Clare Communities Urged To Show Pride of Place

Clare County Council is inviting local communities, projects and housing estates to participate in the “Pride of Place” competition 2013. Proposals are currently being invited from groups who wish to seek nomination to the annual all-island competition, which is run by Co-operation Ireland in conjunction with local authorities north and south of the border. Clare was represented in last year’s Pride of Place by the Clare Sports Partnership and Cuimhneamh and Chláir. The County’s last success in the competition came in 2011 when the Clare Crusaders Children's Clinic received an award under the Community Health Initiative category. If nominated by Clare County Council to compete in the all-island competition, judging for ‘Pride of Place 2013’ will take place between June, July or August. Community group winners, runners up and special award recipients receive a trophy and small monetary prize at a special awards ceremony, in Derry next November. “Pride of Place aims to recognise and celebrate the vital contributions that communities make to society along with generating awareness, respect and inclusion for every facet of society,” explained Nicola Cullinan, Pride of Place Coordinator in Clare. Ms. Cullinan added: “In Clare, we have a wealth of community focused groups and projects that provide services in keeping with the aims and objectives of Pride of Place. Participating local communities have benefited greatly from their experiences as the competition has provided them with an excellent opportunity to highlight the elements of their areas that they have civic pride in, and gave them a platform to showcase the work they are doing on a continual basis.” Clare County Council may nominate one group only per category, providing the total number nominated does not exceed five. The nine categories include Tourism Diaspora Project, Enterprise and Youth, Community Arts, Housing Estates, (Theme Categories), up to 200 people, between 200-500 people, between 500-1000 people, between 1000-2000 people, and in excess of 2,000 (Population Categories). Population Categories will be assessed on Community Participation, Impact on Community / Area and Overall impression. Themed Categories will be judged on Impact on Community, Innovation, Sustainability, Local Leadership, Management and Overall impression. Meanwhile, expressions of interest relating to the Housing Estates category will be assessed on Community Participation, Provision for the vulnerable, Level of engagement, Impact on Community, Community events and Overall Impression. Groups interested in being considered for nomination are asked to submit a written expression of interest, detailing their preferred Category with a typed A4 summary setting out their proposal to Nicola Cullinan, Pride of Place Coordinator, Tourism & Community Development Department, Clare County Council, New Road, Ennis, Co Clare. Further information on the all-island competition is available at prideofplace.cooperationireland.org. Closing date for receipt of proposals is 4.00pm on Thursday, 28th March 2013. Pride of Place was first piloted in the summer of 2003 and came from the Local Authority All-Island Steering Forum - a forum that encourages strategic, sustainable approaches to cross border co-operation.