Helping locals live the life they love

FROM creating arts, crafts and masks in a kaleidoscope of colours to delivering food to those in need, the Cloughfin Community Association are helping local people ‘live the life they love’… one fun-filled activity at a time!

Indeed, ironically, the Covid-19 pandemic has only spurred the Association to do even more to bring the community together in creativity to keep the spirits high, the minds active, and the flames of friendship kindled.

Describing the group as ‘vibrant and proactive’, Rosemary McMullen from the Association was full of praise for members who have kept the group well and truly alive over the last number of months.

Vibrant group
“On March 14, we posted a message on our Facebook page stating that all activities for the immediate future would need to be cancelled because of the pandemic,” Rosemary recalled.

“However, within weeks, club members set up their sewing machines at home, and were busy making masks and scrubs for health service workers and carers, while others rallied round and donated sheets and elastic.”

Despite this announcement, the CCA Facebook page has been anything but quiet, with quizzes and posts on how to manage through the crisis being regularly shared.

Posts, too, to include how to access deliveries of food; receive medication; avoid hoaxes, while others pin-pointed followers to information on church services; online courses; lost pets; housing and gardening; Omagh Food Bank; mental health and Positive Ageing to help cheer people up and help them cope with the loneliness and anxiety associated with staying home.

Additionally, after a ‘South West Age Partnership’ (SWAP) grant, ladies were supplied wool to create lovely rainbow coloured bunting, now on displayed at the Association’s building as a sign of hope for the future, and in appreciation of health service workers.

What’s more, when the social-distancing rules were relaxed, committee members thoroughly cleaned the ‘old school and yard’.
Fun-filled projects

At present, members from the ‘Reminiscence Group’ are working away in the background gathering information for the Association’s next book documenting the history of the area.

And the Association is further set to deliver a BCPP project online for the parents of young children, as well as a project on local dialect, funded by ‘Energia Tyrone 3 Windfarms Community Benefit Fund’ and online craft workshops, funded by SWAP.

“As the mural on our building says, ‘live the life you love’,” Rosemary concluded. “Please stay safe everyone.”

• For more information about Cloughfin Community Association or to get involved, contact the Association on Facebook.