Residents bond over tai chi

A group of people living at Hawthorne Gardens in Banbridge have come together to organise outdoor tai chi sessions in order to promote good community spirit at their housing development.
By Elinor Glynn
Published 28th Aug 2020, 11:07 BST
(L-R) Carol Hanna, Austin Kelly from Clanmil, Robert McCurdy and Florence Weir join Karen McStraw of the Tai Chi for Health Institute (centre) for a tai chi class at Hawthorne Gardens(L-R) Carol Hanna, Austin Kelly from Clanmil, Robert McCurdy and Florence Weir join Karen McStraw of the Tai Chi for Health Institute (centre) for a tai chi class at Hawthorne Gardens
(L-R) Carol Hanna, Austin Kelly from Clanmil, Robert McCurdy and Florence Weir join Karen McStraw of the Tai Chi for Health Institute (centre) for a tai chi class at Hawthorne Gardens

This is the first community project undertaken by the newly formed Hawthorne Gardens Residents’ Group who plan to run more events and activities for people living at the housing scheme as a part of a five-year Good Relations Plan. The Plan is being developed in association with local political and community representatives and Clanmil Housing, who own and manage the development. The plan will support Good Relations Projects for communities within a five mile radius of Hawthorn Gardens.

Hawthorne Gardens opened in Summer 2019 and is one of 10 shared neighbourhoods led by the Department for Communities and delivered under the Northern Ireland Executive Together: Building A United Community strategy which aims to build a more shared society.

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Robert McCurdy, Chairperson of the Residents’ Group said: “The class is the first of a series of planned outdoor, socially distanced events that the recently established residents’ group is planning. These events are aimed at encouraging interaction between people living here at Hawthorn Gardens as well as helping to improve the general health and wellbeing of participants.”

Related topics:ResidentsBanbridge