County Down Rural Community Network

20/05/2026

🌿✨ Youth Leaders is BACK for 2026! ✨🌿

Are you aged 16–24 and passionate about the outdoors, nature conservation or making a difference in your local environment?

The AONB & Geopark Youth Leader Programme is returning and it’s packed with amazing opportunities to:
🌱 Learn new environmental and leadership skills
🦉 Explore incredible habitats and wildlife
🏕️ Take part in conservation activities and outdoor sessions
🎓 Gain qualifications and awards
🤝 Meet like-minded young people from across the area

Whether you’re thinking about a future career in the environment sector or just love being outdoors, this programme is such an amazing opportunity to build confidence, skills, and experience — all while having fun!

Best of all? It’s completely FREE thanks to funding and support from Landscapes NIand Action Renewables

Applications can be made through https://strangfordlough.org/things-to-do/aonb-geopark-youth-leader-programme-16-24-year-olds/ and close on 31st May

19/05/2026

Inspired by their recent visit to Tidy Randalstown, volunteers from community groups in Warrenpoint are joining forces again for another community clean-up, and are calling for more people to get involved! See below and attached for details.

Beautiful Warrenpoint Warrenpoint Men's Shed Warrenpoint Womens Group Green Spaces Community Growing Project Warrenpoint GAA WBR Chamber of commerce Carlingford Lough Currach Club - CLCC What's The Point? Community Centre For Warrenpoint Friends of Clonallon Park Live Here Love Here

🌿💚 Warrenpoint, We Need You! 💚🌿

Join Beautiful Warrenpoint for our upcoming Community Clean-Up Day and help us protect the beauty of our coastline, streets, and shared spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Every bag collected, every helping hand, and every small action makes a real difference. Together, we can create a cleaner, greener, and more welcoming Warrenpoint while supporting biodiversity and caring for the environment we all love.

🌍 Whether you can spare 30 minutes or the full morning, your support matters.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families, friends, neighbours, schools, clubs, and local businesses are all welcome.
☕ Tea and coffee afterwards and a chance to meet others who care about our community.

📍 Meet outside Warrenpoint Town Hall
📅 Saturday 30th May
⏰ 10:30am – 12:30pm
🧤 Equipment provided, Just wear suitable outdoor clothing.

Let’s come together with pride, positivity, and community spirit to keep Warrenpoint beautiful — for the bees, the blooms, and all of us 🐝🌼

18/05/2026

The Rural Micro Capital Grants Scheme NOW OPEN!!

Capital grants between £500 and £2,500 will be available to rural voluntary and community organisations and Social Economy Enterprises to fund projects tackling locally identified issues of poverty and/or social isolation. The Scheme is funded from DAERA’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme.

Projects must focus on one of the following themes:
• Energy Efficiency or Environmental Improvements.
• Modernisation (of building(s) or assets)
• Information Communication Technology (ICT)
• Health and Wellbeing

The scheme is being delivered by Rural Support Networks on behalf of DAERA. Applicants to the Scheme will be required to provide a minimum of 15% match-funding.
The Scheme closes for applications 12.00pm midday on Monday 22nd June 2026.

See The Link below for applicants to apply:

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/rural-micro-capital-grants-scheme-rmcgs-202627

Please remember, this is an online application only.

CDRCN will be holding online information workshops (not compulsory) for applicants from Ards & North Down, Lisburn & Castlereagh and Newry Mourne & Down Councils on Wednesday 27th May 2026 at 7pm and Tuesday 2nd June 2026 at 10.30am
To register email [email protected]

Please Contact your local CDRCN Team member if you need further assistance
Tel: 028 4461 2311
Email: [email protected]

15/05/2026

Ards and North Down Borough Council - Community Summer Schemes 2026 - Booking Reminder for those living in the Borough.

👉 Booking for Community Development Summer Schemes opens at 9am on Tuesday 19th May 2026, see further information below.

UPDATE 20.5.26 📢 Summer Scheme Update: Spaces Available
Verification/checks have now taken place and a small number of summer scheme spaces have become available in cases where there has been double-booking.
👉These spaces will be bookable at 12noon on Wednesday 20 May 2026.
Book via the Active Youth NI - ANDBC Booking link: https://active-youth-ni.classforkids.io/?className=ANDBC%20Summer%20Scheme%20-%20Active%20for%20All%20Camps
Tickets are only available for one week per child. Parents/Guardians should not book more than one week regardless of location: any additional bookings will be cancelled and refunded.
Please note, there are NO spaces in Alderman George Green or Donaghadee. All other summer scheme locations have a small number of spaces available
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Community Summer Schemes 2026 - Booking Reminder

👉 Booking for Community Development Summer Schemes opens at 9am on Tuesday 19th May 2026

📍 We encourage parents/guardians to register/create an account prior to tickets going on sale: https://active-youth-ni.classforkids.io/login

Full details and a list of Summer Scheme dates and locations is available on our website at www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/summer-schemes

Cost £25 per week, and £12.50 for concession (Children in receipt of free school meals).

This year's Community Development summer schemes will be delivered by Active Youth NI and Community Sports Network.

15/05/2026

The management teams of the Ring of Gullion, Mournes and Strangford and Lecale AONBs are launching their joint Amateur Photography Competition once again in December 2025.

14/05/2026

🚍💚 The Action Cancer rolled into Liatroim Fontenoys on Thursday 7 May 2026, providing vital breast screening and health checks for local people.

Delivered in partnership with our Slieve Croob DEA Forum and County Down Rural Community Network , the visit made it easier for residents to access the important screening and health checks close to home.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day such a success!

13/05/2026

Ards and North Down Borough Council
Youth Arts Training and Heritage Project Grants 2026-27 (Round 2) - Applications Deadline 12 noon on Friday, 15th May 2026

13/05/2026

Ards & North Down Businesses - tourism experience development opportunity

🌟 Experience Development Programme: Capacity-Building Workshops 🌟

Ards and North Down Borough Council is inviting local businesses to join a funded Tourism Experience Programme designed to help shape, enhance and commercialise new visitor experiences across the Borough.

Capacity-Building Workshops are running FREE until 26 May, these workshops are open to businesses keen to build skills, deepen visitor insight and plan for future experience development.

Next up…

💡 Workshop 6: Commercialising & Selling Your Story
📅 Tuesday 26 May | 10am - 12noon
📍 Bangor

Price it right, Market it right

You’ll learn how to:

💷 Turn your developed idea into revenue
🎟 To price for trade and consumer markets
🛒 Choose the right channels to take your product to market.

Sign up now - https://bit.ly/49EPTLj

11/05/2026