Making connections and working across the divide, the Carson Project hopes to see positivity emerge from crisis

The Carson Project delivering community aid to those in need.

The Carson Project is just one of the many groups in Ballymena that Supporting Communities is working with to make connections, access funding and other support. We caught up with two of the project’s workers, Ronda and Cyril Rainey, by phone to ask how they are coping with the COVID-19 crisis.

Like many ‘on the ground’ groups, the Carson Project has been busy mobilising an emergency response to the immediate needs of their community.

“I would call it community aid. We’re doing grocery runs, picking up prescriptions, delivering the basic things people need and can’t get”, said Ronda, who had just finished putting together emergency hygiene packs of cleaning supplies that she will be providing to people in the area.

“The older people appreciate it so much – they’re over the moon for some tea and biscuits. I think we need to incorporate more of this kind of work into our programme once the crisis is over. There is so much hidden need in our communities that this situation is bringing to the surface.”

It’s not just the elderly and vulnerable, Ronda explained. “The furlough payments system hasn’t kicked in yet and money is very tight for a lot of people – we are trying to deal with it all.” 

Funded by a Peace Impact Programme through the IFI, the Carson Project is made up of ex-combatants who are heavily involved in community issues and who are passionate in ensuring a peaceful community for all. For all the devastation that the pandemic is currently wreaking on people’s lives, the group is hopeful that it will highlight how important it is to work together and to help each other, not only in times of crisis, but to address ongoing issues of poverty and housing.

Cllr Rodney Quigley, a Carson Project committee member, and Jim McIroy, project manageR delivering essential supplies.

“This isn’t a ‘green and orange’ issue. We are making contacts and connections across divides that would be great to see keep going”, said Ronda. “We need to come together to share resources and realise how much we have in common.”

The Carson Project has been working closely with the Mid & East Antrim Borough Council to distribute food boxes.

“The Department of Communities boxes come to the Council, who distribute them to community groups, including us. We’ve then been coordinating with other groups to ensure the food gets to everyone who needs it”, explained Ronda.

“I think we’re getting more respect from the authorities and others who now see that they need us because we know what’s happening on the ground. I think community work is often overlooked or taken for granted, but now people are more aware of what we’ve always been doing!”, said Ronda.

Community members and local businesses are also stepping up in all sorts of ways. Ronda spoke about neighbours and shopkeepers who are dropping by to donate food, money, and help to identify those who in need so the Carson Project can add them to the list for food parcels and other support.

“The Carson Project is doing a great job working with the Council and local community groups to organise and distribute food parcels across Ballymena in rural and urban areas”, said Gillian Forrest, Supporting Communities’ CDO for the area.

Cyril Rainey has worked with Gillian for years and praised her ability to create networks of people. “Gillian has helped us to understand the general landscape of community groups in the area. She is making those connections – what’s available in the area.”

Cyril sees a need for more of that kind of connection. “The Community Planning process needs more input and involvement from groups”, he said. “Peacebuilding work is far from over in Ballymena. We need to inject that into the overall thinking as well as more community input into social housing and new housing developments.”

Cyril added that another positive outcome of this dire situation might be a greater appreciation for working people, those who are out there every day doing jobs that make it possible for the rest of us to stay home. He even had a quote on hand from Barack Obama that he felt was relevant for us now:

“Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.”