Ballycastle Community Development Group

Public benefits

1. To Improve the area known as Ballycastle for the benefit of the inhabitants of the area. What benefit flows from this purpose? Encouraging the wider community to become involved in planning and organising family friendly, affordable events such as winter wonderland project, maritime festival, creating a community garden space. Encouraging

participation of local businesses, other voluntary agencies and council in event delivery. Fundraising and grant application when possible. These benefits will be demonstrated through the series of successful events and participation of volunteers, press coverage and recognition. 2. To encourage the goodwill and involvement of the wider community What benefit flows from this purpose? The group encourage community participation in form of stewarding and planning events. Flowing from this the group have recruited a range of volunteers who help plan and deliver different events in the town. We have an active social media site which acts as a forum for discussion and generating ideas about how to improve the area. The benefits are demonstrated by the numbers of people from all backgrounds, ages and professions who have come together to volunteer, for example to work at the community owned ice rink. It is not thought that any harm can come from this purpose and the beneficiaries are the wider community of Ballycastle. There is no private benefit flowing from this purpose. 3. To foster and promote community spirit and encourage civic pride What benefit flows from this purpose? The group aims to encourage a proactive attitude to living in a rural area with lower access to amenities and services but creating a more positive community. Rather than focusing on what we do not have we encourage inhabitants to look at solutions and ways to make things happen, events and groups. With the community garden project the idea is for young people to become involved in transforming an area of waste ground into an ecological and educational site so that they feel part of the planning in their area and want to look after it. We encourage beach clean ups and litter pick ups and painting over graffiti. The group wants people who live in Ballycastle to be proud of their hometown and for visitors to feel welcome and want to return. It is not thought that any harm can come from this purpose and the beneficiaries are residents and visitors in Ballycastle. There is no private benefit flowing from this purpose. 4. To promote and encourage the development of Ballycastle What benefit flows from this purpose? The group hope that its work will contribute to opportunities and investment in the town by working in partnership with NICVA and government agencies, attending planning and consultation meetings and encourage funding bodies to consider events and activities in our geographical area. Recently we have been successful in promoting Ballycastle Town Market; this means that local crafts people have a forum to sell their produce and has another benefit of encouraging us to shop locally and offers a potential attraction to tourists. The group would like to work in partnership tourist Board promote the town as an international tourist destination, extending the tourist season and sustainable employment for inhabitants. This can be evidenced by our links with Rathlin Island Community Association. It is not thought that any harm can come from this purpose, beneficiaries are residents and visitors to Ballycastle. There is no direct private benefit flowing from this purpose. It is not thought that any harm can come from this purpose, the beneficiaries are the wider community of the geographical area known as Ballycastle and there is no private benefit flowing from this purpose other than volunteering experience.

What your organisation does

We are a diverse group of volunteers who became a constituted group in 2012. To date we have organised several events including a community sports weekend, big lunch, big gig, winter wonderland and rathlin sound maritime festival.