A new initiative has got underway in the Colin area of west Belfast to remove graffiti and improve the appearance of the area.

Volunteers from the Colin Neighbourhood Graffiti Removal Project took to the streets over the winter months and into Spring 2022 to improve the area.

Funded by social homes provider Radius Housing and delivered in partnership with Colin Neighbourhood Partnership and Colin Men's Shed, this initiative saw volunteers paint over unwanted graffiti which had been posted in the Brainswell Road, Pantridge Road, Springbank and Twinbrook areas.

Radius Housing has provided funds to purchase materials and equipment including gloves, paint and brushes for the participants. The aim of the initiative is to support local residents to be proactive in their local community, responding quickly to remove unwanted graffiti to make it a more inclusive and welcoming place to live.

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Speaking about the project Fiona McAuley, Radius Housing Community Empowerment Co - Ordinator said: "We are delighted that Radius Housing are supporting the community in the Colin area in taking positive action to clean up and maintain their local surroundings. We would like to thank the volunteers for their tremendous efforts working on a common goal to improve their environment. It has a transformative impact not only on the physical environment but on the community's overall well-being. We look forward to continuing to support this important work in the upcoming months."

Brendan McAteer, Community Safety Officer with the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, added: "An area's appearance is really important as it affects people's morale and their overall attitude towards it. Offensive and obscene graffiti is not tolerated and it is amazing to see volunteers taking pride in their area and respond to it in a timely manner. We hope this will set a positive example and make people think twice about committing a graffiti offence so we can all enjoy the benefits of living in a clean and welcoming environment."