Waterside Together Official Launch
Date: 22 February 2025
Venue: Irish Street Community Centre, Bann Drive, Derry-Londonderry, Derry-Londonderry, BT47 2HJ
Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership is delighted to announce the official launch of Waterside Together, a shared space festival and events project, which aims to transform spaces that are perceived as belonging to the 'other community' into shared spaces that are open, welcoming, and safe for all members of the Waterside community. This is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), funded under the theme of Community Regeneration and Transformation, and it is funded through Derry City and Strabane District Council's PEACEPLUS Local Co-Designed Action Plan.
Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership is delighted to announce the official launch of Waterside Together, a shared space festival and events project, which aims to transform spaces that are perceived as belonging to the 'other community' into shared spaces that are open, welcoming, and safe for all members of the Waterside community. This is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), funded under the theme of Community Regeneration and Transformation, and it is funded through Derry City and Strabane District Council's PEACEPLUS Local Co-Designed Action Plan.
Programmes will be delivered in parks, greenways and community spaces targeting a range of participants including families, children and young people, older people, and members of the BAME community. Part of the programme will be a shared space festival that promotes the communal usage of the green infrastructure in the Waterside and which encourages the movement of people to areas that they would not usually use for recreational purposes.
The launch event will take place from 12-3pm on Saturday 22 February 2025, at the Irish Street Community Centre on Bann Drive, BT47 2HJ, with a range of events to suit all ages. In Your Space Circus will be performing their Circus Skills Workshop for children of all ages. In Your Space Circus is a circus school and street theatre company, which works with artists (local, national and international) with a wide range of skills.This is a drop-in event, no booking necessary, and it is completely free!
We will have an arts and crafts station where artist facilitator Sinéad Crumlish will work with participants to weave a nature loom using natural materials such as reeds and branches and children of all ages are invited to come along and make styrofoam prints using natural materials. All participants will be offered a free hot drink and a snack. Adults are invited to avail of a hot drink and snack provided by The Coffee Cart, grab a warm blanket provided, and take a seat with forager and folklorist Aoife de Bhál of Fálróid, who will be doing a talk and walk titled Wild food, folk customs and wonderful weeds, where participants are invited to take part in a discussion on the traditions of harvesting wild food. Participants will learn about some of the common species which can be used for food or medicine and the folklore they have inspired over generations. You will never look at 'weeds' the same again!
Aoife de Bhál is a Gaeilgeoir, forager and folklorist from Béal Feirste. Aoife runs Fálróid, which means 'to ramble' in Irish. Fálróid aims to connect people with the natural world and each other, through wild food, stories and the Irish language.
To keep the kids entertained, we will also have a soft play area, as well as some other outdoor games.
In case of rain, we will have a marquee set up, as well as use of the Irish Street Community Centre, so we'll be there to welcome you, rain or shine!
Project Officer for Derry City and Strabane District Council, Mary Claire Kerlin said: "We're delighted to see communities within the Waterside area continue to work together so strategically to make a difference for everyone who lives there. The Waterside Together programme is one of our larger projects. It aims to regenerate and animate local spaces and places, reaching around 300 people with a series of festivals and events programming. The positivity and energy which can be generated when people from diverse identities work together is powerful. Derry City and Strabane District Council is delighted to fund this project through our Local PEACEPLUS Action Plan."
Strategic Manager for Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership, Alison Wallace, said: "We are so pleased to be delivering such an important PEACEPLUS project within the heart of the Waterside area and bringing together members of the Protestant, Catholic and BAME communities, and encouraging people of all ages to come together and enjoy the breadth of green spaces that are available."