TWO community representatives working to tackle disadvantage in Enniskillen fear that they are “on the cusp” of loosing funding for a new community centre expected to provide significant benefits to the residents of Enniskillen Neighbourhood Renewal Area (NRA).

Eric Cahoon, Manager of the Devenish Partnership Forum and Marian Haggins, Chair of Kilmacormick 1 Community Association argue that official figures showing increases in anti-social behaviour and mental health issues within Enniskillen NRA are skewed by the inclusion of Enniskillen town centre and do not reflect the impact their intervention has had on the ground.

Commenting on the Department for Social Development's (DSD's) figures for Enniskillen NRA, Mr. Cahoon believes that “most of the incidents of crime took place in the town centre of Enniskillen.”

The Devenish Partnership Forum was established in 1994 as an umbrella body for four local community associations in response to an identified need to combat high levels of deprivation within four estates: Cornagrade, Hillview, Kilmacormick I and Kilmacormick II. Devenish often works in partnership with other groups operating within Enniskillen NRA, including Windmill Heights Community Association, Rossorry Church Road Community Association, Enniskillen Town Centre Residents Group, and the West End Partnership.

Mr. Cahoon continues: “Our health projects include the Morning Devenish Walking Club, women's healthfit programme, fitness classes, food values and smoking cessation. Our Early Days programme works in partnership with Kilmacormick Community Playgroup, the Westville Family Resource Centre, Fermanagh Women's Aid and caters for school children across Enniskillen NRA aged between four and seven. Our homework club is for primary four to year eight pupils from the Enniskillen NRAs, aiming to raise their aspirations. Our positive peers group is funded by Children in Need and caters for 11 to 19 year olds from the Devenish area, but we have worked with children from the wider NRA in the past. Overall, we are working to encourage young people to lead a more positive, healthy life.”

Having taken up the post of Devenish Partnership Forum Manager in June, Mr. Cahoon's last post was with the Falls Community Council in West Belfast. In his opinion, the work going on in the Devenish Partnership Forum “is equal, if not better than the Falls Road.”

With an array of classes and programmes, the two converted houses at Yoan Road are a constant hive of activity.

Marian Haggins, who has been involved with the Kilmacormick community playgroup for over 30 years, observes: “As we've grown, so too have peoples' expectations.”

In 2013, over £400,000 was granted for the refurbishment of the Kilmacormick Resource Centre, with the then Social Development Minister saying it was “good news for the people of Enniskillen Neighbourhood Renewal Area”.

Various hold ups over the past two years have increased concerns that DSD funding will be lost if work isn't completed by the Housing Executive by the end of March 2016.

The message from the community to the Housing Executive is: “We feel that we are on the cusp of losing the centre. If this building is not completed and the money is lost, the ongoing work here will not be able to expand the way the community wants and needs.”

A spokesperson for the Housing Executive said: “We are committed to the development of Kilmacormick Resource Centre. Before work could begin a number of statutory compliance matters had to be in place. We are in the process of addressing these matters, the conclusion of which will allow the contractor to start on site.

“We anticipate the group will be able to move [into temporary accommodation] shortly and once the move has been completed work can begin on the redevelopment. We are working to resolve any outstanding issues and have remained accessible to the community group.”