Ballykeel - Community Groups
Our groups in the Ballykeel areaBallykeel Together Development Association
Ballykeel Together Development Association are a long-standing community group who run a youth club for children and young people with Autism and a weekly dance class. Bright Stars Youth Club and Illusion Dance Class meet every Thursday from 7-9pm (Check our calendar for current dates and times) and will be recommencing in October 2021, at their new venue Celebration House. The two clubs also go on horse riding trips and a visit to Santa’s Trail every year.
BTDA’s other activities include a Mature Adults Luncheon Club, which meets on the second Wednesday of each month at Ballykeel Presbyterian Church and is funded by the Department for Communities Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. Members of the Luncheon Club can also attend the 3 trips away each year, to local beauty spots or the annual Christmas Market.
During the Covid 19 crisis BTDA supported their community, particularly members of the Luncheon Club, by making monthly deliveries of meat parcels to those who were shielding during the lockdown.
A few years ago, BTDA group members took part in a History Project which resulted in the creation of the Ballykeel Memorial Garden. In every effort to improve the environment, Ballykeel Together volunteers also take part in estate clean-ups and gritting the pavements during icy weather.
For more information about BTDA, their activities and volunteering options please visit their facebook page or contact Hannah on 028 25631350
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Ballykeel Youth Forum litter pick
BK1MF were established in 2015 and are a family-focused group providing support for a wide range of age groups. BK1MF have successfully secured a 4-year funding package through the National Lottery People and Communities Fund which will support their Breakfast Club, Knitting Club, Fibromyalgia Support Group and Family Fun days. The Breakfast Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00-11:00 at Ballykeel Community Centre (Check our calendar for current dates and times) and supports older people in the area by offering an affordable cooked breakfast as well as an opportunity for social bonding and taking part in activities.
BK1MF also take part in environmental projects such as estate clean-ups, grass cutting, tree planting and maintenance of their outdoor planters. They ‘adopted’ a wall from NIHE in 2016 and use this to celebrate annual events with murals.
The group maintained a strong community presence during the midst of the Covid 19 lockdown and distributed over 150 emergency food parcels to the most vulnerable residents of Ballykeel 1, using funding from Mid & East Antrim Borough Council as well as their own resources.
The group are currently looking to support younger people in Ballykeel by setting up a Youth Forum, where young people can become involved in community projects, run by the youth, for the youth.
For more information on BK1MF, their activities and volunteering options please visit their facebook page, or contact Hannah on 028 25631350
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Ballykeel 2 & District Community Association
p>BK2&D officially formed during the Covid crisis in 2020. They have offered support to older vulnerable people, knocking on the doors of their neighbours to find out if they needed anything, as well as organising a very successful Christmas Toy Project supporting low-income families by providing refurbished toys. The group hosted a virtual Christmas event which really boosted the morale of residents in Ballykeel 2 and provided some much-needed fun and joy after a difficult year of lockdown.Looking to the future, BK2&D are keen to tackle issues around drug and alcohol misuse and recognise the impact this has on the wider community, particularly in recent years. The group aim to provide activities and projects for younger people that will focus on personal and professional development as well as promoting positive physical and mental health. This will be achieved through various programmes that focus on sport, physical activity, awareness, and education, and working in partnership with local voluntary and statutory agencies.
For more information on BK2&D, their activities, projects, and volunteering opportunities please visit their facebook page, or contact Hannah on 028 256 31350
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“Hi, I'm Hannah, I encourage you to reach out and get in touch”
— Hannah Bowyer
Community Development Officer (CDO) Get in Touch