BUSHMILLS AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL TRUSTEE'S REPORT FOR MARCH, 2023 2023 MAY...WE HAD A TEA PARTY ON FRIDAY 5TH MAY, 2023 TO CELEBRATE KING CHARLES, CORONATION. AROUND 40 PEOPLE FROM THE OVER 55'S AGE GROUP CAME ALONG FOR TEA, SANDWICHES AND CAKE HELD IN BUSHMILLS COMMUNITY CENTRE. WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THIS EVENT WITH THE HELP OF CCGBC GRANT OF £300. EVERYONE HAD A GREAT TIME, WITH SOME IN FANCY DRESS AND A TOY CORGI MADE A SPECIAL APPEARANCE. JULY... WE ORGANISED A TRIP TO LIMAVADY TO SEE THE ORANGE HERITAGE MUSEUM, WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING. WE HAD LUNCH ATTHE MARKETYARD, IDELICIOUSII AND HAD TIME FOR SOME SHOPPING AND A QUICK VISIT TO THE ROE VALLEY ARTS CENTRE. WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GEThING A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL LOThERY WHICH HELPED TO PAY FOR HIRE OF THE COMMUNITY CENTRE, REFRESHMENTS, EXERCISE TUTOR, CRAFTS AND CLASSES FOR THE IVY LEAF LADIES AND THE MEN'S SHED. AUGUST... A GROUP FROM THE COMMUNITY GARDEN PAID A VISITTO TULLYGARLEY COMMUNITY GARDEN TO AEND A WILD ISLES WORKSHOP. WE LEARNT ABOUT WOODL4ND, WILDLIFE, FLOWERS AND FAUNA AND SOIL. ROBIN SWANN, MLA, AND LOCAL COUNCILLOR , SANDRA HUNTER ,PAID A VISIT TO THE COMMUNITY GARDEN. MR SWANN WAS VERY IMPRESSED AND SAID HE WOULD BE BACK AGAIN. A WHISKEY BARREL WORKSHOP WAS ADVERTISED BY THE DESIGNERIE IN BUSHMMILLS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNCIL, FOR GROUPS TO DESIGN AND PAINT A BARREL FOR THE SALMON AND WHISKEY FESTIVAL. SIX MEMBERS FROM BDCA TOOK PART. THEY ALL HAD FUN WORKING TOGETHER TO PRODUCE SOME STUNNING ART WORK AND OUR BARRELS ARE ON DISPLAY IN THE COMMUNITY GARDEN. SEPTEMBER... SAW THE START OF USING OUR NATIONAL LorrERY COMMUNITY FUNDING GRANT. THE COMMUNITYGARDEN RECEIVED IT'S SECONDVISIT FROM ROBIN SWANN, MLA AND SANDRA HUNTER. THEY WERE BOTH PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY HOW MUCH WORK HAD BEEN DONE AND SAID THAT WE WERE DOING A GREAT JOB. OCTOBER.. THE SALMON AND WHISKEY FESTIVAL WAS HELD IN THE TOWN OVER 3 DAYS AT THE START OF THE MONTH. THE BUSHMILLS BUSINESS TRUST AND THE COUNCIL HAD ASKED THE COMMUNITY GARDEN TO TAKE PART IN THIS YEAR'S EVENT. WE HAD AN OPEN DAY ON THE SUNDAY FOR VISITORS AND LOCALS TO COME ALONG AND SEE WHAT WE WERE ALL ABOUT. WE ACCOMMODATED 2 WORKSHOPS IN OUR MARQUEE FOR FLORAL ART AND WOOD TURNING FOR THE DESIGNERIE, WHICH GENERATED SOME INCOME FOR US. A MEMBER FROM BDCA, DONATED LOTS OF CLAY FLOWER POTS, FOR THE LADIES OF THE IVY LEAF CLUB TO PAINT AND DECORATE, SO WE COULD SELL THEM AT THE FESTIVAL OVER THE WEEKEND, AS WELL. SEVEN MEMBERS TOOK PART IN A CROSSCOMMUNITY WILLOW SESSION WHICH WAS ORGANISED BYTHE DESIGNERIE. IT WAS HELD OVER 3 DAYS WITH EACH COMMUNITYVISITING THE OTHER TO SEE WHAT EACH GROUP HAD DONE. NOVEMBER...COMMIThEE MEMBERS GOT BUSY WITH OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS FROM BUSHMILLS TO ORGANISE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH-ON. THEY ALL MET UP EVERY WEEK BECAUSE OF THE TIGHT TIMELINE TO GET EVERYTHING SORTED. IT WAS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING BUTTHE GROUP SUCCEEDED IN THE END. 10 MEMBERS AThENDED WELL-BEING IN WINTER EVENT HELD IN THE MARINE HOTEL IN BALLYCASTLE. LOTS OF INFORMATION FOLLOWED BY A LUNCH. THE EVENT WAS HOSTED BY C.O.A.S.T. A BUS LOAD SET OFF FROM BUSHMILLS TO BELFAsf CHRISTMAS MARKETS DECEMBER... BUSHMILLS DOES CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH-ON WAS A GREAT SUCCESS DESPITE THE WEATHER. QUOTE FROM ONE BUSINESS OWNER.. . IT'S THE BEST EVENT IN A LONG TIME" BDCA DONATED £200 TOWARDS MEATVOUCHERS FOR OLDER, LOCAL RESIDENTS LIVING ON THEIR OWN.
WE HAD OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON AT BUSHFOOTGOLF CLUB WITH 36 PEOPLE AThENDING. 2024 JANUARY... A GREATSTARTTO THE YEAR WITH FUNDING FROM THE CLOONTY WIND FARM OF JUST OVER £9K. OUR FIRST PURCHASE WAS A FINER GRADE OF STONES FOR THE PATHS AND PARKING AREA. TWO LADIES ArrENDED AGE CHAMPION TRAINING, HOSTED BY C.O.A.S.T, IN THE LODGE HOTEL. IT CONTINUED FOR THREE MONTHS AT ONE DAY PER MONTH AND A VISITTO NEWTOWNABBEY AND LISBURN FOR A BEST PRACTISE CLASS. 5 MEMBERS WERE INVITED ALONG TO SEE HOWTHE PROGRESS WAS GOING IN THE OLD COURTHOUSE. FEBRUARY. 3 MEMBERS WENT TO A "SOCIAL SPARKS" WORKSHOP HELD AT THE ENTERPRISE CAUSEWAY OFFICES IN COLERAINE. 15 MEMBERS OF BDCA ArrENDED A CHARITY COMMISSION GOVERNANCE TRAINING SESSION AT THE LODGE HOTEL WITH DR KATE LAVERTY TAKING THE COURSE. THIS WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE AND WELL PRESENTED. MARCH. 14 LADIES FROM THE IVY LEAF CLUB WERE INVITED ALONG TO A CERAMICS WORKSHOP IN FLOWERFIELDS IN PORTSTEWART. i¥• l* Buskniils -o.mmuniLy_. BARREL PAINTING COMMUNITY GARDEN SIGNAGE MADE BY A MEMBER ORDONS cy8MIST5 WILLOW PLANTING BUSHMILLS DOES CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON