Janet Adebola Jones and Ciara McCluskey from Sanctuary Runners, one of the groups to receive funding from Bank of Ireland's 'Begin Together' programme, along with the bank's Group Chief Executive, Francesca McDonagh.

Athlone refugee support group to benefit from bank's community funding

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New Horizon, Athlone's refugee and asylum seeker support group, has been named as one of almost 100 beneficiaries of community and arts funding from Bank of Ireland's €825,000 Begin Together programme.

Begin Together provides funding support for grassroots community groups, social enterprises, and artists.

In total, €825,000 is being allocated to groups across the island of Ireland.

Community Fund grantees will receive up to €20,000 for projects spanning financial literacy and wellbeing, mental health, disability, inclusion and diversity, and social isolation.

Successful applicants for the Begin Together Arts Fund, meanwhile, will receive up to €10,000 to support new works in music, theatre, dance, traditional arts, the visual arts, film and craft.

The Midlands projects being supported by Begin Together are:

* The New Horizon Athone Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Group, which provides social supports to asylum seekers and refugees living at the direct provision accommodation centre in Athlone.

* Sorca McGrath, Westmeath: A series of workshops for artists to share psycho-educational material around creativity and mental health.

* Embrace FARM, based in County Laois, which offers support services to the families and friends of those affected by farming accidents.

* Clonaslee Wheelchair Basketball (Laois) which helps people with physical disabilities to play wheelchair basketball.

* Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland (Longford Branch) which aims to expand its online physiotherapy classes and to reintroduce one-to-one sessions.

* Exchange House Ireland – Midlands Traveller Preparation Programme. This will help prepare Travellers who are working to access the Diploma in Community Development Practice, with a focus on Wellbeing, from NUIG.

* Fusion, a collaborative project between Mullingar Town Band and The Petitswood Art Makers from Mullingar Resource Centre.

* Emily Cuddy and Loretto McGarry 'The smallest piece can complete the puzzle': This will see local people working together apart to create a tapestry that will be exhibited in Longford Library.

More information about all the projects supported by Begin Together is available here.

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