Have your say on the future of Newbridge
These are challenging times for everyone and uncertainty casts a dark shadow over the future for individuals and families, economically as well as socially.
Now a Newbridge community group is taking a lead and inviting you to have your say on our future and the town we live in.
As a community, Newbridge has been hit badly by unemployment, with young adults bearing the brunt of this economic depression. Everyone faces concerns about how they will cope financially in the months ahead and the isolation and loneliness adds to the fear of what the future brings.
Newbridge Community Development is inviting you to take part in an open forum on Wednesday, 16 September, at 8pm. This meeting will take place in Hotel Keadeen and is an opportunity to participate in a broad discussion on what Newbridge people can do, as we deal with the future.
Newbridge Community Development (NCD) is a community organisation established 11 years ago and it has been involved in a variety of projects and currently runs a Childcare Training Course with Fas and has funded the Business Plan for the Newbridge Culture Factory project.
The group led the first opposition to the Whitewater Cinema saga, made various submissions on development plans for Newbridge and worked with the Cheshire Home on construction of a Respite Centre at Moorefield. NCD was also involved in the foundation of Teach Tearmainn, the women’s refuge project.
The Newbridge Open Forum will ask the question ‘How Does Newbridge Deal With The Future’ and this will be facilitated by Eoin McDonnell, a Newbridge resident, who runs Oaktree Coaching and Consultancy.
The open nature of the meeting will allow you to put forward any issues or ideas you want to raise. These issues could relate to community facilities, unemployment, social isolation, education or opportunities for business development.
The Newbridge Open Forum offers an opportunity to share your views, participate in lively debate and share in an opportunity to look at where our town is going in these challenging times. You will have an opportunity to pick the topics that most interest you and join in smaller groups to explore these issues.
If you are someone who prefers to listen and want to learn more about Newbridge issues then you are also welcome to come along to the meeting.
Michael Mullally is the Chairperson of NCD and he describes the Newbridge Open Forum as an opportunity for people to share their ideas and become involved in how we all cope with a completely changed economic environment.
“We are inviting you to come along to a new style public meeting where you can raise and discuss the issues that are important to you, whatever they are. The agenda will be set by those who participate and our hope is that we can create a new energy, where Newbridge people begin to take control in these difficult times,” added Michael Mullally.
Everyone will be welcomed to the meeting with a cup of tea and there will be an opportunity to meet other people. Eoin McDonnell will open the forum and invite people to put forward ideas for discussion. The core ideas will then be discussed by smaller groups. These will have an opportunity to explore in more detail the subject that is of most interest to them. The general group will then review all the subjects that were debated.
“This will be an opportunity to meet other people living in Newbridge, share or listen to an open debate on a wide variety issues that are important to us all and look at how we can deal with the economic crisis. We know there is no instant solution to our difficulties but, in sharing our views as a community, I believe we are taking a step forward. I encourage everyone with an interest in Newbridge, whether a new resident or native, young or old, to come along and join in what will be a very interesting night,” continued Michael Mullally.
If you would like to be updated on the Newbridge Open Forum in advance of 16 September please register your name and mobile telephone number at ncdforum@gmail.com. Newbridge Community Development will keep people updated before the event. The group will also provide a communication network for a period after the event to ensure those who attend are linked together in their shared interest regarding the future of our community and our town.
Event: Newbridge Open Forum
Issue: How Does Newbridge Deal With The Economic Crisis
Date: 16 September 2009 at 8pm
Venue: Hotel Keadeen
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