The money is being awarded through the council’s Community Facilities Fund as part of its Local Investment Plan 2023/24 and will be used to improve facilities and services. Councillor Thomas Beckett, Community & Wellbeing Committee Chairman said: “We are proud to support grassroots community and voluntary organisations through this fund. In turn, they will be able to help a diverse range of groups across the cultural, sport, community, education and voluntary sectors. “The health and wellbeing of the local community is at the heart of these groups. They will use this funding to meet service user needs as well as to improve or increase accessibility at key local facilities.” The Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Andrew Gowan and Councillor Beckett met with some of those groups which have been awarded money from the Community Facilities Fund. They met representatives from St John’s Parish Church; Sarah Crothers Hall; Ballinderry War Memorial Hall; Dungoyne Football Club and the Religious Society of Friends. Mayor Gowan said: “It was great to hear first-hand from some of the recipients on their plans to provide an improved user experience at a very local level. "Without the drive of our community groups to grow and develop we would not be able to support them in their actions. "I welcome the diverse range of projects being supported on a balanced basis across the Lisburn & Castlereagh area by this grant fund.”