support of the men’s and hens and wider community.

Killowen Primary School utilised a grant to redevelop a garden area with a polytunnel into a safe and clean area to teach children how to grow and take care for plants and compost materials. Young people get out of the classroom to learn outdoors. The impact has been that children learn more about the world around them and develop an interest in environmental issues.

The Friends of Parkview project has enhanced a disused growing garden of the school. Specifically it has created a social area for the older pupils aged 16-19 where they can learn to grown their own food, cook with it and donate their produce to the local community. The school is for pupils with severe needs and so the area is sensory including fruit bushes, herbs and raised beds for wheelchair users. A sensory wildlife corridor was also created.