Hope Centre awarded PEACEPLUS funding to tackle food poverty in Derry

PICTURED ABOVE: MaryClaire Kerlin, PEACEPLUS project coordinator; Sue Divin, PEACE Manager in Derry City and Strabane District Council; Lilian Seenoi Barr, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane and Andrew Ritchie, 'The Food Project' coordinator from Cornerstone City Church.

Cornerstone's City Church Hope Centre initiative has been awarded £86,000 in funding from PEACEPLUS, a programme that is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, to help support its new food poverty project.

The grant, which has been funded through Derry City and Strabane District Council’s PEACEPLUS local Co-Designed Action Plan, will enable the Hope Centre to expand its outreach and impact on the community, addressing food poverty while also fostering cross-community relations.

‘The Food Project’ is designed to reach approximately 100 participants over an 18-month period through a variety of initiatives with the overall aim of educating and empowering individuals by teaching them how to shop wisely and prepare nutritious meals on a budget. The project will work to tackle food poverty, promote self-sufficiency, and encourage community cohesion.

The grant will also support the creation of one new job – a Project Coordinator to oversee the implementation and success of the project. Additionally, £30,000 of the grant will be allocated for capital improvements, including the installation of a new kitchen at the Hope Centre. This new facility will be integral in hosting practical workshops and cookery classes throughout the project. 

John Loughery, a member of the leadership team at Cornerstone City Church, expressed his gratitude to the funding body, "We are incredibly grateful to PEACEPLUS, the Special EU Programmes Body and Derry City and Strabane District Council for awarding us this contract. This project is not just about providing food; it's about equipping individuals with the skills and confidence they need to lead healthier, more independent lives.

"We have a desire to see people live from a place of wholeness and we believe that through this project we can equip people with some of the tools that will enable them to do so. We are also huge advocates for reconciliation and this project is also about bringing people together and building a stronger, more united community for everyone. 

"We truly believe that ‘The Food Project’ will provide us with a real opportunity to make a real difference in our local community. As a team we really do look forward to working with participants and seeing the positive impact that their journey with us will undoubtedly have."

PEACEPLUS,  a programme that is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, is a unique cross-border structural funds programme that is aimed at reinforcing progress towards a peaceful, stable and prosperous society in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. It represents an investment of €1.44bn in support of projects that promote peace and reconciliation and contribute to cross-border economic and territorial development. 

“We’re delighted to be working with The Hope Centre in Cornerstone City Church on this local PEACEPLUS project” said Sue Divin, PEACE Manager in Derry City and Strabane District Council.  

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Lilian Seenoi Barr, getting a tour of the new facilities at the launch of 'The Food Project' at Cornerstone City Church.

“It’s one of 58 cross-community projects that we’ve tendered in our overall £8 million local programme. Addressing food poverty was one of the needs which came forward in our co-design process, and it was prioritised particularly in the Waterside area of the city.

"Faith based organisations delivering social-based, practical outreach projects have been integral in the delivery of many PEACE projects across Northern Ireland and the border counties, and their work is a welcome part of the wider community, voluntary and charity sector.

"We know this project will make a huge difference to people from a wide range of identities and communities in our council area.”

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Key Components of the upcoming project will include educational workshops where participants will learn practical skills for budgeting, shopping, and cooking through hands-on workshops and classes; a range of eight community based events designed to bring people together, celebrate diversity, and share resources; a cross-community young programme that seeks to foster understanding and collaboration among young people from different backgrounds from across the city; it will also see an expansion of the Hope Centre’s current services including the food and clothing bank and the organisations Men’s Group which specifically targets men in need within the community.

Pictured is Lilian Seenoi Barr, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane, getting a tour of the new facilities at the launch of 'The Food Project' at Cornerstone City Church. The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme that is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body

The Hope Centre is a vital part of Cornerstone City Church’s mission to serve the local community. It provides essential services such as food and clothing banks, practical workshops, and community events aimed at improving the quality of life for residents of Derry City and Strabane District.

For more information on the Hope Centre, or Cornerstone City Church, you can visit https://cornerstonecity.church/hopecentreinfo. For more info on PEACEPLUS and The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), you can visit https://www.seupb.eu/.