SMILES ALL ROUND AS AMENITY GRANTS HANDED OUT TO GROUPS
A total sum of €60,000 was given to over 100 community groups, in arts, sports and amenities, as well as residents associations in grants presented from Gorey Municipal District on Tuesday, April 16, at the Civic Square in Gorey town.
Altogether 106 organisations from across the district received a council grant, and representative volunteers from the groups came along to Gorey Library for refreshments before the presentation.
Groups that benefited from the amenity grants scheme included Gorey Tidy Towns, Festival of Choirs, St Aidan’s Services, Craanford Drama Group, as well as Gorey.pl, Polish Cultural Association to name a few.
‘We have a lot of projects on this year with a lot of running costs. We have no source of income so we’re struggling to make ends meet. Donations like this are always very welcome,’ said Chairperson of Gorey Tidy Towns, Billy Halford.
‘ The Council is very supportive of our work in many ways and the amenity grant is always put to good use,’ he added.
New residents associations included in the scheme were Brooklyn Court Residents Association, Newhaven Residents Association and Chestnut Grove Residents Association, to add to the 32 other residents associations that benefited from the scheme.
Cllr Anthony Donohoe said that although all of the money available, €40,000 was given out towards amenities, there is still a small amount left over for residents groups yet to be drawn down.
This funding scheme is aimed at providing small scale support to community and voluntary based groups and is designed to assist with a wide variety of projects that promote social inclusion and the building of strong communities.
On the night, members of the Gorey Municipal District also launched the new mural that depicts the Gorey skyline, which was painted by artist Kate Kos last month.