NI community groups awarded £1.4m to restore buildings

Methodist minister Rev John Beacom and Brian Keys outside the old Ballinamallard Angling and Sports Club

A number of community groups are set to receive a share of £1.4m to help transform disused or run-down buildings into community centres.

The money is part of the UK government's community ownership fund.

It will go directly to community groups to ensure the buildings are preserved for future generations.

Among the organisations in line to receive funding is Ballinamallard Community Hub in County Fermanagh.

The old Ballinamallard Angling and Sports Club in the centre of the village will be given £235,000 to help it become "a fully accessible and inclusive community centre", the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said.

Methodist minister Rev John Beacom told BBC NI's Evening Extra programme plans for a community hub at the building have been in place for a number of years, but the new funding was a "gamechanger".

"It allows us to press ahead full steam with the vision to provide for the physical, mental spiritual and emotional needs of the people in this community," he said.

The refurbished building will house a café, co-working spaces and a community room, with a wellness garden also on site.

A community hub for artists and students will be created in Londonderry's Nerve Centre

Magazine Studios in Londonderry, part of the Nerve Centre arts venue, is another premises set to benefit from the funding.

It will receive £300,000 to create a community hub and studios for artists and students.

Specialist facilities

Charity Live Life in Lisburn, County Down, will receive £240,000 to renovate the Grove Activity Centre at Ballinderry Park.

The money will help to create specialist facilities for children and adults with learning difficulties, including speech and language workshops.

Also in Lisburn, Hilden Mill School, a listed building currently considered to be at-risk, is to receive £180,000 in funding to provide a community space, tea room and childcare facilities for local people.

In Bangor, County Down, £155,950 funding will be provided to the charity Uhub, allowing it to purchase a therapy centre to house counselling and therapy services.