�35,000 GRANT BOOST FOR OMAGH VICTIMS' SUPPORT GROUP
�35,000 grant boost for Omagh victims' support group
by Karen McPhilemy
OMAGH Support and Self Help Group has received project funding of �35,000 from the Community Relations Council -the first such funding awarded to the group.
Relatives, who have been campaigning for justice since the 1998 horror blast, which killed 29 and unborn twins, have given tirelessly of their time, energy and personal resources for many years.
However, with the funding, the group now plans to recruit a project worker and an administration officer.
Describing the grant as a "great relief", Mr Michael Gallagher, chairman of the group, said: "This funding is certainly welcome news, and it will now enable us to employ two people, one as an administration officer and the other as a project worker who will assist the group in a number of new projects.
"This is the first time we have had any sort of Government assistance in five-and-a-half years. All the work done previously has been carried out and funded by ourselves.
"This money will now take a big burden off the people doing the work and will allow us to deal more with the victims' issues.
"It is certainly good news and I am very grateful that the Community Relations Council has supported us in this.
"Hopefully we will be able to get a proper office based in Omagh in the near future as well. We need to be able to reach out to more people. Up until now we have been very limited in what we could do, but hopefully that will change now," he said.
by Karen McPhilemy
OMAGH Support and Self Help Group has received project funding of �35,000 from the Community Relations Council -the first such funding awarded to the group.
Relatives, who have been campaigning for justice since the 1998 horror blast, which killed 29 and unborn twins, have given tirelessly of their time, energy and personal resources for many years.
However, with the funding, the group now plans to recruit a project worker and an administration officer.
Describing the grant as a "great relief", Mr Michael Gallagher, chairman of the group, said: "This funding is certainly welcome news, and it will now enable us to employ two people, one as an administration officer and the other as a project worker who will assist the group in a number of new projects.
"This is the first time we have had any sort of Government assistance in five-and-a-half years. All the work done previously has been carried out and funded by ourselves.
"This money will now take a big burden off the people doing the work and will allow us to deal more with the victims' issues.
"It is certainly good news and I am very grateful that the Community Relations Council has supported us in this.
"Hopefully we will be able to get a proper office based in Omagh in the near future as well. We need to be able to reach out to more people. Up until now we have been very limited in what we could do, but hopefully that will change now," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1734
Published Date: 06-May-04
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