BY MICHAEL BRESLIN
A Belleek community group, one of 30 such voluntary groups operating in the catchment area of Belleek who helped secure 'Best Village' award for the Pottery town, reaped further acclaim at this week's annual Fermanagh Rural Community Network awards' night in the Tir Navar Centre in Derrygonnelly.
They were adjudged winners of the award for 'Involving People', and shared the winners' platform with the other two category winners, a mother and toddler club from Ardess, and a long-time voluntary worker from Killesher.
There were awards in three categories, Involving people, Community activity, and Individual. The winners in each case were - Ardess Little Lambs mother and toddler group, Belleek and District Community Partnership, and Packie Drumm who is a member of the Killesher Group.
There were other nominees for each of these categories, each of whom received a Certificate of Recognition.
The Ardess Little Lambs Mother and Toddler Group started in 2001 with six toddlers and it has now grown to 25 children aged up to three years old. The Group has also held joint activities with the local Senior Citizens group. It is serviced by three full-time voluntary leaders, and all parents give freely of their time towards activities and fund-raising, thus providing a safe and friendly family environment in a rural area.
The other nominees in this Involving People category were - Positive Futures, Lisnaskea; Bo Peeps Playgroup, Boho, and Monea Residents Association.
Belleek and District Community Partnership is involved in extensive local community activity, including cross-border partnerships. During the past year, it organised 14 distinct projects, including training courses, a cultural fair, social activities, a community newsletter, and an inter-generational initiative which explored the perceptions that the various age groups have of each other.
Along with 30 community-based organisations in the Belleek catchment area, the Group recently received regional recognition, 'Calor Village of the Year' from the Rural development Council.
The other nominees in this category were - Lack Women's Group, St John's Ambulance, Boho Heritage Organisation, Den Afterschool Club, Donagh, and the 'Lady of the Lake' Festival, Irvinestown.
The winner of the 'Individual' award, Packie Drumm is a voluntary worker with the Killesher Group who has been involved in is local community for many years as a parish worker and, especially, as a Youth Club leader.
When the Killesher Development Association was formed in 1994, he was appointed as its Treasurer and has filled that role ever since. He was actively involved in a 'house to house' fund-raising campaign in the parish to raised the matching funds that were required towards enabling the restoration and adaptation of Tully Mill as a node comprising a restaurant, cottages and community centre.
His citation read: 'he has been described as tirelessly dedicated and has played a prominent part in developing the use of the community centre by all members of the community'.
The following individuals were nominees in this category:
Molly Cassidy, Derrygonnelly Senior Citizens, Tommy McDermott, Lisnaskea/Newtownbuter Faith and Light, Hilary Redmond, Monea Residents Association, Bernie McNulty, Belleek and District Community Partnership, Irene Mohan, Lisnaskea Wildfowl Centre, Pat Hey, Bannagh Belles Women's Group, Stephen McKenzie, St John's Ambulance, Caroline Kelly, Autistic Society West and Noelle Walker, Lack Women's Group. The awards were presented by - Gabriel D'Arcy, the chairman of the Fermanagh Rural Community Network, Padraig Murphy, RCN, and Frances Spence, Administrator Fermanagh RCN.
