Says, Deborah Cross of Dove House, “We call upon ye all to get in the mood for Zumba. Let’s make this a party to remember – make every move count for local charities. We are hoping to fill the Gasyard Park with Zuma beginners, those that do it for the craic, as well as those that have mastered the fitness for fun sake known as Zumba.”

Registration and sponsor sheets for the event will be made available over the next few weeks at Zumba classes across the City, additionally they can be collected at Dove House, Gasyard Centre and Pilots Row. Registration will cost 5 GBPs per participant. They hope to attract 300-350 people to participate in the event.

Additionally in attendance will be numerous exhibitors from the world of beauty, health well-being and fitness. Zumba instructors for this event will be none other than the lovely Lesley Concannon and Katrina Brady. For further information about the event or exhibit, contact Deborah Cross at 02871269327.

Thank you for your very welcome message. All is well here.

Changed times — one of the Ministers in the present Administration here, Sammy Wilson, visited Conway Mill and was very courteously received. Sammy is a member of the DUP — Democratic Unionist Party founded by Ian Paisley. The party and the founders and the members have been at times in opposition to the Mill Project and at times indifferent.

Now, however, with the redevelopment of the Mill due to be completed in October, one minister who is a member of the SDLP has already visited the Mill and now Sammy Wilson arrived, both of them welcomed and both of them bearing messages of goodwill.

We are welcoming changed times not only in the refurbished buildings but also in the hands extended in encouragement. Now comes the time when we all have to climb out of the deep economic depression. Brian Cowen is hopeful and we are all anxious about possible cuts to essential services including health and education, but with united effort on the horizon we can hope with all that!

Thank you for all your help.

Des

Altram was founded in 1990 by local Irish-medium preschools in Armagh, Belfast, Derry and Newry. It currently provides tutor/worker certification and a wide range of training materials and services benefiting families from both sides of the community. Altram undertook development of its Irish-medium early years tutor training program and dedicated training centre in 2008 in partnership with Comhairle na Gaelscaiochta, the organization specifically responsible for the Irish-medium early years sector in Northern Ireland, North West Regional College, Ultach Trust, a Belfast-based charity, and the University of Ulster. The centre and training course became fully operational in September 2009 and just recently certified its first class of tutors/workers. Danny writes, “Despite all our hard work to establish the training centre, we are now at the stage where we have to close it by July as we have no money to maintain the rent on it of £450. This, to say the least, is heartbreaking for all involved in the project. All the money invested into the centre will have been for nothing and is a terrible waste of resources.”

Danny was lobbying the local politicians for help in averting this crisis; and in late-breaking news on Saturday June 19, Danny writes, “We have managed to secure our core staffing and programme costs until December 2010. These costs include salaries, programme costs including heat & light, rent costs for our office but not for our training facility. The current situation in relation to rent for the training unit still stands. Ironically, I have managed to secure £1000 towards training courses for the centre from the Western Childcare Partnership, but they do not fund rental costs. We just completed the first and pilot course of our University of Ulster accredited Certificate in Immersion Education: Early Years. It has been a great success with 10 out of 12 candidates passing, with the remainder having to do resits. Hopefully, they will graduate in December of this year which will be a great day for the Irish-medium sector. All this good news seems to be ridiculous when, as it presently stands, we may be forced to close down an excellent facility for lack of rent.”

If you would like to help Altram keep its centre open, send your tax-deductible contribution to Conway Mill Trust Inc., PO Box 101529, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Mark your check or money order “Altram,” and 100% of your contribution will be sent to them. Or, click the “DONATE” button top right to contribute through PayPal.

Kindest regards,
Noelle Ryan
Springhill Community House