Winter warmth on Doury Road in Ballymena

A pioneering Ballymena community organisation is making sure it’s residents keep warm this winter.

Doury Road Development Group has distributed 160 ‘Warm Home Packs’ to every household on their estate, savings householders’ money during the winter months.

The packs contain useful items for keeping the cold at bay, such as thermal socks, gloves, hats and fleece blankets.

As well as the personal items, help with household management is provided in the form of three energy saving light bulbs, along with a thermos flask, as residents can save money by reducing the amount of kettle boils, for comforting cups of tea and coffee.

Advice and money saving tips from the Consumer Council is included, along with a check list sticker from the PSNI aimed at helping the elderly deal with unknown doorstep callers.

Residents have had difficulties with pipes and plumbing in previous winters, so each house will be given a stop-cock sticker to help limit water supplies during emergencies.

David McGuckin, Chairperson of Doury Road Development Group, explained; “Our organisation was looking for simple and effective ways to help local people cope during the winter.

“We’ve had a lot of help from various agencies.

“Power NI provided the low energy light bulbs and 10 packs were provided by the council and with additional funding from the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, through their Communities in Transition Programme we were able to purchase more bags and items for distribution to every home in the estate.

“Our community volunteers hit the streets on Saturday, December 3 and were ‘warmly’ received on the doorsteps by residents.

“We also included a list of key contact numbers for community and emergency services and a list of our organisation’s events over Christmas, to reduce the sense of social isolation some residents can feel – we really want all our residents to feel a part of our activities!”

Chrissie Cahill, Development Worker at the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, who administer the International Fund for Ireland backed Communities in Transition Programme, believes; “Activities like this prove that Doury Road is a community looking after its most vulnerable in difficult times.

“Working in the area for the last two years, the spirit being generated by Doury Road Development Group reflects renewed community strength and sense of confidence in the area.

“Looking after the most vulnerable during winter is so important, but to roll out this service to every household is no mean feat and an initiative which shows the real face of the residents of Doury Road.”

You can contact Doury Road Development Group through Jan Roscoe, the Finance and Admin Officer on 07879 767 878.

For more information on the Communities in Transition Programme, call 028 90 245 927.