It does this by making a commitment to working in long-term partnership with the communities affected.

This partnership strives to identify & prioritise the needs of the community while tackling the underlying causes of poverty. NR Partnerships are made up of representatives of local community groups, appropriate Government Departments, public & private sector agencies as well as local elected representatives.

Ballymena South is in a Neighbourhood Renewal (NR) area this has resulted in the Cluster and 3 of its member groups being in receipt of NR funding. NR areas are those in the top 25% of the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland of which Ballee, Ballykeel and a section of Harryville fall within.

About Ballymena South Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership

The Ballymena Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership was set up in 2005 to oversee the development and delivery of the NR Programme in the Ballymena South area. The Partnership presently comprises of 24 members and currently meets on a bimonthly basis with its administration services being provided through a Coordinator and Administrator within Mid & East Antrim Borough Council.

There are several projects in the Ballymena South area that are funded by the DfC Neighbourhood Renewal Project. These are:

• Ballykeel Together Development Association’s Mature Adults Luncheon Club
• Harryville Men’s Shed
• Ballee Community Childcare Pre-pre School
• A contribution towards the Ballymena South Community Development Officer salary
• The Basketball Twinning Programme
• The Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL) Project

All of these projects aim to tackle issues that arise out of social and economic deprivation by creating opportunities for social bonding, supporting children’s early development, Men’s mental health and building capacity through training and educational opportunities.