Residents take part in Model Farm clean-up

Residents take part in Model Farm clean-up

15 August 2018

OVER 50 children and adults took part in a clean-up organised by the recently formed Model Farm Community Association in Downpatrick.

They spent a day and a half this week helping to get rid of large bulky rubbish as well as completing the huge litter-pick started by the Journey Church summer scheme last week.

Local councillor Cadogan Enright, who took part in the clean-up, said the community organisation had gone from house to house ensuring that old bulky rubbish was properly disposed of at the council’s nearby civic amenity centre.

Council staff were also present with their giant recycling education van and ran shows for the dozens of young people throughout the afternoon.

Residents’ spokeswoman Sharon Gordon said: “Council needs to do a bulk lift around this area two or three times a year with no charges. There are a lot of people in this area on the lowest levels of social welfare and the council’s flat charge is simply unaffordable.

Kyla Hannaway, vice-chairwoman of the community association, said: “This was an amazing event for building local morale. We paid particular attention to the pensioners in Ballymote Park and Islandbane Walk before moving on to attend the rest of the estates.

“Some residents had two or three items that they had not previously been able to be rid of owing to lack of transport or inability to pay the flat charge.”

Community association committee member Lyzanne Flynn said: “We would like to thanks Gerry Hynds in Bargainland for safety gloves, Supervalu for drinks and snacks for the children involved and Charlie Walsh who gave lots of crisps for the children who were helping the event.”

The community association has appealed for anyone who wants to be involved in further activities to make themselves known to the committee who are as follows: Sharon Gordon, Lyzanne Flynn, Kyla Hannaway, Marian Kearney, Jodie Milligan, Michelle Kearney, Dathaí Clinton, Debra Finlay, Martina Curley, Agnes and Paul Greenway, Paddy McGreevy, Doreen Gouldie, Laura Kendall and pensioners spokesman Sean Fee. 

Cllr Enright said: “This new committee is in the final stages of being constituted. With support from NIHE, the council and other agencies. I feel confident that they will go from strength to strength.

“The Model Farm has needed an active community group for a long time past and they already have ambitious plans for the area. Filling two giant skips as well as dozens of trips with trailers to the civic centre was an outstanding result.”