Bunclody grants awarded
SIXTEEN local community groups received funding for community grants in Bunclody recently.
Bunclody Town Team, in conjuction with Wexford County Council and Carlow County Council presented certificates and funding to 16 local Community Groups who were recipients of community grants under the government-funded Rural Economic Development Zone initiative (REDZ)
Grants totalling almost €20,000 were awarded to Bunclody based community groups which included Bunclody Tidy Towns Association, Bunclody Day Care Services, Bunclody Swimming Pool and FDYS. Local sporting organisations, including Bunclody GAA and Bunclody Soccer Club also received funding, as well as a number of residents associations from the locaal area.
The awards night was the culmination of a joint initiative of Wexford County Council, Carlow County Council and local community groups, business interests and other State bodies from the Bunclody area who recently joined forces to develop a number of local initiatives including community leadership, enterprise support, festival development and tourism. The initiative led to the establishment of the Bunclody Town Team, the organisation that is now responsible for managing the REDZ project in Bunclody and which includes representation from many organisations and businesses from the local area.
Speaking at the event, Chairperson of the Bunclody Town Team, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy congratulated all the groups present on their invaluable contributions, individually and collectively, to the local community. Councillor Murphy also outlined future proposals from the very active Bunclody Town Team, including the provision of additional training and grant funding for local businesses, additional tourism supports and further town enhancement works. She also outlined plans for a local Festival in July 2017.
Cllr. Kathleen Codd-Nolan also congratulated the groups present and thanked those involved for their diligence and hard work in making the REDZ project such an outstanding success. Councillor Charlie Murphy from Carlow County Council, who also attended the event, described the provision of grants to community groups as one of the best ways to spend public funds, saying the initial investment is matched many times over in local support and goodwill, while the cumulative benefits to the local community are immense.