Project Ideas - West Belfast

Team Gym gymnastics classes

We would like to introduce Team Gym Gymnastics to a wide range of children & young people, promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyle whilst developing each individual participant to his/her maximum potential.

Team Gym routines require effective teamwork, training and competitions generate an excellent team spirit amongst gymnasts with routines providing great entertainment and spectacle for participants and spectators. With a proper team gym equipment we can improve gymnast’s skills, confidence and abilities massively in this discipline.

We already have big number of gymnasts in our club that will immediately benefit from the new equipment.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

With the funding we would aim to open classes specific to team gym discipline which will be offered to children of Belfast as an outlet for health benefits that can be produced though physical exercise, learning skills and accomplishing goals in a fast paced, exciting sport and building social skills and confidence in a team environment.

Amount requested: £2473

Get into Gear with Clonard 

This programme will be facilitated by Clonard FC to provide people of various ages with the opportunity to make positive lifestyle changes.

The programme will be split into two sections. In April 2024 a series of activity-based taster events along with a community fun day will he held to introduce young people aged 14-18 to the club through participation in fun-based physical activity while learning the benefits of becoming involved in organised football.

The long-term aspiration is to retain as many attendees as possible with the aim of becoming playing members of the club for the 2024/25 season and beyond.

A healthy lifestyles programme for adults will commence in May 2024. Clonard FC will work alongside a local education centre to facilitate this and the overall objective is to provide adults from the community with the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge that will allow them to improve lifestyles for themselves and other family members. This aspect of the programme will consist of informal education sessions that will provide lifestyle advice, cooking lessons and an opportunity to achieve a Healthy Living qualification from OCN NI.

 Participants will also be encouraged to become involved in physical activity through a walking group with the longer-term aim of completing a couch-to-5k programme.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

This project will benefit the people of the area as it will provide them with an opportunity to get involved in group activity-based sessions that will aim to improve their physical and mental health. This programme will also hope to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and mindset to introduce measures to improve their own lifestyles. The long-term objective is for participants to begin to enjoy exercise, make friends from the group and gain knowledge that will help them to make positive future lifestyle choices.

Amount requested: £2500

Senior Steppers

Senior steppers is a project created to enhance the movement and activity of our seniors through dance.

Clonard is fortunate enough that we have a residents’ home in the heart of our area that houses a number of senior residents. Pre covid our seniors were very active and sociable but unfortunately, they had this ripped away during previous years due to covid and since then we have had nothing picked back up.

The project will be a huge benefit for these people because, as we know, exercise and activeness boosts our serotonin, increasing our mental health, and with being so isolated during covid everyone's mental health took a huge hit.

The project also allows the residents to build friendships with other seniors in the community who may not live in Clonard house but would like to attend in turn decreasing social isolation enhancing communication and building a new network of friendships in the area.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Through this project, not only are we increasing the physical health of the seniors in a fun way (through dance), we are also bettering their mental health.

Amount requested: £2500

A Feast for Your Senses

A sensory trail will be developed with local groups, around Belle Steele Garden, in Colin area. It will be a feast for the senses, with opportunities to see, smell, touch, hear and taste different elements of nature in the garden

We will encourage people to move more by:

• Involving volunteers in active outdoor sessions to create the trail e.g. gardening, conservation, carpentry.
• Creating a fun and engaging trail that will inspire people to move, explore and interact with the garden.

We will encourage people to eat well by:

• Including opportunities to see, smell, taste and touch edible plants in the trail
• Organising fun workshops on how to grow your own healthy food e.g. Grow Your Own Smoothie.

Ideas developed with local volunteers and wider residents include: 

• Accessible areas to plant, smell, taste, touch and see a variety of colourful plants 
• Herb and berry growing areas 
• Contrasting areas of light and shade with mirrors and willow tunnels 
• Water features for sight and sound that also water plants
• Bird feeders and colourful flowers that attract pollinators 
• Signage that encourages interaction e.g. wildlife spotting 
• Creative art pieces linked to the garden's nature and heritage. 
• Plants growing from unusual objects e.g. welly boots. 
• Surfaces with different textures to touch.

Recycled materials will be used, where possible, and eco-friendly gardening methods, to reduce waste and benefit the environment.

The trail will be co-created with the local community, but must be accessible to diverse groups, be of benefit to the community, and be kind to the environment. Where possible, we will use recycled materials in the trail to reduce waste and to promote reusing and recycling. We will also use and promote eco-friendly gardening methods.

The trail could, for example, include:

• Accessible areas to plant, smell, taste, touch and see a variety of colourful plants
• Contrasting areas of  light and shade through creating willow tunnels and using mirrors in the middle of plants
• Water features for sight and sound – these can even have a role in collecting water and watering plants or to funnel water into trays for play
• Bird feeders and colourful flowers that attract pollinators
• Signage that encourages interaction
• Art work or other sculptures linked to the garden's nature and heritage, or health and wellbeing.
• Plants growing from unusual and eye catching objects e.g. welly boots.
• Surfaces with different textures to walk on etc.

Recycled materials will be used, where possible, and eco-friendly gardening methods, to reduce waste and benefit the environment.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Encouraging people to move more and engage with nature, with benefits for health and wellbeing. Particular benefits for children and adults with sensory issues. Fun opportunities to learn about nature and gardening, including food growing, increasing knowledge and developing skills. Encouraging people to eat fresh fruit and vegetables, and to understand the benefits for health and wellbeing. Improving the environment.

Amount requested: £2500

 Fitness Freddy Health & Wellbeing 

The Fitness Freddy Active at schools and Well Being programme is a partnership with 3 West Belfast schools, Holy Trinity P/S, St Kevin’s and St Clare’s. The programme will provide physical activity sessions within the school full of fun and laughter.

This project will support children from 5 years to 11 years of age in mainstream schools to achieve this target in a fun environment. The activity will focus on an interactive dance fitness raising awareness and building confidence through activity, games and talks around the 5 Steps to wellbeing. Each school will benefit from 10 tutor hours of activity spaced out over a number of weeks to accommodate the school’s schedule.

 A report by Stranmillis University College (2021) emphasised that both PE and daily outdoor physical activity have a central role to play in active learning and increased engagement. The guidance highlights the benefits of a minimum of two hours physical activity a week in the development of resilience and the positive impact on children’s health and wellbeing.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

This programme will make a difference by providing fun activities including dance, games and interactive talks in 3 local schools that will benefit the children's confidence, physical fitness and wellbeing. They will come home from school with a sense of achievement and improved mental wellbeing.

Amount requested: £2500

Fight2Thrive

Our project, Fight2Thrive, is a unique initiative aimed at fostering the well-being of individuals in the council area, particularly young people facing various challenges. Through a combination of tailored boxing sessions, positive conversations, and engaging booklet work around emotions, we provide a holistic approach to building confidence, resilience, and emotional well-being.

Fight2Thrive stands out for several reasons. Firstly, our mentor, Steven, is a professional boxer with extensive experience working with young people dealing with diverse issues. This expertise brings a fresh and effective perspective to our programme.

The project addresses the specific needs of individuals by tailoring sessions to foster personal growth. By combining physical activity with emotional regulation techniques, participants not only improve their physical fitness but also develop essential life skills.

 Moreover, the weekly booklet work around emotions adds an educational component, ensuring participants gain a comprehensive understanding of themselves and how to navigate challenges. This unique blend of physical exercise, positive conversations, and emotional education makes Fight2Thrive a valuable and transformative experience. 

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Ultimately, our project contributes to the well-being of individuals in the council area by offering a supportive and inclusive environment where they can build resilience, regain confidence, and develop crucial life skills. We believe that this holistic approach will have a positive and lasting impact on the community, empowering individuals to thrive in various aspects of their lives.

Amount requested: £1736

Forthspring Community Garden Clay Oven

Established in 1997, Forthspring Inter Community Group (Forthspring) is an inclusive and innovative organisation based in a shared space at the Springfield/Woodvale interface in Belfast. Forthspring’s participants come from the Shankill/Woodvale and Clonard areas of north and west Belfast and the project promotes dialogue and relationship-building between divided communities along Belfast’s biggest peace wall. They facilitate and encourage many groups to use their space from gardening groups to tea-dancers, and work with local primary schools and youth workers to bring young people together. They also provide affordable childcare for local families.

 Over the last 3 years, Forthspring’s MUMO Project (Moving Up, Moving On) have been working with Grow Community Garden, Gáirdin an Phobail and PPR (Participation & Practice Of Rights) on developing their outdoor space for growing and socialising. They now have a thriving community garden which is used by local families, two local primary schools, an afterschool project and many other groups based at Forthspring. Through this project we will develop the space further, involving local people in building a clay/cob oven for communal cooking in the garden.

Participants will work with a local craftsperson to make a plinth for the oven. They will then be shown how to mix the cob and build an earth oven. Participants will also help to build a shelter to protect the oven from the rain. They will be shown how to use the oven safely to make delicious and healthy food using fresh & organic produce from their own community garden. The project includes purchasing or making all the equipment needed to use the oven such as pizza paddles, a thermometer, fire resistant gloves etc. The actual oven will be made from cob (clay, sand, and straw) which requires lots of people stomping the materials together on a big tarpaulin–it’s very good exercise!

 When the oven is completed, we will have a celebration event where the oven will be lit and used to cook food for those involved in building it along with their families & friends.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

The project will increase the capacity at the Forthspring community garden for running fun cooking activities and workshops for local people, including school children and families managing tight budgets. It will help people to explore making healthy, affordable food using fresh, seasonal produce in a new and exciting way – outdoors and close to nature, and alongside the food that they are growing. It will help bring to life the connections between the food we eat and the environment. And will be an exciting demonstration of how food connects us all – who doesn’t love pizza?!
Building the oven shelter and the oven will help people be active in a social way and learn new skills together, increasing physical and mental wellbeing. The oven will complement the gardening activities at the site which help people to move more and enjoy nature in an urban environment. Some of our people don’t have gardens or access to outdoor space, so the community garden is an invaluable resource to help people to get outside, be active and learn new skills.
The oven will provide a focal point for community events and celebrations that take place at the garden, bringing people together to socialise. The garden is a safe space for people from many different backgrounds and cultures to meet and this project provides a way to bring everyone together to enjoy gardening, cooking, and eating together. The garden and it’s earth oven will become part of this greenway, providing a safe and inclusive base for groups to organise greenway activities from, for example, nature walks, foraging, bird & tree I.D. walks and others.

Amount requested: £2487

Spring into Fitness

Our spring into fitness programme will be targeting those members of the club that are not participating in team training or sports and would benefit greatly from doing some structured exercise. The programme will increase fitness levels, agility, mental health and all-round health and well-being, through structured, challenging and fun training sessions. Delivered by qualified instructors with a wealth of experience.

The group taking part in the programme will be made of 12 adults aged 35-45 and primarily made up of parents of members of our juvenile teams. They have expressed an interest in getting fitter and healthier, but not having the confidence to know where to begin.

he participants will take part in a 9-week coach to 5k programme that will improve them their fitness levels, set them an achievable goal and on completion give them a sense of achievement that they can improve their fitness levels.

The group will also take part in a 12 week group training programme encompassing 2 sessions a week with a qualified personal trainer that will focus on body weight exercises to increase flexibility and movement, this will enable each of the participants to be better prepared to endue rigorous exercise as it not only increases fitness but also helps with injury prevention.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

This will have a massive impact on those taking part as they increase their fitness levels, agility, mental health and general outlook on life as they are fitter, healthier and happier. As peoples happiness improves it will have a positive impact on their homelife and communities.

Amount requested: £2460

Parent Fit 

The project involves two components: "Eat Well" and "Move More." Participants will be motivated to embrace activities supporting these elements.

"Eat Well" includes sessions on food waste, balanced diets, slow cooker meals, money management, food safety, trying diverse foods, and incorporating new items into their diet.

"Move More" comprises weekly walks and talks in the local area, yoga, circuit classes, and cold-water therapy to inspire increased physical activity.

The Programme will be aimed at supporting Parents aged 16-30.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Engaging in the "Eat Well and Move More" project would benefit individuals in West Belfast by promoting healthier lifestyles. By addressing topics like food waste, balanced diets, and physical activities in the local community, participants can enhance their overall well-being, potentially leading to improved health, increased energy levels, and a sense of community connection. Additionally, the project's focus on practical skills such as money management and diverse food exploration could contribute positively to the community's overall quality of life.

Amount requested: £2500

Walking Football Programme 

Our programme is aimed at older men aged between 50 and 65 from the Lower Falls area of West Belfast, we are hoping to engage former members of the football club, that have been sedentary and inactive for a while. Give them the opportunity to take part in regular exercise twice a week, as well as allow them to engage with other men around the same age and with a lot of common issues and experiences.

We hope to engage 20 men with a minimum of 14 taking part every session. The programme will run for 26 weeks and will allow the men to socialise with other men their age, enjoy the outdoors and engage in physical activity in a way that appeals to their interests and could be sustainable for them after the project finishes.

It will begin the first week in March and run through to September with a break at Easter and a 2 week break in July. We will run walking football sessions twice a week on Grosvenor Pitches that will be facilitated by our club volunteers and will provide the group with coaching and build them to take part in friendly games with other walking football clubs across Belfast.

The participants have all been identified throughout our network within the community of former members of the club who have disengaged and not taking part in any physical activity after giving up playing competitive football, it will also help alleviate social exclusion and increase physical as well as mental health at a time in men’s lives that is synonymous with loneliness and social isolation.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

It will vastly improve the lives of the participants taking parts, giving them the opportunity to reengage with former friends as well as make new ones. It will give men a real opportunity to take part in outdoor exercise with other like minded friends at a time of their lives when men traditionally become a lot more lonely and isolated. It wikk have a number of positive outcomes on the participants mental and physical health and in turn they will have better homelives in the lower falls area. Making the place a more enjoyable place to live for everyone.

Amount requested: £2500

Cóitseáil CLG

This project entails coaching in local Irish medium primary schools. We plan to provide 

• 8 hours coaching per week (over 12 weeks)
• Equipment and healthy snacks 

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

It will provide an opportunity for young children to get involved in sports, learn new skills, improve their Irish and make a vital link to a local GAA club. 

Amount requested: £2500

 Leanaí Loch Lao

Leanaí Loch Lao is a ground-breaking initiative by Laochra Loch Lao CLG to encourage both healthy eating and movement amongst toddlers and their parents. We provide an interactive, enjoyable weekly session in Spórtlann na hÉireann in West Belfast that involves games, movement and fun and encourages participation from both toddlers and their parents. 

We have a growing cohort of families in West Belfast who are either raising their children through Irish or want to use more Irish at home to support their journey through Irish medium education. No other service provider (sports club) in the area operates through the medium of Irish and as such we are ideally placed to provide this service as the only Irish language sports club across Belfast. This caters for the growing number of children attending Irish medium pre-school and primary schools in Belfast and for those families using Irish at home. 

We want to use this to encourage healthier lifestyle choices for our families and by encouraging the parents to become involved in their children's physical development and sporting activities rather than just being spectators. 

We will also provide healthy snacks, introducing many children to healthier options for sweet treats through fruit and not through confectionery. 

We have an expression of interest from around 50 families who would like to avail of this service.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

This project will lead to increased participation in sports amongst our very youngest residents and encourage their parents to participate in sporting activities as a family. It will also lead to increased parental involvement in club activities and teach and embed good healthy relationships with food which will help to tackle obesity and ill health. We hope that this project will support young people and their parents to be active and help to create new connections and friendships between families.

Amount requested: £2500

 Meadow Ladies Ulster Wildlife

The urban nature reserve at Bog Meadows is a huge asset for both local people and wildlife in Belfast. As a way to connect local people with the space and nature, a Butterfly Group was set up. This was a small social group of people trained to monitor a butterfly transect for Butterfly Conservation who take part in a weekly walk around the reserve. 

Last year the group monitored the butterflies all season, they enjoyed all the activities so much they went on to set up a permanent group now meeting weekly at Bog Meadows, called Meadow Ladies, with 20+ regular members. The group meet every Monday taking part in walks and wildlife activities e.g. wildlife gardening. They really benefitted from the Move More Eat Well grant last year, have trained others to take part in the survey and now want to expand the project. 

This year the project will include-

• Butterfly surveys – walking the perimeter of the reserve, connection to nature, sense of achievement, connection to other people- from 1st April to 30th September
• Community meal to celebrate the achievements of the Butterfly Walks
• Participating in woodworking/ willow weaving workshops to learn new skills- with healthy lunch provided 
• Making planters for fruit and vegetables with woodwork tutor
• Planting fruit and vegetables to grow and eat at home – something to maintain when at home – encouraging movement and being outdoors 
• Enhancing biodiversity in the local area – making bird boxes, finding good places to put them, putting them up, all helping everyone move more outdoors.

Below are some quotes from the group about the importance to them of belonging to this group.

“Having a place or group to go to, to walk and talk and engage in new activities with others provides a lifeline for many who would otherwise exist in disconnected isolation, often alone.”

“It really is a truism that no one is an island. Experiencing increased connectedness is the best tonic to stimulate better mood, better fitness and a healthier overall outlook about really living your life.“

“There is nothing specific in my area for my age group which brings me closer to nature to help calm me from my pains. The loneliness leads to poor mental health so I live in a circle, but when I’m out in nature with like-minded people it takes away my sadness, loneliness, I forget about my pains, I can breathe again, I can smile.”

“A sense of belonging, staying connected and socializing. Learning new skills, sharing healthy eating ideas and taking action.” 

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Taking part in the Move More to Eat Well and Feel Better scheme gives the group an opportunity to enhance the great work they are already achieving to create healthy activity in nature on Monday mornings in a supportive women’s group environment. Having healthy meals together will help the volunteers feel part of a group and the ability to pay tutors for wood classes will help give confidence and a sense of empowerment to people who would not otherwise have an opportunity like this. It would be wonderful to be able to support this community group in this way again.

Amount requested: £2490.75

Newstart Health Living Project

Newstart Education Centre is a community-based organisation location in the Lower Falls Area of West Belfast. We are an alternative education provider which offers youth development programmes. Our work is inclusive for young people and their families who have traditionally been excluded or disengaged from mainstream education. 

The project is focused primarily on health and wellbeing which will include cooking sessions, gym sessions and group work sessions focused on mental health. The program would occur between April – June which traditionally includes exam season when young people are feeling incredible amounts of pressure due to deadlines, revision and additional pressure from everyday life. 

The purpose of this project is to help improve the young people’s physical and mental health by educating them around a variety of topics and stress management techniques to help the young people develop positive coping strategies. It will provide lifelong learning for young people through cooking sessions, positive coping strategies, and how to look after their mental health. 

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

The young people within our centre present with a wide range of issues from social exclusions, high levels of multiple poverty, single parent families, drug addiction to name a few. Due to current cost of living crisis many of our young people would not traditionally be able to avail of these services within the community. Therefore, this project would really prove beneficial for them and ensuring that they can have access to nutritional meals and access to gym space.

Amount requested: £2300

Vitality Garden

Our Crescent Vitality Kitchen provides breakfast and hot lunches for more than 30 over 55's each day attending our centre for health and well being. The kitchen runs 51 weeks of the year 5 days each week and is essential to the inclusion of a wide section of the community including elderly family members and those dealing with pain and lack of mobility and who face many challenges with their health and wellbeing as well as budgetary and financial strain. The kitchen and associated services are also open to carers who provide support to them.

We would like to develop our own micro response to growing our own ingredients as well as recycling our bio-degradable waste. The project would involve members of the community who would benefit from participating in food growth and associated outdoor exercise and in turn in the use of the food that is grown as a staple part of the food being eaten by our service users and their families.

 Our project also includes opportunity for earning and exchange of Civic Dollars which is becoming increasingly popular with those attending our centre. The physical nature of planned garden activities are eligible for earning civic dollars which can then be exchanged for hydrotherapy sessions and other products and services.

This Vitality Garden project has been designed to innovate the activities we offer and supports improved outcomes across physical, mental, and environmental.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

The Vitality Garden will be a friendly, happy place for locals as well as from other parts of Belfast as part of visit exchange activities that we incorporate in our annual activity plan. Taking part in the Vitality Garden will help to improve understanding of fresh food production and use as ingredients in everyday food. The project will be user led and will contribute to overall better health and wellbeing as well as providing the opportunity to learn new skills and practices that also benefit the environment.

Amount requested: £2500

Teaching kid's about eating right and staying healthy

Through this funding we will be able to get more fitness equipment and spend it on class room hire to learn more on healthy eating. More time and bigger space.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Teaching the young people about dietary eating well staying active. All helps the body and mind.

Amount requested: £600

Step into Sport with the Aggies

The Move More & Eat Well project funding will enable St Agnes’s to continue to provide facilities and equipment for our ongoing work with local children.

In keeping with many other volunteer-based organizations, the GAA is a tremendous asset to its members and the communities in which it operates. In order to promote Gaelic Games in local primary schools, Antrim GAA has nominated clubs to work with local schools.  We have employed one of our members to go into our assigned school - Holy Child Primary School in West Belfast for one day per week during term time to take classes in the school for coaching. Additionally, we host a session on Friday nights all year round for the Holy Child kids at Woodlands Playing Fields where they get additional coaching. We have entered teams for Saturday morning Go Games and also entered the South Antrim Leagues where the boys and girls get competitive games on a regular basis. 

Funding for this coaching activity and for pitches for matches is provided by the club through voluntary contributions from members and also through fund raising efforts such as this application for the Move More & Eat Well scheme. 

Between coaching in Holy Child and the external Friday night coaching, and Saturday morning games, we manage to facilitate over 100 kids on a weekly basis and, well over half of these kids get three sessions per week, in school, at the Friday night training and at the Saturday Go Games or league games. 

Once the school term ends there is always a danger that the kids who have been coached in school will drift away from playing and thus from exercise with all the resultant wellbeing that it promotes, so the club continues the Friday night and Saturday morning sessions all through the summer even though this is outside the time parameters of the scheme, it is additional work St Agnes’s do.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Andersonstown in West Belfast is one of the most deprived wards in the city and the activities organised by St Agnes’s encourage local children to become involved in sports. This is something we have done in this community for over 60 years and many of those playing on our senior football and hurling teams today have been with us since they were 7 or 8 years old and have enjoyed a lifetime of healthy activities through St Agnes’s GAC

Amount requested: £2500

Youth Fitness Summer Programme

St Luke’s Football Club plan to organize a 5-week training programme to involve local teenagers and young men from the Twinbrook, Poleglass and Lagmore areas. It will be held in the Brook Leisure Centre, mainly outdoors but also utilizing the main hall. Participation is free.

The first week of the programme will involve initial fitness assessments and segregation into groups based on the existing fitness level of each participant.
This will be followed by 4 weeks of fitness and conditioning courses.
These will be held in an enjoyable, non-competitive fun environment.

The aim of the programme is to introduce teenagers and young men to the health benefits of physical activity i.e. improved fitness levels and weight loss.
As a local football club, we are well aware of the mental health benefits of group training sessions i.e. new friendships, reduced isolation and sense of belonging etc.

 If you’re up for getting out of your bedroom, getting fit and enjoying a bit of craic with people your own age, then this is for you. Look out for further details around May/June time. Follow the St Luke’s Facebook or Instagram pages. Programme dates to be announced later.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

We have run these types of courses in previous years and received great feedback, especially from local parents. The immediate tangible differences are the fitness and health benefits. This programme will also contribute to a sense of community positivity. It will help to build a sense of belonging in our young people, keeping them away from boredom, delinquency and antisocial behaviour.

Amount requested: £2500

Supporting Communities through Football

St. Oliver Plunkett FC was formed in 1969 with the vision to offer opportunities for the local community to take part in football and physical recreation. Based at Lenadoon Park within West Belfast, St. Oliver Plunkett FC is one of the largest football Clubs in Northern Ireland with a membership base of over 500 people (males and females of all ages and abilities) and continue to offer a wide range of activities, both sporting and non-sporting in a safe, structured, and enjoyable environment. Most members stem locally from West Belfast; however, the Club attracts participants from other areas including North/South Belfast as well as further afield which reflects the excellent reputation of the organisation. The Club offers a range of diversionary activities and programmes to help attract young people to positive community activity. We use football and physical recreation to contribute to key social agenda and improve community physical/mental health.

 Our project is to provide footballing activities through covering the costs of facility hire to ensure we can cater for our local communities, by providing daily activities to keep the young people active, helping to improve physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Throughout these programmes, we will provide a healthy snack, containing fruit and water.

The programme will involve fun and engaging activities with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of young people across Belfast. The programme will focus on football as a key activity of interest among young people, offering high quality sessions aiming to provide a range of benefits to the participants. Activities throughout the weeks will focus on team-building activities contributing to building friendships for young people in the local area. Football, team building, and fun activities will be the core activities for the programme, which will aim to improve mental/physical health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Most of our volunteers and coaches have grown up in deprived areas across Belfast and have an increased understanding of what young people are going through. We believe that we have high quality coaches who not only can deliver physical activity and football sessions but can also act as role models that our youth can look up to, improving community cohesiveness and connectivity.

Amount requested: £2470

Step Up and Cook Up

We plan to work with a targeted group of young people within the youth centre to facilitating 2x sessions per week, one being a physical activity (dance) and the other being a healthy cooking.

The dance programme is a structured curriculum that focuses on teaching various dances forms to young people focusing on their personal and social development increasing their physical fitness, confidence, sense of belong, relationships with peers and youth workers.

 The benefits of participants will include:

• Physical fitness: dance is a highly physical activity that helps improve strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination. Regular participation in dance classes can lead to improved cardiovascular health, increased muscle tone, and overall fitness.
• Emotional well-being: Dance is an expressive art form that allows individuals to express their emotions through movement. It provides a platform for self-expression and can serve as a form of stress relief and emotional release. Dancing also releases endorphins, known as "feel-good" hormones, which can enhance mood and reduce anxiety.
• Social interaction: Dance programs provide opportunities for participants to interact with others who share similar interests. This promotes socialisation skills, teamwork, and cooperation, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
• Self-confidence and self-esteem: Learning and mastering dance skills can boost self-confidence and enhance self-esteem. Through practice and performance, individuals develop a sense of achievement and personal growth, improving their overall self-image.
• Cognitive development: Dance requires mental focus, memory, and concentration. Learning choreography, following rhythms, and coordinating movements with music promote cognitive skills such as memory, coordination, and pattern recognition.
• Discipline and dedication: Dance programs instils discipline and dedication in participants, as regular practice and commitment are required to improve skills and achieve personal goals. These traits learned through dance can be transferred to other aspects of life, such as academics or professional pursuits.

Overall not only offering physical and mental health benefits but also fosters creativity, emotional expression, personal growth.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

The healthy cooking programme for young people is an educational and interactive series of workshops that teach cooking skills and promote the importance of nutritious eating habits. The programme is specifically designed to engage and empower young individuals to make healthier food choices and develop essential culinary skills.
The curriculum of the healthy cooking programme typically includes a variety of topics and activities. It will cover the basics of nutrition, understanding food labels, meal planning, and portion control. Young participants will learn about the benefits of incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into their diets and how to prepare delicious and balanced meals using such ingredients.
The programme will involve hands-on cooking sessions where participants learn essential cooking techniques, such as knife skills, measuring ingredients, and proper cooking methods. They will also learn about experimenting with herbs, spices, and flavour combinations to create tasty and nutritious meals.
In addition to cooking instructions, a healthy cooking programme will address common challenges faced by young people, such as understanding how to eat healthy on a budget, making smart choices when dining out, and managing food allergies or restrictions. All young people participating will also receive a hygiene qualification.
Furthermore, the healthy cooking programme encourages young people to develop lifelong habits of healthy eating and cooking. It will provide resources and recipes for participants to continue practicing their skills at home and if needed will involve follow-up sessions or support to ensure that healthy habits are being sustained.
 Overall, the healthy cooking programme aims to instil the knowledge, confidence, and enthusiasm necessary to make nutritious food choices and cultivate a lifelong passion for preparing and enjoying wholesome meals.

Amount requested: £2500

Fun Topics with the Weatherbies - Move More to Feel Better

The goal of the project is to deliver environmental educational facts, in English & Irish for the West Belfast Community, in a fun and entertaining way about exercise and the benefits to your children’s health:

1. The importance of moving and exercising for children and to help them understand that by changing their day-to- day behaviour can have a positive impact on their health
2. We will be delivering this knowledge through specifically created resources like songs and animated fun topic fact videos as well as encouraging interaction between teachers and parents with the young children in a discussion about exercise more
3. By engaging children at this young age, we believe it will equip them with the right knowledge to make small but important changes to their daily routine and include exercise and will inspire them to make better choices for their health
4. It will unlock their potential as knowledge is power and they can go home to discuss with their parents and grandparents what they learnt about moving more to feel better from the Weatherbies
5. The videos and songs will be delivered online and via social media campaigns as well as using our partnerships with other educational bodies and charities plus our recent licensing deal with BBC NI.

We had a wonderful time creating the healthy eating video and it can be seen on BBC NI iPlayer in 2024, and we hope that we can create this video about exercise to compliment the healthy eating video

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

We feel that children and parents of young kids will have fun watching this video in a school or home setting and will learn about the benefits of exercise and health in general.

Amount requested: £2500

Stepping up for CHANGE Tullymore's Beacons

 What is it?

• It’s a life-changing 9-week practical programme with 3 months’ follow-up support.
• Weekly gym sessions
• Weekly classroom sessions for personal development activities
• Activities are designed to shift emotional and physical blockages.
• Together these components build resilience and strength.

Some of the barriers faced by the participants are physical, emotional, and social. Examples of barriers:

• Fibromyalgia, Arthritis,
• Grief, Depression,
• Social Isolation, lack of confidence, low self-esteem etc.

Participants of the program will attend weekly gym sessions where they will take part in bespoke physical exercise classes designed for the individual level of ability to help reduce the physical symptoms currently experienced by the women.

Participants will attend weekly classroom sessions where evidence-based structured activities provide learning opportunities to develop new ways of being and enable changes to take place in their lives.
Participants will receive professionally produced workbooks and daily journals designed to accompany the program and support the learning that enables change to take place.

Following the program there will be 3 months of aftercare including:

• 1 – 1 session’s
• A private group on social media
• Group chats
• Dedicated podcasts.

The program is delivered by a coach who has spent the last 23 years developing and delivering programs that enable long term Change to take place within the individual.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

It will help them identify their purpose in life as well as their values both intrinsic and extrinsic. They get to identify blockages that prevent them from fully engaging in society and adapt ways to remove them. They will be able to confidently make choices they know work for themselves. The programme will build confidence and resilience, so women have the tools not to return to old habits. It will also build support structures among the women they can call on for support.  

Amount requested: £2500

ME & U part 2- create,cook and educate

"ME & U Part 2" is an extension of our previous project, "It's All About ME," and aims to empower families to focus on individual self-improvement while learning techniques that enhance their quality of life and strengthen the family unit.

This initiative encompasses local families and those seeking asylum or refugees residing in the West Belfast area. We will achieve this by offering various aspects of the project, including cookery classes. These classes will not only serve to combat social isolation but also to improve participants' well-being through the medium of food and cover topics such as healthier alternatives to takeaways, blending, soups, stir-frying, roasting, and cooking with affordable substitutes, emphasizing the importance of eating well to feel better and providing opportunities for participants to form new connections.

This project aims to connect and integrate Black and Minority Ethnic families settling in West Belfast and encourage participants to improve their well-being. We will raise awareness about meal substitutes, healthier options, and different cooking techniques. By offering alternative dishes and promoting healthier choices, we hope to educate families, foster enthusiasm for cooking nutritious meals, during these challenging times of the pandemic aftermath, rising living costs, and general anxieties.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

Overall, the "ME & U Part 2" project will make a tangible and lasting difference to the people of Belfast by promoting healthier lifestyles, fostering community engagement and integration, providing financial relief, developing cooking skills, offering educational opportunities, and empowering individuals and families to take charge of their wellbeing.

Amount requested: £2400

ME & U Part2 - DREAM- Dance Relax, Exercise  And Movement!

We aim to build upon previous successes. The project focuses on the
Upper Springfield/Whiterock area and BAME families in West Belfast, to
create healthy and resilient communities through positive collaboration, connecting, bringing people together, sharing music, culture, and ideas, the project aims to promote inclusion and integration, while encouraging all participants to engage in exercise dance, relaxation, and movement.

At a time when families face increasing stress and anxieties, the project aims to help focus on individual well-being and enhance quality of life.
The project will cater to the needs of families, those seeking asylum or refugees and it will offer dance classes specifically for women, considering religious beliefs and offering a way to combat social isolation.

 Seasonal and themed exercise classes will be designed for young children and parents, encouraging movement and enjoyment. Movement and mindfulness classes will provide relaxation techniques for adults over a six-week duration, and a special workshop led by a play therapist will address anxiety and mindfulness for parents and children.

Through ME & U Part2 - DREAM, we aim to empower individuals and families in
the West Belfast area, fostering a sense of community, promoting well-being, and providing opportunities for personal growth and resilience.

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

ME & U Part2 - DREAM" holds the potential to contribute comprehensively to the well-being of the people of Belfast by addressing physical, mental, and social aspects of health, nurturing cultural understanding, and fostering a sense of community and empowerment.

Amount requested: £2499

Move to Improve

We would love to deliver four Summer Boot Camps in West, North, South and East Belfast. We hope to attract women and girls (aged 18+) during the Summer months to move more in order to feel better!

If successful, in each area of the city we will deliver a six-week boot camp with 2 sessions a week (12 sessions in total). We will provide a variety of times and days to suit everyone, and the camps will be in community centres and leisure centres within the local community. Each session will be £1 per session which makes each boot camp not only accessible but affordable too.

Boot Camp classes are a great way to help improve your cardiovascular health and strengthen your muscles. These classes also require little/no equipment which means you don’t need anything special just yourself and maybe some water! The classes are made up of body weight exercises such as squats, star jumps, sprints, lunges and more. Everyone is a beginner therefore our classes are aimed at those starting their fitness journey and those who want to get fit with a group of likeminded women and have a bit of fun!

What difference will it make to the people of Belfast?

We believe that taking part in an exercise class that is fun and enjoyable will be more sustainable and you will be more likely to continue this habit long term. Moving more is vital for our physical and mental wellbeing and our focus is on the women of Belfast. We want to encourage women to lead healthier lifestyles by providing accessible and affordable ways to participate in physical activity. We also want to use local council parks and leisure centres to show more women what is available in their own communities and how they can integrate more in their own areas. These boot camps will not only improve the physical and mental wellbeing of the women but also provide them with new skills and an opportunity to socialise and make new relationships.

Amount requested: £2500