More than £38m of funding for seven rural regeneration projects

More than £38 million of funding has been awarded to seven rural regeneration projects in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

The Peaceplus funding will help to create family support hubs, social enterprise, green infrastructure and social farming, resulting in 25,000 participants accessing new rural facilities and services.

Peaceplus is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and represents a funding partnership between the European Union, the UK and Irish governments and the Northern Ireland Executive.

A total of £38,639,386 (46,190,355 euro) has been made in awards.

The projects receiving the funding will be:

– The Healthy Active Rural Communities (HARC) project (7,601,993 euro) will focus on strengthening rural communities across Derry, Tyrone and Donegal.

– The Rebuilding Together – Building Healthy Communities project (5,722,677 euro) aims to provide facilities and services currently lacking in the rural area of Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh.

– The Rural Economic and Social Transformation And Resilience Together (RESTART) project (8,412,327 euro). Led by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, its aim is to improve the quality of life of people living and working in the cross-border areas of Newtownbutler in County Fermanagh, Clones in County Monaghan and Belturbet in County Cavan.

– The Unlocking the Potential of Rural Innovation and Social Enterprise (RiSE) project (3,971,440 euro). Led by Rural Action, RiSE aims to support, develop and raise awareness of social enterprise (SE) activities within rural areas in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

– The Growing Together: Social Farming for Peace and Inclusion (SoPI) project (6,223,914.72 euro). It aims to enhance and increase the use of social farms to deliver a peace dividend through social farming placements, community events and education and training.

– The Three Villages – One Community project (6,721,047 euro). Led by Ederney Community Development Trust, the project has been designed to deliver health, wellbeing, and social enterprise focused infrastructure in Ederney and Kesh in North Fermanagh, and Pettigo in South Donegal.

– The Walking for All (WFA) project (7,536,957.08 euro). Led by Outscape, the project highlights the benefits of led walking in improving health and fostering community connections.

Stormont Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said: “The breadth of projects funded shows the commitment of local voluntary, community and social enterprise groups, local authorities and academics to work collaboratively to address a range of pressing issues, whilst building the capacity of rural communities.”

Irish Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary said: “These projects will be supported under the Rural Regeneration and Social Inclusion Investment Area, and will create a more cohesive society through an increased provision of shared space and services in rural areas.

“The actions supported under this investment area are far-reaching, from health and well-being projects, to agricultural diversification and social enterprise support.

“These initiatives will facilitate the development of centralised facilities that provide essential family support services and promote green infrastructure, thereby encouraging active lifestyles and bolstering enterprise and tourism in rural areas, including those that span across borders.”

SEUPB chief executive Gina McIntyre said: “Among the many welcome initiatives will be the deployment of resources to support agricultural diversification programmes and development of social farms for social and economic benefit, alongside the development and delivery of rural-specific programmes to support 65 social enterprises – including those focused on increasing health and wellbeing.”