Peace IV projects bringing communities together with '˜FUN'

Speaking to the ‘Journal’, James McCartney, a Peace IV worker for Triax Neighbourhood Partnership, said there are several projects ongoing, that involve residents from both Bishop Street and the Fountain, as well as community groups from across the city.

“We’re currently running the FUN programme, which involves taking residents on bus trips to different locations.

“It’s about bringing families together. FUN stands for Families Uniting Neighbourhoods.

“What our aim is for the bus trips, is to try and do something educational as well as something fun.

“There has been a great uptake for the project so far, with 44 people from both sides of the community attending recently.

“Recently we went to Dundonald Ice Bowl, but before we did that we went to the East Belfast Mission.

“There we spoke to Linda Irvine who comes from a unionist background, but is a big campaigner for the Irish Language Act.

“For the next trip, we’re visiting Tropical World in Letterkenny, but before that we will speak to members of the Orange Order in Donegal, and everyone on the trip can learn something from it” he said.

Other projects that James and the team are working on include culture nights, which bring families together in a neutral venue, while learning about other cultures in Derry.

“We bring in representatives from different community groups in the city, to learn about different food, traditions and culture,” he added.

The two-year programme is funded by Peace IV, andbuilds on the idea of workingwith ethnic miniority groups in the city.

“The aim is to not make it a token gesture, it’s about making these groups feel as if they are part of the community in the city. It has a knock on effect as the groups become more involved in other projects we run.

“This is also building on the work that has been carried out in the Peace Walls project since 2012,” he said.