South Down Alliance Party hold their annual meeting

The meeting was attended by special guest speaker Deputy Leader of Alliance and MP for East Belfast Naomi Long, MLA for Strangford Kieran McCarthy, Down District Councillor Patrick Clarke and South Down Alliance branch officers and party members.

South Down Alliance Association Chairperson Dr. Michael Healey welcomed members to Newcastle and introduced the Deputy Leader and MP for East Belfast Naomi Long to the AGM.

During her wide ranging speech on a number of key issues Ms Long paid special tribute to the efforts of officers and branch party members of South Down Alliance Association who were continuing to work in helping to lead change within South Down.

Ms Long also praised the growing membership which the South Down Alliance Association branch has attracted over the last year and congratulated Rowallane member twenty-one year old Sheffield University politics student Patrick Brown who will be travelling to America later this month and will be speaking at the Model UN Conference 2013 which takes place over five days in New York.

After the AGM Councillor Patrick Clarke stated: “Members of South Down Alliance were delighted that the Deputy Party Leader and MP for East Belfast Naomi Long took time out of her hectic Westminster schedule and other party commitments to travel to Newcastle at the end of February to address the South Down Alliance Annual General Meeting.

“Naomi received a terrific welcome when she travelled to Newcastle to address party members and took time to speak to everyone both before and after the AGM.

“She will be travelling back to South Down later this year when she will be taking time to tour parts of South Down, where she is keen to see and discuss growing the local economy and promoting tourism and work in relation to building a shared future for everyone.”