Shape Coleraine's Future

Shape Coleraine’s future: Join the Big Community Vote on 17th August for a share of £35,000 

Radius Housing and Hare’s Corner Co-operative are excited to announce a unique opportunity for the Causeway Community to shape its future. Join us for a significant Community Vote on 17th August, from 11am to 2pm at The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine. 

Individuals aged 8 and older who live, work, play, or learn within 5 miles of Coleraine are invited to submit their ideas for enhancing community wellbeing. The most compelling ideas will be awarded funding from a substantial pot of £35,000. This is a chance for the Causeway community to come together and decide how to make a meaningful impact on its town and people.   

Lisa Mooney, Communities Officer for Coleraine, Radius Housing, explains: “£35,000 is the entire final year of funding for the Laurel Hill Gardens, Housing for All, Good Relations Plan. Radius Housing are asking the community to decide on the spend of this money in their local area, on things they feel would be of the most benefit with regard to Community Wellbeing. A diverse range of people have been supported to submit ideas and they would love to tell you about them at the big voting event on 17th August.” 

Radius Housing is a leading social housing provider, who manage more than 13,000 homes across Northern Ireland and build more than 300 new homes each year. In 2018 they completed the Laurel Hill Gardens shared housing development in Coleraine. Over the past 5 years, in their Good Relations Plan for Laurel Hill Gardens, Radius have partnered with 59 local organisations and delivered over 59,000 participant hours at programme and events.  

Bridie Doherty, Area Housing Manager said: “The community in Coleraine is very proactive and we have been able to support and partner some truly impactful work. The Rainey Day Fund will close out our Laurel Hill Gardens Housing for All, Shared housing programme through this community led participatory budgeting process where the community itself will decide the spend.” 

Karin Eyben from Hare’s Corner Co-operative added: "The Hare's Corner Co-operative are delighted to be supporting this participatory budgeting process in Coleraine building on the practice being grown across the Council area and Northern Ireland. Participatory budgeting is a gift to all those working in community development as it focuses our attention on relationships, fairness, the often-hidden skills and talents around us, collective action and how and who gets to make decisions around the spend of public money."  

The ‘Rainey Day Fund is supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. Radius currently has 14 shared housing developments across Northern Ireland including Laurel Hill Gardens in Coleraine.  

All developments are supported by Good Relations Plans, including ‘Bridging’ events which are delivered to the wider community to encourage a range of good relations outcomes which include Health and Wellbeing, Arts & Culture and Education and Training. Almost £2.1 million has been invested in the Laurel Hill Gardens Shared Housing development and associated five-year Good Relations Plan.  

ENDS 

Further information 

lisa.mooney@radiushousing.org