The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has allocated a £1,000 start-up grant for the community allotments in Downpatrick, Co Down.

The grant, from its Social Housing Enterprise Investment scheme, will be used to purchase seeds, plants and compost which will then be sold, with the profits being re-invested in the allotments in the New Model Farm estate to pay running costs.

Thirty four other local projects across NI are also celebrating after receiving grants totalling £363,000 for a range of social enterprise initiatives from the NIHE.

Aimed at building services and creating new jobs in local housing communities, the individual awards ranged from £500 to £50,000.

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Ann Grant, Community Development Officer for the County Down Rural Community Network, said: "We realised the on-going maintenance and insurance costs which come with running an allotment and community garden, needed to be addressed. Our social enterprise is being developed so we can grow seasonal vegetable and bedding plants for sale in the local community, the profits from which will contribute to the maintenance and development of the allotments. We were delighted to receive this start-up funding from the Housing Executive’s Social Housing Enterprise because without it the project would not have taken off."

Ward Erwin, our Social Investments Manager, said: "I am delighted the allotments received this start-up grant. The Housing Executive is committed to building vibrant and self-sustaining communities throughout our housing stock and these investments are a valuable means of doing so.

"By helping address issues of employability, the environment and building inward investments locally, we hope that our tenants’ quality of life and that of the wider community will be enhanced.

"I'd encourage communities, their local organisations and others to apply for the next phase of the Investment Scheme when it opens later in June.

(CD)