South Armagh Outdoor Recreation Organisations Given The Right to Choose.
The Ring of Gullion team and Sport NI is asking organsiations in south Armagh involved in outdoor sports and recreation, if they are revved up to set up an Outdoor Recreation Forum? There was a very positive meeting on the 26th April in Mullaghbane Community Centre with a number of businesses and groups from the area turning up.
Sport NI was on hand to talk about how other forums have been set up in Northern Ireland and how the groups in these areas have benefited. They also spoke about upcoming funding opportunities in Outdoor Recreation.
One of the priorities for Newry Mourne and Down District Council as part of its Economic Regeneration and Investment Strategy is to develop the council area as Northern Ireland’s premier outdoor/adventure destination and the development of this forum will enable the outdoor groups in the South Armagh to be at the forefront of this exciting time for the area.
Outdoor Recreation is an important element within the sport industry in Northern Ireland and is closely associated with grassroots participation, tourism and family activity. It also plays an important role in actively engaging young people. It has a positive impact in health and fitness, quality of life, reduction in crime, inward investment and work productivity.
The next step will be a workshop in June to get everyone’s ideas pulled together. Sport NI will be on hand to give support and examples of projects in other areas.
So, if you want to develop any recreation activities outdoors; running, walking, cycling, angling, climbing, outdoor swimming, orienteering or something else we haven’t thought of come along and find out how we can work together.
Keep an eye on the website for the date of the workshop in June or contact the office on tel: (028) 3082 8590 or email [email protected].
Sport NI’s definition of outdoor recreation is “Outdoor recreation encompasses all sport and physical recreation that takes place in the natural environment wheather on land, water, air. On land it includes but is not restricted to venues such as forests and woodlands, uplands and open land, caves, beaches and urban parks but also includes activities that take place on trails. In water it can include coastal water, lakes and rivers and can be on or under the water”
This meeting was supported by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Sport NI, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
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