Come along - Second Newbridge Forum invitation

The second meeting of the Newbridge Forum takes place this Wednesday, September 30, at 8pm in Hotel Keadeen.

We hope to see you at this follow-up session, which is organised by Newbridge Community Development. The first meeting two weeks ago was hugely successful and discussed a broad rang of issues. There were a variety of topics for general discussion such as unemployment, promoting Newbridge, developing a Food Buying Club, a local voucher scheme and developing an Alliance of Youth.

At the second meeting this Wednesday you will have an opportunity to discuss these and other issues and meet again with the people who made the first forum such an interesting night. Again, it will be a relaxed event with plenty of opportunity to chat to one another. If you know of others who would like to come along this Wednesday night, please invite them to join in.

Some of the key topics that emerged from the group discussions at our first meeting included:

Youth Alliance - is there a way to bring together the groups who are already working with young people in Newbridge to create a stronger voice?

Youth Cafe - why do other areas such as Athy and the Curragh have such a facility and there is nothing similar in Newbridge?

Unemployed and social exclusion - are there ways we in Newbridge can help break down the isolation many who are out of work feel? Can Newbridge identify the skills and talents of those who live here and use this to promote the town for business? How can people who are looking for work network together to share information and make connections? Creating hope is a challenge in the present time but what can be done to build on our community spirit and individual resources within Newbridge? Would a Jobs Club be something people are interested in developing?

Business voucher scheme - can Newbridge run its own business promotion scheme, offering vouchers and special offers to local people who spend in the town? Could this develop further into a Newbridge Currency and what else can be done to promote business?

Our town - Can Newbridge promote itself as a great location and why hasn't the town full local council status? Could the town employ a Town Development Manager to promote Newbridge? Is too much money leaving Newbridge to fund Kildare County Council and what can be done to change this? Should we have a local festival such as a Christy Moore Folk Festival? How can town pride be increased so we become a better town?

Skills exchange - can Newbridge people develop a register of local skills to show the talents available locally. This could promote the town for business but also develop into an exchange programme where people swap their skills and talents and achieve goals.

Food Buying Club - we all need to buy food but could there be a different way? The suggestion is to have a Food Buying Club where people join together to buy produce from local farmers and others. This could have the double benefit of helping local producers. Is there enough interest to develop this idea and shop in a new way?

Community Gardens - Can more gardens be developed in Newbridge and gardeners share their food producing skills with others to create more ways to produce food?

Come along and join in an interesting debate on these topics and others you may wish to raise.