©Edward Byrne Photography

Tak£500! Your Community, Your Voice, Your Choice is a new and exciting opportunity for everyone who lives in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough to come up with a creative idea through a Participatory Budgeting (PB) process.

PB offers a real opportunity to empower local people and actively involve them in decision making and the distribution of support within their local areas. Communities can apply for up to £1000 for a project that they think will benefit their area – and best of all, it is the local residents who decide which projects receive the funding.

Ideas must be based around the ‘Take 5 Ways of Wellbeing’. These are five simple steps to help maintain and improve your wellbeing on a daily basis. They are:

1. Connect with people around you
2. Be Active in some way each day
3. Take Notice of the world around you and how you are feeling
4. Keep Learning by trying something new
5. Give by doing something nice for someone else

The application process is in two stages:

Stage one: Generating ideas and Apply – this is a short application form which can be completed online via www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/take500plus

There are a number of information sessions that groups can attend to receive further support for their application.

• Monday, 11 December 11th 2023, 7pm – 8pm: Chamber at the Palace Demesne, Armagh
• Tuesday 12 December 2023, 7pm – 8pm: Chamber at the Civic Building, Banbridge
• Wednesday 13 December 2023, 7pm – 8pm: Craigavon Civic and Conference Centre

Or join us online via zoom on the dates below:

• Wednesday December 13^th, 10am – 11am
• Tuesday January 9th 2024, 10am – 11am
• Wednesday January 10th 2024, 2pm – 3pm
• Wednesday January 10th 2024, 7pm – 8pm

Stage two: Applications that meet the criteria will be invited to the Market Place and Decision Making Events to showcase their projects and it will be up to the community to decide on which projects are funded.

Market Place and Decision Making Events will be held as follows:

• Saturday 24 February 2024 10.30am – 2.30pm, Craigavon Civic Centre
• Saturday 2 March 2024 10.30am – 2.30pm Banbridge Leisure Centre
• Saturday 9 March 2024 10.30am – 2.30pm Armagh City Hotel

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR COUNCIL

Contact number: 0300300900

Email: communityplanning@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk

Website: www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/take500plus

Facebook: facebook.com/armaghbanbridgecraigavon

Twitter: @abcb_council

Hashtag: #TAKE500+ #yourcommunityyourvoiceyourchoice #ConnectedABC