West Belfast community groups hail success of largest ever residents meeting

A West Belfast community group has hailed the success of its largest ever community meeting as residents and organisations came together to discuss positive changes needed for its community.

The Beechmount Residents Collective held the meeting in the local parish hall on November 20, and were joined by local residents and community organisations such as The Three Sisters Gardening Community-West Belfast, Clowney Alley, IUE Cultúr & Teanga, CATU Belfast, The Forest Alley and St John's ambulance.

The aim of the meeting was to see what grassroots projects could be put in place to uplift the area with residents highlighting concerns around housing conditions, the promotion of the Irish language and culture, alleyway regeneration and development and youth projects.

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Plans for upcoming Christmas events were also discussed such as an indoor community market on December 8, a community dinner on December 11, a Santa bus on December 16 and children's Christmas disco on December 18.

Sean Doherty of the Beechmount Residents Collective said: "The meeting was a success and for myself it was brilliant to see the community come together. We want to build grassroot unity and bring much needed resources to the mid-Falls area, especially youth work as we are seeing a generation of young people being lost with no real leadership on the ground. We also want to bring bigger events and hope for a mini festival for all to take part and enjoy.

"Over the years and the past few months it has not been easy for the group and myself as a lot has been going on but we are glad it is all past us and we remain to be transparent to everyone in our community

"The future looks good for the BRC and I look forward to working together on different issues that affect the people of the area together we can be that change."

Conal MacMathúna from Catu said: "It was a great event hosted by the BRC, they have been doing fantastic work over the past months and it’s admirable and correct that they organised a broad meeting of community groups tackling a range of important issues.

"I think our collective struggle is community building, it was clear at the meeting that this was our core objective, and we are all taking on a different element of it.

"CATU is an all island community & tenants union formed in 2019. From our perspective as CATU, we want to work with every like minded group who is committed to challenging injustice in our communities.

"We are a community and tenants union whose ultimate goal is Universal public housing. We have been fighting multiple cases in the Beechmount area ranging from stopping evictions, winning back stolen deposits and providing support to our members.

"We want to be part of a broad progressive front which challenges the systemic injustices across housing, language, health & the environment."

Brenda Gough from The Three sisters gardening community West Belfast said: "The Beechmount Residents Collective efforts to pull together local groups and coordinate with residents is showing movement, which was evident with the meeting the BRC organised recently. People felt heard, which is essential.

"The Three Sisters Gardening Community Group has been campaigning for a strategy to improve our immediate environment for many years, and this was an opportunity to discuss the greening and development of alleyways within our district.

"There's a real sense of unity and hope that is so badly needed. Disconnection has taken hold, and the BRC is working so hard to tackle this serious issue.

"It's a very exciting time, and we're looking forward to pushing forward with growing positivity, which was evident at the meeting in the new year."

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