Minister for Social Development, Alex Attwood, handed over the keys to a building which is to become a new community facility in Newtownards.

The Department provided £300,000 under its Modernisation Fund Capital Programme to enable Ards Development Bureau & Community Network to purchase the listed building in Frances Street for the creation of a community network centre.

The next phase of the project will involve extensive refurbishment and development of the building to provide a modern, accessible community facility for a wide range of voluntary sector organisations in the Ards area.

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Mr Attwood said: "This facility will help bring together much needed services for the benefit of the residents of Newtownards. I want to see our Modernisation Fund provide facilities that can help community based initiatives become as effective as they can be. After all, community network centres provide a local focus and venue for delivering a wide range of activities to the communities. The fund is about providing support to organisations throughout Northern Ireland, enabling them to deliver better services to their local communities."

(CD/KMcA)