Pocket Forest Project

Aim

Enhance Community Allotments with better accessibility for wheelchairs, and create a vibrant Pocket Forest in an adjacent wooded area.

Who we are

We are Ballymacash Sports Academy, a Community Benefit Society, with over 300 member shareholders, all of whom have a passion to oversee the development of a former amenity and bonfire site, into a genuine, community owned sport and recreation facility at The Bluebell Sports Village.

Together with our partners from the Live Life Wellbeing Centre and Ballymacash Neighbourhood Community Craft Group, we are hoping to raise funds to create a Pocket Forest to complement our Community Allotments and Garden area.

Our Partners in the Project 

Live Life Wellbeing is a Social Enterprise & Charity launched to provide innovative day opportunities and services for young people with additional needs in the Greater Lisburn area.

The gang from Live Life have taken ownership of 4 of the allotment plots, installing a poly tunnel and have now created a thriving social enterprise selling their vegetables and making jams from the fruits they have grown on their allotments, and really love spending spring and summer up at their allotments and having their picnics in the sunshine.

The ladies from Ballymacash Neighbourhood Community Craft Group, who have taken 2 of the allotments growing plants and flowers for use in their weekly Arts and Craft sessions.

The wooded area of trees behind the community allotments at The Bluebell are currently owned by the NI Housing Executive. They have given permission to BSA and Live Life Wellbeing to transform this area into a Pocket Forest for community use. 

Using the experience of our groups and volunteers who helped create the Parkview Forest School and The Lisburn Scouts Woodland, we will create this area into a valuable area of biodiversity and green space within an urban built-up area.

With a walking trail, an observation hut, Bat Boxes, Bees Hives, Hedgehogs Hotels and Squirrels Huts, there will also be a space to sit and relax, improving mindfulness and mental health.

The community will not only gain a sense of ownership from the project but can take pride in seeing the benefit to the groups of Older Women, Young Adults with severe learning difficulties, local schools and play groups who currently use the facility.

 Our Ask

 We are asking for you to support for the project, by making a donation to the project. Any amount you donate through Crowdfunder, Aviva will match fund. 

 If you donate £1, Aviva will donate £2. If you donate £10, Aviva will donate £20. If you donate the maximum £250, Aviva will donate £500.

 So please, if you support the project and want to assist our partner groups in this project, please donate whatever you can afford to, knowing that your donation will be doubled by Aviva.

This project successfully funded on 23rd November 2023