Local initiatives to contend for prestigious Pride of Place awards in Monaghan
11 October 2024
Two community organisations from the Derry City and Strabane District Council area are in contention for recognition at the 2024 IPB Pride of Place Awards.
Aspace2 in Eglinton and DEEDS (Dementia Engaged and Empowered Derry and Strabane) in Creggan's Old Library Trust Healthy Living Centre have been shortlisted for the accolades that seek to acknowledge the positive community work that takes place across the island of Ireland.
DEEDS are a community based model of support for people living with dementia, their carers and families across the Council area and have also been nominated in the Community Wellbeing Initiative category of the Cities Competition section.
Aspace2, who support adults with additional needs in learning additional skills to allow them to fulfil their potential, have been nominated in the Community Wellbeing Initiative category of the Main Competition.
The winners will be announced at the Hillgrove Hotel in County Monaghan on Saturday November 2nd where Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr will represent the Council area.
“The IPB Pride of Place Awards
“The two projects nominated from our Council area embody the spirit of the awards and give people with additional needs to get the support and guidance they need to get the most out of life.
“I am proud to be representing everyone involved in community development in Derry and Strabane at the awards and I am looking forward to being joined by representatives from Aspace2 and DEEDS in Monaghan.”
Co-operation Ireland, its local authority partners and its headline sponsor IPB Insurance are hosting the Pride of Place Awards for the 22nd consecutive year.
The IPB Pride of Place Competition is open to all community groups by way of local authority nomination only and the selection process undertaken for the Derry City and Strabane District Council entries was through the Local Community Growth Planning Partnership Boards.
The Boards were invited to put forward agreed nominations under the theme of Disability for the urban and rural areas respectively.
The DEEDS Project has grown immensely over the last ten years thanks to the support from the National Lottery Community Fund.
From one single memory group based in Creggan it has expanded into an organisation that boasts six social groups, two activity groups, a choir, carers education, carers drop in, intergenerational work, connection to the community, large scale Dementia friendly events and trips, and a suite of training and education courses.
More recently it launched a pre-diagnosis programme in partnership with the Western Health and Social Care Trust, which is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.
DEEDS offer members a chance to meet other people in a friendly and relaxed environment and in a weekly social group in their own community or join an activity group where they can take part in different activities, learn new skills or practice old ones.
Aspace2 is a Community Interest Company (CIC) and Aspace2 Multisensory Centre is a registered charity located in the rural community of Campsie.
The building at Aspace2 has been customised to an extremely high standard to
The vision of Aspace2 is to provide a service that supports adults with additional needs to learn the skills necessary to live an independent, purposeful lifestyle and grow to make informed, fulfilling life choices in an age appropriate, respectful, and inclusive manner.
Training is user-led, trainees' individual pathways are chosen to reflect their future learning and or employability choices.
Employability Training is offered in the catering school and factory floor coffee shop, retail training is offered in the Artspace shop and creative opportunities are provided in the art rooms and upcycling studio.
Aspace2 strives to nurture the potential of people with a disability to thrive in a
For further details of all the nominees for the Pride of Place Awards visit prideofplace.ie