Festive Boost for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough: 2024 Festive Fund Grant Awards Announced

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has unveiled the much-anticipated recipients of the 2024 Festive Fund Grant Awards.

To invigorate the festive spirit across the Borough, a substantial £42,362 has been earmarked to support community and voluntary organisations in staging Christmas celebrations.

Since its inception in 2015, the Christmas Festive Fund has been a cornerstone of the Council's strategy to promote community cohesion and festive cheer across the borough’s smaller towns, villages, and hamlets.

This initiative aligns seamlessly with the Council's strategic theme of fostering resilient, healthy, and engaged communities, ensuring the holiday season is inclusive and joyous for all.

Celebrating Together

The Fund is split into two categories:

Fund A targets settlements with a population of 1,000 and above, offering up to £2,500 for festive events.
Fund B is designed for smaller communities with populations between 100 and 1,000, providing grants of up to £750.

This year, the fund has been allocated to 30 successful applicants from a pool of 32, with two applications deemed ineligible. Those were Ballycastle Community Group and Compass Advocacy Network Ltd. The former is due to an existing Council-organised event and the latter for not meeting the minimum population requirement.

Spreading Joy Across the Borough

Among the noteworthy grants are:

Dunloy Stronger Together: Recommended to receive £2,400 for their Christmas Lights Switch-on event.
St. Canice GAC: Recommended to receive £2,500 for their festive celebrations in Dungiven.
Friendly Friday Craft and Garden Club: Recommended to receive £2,500 for linked outdoor events in Ballykelly.
Heart of the Glens Festival: Recommended to receive £2,500 for their community Christmas event.

Smaller communities also benefit significantly, such as:

Armoy Community Association: Recommended to receive £750 for their Christmas Festive Evening.
Carey Faughs GAC: Recommended to receive £550 for a lights switch-on event featuring Santa.

These events, scheduled between November 30th and December 18th, 2024, aim to foster inclusivity and ensure all residents, irrespective of background, can partake in the festive fun.

The report detailing these grant awards will be presented to the Leisure and Development Committee next week. Following this, it will need to be ratified by the full council at the end of the month.