Radius Housing kicks off new support for Portstewart FC

Radius Housing kicks off new support for Portstewart FC

Press Release – 29^th November  2020

Radius Housing has kicked of a new support programme with Portstewart Football Club, which will help the club professionalise their training and develop their grounds through architectural support services.

Part of the ambition of the newly elected Committee of Portstewart FCs is to take the Club to a new level while embedding themselves more closely in the local community.  To help them achieve this Radius Housing is funding training for 14 voluntary football coaches at IFA Level 1. Radius is also supporting the club with architectural design services to assist the development of a concept masterplan which will reflect Portstewart FC’s ambitions to enhance their current facilities in line with IFA standards. This initial masterplan will be integral in the process of bidding for funding for the delivery of any future capital works.

Radius Housing is a leading social housing provider in Northern Ireland, managing over 13,000 homes and building 400 new homes every year.  Radius is currently constructing a new shared housing scheme at Cappagh Green, Coleraine Road, Portstewart. The £11.5m investment at Cappagh Green will deliver 87 new social and affordable homes. As part of the development Radius has undertaken a number of community engagement events, including the recent Drive-In cinema night. Portstewart FC’s grounds are located close to Cappagh Green and the club is keen to work with the new residents in the future.

Construction on Cappagh Green commenced in October 2019, and the first phase is expected to be completed in late Spring 2021, with the project completing in March 2022. Cappagh Green is a ‘Housing for All scheme’, and Radius will work the new residents and the local advisory group to develop a good relations plan. The aim of the good relations plan is to foster strong community cohesion and good relations ambitions which underpin the Shared Housing Programme. The current Shared Housing programme is badged ‘Housing for all’ and is managed by the Department for communities.

Speaking at Portstewart FC, Bronagh O’Kane, Radius Housing Regeneration Manager, said “We are delighted to be providing funding support through the Housing for All Programme to Portstewart FC. Our contribution to the coaching and architectural design fees will prove invaluable in supporting the efforts of the club’s voluntary committee as they continue to progress with their ambitious development plans. Portstewart FC make a huge contribution to community life locally, not just in terms of their sporting endeavours and the sterling work they are undertaking with their growing youth academy, but also in the fantastic work they have undertaken to support the most vulnerable in the community during the pandemic.”

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Alderman Mark Fielding said: “Portstewart FC is an important part of the fabric of the town, and this support from Radius Housing will make a real difference to its current and future players. I would like to offer everyone involved in this partnership my very best wishes and I look forward to seeing the club go from strength to strength in the future.”

Alan Vauls from Portstewart FC added “Portstewart Football and Community Club are delighted that Radius housing has joined with the club to develop and fund training for our youth academy coaches, in cooperation with the IFA Grassroots program. Radius is also supporting our ground improvements project, and we hope that this relationship is a long and fruitful one.”

ENDS

The programme is funded through the Department for Communities ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme which has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community strategy.  Shared housing schemes are supported through the delivery of five-year Good Relations Plans which aim to bring about a range of good relations outcomes through activities such as arts and culture, education and health and wellbeing.

Further information:

Brendan Scott

MW Advocate

brendan.scott@mwadvocate.com

07834422923