Swatragh Women’s Group clinches prestigious community Green Flag award
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Granaghan & District Women’s Group recognised for turning a concrete corner into a thriving veggie haven
A dedicated group of local women have been celebrated on an international stage after transforming a concrete corner of a village car park into a thriving, award-winning green oasis.
Last Wednesday, July 22, representatives from the Swatragh-based Granaghan & District Women’s Group traveled to Mossley Mill to receive the prestigious Community Green Flag award. Joint Chair Deirdre Bradley, alongside "Happy Gardeners" members Siobhan Friel, Margaret McGuckin, Rosaleen McGuckin, and Vera O’Neill, accepted the internationally recognized quality mark, which honors groups that create positive environmental and social impacts.
The event, in Mossley Mill, celebrating achievement and sharing good practice, was hosted by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and Steve McCready (Head of Operations with Live Here. Love Here) was M. C.
Everyone was welcomed by Mayor Henry Cushinan, who spoke cúpla focail, as Gaeilge, in his welcoming speech.
The theme of the celebration was - Make parks and open/green spaces safe for women and girls and special guest, Abigail Gaines from York shared with the audience how her project in York made a large city park a welcoming space for teenage girls. Thought provoking initiative…
Junior Minister Joanne Bunting, Amy Bennington (Marketing Manager Power N.I.) and Hannah Fullerton from Buglife N.I. all spoke.
The Green Flags were presented to each winner by Andrew Muir Minister for DAERA (Department of agriculture, the environment and rural affairs.)
The women’s group’s wee community garden/veggie growing area (in a corner of a car park) was nominated for this award, assessed, and subsequently awarded the Green Flag.
For almost six years now, the women’s group has grown this little green space into something of which they are immensely proud. It started off with just one veggie box and now the gardeners grow vegetables such as corn on the cob, sorrel, beetroot, cauliflower, broccoli, cavolo nero, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, leeks, celery, sage, cucumbers etc. All chemical free.
The women’s group paid tribute to all the members of their Happy Gardeners group, past, present and future, their garden guru, Jenny from TCV who shares her amazing knowledge with them, David Keys from Sustainable Woodworking who helped design a sign for the community garden and also plant markers, Yvonne Zellmann who supported and championed them in the early days, The Upperlands Men’s shed who built a gazebo for them, Mid-Ulster Council who donated compost for their veggie beds and an accessible bench, The Housing Executive who funded different gardening tools, the PHA via CLEAR and Brockaghboy Windfarm who funded tutors and different, smaller funders along the journey. They have all made this incredible success possible. They also thanked Jowan Sleep from Live here. Love Here. for validating their work.
“Congratulations everyone. This award is richly deserved and is thanks to all your hard work throughout the year. All those wet, windy and miserable days in the winter and all those hot and sunny days in the summer!” Jenny, The Conservation Volunteers.
The goodwill and support from the community means everything to the women’s group which is now in its 33rd year, having been founded in 1993.
They look forward to many more years for their “Happy Gardeners” group and especially to working with Eric Randall C.E.O. of Live Here. Love Here, going forward.