A new £44,845 project will be used to foster good relations in the Lisnaskea area.

The grant for the project was obtained via the The Executive Office and its Central Good Relations Fund. Lisnaskea-based South East Fermanagh Foundation will lead on a Project designed to promote and foster good relations within the area.

The main project partner will be Carrosyl Community Association who recently celebrated 20 years serving the local community.

On Wednesday last, 70 local people came together to be part of a Project launch which took place in the adjacent grounds to The Trinity Hall, Lisnaskea. A range of speakers contributed on the day and there were workshops covering the themes of Making Music and Mental Health.

£44,845 has been awarded to enable a project to be delivered with the intent of further building relationships within and between the groups and among younger and older people throughout the Lisnaskea and wider south Fermanagh area.

In a statement, SEFF's Director of Services Kenny Donaldson stated: "SEFF's roots are supporting victims and survivors of 'The Troubles,' and our core focus remains furthering this work, however we are also strongly committed to building positive relationships within the wider community, we view it as a priority to play our part in encouraging integration of people; we support the concept of being good neighbours".

"Over the last four to five years SEFF and Carrosyl Community Association have embarked on a journey together, we acknowledge the integrity of the leadership provided within the Carrosyl Group and together we have already achieved new understanding and an embedded sense of respect."

Secretary of Carrosyl Community Association Kathleen Breen commented: "We at Carrosyl once again welcome the opportunity to work closely with our neighbours, colleagues and friends within SEFF. Our group's ethos is about relationship building and of giving our members the opportunity to engage with others across the full community, relationships between people from different backgrounds were to some degree inhibited over the years of The Troubles."

Concluding Michael Mullin, SEFF's Good Relations Project Officer added: "This year's Project titled; ‘Beyond 2020 Vision: Music, Making and Mental Health’ will engage over 100 older and younger people from across the community, those already attached to SEFF and Carrosyl but also others who have not aligned to any group. There will be five core elements to the Project which will run from September 2021 - March 2022"

"These elements are; Covid: Making Music - from Drake Music Project, Our Mental Health is our Wealth - From Utopian Learning which will see young participants attaining an OCN accreditation, Brexit and its' impact at local level, Centenary celebration of the people of Northern Ireland and Political displays, flags and emblems and their impact. I am honoured to once again be acting as the Project Officer for this important project".