Fingal Chamber Community Fund

COMMUNITY FUND: FINGAL CHAMBER COMMUNITY FUND

This year Fingal Chamber awarded over €15,000 to community-led projects and activities under the new Fingal Chamber Community Fund, with the announcement made at a special online event with Minister Joe O’Brien.

Financed by supporters and contributions from the Chamber itself, the fund is set up to award small grants of between €1,000 and €5,000 yearly.

Despite being in its first year, the Fingal Chamber Community Fund was heavily oversubscribed, receiving over 120 submissions collectively requesting more than €365,000. The Chamber received applications from voluntary community groups, established clubs, local charities, and residents’ associations from local communities, amongst other organisations.

A total of 11 grants were awarded to groups and the funded activities included a coaching cultural awareness project, a girls’ football academy, a gender diversity programme for local radio, ambulance equipment, and a youth employability programme.

Below you can read about outcomes of some of the projects that were funded in 2021.

If your business would like to get involved in supporting this work please contact us to see how we can make an even greater impact together. For more information, please email David Branagan, Communications and Engagement, by email david@fingalchamber.ie or visit www.fingalchamber.ie/community

REPORTS FROM THREE OF THE 2021 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Coaching Cultural Awareness (Blakestown Mountview Youth Initiative)

BMYI is a referral based service dedicated to meeting the needs of young people and their families living in the Dublin 15 area. They wanted to train young people in coaching skills so that they can listen to and guide their peers if they experience issues relating to racism, social exclusion and isolation. In parallel they wanted to run an intercultural awareness programme so that young people from different cultures can better understand each other and thereby remove barriers to relationship building.

Grant: €2,500

What difference has this project made to the people that were involved in it?

There was a huge boost in confidence and the ability to be able to coach people. In addition, there was a great sense of connection at the groups. The sense of learning that was achieved in the room that was significant - there were people from different walks of life, different age groups and different cultures. The learning from the content was great but the learning from the people was even better.

Tell us about the wider benefits that the project has brought to your community?

We had targeted different age groups so that we could reach parents and young people. As a result we’ve set in motion a strategy to reach a greater range of people and also bring attention to the community originating solutions. There is also a lot of interest in the programmes going forward.

Did you meet the goals that you set out?

Yes, we have developed the coaching programme and all the contents. We have also developed the cultural awareness programme and all the contents. Both of these programmes are now permanent fixtures in our offering. We now have everything in place to hit our targets and go beyond that as we can run it as a fixture now. Furthermore, there is lots of interest from local schools, one of which is part of the yellow flag programme. Also, with the lifting of restrictions we can cater for larger group sizes which is needed for coaching practice sessions.

Greenhouse at Turvey Allotments (Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed)

Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed is affiliated to the Irish Men’s Shed Association, and is open to membership to men of any age in the Donabate Portrane area; although the majority of their members are over 60 years of age.

Having demonstrated their active and productive use of their plot at Turvey Allotments, Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed hoped to acquire a second plot. They needed a greenhouse on this to cater for propagation of plants for later planting out, for plants which require warmer conditions and for winter growing.

Grant: €1,000

What difference has this project made to the people that were involved in it?

The greenhouse has allowed us to expand our use of the allotments. It has facilitate propagating plants for later planting out and growing plants which require warmer conditions. It will also cater for winter growing. Approximately half of our members actively engage in work at our allotment. It has provided a safe and productive activity, even under Covid-19 restrictions.

Tell us about the wider benefits that the project has brought to your community?

Donabate Men’s Shed has liaised with Donabate Tidy Towns about propagating plants at our allotment for their use in the Donabate area in Spring and Summer 2022. Friends and family of members have enjoyed the produce (mainly vegetables) from our allotments.

Did you meet the goals that you set out?

Due to Trojan work of members, we managed to exceed our expectations. On Monday 29th March 2021, Fingal County Council confirmed the letting of a second plot to Donabate Portrane Men’s Shed. By the following Friday, the ground was cleared and the greenhouse was in place. Since then, raised beds have been set up inside and outside the greenhouse and potatoes, cabbage, peas, broad beans, scallions, onions, strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, beetroot, lettuce (propagated in the greenhouse), apples, pears and plums have been harvested outside the greenhouse. A bumper crop of tomatoes, parsley, chives and rosemary have been produced inside. We’ve also planted vines, new strawberry plants, brussels sprouts, sunflowers and peas in the greenhouse for later plating out next season.

Girls Soccer Academy Setup (Swords Celtic Football Club)

Swords Celtic FC is an established schoolboy football club (formed 1962) with a newly formed girls section and inclusivity football 4 all, along with a traditional senior team.

Swords Celtic has built an U14, U11 and U9 girls teams in the last 2 years, however to increase participation in the girls section, they wished to establish a girls academy (4 to 7 year olds) as well as an U8 team. To do this successfully they needed to invest in particular equipment, specifically goals for small sided games, footballs, cones, bibs etc.

Grant: €2,178

What difference has this project made to the people that were involved in it?

The launch of the girls soccer academy has been a phenomenal success. The launch saw 30 girls register and this has since grown to 44. The flyers informed and assisted in the recruitment of the girls, while the opportunity to purchase essential equipment enabled the girls to have the best possible participation experience.

Tell us about the wider benefits that the project has brought to your community?

The success of the flyer distribution has not only brought success to the new girls-only Academy but has had a knock-on effect on girls of all ages signing up to play football with Swords Celtic.

We subsequently have added a new U8 girls team, a second U9 girls team and a second U12s team in addition to our existing girls teams. This has provided a wonderful benefit to girls in Swords and the wider community by improving their health and wellbeing and allowing them the opportunity to partake in a sport that in the past was not afforded to them. The benefits of team participation and the equal opportunity for girls to boys has been warmly received.

Did you meet the goals that you set out?

We have exceeded our goals and have been astounded by the positive response we have received from the children and their families alike. We cannot thank Fingal Chamber and their supporters enough for affording us this fantastic opportunity.

Supporting the Community Fund

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) can benefit your business by raising the profile of your company. Being active locally can enhance brand awareness by establishing new relationships, connecting with the community and meeting new people.

The transformative effect on individuals, organisations, communities and society is a portal to active citizenship, social inclusion and solidarity.

The Fingal Chamber Community Fund is open to supporters from all businesses within the region. The Supporter categories are:

- Patron €2,500 per annum

- Large Corporate €1,000 per annum

- SME €500 per annum

Supporters are credited with participating in the SDG related projects undertaken by Fingal Chamber and profiled in accordance with their category.

For more information, please email David Branagan, Communications and Engagement, by email david@fingalchamber.ie or visit www.fingalchamber.ie/community

" Goodness is the only investment that never fails" - HENRY DAVID THOREAU