Opening of new community health building for Strabane
Date published:
A new state of the art community health building has been officially opened in Strabane today.
The Department for Communities (DfC) funded £292,000 towards the construction of the new modular facility that includes offices, meeting room, counselling room, kitchen and toilet areas and large communal meeting room for the benefit of people in the area.
Speaking at today’s launch, DfC Permanent Secretary Tracy Meharg said: “This project will complement the investment from the Big Lottery and other projects funded by the Department in this area. It demonstrates not only collaborative working but our ongoing commitment to target those communities throughout Northern Ireland who are suffering from higher than average rates of unemployment, ill health, lower levels of educational attainment and higher rates of income deprivation.
“This project is a much needed and welcome boost for the people of Strabane and will improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods, through better coordinated public services and the creation of safer environments.”
This new building will enable Strabane Health Improvement Project to expand the existing programme delivering new innovative programmes. The additional rooms will enable the Group to deliver workshops/activities/programmes housing a maximum of 25 people within the building at any given time. It will create additional space and privacy for counselling services.
The Directors of Strabane Health Improvement Project are delighted with the completion of the new Modular Community Health Building for Strabane Town. Speaking on behalf of the Project, its chairperson, John Falconer Chairperson said: “This new modular Community Health Building will have a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of the communities of Strabane town. It will provide our project with a purpose built building from which we will develop a range of new community partnership programmes that will complement existing health and wellbeing programmes already being developed within the Strabane area.
Notes to editors:
1. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy targets those communities throughout NI suffering the highest levels of deprivation. It is a cross government strategy and aims to bring together the work of all Government Departments in partnership with local people to tackle disadvantage and deprivation in all aspect of everyday life. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy has four interlinking strategic objectives:
- Community Renewal – to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas.
- Economic Renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy.
- Social Renewal – to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments.
- Physical Renewal – to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
2. Strabane Neighbourhood Renewal Area is one of the top 10% most deprived areas in Northern Ireland.
3. The project is being funded by the Department for Communities Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund.
4. The construction included a new 144m² modular community health building equipped with offices, meeting room, counselling room, kitchen and toilet areas and large communal meeting room.
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