Local Tyrone club Clann na nGael will finally be able to reopen its sports hall after a much-needed upgrade, thanks in part to a £3.5k funding allocation from the Ørsted Owenreagh Wind Farms’ Community Benefit Fund.
The sports hall, which has not been accessible to the local community for the last two years due to the need for repair, will finally be made available for a range of sporting and community events for Dunamanagh and the surrounding area.
Clann na nGael, which is an amalgamation of two previous clubs in the area Aughabrack O’Connells & Dunamanagh St Patrick’s, plays a vital role in offering a range of community-based events and initiatives to the local rural area and the absence of the main hall has been particularly challenging for the community.
Adrian Conway from Clann na nGael said:
“Without the Ørsted Community Benefit Fund we wouldn’t have been able to progress this project. The club itself contributed financially but we are a small community-led club and without the support from this fund the restoration of the hall wouldn’t have been possible.
“Local community groups, including Kerlin School of Dancing, CNG Running club and the St Patrick Primary School as well as a range of other groups and individuals will now be able to get back to offering a range of services and events for the local community.
“The area suffers from limited access to services and to get this hall back up and running, where people can come together again and take part in events, is so important for the local area”.
A funding allocation of £3.5k from the Ørsted Community Benefit Fund, along with financial contribution from the club itself, enabled plans to bring the sports hall back up to a standard for the community to use again.
The much-needed repairs will facilitate events, community projects including youth programmes, and education and training.
Owenreagh Wind Farms’ Community Benefit Fund has been supporting local community initiatives for the last five years with a focus on contributing to projects that make a real impact and difference to people in the area.
As long-term owners, developers, and operators of renewable energy projects, Ørsted commits to becoming active partners in the communities in which they develop projects. As the new owners of the existing Owenreagh Wind Farms, Ørsted has been working to develop strong ties and relationships locally and aims to continue making a positive impact by supporting more projects in the future.
Jean O’Donovan, Operations Community Liaison for Ørsted Ireland & UK, added:
“Ørsted is committed to providing financial support to valuable initiatives that benefit the local communities where we operate. It was clear that this facility was a vital part of the local community, and many groups were struggling as a result of it not being in use. It is these types of projects we want to support – projects that will make a real and meaningful impact on peoples’ lives.”
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