News
Coleraine Borough Council, on behalf of the North East PEACE III Partnership, wishes to invite tenders for the delivery of the following PEACE III funded projects:
- Partnership Development Project (Ref: NEP/P2/PDP2)
- Peer Leadership Project (Ref: NEP/P2/PLP2)
Four copies of the tender documents (one unbound) for the above 2 projects must be returned by 12.00 noon on Friday 30th September 2011 to the undersigned at Coleraine Borough Council, 66 Portstewart Road, Coleraine, BT52 1EY.
Council also invites tenders for the delivery of the following seven PEACE III funded projects listed below. Four copies of the tender documents (one unbound) for these seven projects must be returned by 12.00 noon on Thursday 6th October 2011 to the undersigned at Coleraine Borough Council, 66 Portstewart Road, Coleraine, BT52 1EY.
- Building Brighter Futures Project (Ref: NEP/P2/BBFP2)
- Community Integration Project (Ref: NEP/P2/CIP2)
- Community Cohesion & Transformation Project (Ref: NEP/P2/CCTP)
- Detached Youth Project (Ref: NEP/P2/DYP2)
- Schools Based Project (Ref: NEP/P2/SBP2)
- Faith Works Project (Ref: NEP/P2/FBP2)
- Sport for Peace Building Project (Ref: NEP/P2/SPBP2)
Coleraine Borough Council is using an Open Procurement Procedure for the selection and assessment of tenders;
Only tenders who demonstrate that they meet the minimum level of experience required at stage 1 will be scored against the assessment and evaluation criteria at stage 2.
Tender documentation can be obtained from Coleraine Borough Council by phoning 028 7034 7012 and quoting the project reference numbers.
Roger Wilson
Town Clerk and Chief Executive
On Wednesday 25 May 2011, several community groups who have been involved in the North East PEACE III project ‘Leadership in a shared society” organised the launch of a piece of artwork.
The artwork was completed by Michael Hogg and was a product of collaborative working between all the groups involved in the project. The event also showcased art which participants worked on individually. These art pieces are an excellent example of community groups working together and learning together to produce art that reflects their experiences in the community. The artwork is recognition of the confidence and new skills that people in our community have acquired.
All who attended, including the Ballymena Borough Council Mayor and Duncan Morrow, Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council, agreed that the event was a real success.
North East PEACE III Partnership at the Memorial Tower to the 36th Ulster Division
A shared history programme brought the North East PEACE III Partnership to Messines and the Somme for a three day learning programme about nationalist and unionist soldiers who fought side by side in the First World War.
North East PEACE III Partnership at the 16th Irish Division Memorial Cross
Representatives from the North East PEACE III Partnership visited Belgium in April where they heard about soldiers from an Ulster Unionist background and an Irish Nationalist background fighting together in the First World War. This successful initiative, delivered by the International School for Peace Studies aims to further reconciliation between communities in the North East. As part of the North East PEACE III programme, the Messines Experience has so far brought seven cross community groups out to Belgium to participate in the programme.
The Partnership representatives visited the front line at the Somme Battlefields where they experienced a moving account of the extreme circumstances that the soldiers fought in. The group of fourteen representatives also visited a number of moving memorials including the Newfoundland Memorial at Beaumont Hamel and the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge. The memorials for the 36th Ulster Division at the Ulster Tower and the 16th Irish Division at Guillemont, invoked an emotional understanding about how the two traditionally opposed divisions fought side by side in the face of a common enemy in World War I.
Visits were also made to the Flemish Battlefields; the grave of Willie Redmond, an injured Irish nationalist Major in the 16th Irish Division who was helped on the battlefield by a young Ulster unionist soldier. The Island of Ireland Peace Park re-inforced the feeling of unity among the group. It is a place where the joint history of soldiers from the two communities is formally recognised through the impressive Peace Tower. The programme also included a poignant trip to a German graveyard at Langemark where the group paid tribute to those German soldiers who also lost their lives on the battle field.
A trip to the large Tyne Cot cemetery was included towards the end of the journey, where the group began to pay their final respects. To finish the learning experience, a group of four North East PEACE III representatives from both communities joined together to lay a wreath for those who died during the great war at the ‘Last Post’ Ceremony at Menin Gate in Ypres. The laying of the wreath demonstrated unity among the group and honoured the memory of those soldiers from both communities who fought side by side.
North East PEACE III Partnership at the Island of Ireland Peace Park
Over two hundred and fifty people came together last week to celebrate the success of the PEACE III programme in the North East. The “Celebrating PEACE” event, which took place at the Royal Court Hotel in Portrush on Thursday 24th March included performances, exhibitions and showcased highlights from a range of North East PEACE III programmes. The event also marked the launch of a booklet that highlights successes from the first phase of the £3.6 million European Union funded North East PEACE III programme.
The first phase (2007-2010) of the North East PEACE III programme delivered over one hundred and fifty peace and reconciliation initiatives and events across the six council areas of Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Larne, Limavady and Moyle.
Speaking about the success of PEACE III, programme manager, Patricia McCallion said: “This event marks a significant milestone for the PEACE III programme in this region. It brings to a close an unprecedented period of peace-building activity in the North East which has seen over 1,000 participants engage in structured peace and reconciliation activities. In addition, over 7,000 people have attended open days, exhibitions and festivals which have showcased the joint history and the many cultures and communities that exist here in the North East.”
To kickstart the evening’s proceedings, the pupils of Coleraine College and St Joseph’s College in Coleraine performed a rousing dance routine. The dance team had been formed as part of the Partnership’s schools based programme, which saw the two schools working on a project which promoted leadership and peace building through workshops, trips and activities.
This was followed by a presentation of certificates to participants who completed the North East PEACE III Youth Peer Leadership Programme. This programme established youth leadership groups across the six council areas of the North East. Each Youth Group participated in personal development sessions which focused on Leadership, Peace Building, Identity and Culture, Building Relationships, Family and Friends. Bill Adamson, Chair of the North East Peace III Partnership, presented the certificates.
The pupils of Limavady High School & St Mary’s Limavady, who participated on the School Based Programme, put on a moving theatrical performance. The drama was produced by the students themselves and based on the Holocaust.
Thanking all those who had been involved in the programmes, Patricia McCallion said: “A great thanks has to be given to all our delivery partners and the community groups and individuals who have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months in our efforts to challenge attitudes towards sectarianism and racism and to support conflict resolution and mediation here in the North East.” Patricia concluded by thanking everyone who had taken part in the programmes saying: “Thank you for your presence here this evening and thank you for being peace builders in your communities. The North East Peace III Partnership values your hard work, enthusiasm and commitment to the Peace III Programme.”
Attendees at the event were then given the opportunity to view a variety of stands that showcased the successes of the Programme. Beautiful harp and fiddler performances were provided by the Counties Antrim and Derry Fiddlers Association. This group were actively involved in the North East PEACE III successful Cultural Fusions project.
The next phase of the North East PEACE III programme is scheduled to commence later in spring 2011.
If you would like to receive a copy of the “Celebrating Success” booklet, or wish to find out more about the North East PEACE III programme, please email peaceiii@colerainebc.gov.uk or telephone 028 7034 7012.
The North East PEACE III Partnership is planning a celebratory event to mark the closure of Phase One of the PEACE III programme in the North East.
Celebrating PEACE will be held at The Royal Court Hotel in Portrush on Thursday 24th March and celebrates the success of the programmes delivered by the Partnership and its partners over the previous two years. These programmes have sucessfully challenged attitudes towards sectarianism, racism and have supported conflict resolution and mediation.
The evening will include performances, exhibitions and highlights from the North East PEACE III programmes.
For further information, telephone 7034 7012 or email peaceiii@colerainebc.gov.uk.
A free 2 day training course on peace and conflict is due to start in the Coleraine area next week.
The “Peace & Conflict” course, which is accredited to OCN Level 2’, aims to address issues such as why conflicts occur, historical aspects of conflicts and understanding the human and financial costs of conflict. This training event is being co-ordinated by Community Change and is funded under the European Union’s PEACE III Programme, managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the North East PEACE III Partnership.
Speaking about the training event, Margaret Ferguson, Community Change Director, said ‘This training programme will help people understand the similarities and differences between peace and processes, and help answer clarify many questions and perhaps help promote a great understanding of peace and reconciliation in the North East area.”
The training will take place on 16th and 23rd February 2011. Anyone interested in taking part in this exciting training opportunity or wanting more information about the training event should ring Cara McCann on 02890 232587 or email cara.mccann@communitychange-ni.org
An inspirational sports and leisure festival funded by the North East PEACE III programme and managed by the University of Ulster Sports Academy took place in the Ballymoney area during November 2010.
The Sport Comes 2 Town festival, which was granted the London 2012 Inspire Mark* ran a programme of sports activities for participants on the North East PEACE III Sports and Leisure programme over a number of weeks. These were aimed at promoting sport in the local community and encouraging families to get active. The festival ended with an open event for participants and members of the public in the Joey Dunlop centre, Ballymoney on Saturday 20 November 2010.
1,500 people attended the event for a day of family fun and cultural integration. More than twenty local sports were showcased at the sports festival from table tennis, badminton, climbing, cheerleading, ballet, bowls and wrestling. Coaches from Rugby, Football, GAA and hurling, representing more than twenty clubs, delivered a variety of coaching and education sessions.
The gymnastics and cheerleading club put on a wonderful display of glitz and glamour as they wowed the crowds with aerobic feats, including a human pyramid. The festival atmosphere was enriched with a band who filled the hall with a cultural mixture of music, giving young people the opportunity to play various instruments.
Commenting on the success of the initiative, Patricia Crossley North East PEACE III Partnership member said: ‘Sport comes 2 town was an exciting day at Joey Dunlop Centre – there was a real buzz amongst young people taking part and enthusiasm from the parents watching. A real success. Personally I loved being involved, especially in playing the drums!’
The response to the day from participating clubs and members of the public was excellent, with a number of clubs attracting new members to their activities.
Pictured receiving their Leadership Certificates at the Royal Court, Portrush recently are Councillors from the North East PEACE III cluster area.
Over the past year elected representatives from the six councils making up the North East Peace III cluster (Limavady, Coleraine, Moyle, Ballymoney, Ballymena and Larne) having been undertaking a training programme entitled Leadership in a Shared Society.
This unique programme, which is funded under the European Union’s PEACE III programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the North East PEACE III Partnership, has been designed and delivered by the WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) in partnership with Mediation Northern Ireland and the Interaction Institute for Social Change.
Colin Neilands (Director of the WEA) said that all the partners had been delighted to have been part of the programme and impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm of the participating councillors.
The training covered a range of leadership skills around strategic focus and decision making, combined with unpacking the issues associated with working with difference and building a vision for a shared society.
In a joint statement the councillors said that they found they had more in common than they had first realised and that sharing together makes a real difference. They felt that there must be shared local leadership to build a vision for a shared society and that they had established the basis for future co-operation. They also suggested that perhaps a similar programme should be run for ‘those up on the hill’.
Speaking at the certificate presentation on Friday 19th November, Alderman Jack Rankin, Chair of the NE PEACE III Joint Committee said: “This programme is leaving a legacy in our Councils by enabling Councillors to increase their contribution to improving trust and tolerance and understanding of differences in the individual Council areas. It has provided a safe, open and honest opportunity for communication to take place between elected representatives about their role in peace building. The programme has challenged and examined a range of leadership practices for civic leaders and has played a constructive role in assisting Councillors to help address the challenges of a divided society as we move towards a shared society”
Residents and guests gathered in Liscolman village on Saturday, October 20th for the unveiling of a new mural to commemorate the Battle of the Somme.
The mural was designed by artist Ross Wilson and Liscolman Community Association through their participation on the North East PEACE III programme ‘Building Brighter Futures’ led by Business in the Community. This programme is funded under the European Union’s PEACE III programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the North East PEACE III Partnership.
The mural has three panels with a remembrance theme. The first panel commemorates the seven men of the village who died in the Great War, who served in both the 36th Ulster Division and 16th Irish Division.
The central panel shows an iconic image of the Battle of the Somme. It is the first to honour VC Robert Quigg who was awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery in 1916, while attempting to find and rescue his Platoon Officer Harry MacNaghten. The third image is taken from local landmark Liscolman Mill, the chimney is depicted with the flax flower.
The re-imaging project has been further enhanced with additional panels taken from old photographs of Liscolman, kindly supplied by local residents and funded thanks to the NI Housing Executive. Through Business in the Community – Carers Challenge, volunteers from the Old Bushmills Distillery have also helped create a new area for planting along the main road.
Nicola Neill, Programme Manager of Business in the Community commented ‘This project has been a fantastic achievement thanks to the dedication from the residents of Liscolman and the Community Association. I would like to thank the North East PEACE III Partnership, TIDES, Moyle District Council, NI Housing Executive, Diageo and local landowners for their commitment and co-operation.‘
‘The aim of this North East PEACE III programme was to increase the confidence, knowledge and skills of the community group representatives and to explore community engagement principles. The Building Brighter Futures Programme took them through an exploration and learning programme where they used the shared history of WW1 to explore culture and identity. The NE PEACE III Partnership are delighted that the community actively participated in all stages of the project and look forward to working alongside the community in Liscolman for future initiatives.’ Patricia McCallion, NE PEACE III Manager.
Ross Wilson added that “It has been a privilege and an honour to work with the Liscolman group who have shown such an interest in historical events and wanted to openly celebrate the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and also to commemorate VC Quigg.”
Programme 9a, the Indigenous and Ethnic Minority Sports and Leisure programme will be running the ‘Sport Comes 2 Town’ festival from Saturday 13th to Saturday 20th November 2010. The venue for all the activities is the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre, 33 Garryduff Road, Ballymoney, BT53 7AU.
‘Sport Comes 2 Town’ has just received the ‘inspired by London 2012’ mark which is part of the London 2012 Olympics brand family. ‘Sport comes to town’ met the criteria for being selected for this London Olympic 2012 mark. The mark is for ‘non-commercial organisations delivering projects and events genuinely inspired by the London 2012 Games.’
‘Sport Comes 2 Town’ is a festival of sport and culture. Participating children and adults will be able to experience a wide range of sporting and cultural activities at the festival.
Festival outline:
13th November 2010
Coach education day for local sports clubs, including sessions on golf and good practice in children’s sport
17th-18th November 2010
Sport performance session for sports club coaches
20th November 2010
(Final day of festival)
‘Come and see, come and try’ day. Sports demonstration/taster sessions open to the general public throughout the day facilitated by local clubs and instructors, including table tennis, badminton, cheerleading, trampolining, gymnastics, volleyball, wrestling, judo, archery, golf, ballet, dance, karate, bowls, swimming, rugby, football, Gaelic football, hurling and hockey. There will also be an open day at the gym. The activities will all be free of charge.
Venue: Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre, 33 Garryduff Road, Ballymoney, BT53 7AU.
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