The Healthy Clare Strategic Plan 2019-2021 was launched in March 2019 and has secured funding of €374,100.
The open call for projects took place from July to August 2019 and generated great interest. Projects were selected and funding is being awarded through the Clare Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) which is a sub-committee of Clare County Council and made up of public and private sector representation.
Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council complimented the Department of Health for its vision in providing funding to local community and voluntary organisations in order to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of the County. He said that raising awareness within communities of the importance of looking after your health and wellbeing is the ideal place to ground the Healthy Ireland agenda and this funding supports that.
The Clare Local Community Development Committee is responsible for managing the fund which has also been welcomed by Andrew Dundas, Chairperson of the committee. He outlined how the Local Community Development Committee and the Clare Children and Young People’s Services Committee agreed to submit the joint funding application which is a welcome boost to the County and supports the implementation of the strategy objectives.
Karen Fennessy, Healthy Clare Co-ordinator with Clare County Council explained that the funding relates to three strands which include ‘Healthy Ireland’, ‘Community Mental Health’ and ‘Small Grants funding for Mental Health’. This funding will benefit many worthwhile projects being undertaken by the Community and Voluntary sector throughout Clare and it is wonderful to see the emergence of fantastic initiatives that aim to support the implementation of the strategy and the ethos of a Healthy Clare.
Some of the projects being funded relate to:-
- Building healthy minds, reaching many of the target groups county-wide
- Prevention and recovery projects engaging people who are in recovery and those at risk of drug & alcohol related harm
- Fitness and wellbeing for all through the lifespan
- Athletics for children with disabilities
- Social Health Education Programmes for Mental Well-being (empowering people to help themselves)
Further information can be requested by emailing: healthyclare@clarecoco.ie