Causeway Coast & Glens Council Approves £42,362 in Christmas Festival Funding

This evening, Causeway Coast & Glens Council's Leisure and Development Committee approved grant awards totalling £42,362 for the Christmas Festival Fund.

This fund enhances the festive spirit by supporting outdoor Christmas celebrations, including lighting Christmas trees across the borough.

• Fund A targets settlements with a population of 1,000 and above, offering up to £2,500 for festive events.
• Fund B is designed for smaller communities with populations between 100 and 1,000, providing grants of up to £750.

The funding encourages community organisations to plan inclusive outdoor events, ensuring cross-community participation.

This year, the fund has been allocated to 30 successful applicants from a pool of 32, with two applications deemed ineligible. Those were Ballycastle Community Group and Compass Advocacy Network Ltd. The former is due to an existing Council-organised event, and the latter is due to not meeting the minimum population requirement.

Councillor Darryl Wilson supported the recommendation.

Councillor Peter McCully noted the early opening of the grant scheme this year, which was a significant improvement based on community feedback. This adjustment allowed for better planning and flexibility, with a one-week extension ensuring comprehensive coverage.

Patricia O'Brien, Funding Unit Manager at Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council, who presented the report, affirmed that opening the scheme earlier was beneficial, allowing communities ample time to plan and apply for the grants. She highlighted the importance of flexibility in the application process, which ensured no area was left out.

Councillor Cara McShane praised the fund's widespread benefit, especially for smaller areas like Ballintoy, which often rely solely on this funding source for their Christmas events.

Councillor McShane recalled discussions about potentially discontinuing such funding, emphasising the positive impact and strong community support for these grants.