Overdue: 474 days
Public benefits
The benefits flowing from promoting culture and arts include:- (i) Cultural validity – for example, people attending Scots language classes are able to share experiences and stories with others, engendering a sense of belonging whilst confirming the validity of their culture and how it contributes to their community. The same is true of all
culture-related activities promoted by Ballymarlow and District Community Group. (ii) Strengthens community identify - feedback from people attending our activities tells us that individuals are better able to identify with the Ballymarlow community, a particularly rural area. This is also how our benefits are demonstrated. The benefits flowing from community development include - Encourages inter-community liaison –our activity programme provides participants with new skills and interests that enable them to experience other communities in the Ballymena area and beyond. for example our Scottish dancing group will arrange to visit or host other dancing groups on occasions. The inter-community liaison benefits people in our community by broadening their horizons, forming new friendships and giving them a sense of pride in where they live and how they live. The benefits flowing from the relief of those in need include; holding events with community involvement gives the less well-off and the lonely an avenue to get out and mix and gives a lift to those who feel they have nothing to give to the community. Feelings of isolation are often associated with poverty and disadvantage, often more prevalent in rural areas. Amongst the older people who avail of our activity programme are several people for whom the activities (especially dancing) are the only opportunity they have to get out of the house and socialise. Amongst our younger people the opportunity to travel outside the Ballymarlow area enhances self-esteem and confidence. The benefits flowing from advancing health and providing facilities in interest of social welfare to improve life include:- (i) Sociability – the very act of bringing people together for any sort of cultural and/or recreational activity contributes to residents’ general well-being through association with others. Feedback tells us that the two key benefits to participating in our activity programme are enjoyment of the activity and meeting up with and chatting to other individuals. Mental health improvements – engaging in any form of group activity helps reduce stress and anxiety, especially so in rural areas where isolation is more prevalent than in urban areas. Our residents and participants use positive words and phrases when describing participation in our various activities, such as “great fun”, “enjoyed it”, “glad I came”, all of which point to reduced stress and anxiety. The benefits flowing from the promotion of good community relations, racial harmony and equality and diversity include:- (i) Cross community exchange– we are an active member group of Ballymena East Rural Community Cluster (BERCC) which comprises of 7 discrete community groups representing all communities. BERCC meets monthly with meetings hosted by each community group in turn. This has opened the minds of our members to how other community groups and cultures live and what is important to them. In taking our turn to host meetings we too ‘educate’ others about our culture. The benefit is an improved understanding of and respect for each other’s culture. (ii) Cross community events – groups from Ballymarlow have been involved in exchange visits with groups from different backgrounds; for example, an exchange project brought a GAA club to our Hall to learn about and experience Lambeg drumming and we visited the GAA club to learn about and experience gaelic games. Again the benefit is an improved understanding of and respect for each other’s culture. It is unlikely any harm will flow from the purposes. There is no private benefit flowing from the purposes.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
We hold Workshops and Events that is of interest to our community both Senior and Youth. These would include Scotch Country Dancing, Walking Groups, training in Lambeg Drumming and Fifing, Classes in the Ulster-Scots Language, local historical events, Treasurer Hunts, BBQ's, visits places of interest, Staying Warm, Healthy eating, Burn's Nights,
St. Patrick nights, etc. Being an active member of Ballymena East Rural Community Cluster (BERCC) has also opened up many events that they hold with the support of Ballymena Borough Council. This has also benefit our youth as exchange visits to groups from different backgrounds than our own has dispelled fears of the other community. This in no way has been easy as fears and mistrust still are there but we believe that a small step has happened where groups have come together to an Orange Hall to learn about and get to play Lambeg Drums and then go to a GAA Club to learn about Hurly and try to play it has been one of our best steps our group has taken. The Joining of the cluster has also mixed the Senior members as well as the cluster groups meet every month in turn to each group premises and this has opened the door to mixed social events
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of citizenship or community development
- The advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
- The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
- Other charitable purposes
Who the charity helps
- General public
- Men
- Older people
- Parents
- Unemployed/low income
- Volunteers
- Women
- Youth (14-25 year olds)
How the charity works
- Community development
- Cultural
- Education/training
- Relief of poverty
- Youth development
