The Villages Together

The Villages Together is based in the North West, supporting groups in the rural area between Strabane, Newbuildigs and Donemana.  This includes a range of groups and organisations all aiming to improve this rural area.  The Villages Together promotes partnership and collaborative approaches, encouraging groups to work together for the betterment of the entire area.

The Villages Together recognises the many challenges facing the sector at present and aims to provide local leadership by collaborating and partnering other organisations as well as developing local solutions to local problems.

The Villages Together currently delivers support to the Unionist Community in the Strabane District, with Londonderry YMCA partnering in the Derry City Council area as part of the DARD funded Rural Community Support programme being delivered with RAPID who are based in Killaloo.  This project enables us to support a range of activities whilst also building a positive working relationship with a neighbouring organisation in advance of RPA.

The Villages Together received funding from the Big Lottery Village SOS programme in late 2012.  This funding is to help establish a Social Economy project in Donemana, focusing on Community Re-Use of Household products.  This will be an innovative approach, building social fabric whilst also developing a profit making enterprise which can benefit the wider community.

The Villages Togeher is also researching opportunities in Heritage Development and also ideas to build sustainability through Renewable Energy.