The Asda Foundation has backed Conlig Community Regeneration Group (CCRG) with a grant of £3,000, while nearby Donaghadee Community Development Association (DCDA) has been awarded £2,500.
The funding, granted through Asda Bangor, has been delivered as part of the Asda Foundation’s Outdoor Community Spaces Fund, which aims to help community groups transform their local areas, enhance access to shared outdoor spaces for marginalised and vulnerable groups and help to combat loneliness.
The funding follows feedback from the Community Tracker, an insights survey commissioned by Asda and Asda Foundation, where more than four in five Asda customers said having access to safe outside spaces makes a positive difference to the mental health of people in their community.
John Ballard, Project Manager at CCRG, a Bangor-based group dedicated to improving the lives of Conlig residents, said: “Conlig Village in the past 50 years has seen a vast reduction in our green spaces, so we want to make the remaining areas as inviting as possible to local residents. We have been sharing tools and bringing our own from home which has limited the number of volunteers who can help on any given day.
“With the Asda Foundations Fund, we plan to buy gardening equipment to keep on site which will be used by volunteers. We also plan to buy large planters that will be positioned around the garden and adjacent street to entice people to stop and enjoy the garden.”
DCDA, a charity set up to raise community spirit and improve the economy of Donaghadee, will use its £2,500 grant to revitalise a much-loved local wood by improving pathways, clearing rubbish and replanting native trees and wildflowers.
The project at Crommelin Wood will also involve the enhancement of a wetland area as well as the installation of woodland features, signage, and the reinstatement of a specimen tree trail.
Adrian Kerr, DCDA Project Manager, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Asda Foundation for this support. Crommelin Wood is an important asset to our town, and this grant will enable us to restore and improve the space for everyone to enjoy.
By making it more accessible and enhancing its natural beauty, we hope to encourage more community engagement and outdoor activities for all ages. This funding will help us bring our vision for the woodland to life and create a lasting impact for future generations.”
Ami Craig, Community and Customer Champion, Asda Bangor, said: “I’m delighted to have awarded two groups funding from the Asda Foundation. This funding will make a significant difference, especially as we head into the warmer months when more people can enjoy outdoor spaces.”
Martin Kendal, Communications and Impact advisor, Asda added: “Our research consistently shows that communities value access to safe and welcoming public spaces. Spending time outdoors has a positive impact on health and wellbeing, and community-driven projects like this help strengthen local connections and foster pride in our surroundings. We are proud to support grassroots initiatives like CCRG in making a lasting impact.”
The Asda Foundation announced funding of up to £500,000 earlier this year for grants nationwide through the Outdoor Community Spaces Fund, with individual awards ranging from £500 to £3,000.
Since 2022, the Asda Foundation has donated more than £2.5 million to worthy causes.
For more information on the Asda Foundation and its community support initiatives, visit www.asdafoundation.org