Sion mills group benefits from new windfall

LOCAL group, Sion Mills Community Association, is still celebrating this week after being awarded £4,000 in new funding.

SMCA were awarded the monies through the Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland in order to run a Senior Citizens Programme. The group will now use the funding to run a 12-week arts and craft programme, a 12-week Get Fit for Seniors classes and an end of programme trip for all seniors who take part.

SMCA has been running since 1993 and is staffed by six volunteers. The association was set up at a public meeting in the local school after it was evident that the community was struggling to provide support to local families and their children, senior citizens and general village regeneration issues such as street lights, housing issues and environmental improvements.

Georgina McClintock, a long standing committee member of Sion Mills Community Association remarked, “We’re delighted that Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland has recognised our work in this way. Now, thanks to the Halifax Foundations we can run a senior programme that will see many of our senior citizens come back out again after the pandemic and feel part of our community after a long two years of isolation.”

Local SDLP councillor, Steven Edwards added, “It’s fantastic to see the valuable work being done by Sion Mills Community Association and being recognised in this way by the Halifax Foundation.”