LEADER Funding Advice For Clare Community And Voluntary Groups

Community and voluntary groups involved in conservation, tourism or heritage in County Clare are being invited to participate in a workshop focusing on the process and benefits of applying for funding under the EU LEADER Rural Development Programme.

Clare Local Development Company will host the event, which takes place at the Woodstock Hotel in Ennis from 9.30am to 1.30pm on Saturday 4th February 2012. Registration for the event closes on Wednesday 1st February.

€1.8m was paid out to a wide range of community and enterprise projects in Clare during 2011 under the current LEADER Programme, bringing to €3m the amount paid out locally since 2009. The actual amount approved in this period was €5.5m.  CLDC will allocate more than €5m to local projects and initiatives during the period 2012-2013, while it expects to pay out €2.5m to pre-approved projects during 2012.

Commenting on the background to the workshop, Sue Targett, Social Inclusion & Community Development Manager said: “CLDC has recently embarked upon a new support programme for community groups in Clare. We are keen to seek out and to provide support to a broad range of community projects in the areas of heritage, conservation and tourism in 2012 and 2013, and enable community and voluntary groups to avail of LEADER funding.”

She continued: “The aim of the upcoming workshop, entitled ‘Applying for LEADER funding – the process and benefits explained’, is to help community groups to become more familiar with the significant benefits of LEADER, to facilitate a better understanding of LEADER requirements, and also to support more communities to potentially avail of rural development funding towards improving tourism, conservation and, or heritage projects, activities and facilities in their local areas.”

“Over €5 million in LEADER funding is available to support and fund a wide variety of projects in Clare in 2012 and 2013. CLDC is keen that new community projects and initiatives are encouraged and supported, firstly through groups gaining a better understanding of LEADER and secondly, so that more groups are in a position to avail of and make successful tourism, conservation and heritage funding applications during 2012 and 2013”, Ms. Targett added.

Alan Hill Tourism and Maureen Ward Consulting have been engaged by CLDC to facilitate the ‘upcoming workshop in conjunction with the CLDC LEADER team.   Maureen and Alan have between them over 40 years’ experience of working on successful tourism, heritage and rural development initiatives.

Maureen Ward explained that the workshop repented an ideal opportunity for community groups to better understand what is required in seeking LEADER funding and how to access it.

She noted: “We will be providing advice and guidance during 2012 to a number of local groups to help and support eligible LEADER projects to application stage, so that their project idea can become a reality through LEADER funding.”

“CLDC aims to support up to twelve new projects in community tourism, heritage and conservation over the next 12 months. Therefore, group that have a project idea, which is tourism, environment or heritage related, should consider attending the workshop on the Saturday 4th February 2012 at the Woodstock Hotel, Ennis. Registration is essential”, Ms. Ward concluded.

LEADER is the EU initiative for Rural Development that provides approved Local Action Groups with public funding (EU and national) to implement plans for the development of their own areas. Under the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme, funding of €425.4m is being provided for LEADER projects, 55% from the EU and 45% from the Irish Exchequer. The funding represents the largest ever package for rural development in Ireland.

Groups wishing to register should email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The FAI and Aviva are delighted to announce that the Soccer Sisters are back for the 2nd year running with even more Easter camps (55) running all over the country.

The girls' only camps, which are now in their second year, cater for 7-11 year olds with the aim of increasing the number of girls playing football and to improve their skills in a fun, structured and a safe coaching environment. FAI development officers, who coach the camps, link the camps to local clubs to ensure that girls wishing to continue playing have an option to do so.

Each participant receives a special Soccer Sister Kit and water bottle, as well as excellent week long coaching.
Speaking of the programme, Women's Football National Coordinator, Paul Cleary said: "Last year this programme was a great success, with girls taking part in the camps all over Ireland. This programme is a great way to introduce girls to football. Many participants from last year's programme are now playing regular club football because they enjoyed their experience so much."

Also speaking at the launch, Trevor Lowry (pictured below) from Aviva General Insurance said, "The growth of Soccer Sisters is testimony to the extensive work of the FAI Development Officers throughout the country in delivering a great training and coaching experience. Aviva is very proud to partner the FAI in this work and support the growth and development of Ireland's young soccer players around the country."

Republic of Ireland international, Gillian McDonald, said, "I started playing football when I was young and would have loved the opportunity to play on an Aviva Soccer Sisters Camp. I visited the camp in Monaghan last year and I saw how much fun the girls had and also how they grew in confidence as players over the time I was there."

Tulla United will be hosting it this year at The Cragg, Tulla from Monday  April 2nd to Thursday  5th 10am to 1pm
for Girls age 7 to 12 Each Girl  gets full FAI  Soccer Sisters  Kit  the cost is €40 and To Book a place,  Call  / Text   087– 9294335 Murdoch Gleeson

Colin Corbett flys home from Arizona on New Years Day as Junior Nationals Champion. He had an emphatic 21-14, 21-8 victory over Tyler Stoffel in the 15 & under decider.

and doubles and Colin Crehan (Kilkishen) U17 singles and doubles will parade with the

Tulla Pipe Band through the town of Tulla this Saturday night, Janurary 7th, leaving

the church at 8pm.

This will be followed with refreshments at Power's Bar Tulla immediately afterwards.

We invite you all to join this celebration with both clubs and mark this magnificent

achievement by both of these young players who have brought massive pride to both

their clubs, county and country.

Well Done to Colin and  all involved  Picture from

http://www.gaahandball.ie/

Tulla Astro turf pitch is now open for bookings and will be available every evening up until 10.00pm.  The cost for half of the pitch will be 50 euro per hour with a discount if you take the full pitch.  All monies raised through this will go towards the running of the pitch and every club who wishes to use it will have to pay the same fees.  The astro turf Pitch will generate at least 30,000 euro over the next five years which go towards the developement of the the Tulla 2016 facilities.

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