Billy Page Ballymagroarty and Hazelbank community worker retires after long and distinguished service

Billy Page has left the Ballymagroarty and Hazelbank Community Partnership (BHCP) building, but not for long.

Although he retired last Thursday, the extremely popular neighbourhood regeneration officer is adamant he will be back in a voluntary capacity, after a well-earned holiday.

IN PICTURES: Billy Page retires from Ballymagroarty and Hazelbank Community Partnership

Photos: Deirdre Heaney (nwpresspics)

“I will still be there,” Billy told Derry News. “I will still be volunteering within the community. I love working with the elderly and I will also be working with the community safety teams in Ballymagroarty and the Community Restorative Justice groups which do great work on the ground. 

“We moved to Creggan 12 years ago, just after I had the brain haemorrhage, but I lived in Ballymagroarty for 35 years before that. The people have been very, very, very good to me. They are the salt of the earth and I just don’t include Ballymagroarty in that,  I mean Hazelbank and that whole community, which is very close knit.”

Billy was at pains to point out BHCP also encompassed Templegrove, Whitehouse, Coshquin and “a wee bit further afield”.

Recalling his day-to-day role, Billy said the Partnership worked with the children in Holy Family PS, St Eithne’s PS and Gaelscoil Na Daroige.

“We were working in the community, getting young people involved with the community.

Francine Moran, Chairperson BHCP presents a gift to Billy Page on his retirement. Included is Jim McColgan, Director BHCP. (Photos - Deirdre Heaney, nwpresspics)

“We were doing cleaning programmes and programmes where young people get to know the community workers in the area, so that in later life, they will know them as well as they know their own friends.

“I particularly enjoyed working with the elderly, working with the Cosy Club. I was one of the founder members of the Cosy Club (Citizens of Senior Years). All that hands-on stuff with the community, I really always enjoyed that.”

Asked why he was retiring now, a philosophical Billy said, "I have had my time and it was my time”.

“I also see massive changes within the community and I don’t know if it is going to be good,” he said. “In terms of funding cuts and how that will work out, I was listening to Men’s Action Network during the week and they have lost massive funding, which is going to be detrimental to the services they deliver within the community.

“We are currently seeing lots of funding cuts within youth service provision and it is only a matter of time before those cuts are reflected in the community.”

Born in Quarry Street in Derry’s Brandywell, Billy’s father was Seamus and his mother was Kathleen (née McCauley), who was originally from Killea / Nixon’s Corner. Like so many couples, Seamus and Kathleen met in the iconic Borderland dancehall in Muff. Sadly, the couple passed away within weeks of one another two years ago.

Looking to the BHCP future, Billy praised the work done on the ground, within the community, but he was also quick to praise the “massive” effort behind the scenes.

“The board members, who are all volunteers, put a massive amount of hours into the community. I now see a better partnership, the professionalism within BHCP is outstanding,” said Billy.

Billy pictured with Cllr Conor Heaney, Margaret Cunningham, Stephen Breslin, Habinteg and Noreen Arnold.

“Hopefully, in the future we will see the new community building on the Ringfort Road. I know all the MLAs are now working hard pushing it forward, but there again, the cuts in funding could knock that back. I hope not because Ballymagroarty is now beginning to broaden out.

“We have plans passed for more than 100 new homes in the area. Moving up the Whitehouse Road, at the back of Ennis Place and the whole area from Dunluce Court is all going to be new houses, the area is spreading. So, BHCP needs a bigger building.

“We also have 4G pitches up there and a new play area, which has been brilliant for the community. And I know the MLAs  are working on another new play area on the Ringfort Road for the Hazelbank area. There are massive new beginnings for the community.”

Billy, whose children are: Caoimhe, Ryan and Dearbhaile, was full of admiration for the young people in the BHCP area. 

“We went into the schools and spoke to the young people and their parents for a programme around community building. We were talking about a new community build and we were talking about a new allotment scheme in Marianus Park.

Group pictured at Billy's retirement lunch. 

“When we asked them what they wanted, we were blown away by the responses. The young people mentioned climbing walls, butterfly farms and bee keeping. Some of the young people are very environmentally conscious about what is happening within their world.

“The exchanges were amazing. They gave people the opportunity to give their input on what was working, what was not working, what BHCP was not hearing.

“After all, not everybody is on a computer. I see it with older people, especially trying to get appointments with doctors. That is a massive issue for them. They can’t use computers and they are afraid of using their phones because they are worried about the bill if they are maybe hanging on for an hour.

“I think that has all to be brought together through partnerships between communities and pharmacies and doctors. BHCP also worked with Bradley’s Pharmacy in Ballymagroarty. They have done some great work within the area, around COPD and diabetes.”

Billy’s community development motto was and is, ‘If people don’t know who is in their community, then there is a problem with your community group’.

He added: “I was always one for, ‘If you are not seen on the ground or working on the ground then people don’t know you are there.

“I know the people who are there in BHCP. They are work colleagues and friends. We have grown up together within the community. My generation is the people who were knocking on the doors and sitting in and listening. I still think that is invaluable because if the people in the area don’t know who you are then that is your problem. I think that type of community work is your bread and butter.

“During covid, if 50 parcels came in we were able to identify who they should go to because we knew who were the vulnerable people within the community.

“During covid, when everything was closed down, we were still in the community centre ringing round vulnerable adults asking, ‘Are you okay? How are you? Do you need anything?’

“Everyone engaged because they knew me. I was phoning 40 a day and Roxanne was phoning 40 a day and so was Lauren and, if they were having issues with their mental health or whatever, we were telling the appropriate agencies.”

The former Derry City Councillor is planning a holiday with wife, Marcella, in September.

He is also planning to continue racing pigeons, a hobby he took up while in Long Kesh.

As we parted, he said: “I would like to wish all the people on the ground all the best. I know they are going to do sterling work with the community because they are all from that community.

“Roxanne Nixon is there longer than me. She knows the area and the needs in the area and will do an absolutely brilliant job.

“I hope the new manager does the work on the ground and meets the people on the ground. It is essential that the community is brought with BHCP.

“If the community is with you and knows what’s happening on the ground, they have no concerns. If there is no partnership with the local community, then it will not work.”