Allocating £1,618.89 to the Hospital Road Community Association, the Housing Executive awarded the funds through its Community Grant Scheme.
A project set up by the group called ‘Keeping our Community Connected’ established a number of Zoom classes for local residents in the area.
A Zoom youth club, ‘knit and knatter’ class, coffee morning, mums and babies group, quiz nights and fitness classes were all set up using funds from the Community Grant Scheme.
Hospital Road Community Association works to improve and develop the Omagh and wider area for the better.
Kerry Fagan, Youth and Community Support Worker for the Hospital Road Community Association thanked the Housing Executive for the recent funding allocation.
She said; “We were incredibly grateful to receive the funding from the Housing Executive as this gave us the chance to buy some equipment such as a laptop and new printer so that we could continue running programmes and keep in contact with the community.
“The adult Zoom groups provided a bit of normality for people as they felt a connection as the weeks went by and they have arranged to meet up in person when lockdown is over.
“The young people aged 11 to 17 years enjoyed attending Zoom youth club as it gave them the opportunity to see their friends and the staff for much-needed fun and support.”
Printing services were also available for home schooling parents through new computer equipment purchased by the group.
Oonagh McAvinney, the Housing Executive’s South West Area Manager, said she was delighted funding from the Community Grant Scheme helped local people maintain social interaction during lockdown.
She added; “Providing a vast range of interactive Zoom classes for local residents is a great example of how the Housing Executive’s Community Grant Scheme can be used to help overall well-being, especially during lockdown.
“These classes I am sure lifted the spirits of those who were involved and created an environment where there was great social interaction at a time when we cannot meet up for such events face-to-face.
“The funding allocation was also used to purchase computer and printing equipment to help families during the home-schooling period when such resources could have been limited to them.”
