Community supermarket hosts visit from Dungannon advisory group
Apex Community Supermarket in Derry~Londonderry recently hosted a visit from the Dungannon ‘Housing for All’ Advisory Group which works to develop and implement a good relations plan to support the shared housing schemes in the mid-ulster town.
The visit allowed members of the group to see first-hand the work of Apex Community Supermarket in providing support to local families experiencing food poverty; with a view to establishing a similar project in the Dungannon area.
The group included representatives from local colleges in Dungannon, the MS support group, local food bank and PSNI neighbourhood policing team.
Constable Victoria Willis from Dungannon neighbourhood policing team commented:
It was really inspiring to see the Community Supermarket up and running and hear about its impact. Catherine and Frances who work in the supermarket have such passion and enthusiasm, and demonstrate such dedication to the families throughout their journey as members of the supermarket.
A similar project in Dungannon would not only benefit our diverse community but also assist us in our role as community police officers, allowing us to signpost people we find in need to such a beneficial resource. We would be willing to work together in any way we can to help make the project a success.
Sharon Hunt, Apex Good Relations Officer, commented:
It was our pleasure to arrange this best practice visit to Apex Community Supermarket for the Dungannon ‘Housing for All’ Advisory Group. Our work in Dungannon aims to build strong community relations in our shared development of Sycamore Drive and the surrounding areas. The stakeholders that make up this advisory group are key to that work; and we will continue to work with them to progress a good relations plan for the Dungannon area that will have impact.
The visit to Apex Community Supermarket was supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.
