WIREDGOV

The National Lottery Community Fund has today announced grants totaling £4,978,381 benefiting 117 projects across Northern Ireland.

Projects being supported include activity connecting people and communities, improving mental health and supporting the environment.

Belfast Interface Project have received a £253,776 grant to bring together local people in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry using state of the art augmented technology, to help plan and redevelop where they live.

Paul Smith from Belfast Interface Project (centre) demonstrates their state of the art augmented technology app to support communities to redevelop their areas, to Caitriona O'Neill, Eimear Kelly and Kevin Barry Brown from the Star Neighbourhood Centre in Belfast

Joe O’Donnell, Director, Belfast Interface Project explained:

“Thanks to this National Lottery grant, we will bring our augmented reality toolkit to communities allowing people living there to work together. The toolkit lets them visually look at how their area is now and design what it could be like to benefit them, with things like green spaces, changes to roads and access, new facilities and community buildings.

“Everyone can take part from their phone or tablet and can make suggestions and vote on what they want. It links areas and people, giving them an opportunity to have a say, without physical or social barriers.

“So far through the toolkit, we have brought together hundreds of community groups and community stakeholders in East and West Belfast who normally wouldn’t be in contact, building new relationships, and they have been planning together. Young people involved have become leaders in their community for change and thanks to this grant, we can now take the next steps in making them a reality through further work with Councils and policy makers.”

Click here for the full press release