Local residents in the Castlereagh side of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council have voted for the 32 community projects which will receive up to £1,000 of ‘Grand Choice’ funding.

The council is pleased with the variety and number of project ideas generated to benefit its local communities. 

Councillor Sharon Skillen, Leisure & Community Development Chair, said: “I am delighted the second round of Grand Choice, funded as part of the council’s local investment plan for 2021/22, has been a great success. We have allocated £30,000 to projects across the council’s district electoral areas of Castlereagh East and Castlereagh South. 

“Due to the current restrictions votes were cast online as we could not safely hold a community voting event in a local facility.  We are delighted 1,877 individuals took the opportunity to vote online for their favourite 10 local projects.  I would like to commend all those groups and organisations who took the opportunity to think of innovative community projects.”

All projects that will receive financial support relate to one or more of the Take 5 themes of Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.

The council and its partners intend to undertake the next round of Grand Choice in Downshire West in autumn 2021 with a community based voting event subject to government guidance.  From April 2022 it will open for Downshire East, Lisburn North and South commencing April 2022.  The pilot phase took place in Killultagh in February 2020.

Lisburn & Castlereagh PCSP, Sport NI, PSNI, the NI Housing Executive and the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust support this scheme in addition to the council.