Local village centre receives two awards

DARNDALE Belcamp Village Centre received two awards in the space of two days for the successful delivery of services to the local community. 

Lord Mayor of Dublin Mícheál MacDonncha presented the Social Enterprise Grant Scheme Award to the centre at an event in the Civic Offices, Wood Quay. 

Darndale Belcamp Village Centre received the award for its Handy Helpers service and €7,000 in funding to help with staffing costs and the purchase of a new van for the service.

Awards totalling €49,500 were presented to five social enterprises which are carrying out innovative and dynamic work in communities and areas across Dublin city. 

Handy Helpers is an affordable home maintenance and decluttering service for older people living in the areas of Dublin 5, 13 and 17. 

Handy Helpers offers support and advice on how to secure your home and can offer assistance with obtaining grants for home improvements. It also offers a project management service for larger jobs and referrals to trusted contractors.

Meanwhile, the centre won the Community Impact Award in the Medium category of The Wheel's Charity Impact Awards, for its Golden Years Senior Centre. 

Nicko Murphy, PRO for the Darndale Belcamp Village Centre, said: “We would like to thank everyone who voted for Golden Years and helped us to win this award.

“The support we have received has been amazing and we are thrilled to have our work in the community recognised by so many people.” 

Golden Years strives to improve the lives of older people by providing much needed services to its members, ensuring they can live independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. 

The centre offers an extensive range of services including full day-care, outreach support, social events, activities, clubs and daytrips. 

Currently, Golden Years' membership is up to 1,151, the number of people who avail of the service on a regular basis. 

Mr Murphy added: “Winning the Community Impact Award is a significant achievement for Darndale Belcamp Village Centre because we work tirelessly to improve the lives of people living in our community through the delivery of high quality services such as Golden Years, The Community Pride Project and the latest addition to our services, Handy Helpers.” 

Darndale Belcamp Village Centre is also responsible for the management of the Village Centre complex on behalf of the community. 

For more information about any of its services, visit www.darndalebelcampvc.ie or find them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!