LEADER + Projects.

These are just some of the many examples of LEADER + assisted projects in Co. Wicklow since 2001. Community Development Training Analysis & Development Rural and Agri Tourism Rural Enterprise Environmentally Friendly Initiatives Exploitation of agriculture forestry and Fisheries products

Community Development

Community Facilities Facilities such as community halls and resource centres provide a focal point for many communities. Under the LEADER II Programme, twenty communities received funding for infrastructural development of their community halls. Under the LEADER + programme, WRP has worked with a number of communities to improve and upgrade the existing facilities within their community halls with an overall investment of ? in six different centres The following halls were grant aided in this regard : Newtownmountkennedy Community Centre Moneystown Community Centre St Brigid's Hall Carnew Tinahely Hall Brockagh Resource Centre, Glendalough Conary Hall

Vale of Avoca Development Association Ltd. (V.A.D.A.) The Avoca mines had the longest continuous production and a total value output that dwarfed any other mine in Ireland. In 1982 however the mines closed and today the remains of seven engine houses, a mineral tramway arch and a colourful mine landscape containing precipitation ponds and spoilheaps from the different eras, remain. The Mining Heritage sub-group of V.A.D.A. have prioritised the consolidation of mine buildings. The recently consolidated chimney stack at the Williams Engine House is regarded as "one of the finest examples of a Cornish Engine House anywhere in the world" (Ken Browne world renowned expert in Cornish Engine Houses). The consolidation process is part of a larger project whose aim it is to develop a themed Mine Heritage Park at Avoca. This project will help to preserve an area of unique industrial heritage while at the same time creating a valuable tourist attraction for the area and providing a facility for leisure pursuits

Training

2003 -2004 Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Programme WRP in association with Shadowbox Theatre Company delivered a 'Disability-Ability' Awareness Programme in schools in Co. Wicklow. In line with 2003 being designated as European Year of People with Disabilities, WRP approved funding under the LEADER+ Programme for the delivery of a pilot awareness programme to be delivered in ten schools throughout the County. The programme aims to create awareness among primary and secondary school children about Intellectual Disabilities. All the cast of Shadowbox Theatre Company involved in this programme are individuals with intellectual disabilities. The piece is titled 'Breaking the Mould' and was created by the cast themselves. Each session consists of an introduction session explaining the context for the piece, a performance of the piece itself and then an interactive workshop in which both actors and students participate and discuss each other's interpretation of the story behind the piece of theatre. This pilot programme has proved to be hugely successful with positive feedback from both the actors and the students.

2005 "Working with Youth" - Blessington Working with Youth ? Blessington, Pilot Training Programme WRP have been involved in facilitating a pilot training course entitled ?Working with Youth? in Blessington during January and February 2005. Seven members of the local community participated on the course. Participants came from local youth clubs and the juvenile soccer club. Others saw it as an opportunitiy to get involved in the local community. The course delivered was an introductory six-week course, which covered areas such as working with youth, child protection, first aid, programme and activity planning and information and tips on funding applications. Facilitators for the training were sourced with cooperation from For?ige and the South West Area Health Board.

Blessington Millennium Choir Established in 1999 the Blessington Millennium Choir has a current membership of 48. In 2002 Blessington Millennium Choir were invited to compete at the International Choral Festival in Sligo. Still in its infancy the Choir, with grant assistance from WRP employed the services of Yvonne O'Connor as musical director and Ruarc Gahan as accompanist for a training programme to develop the Choir and bring them to competition standard. Since then the Choral group has grown from strength to strength establishing their own strong identity in the Blessington area and they continue to perform regularly for patients in local hospitals and the wider local community.

SAOL - Senior Adults On Line Senior Adults On Line (SAOL) is an innovative Internet and email training programme especially designed for senior adults (over 55 years of age) in Co. Wicklow. The need and desire for this training was identified in many local communities and WRP funded 70 senior adults to participate on this countywide training programme. The delivery of the training by local tutors in local community based IT Centres, at ten locations throughout Co Wicklow, made the course accessible to as many participants as possible. A significant outcome of the SAOL programme was not only the introduction of older people to new technology but also to reduce social isolation and to further encourage participation by senior adults in local community activities.

Wicklow Youth Theatre - MaSamba Training WRP supported Wicklow Youth Theatre Group in their MaSamba Youth Leaders Training initiative.This training equipped existing band members to gain further confidence to move on to a leadership role within the Band and for others it taught them new arrangements in beats and rhythms. The Samba band has greatly enhanced the Wicklow Town area and the band have become regular contributors at local parades and arts festivals and have added a splash of energy with their colorful costumes and their lively Brazilian Beat.

Analysis & Development

Analysis & Development WRP have supported many studies that have been at the centre of some highly innovative business ideas in Co. Wicklow. These studies have varied across a broad range of enterprises ideas including : Environmental Impact Studies and Wind Speed Data Studies in relation to the development of a wind farm. Community Enterprise Centre for South Wicklow. Bunkhouse Barns - A new concept in budget accommodation for those on walking holidays. Wicklow Information Network - The way forward in a changing IT Environment. Market Research and study into the market for a highly unique greeting card design. Highly innovative study into efficiency of a racing boat. WRP are pleased to have been involved at the beginning of many of these businesses throughout the county and hope to further help communities and individual promoters in their quest to realise their business or community development projects from an early stage.

Rural and Agri Tourism

Glenroe Open Farm Situated just outside the village of Kilcoole in North County Wicklow, Glenroe Open Farm is best known for its connection with the famous rural soap opera 'Glenroe'. The TV programme has long ceased to be aired on our screens but Glenroe Open Farm continues to grow from strength to strength and is one of Wicklow's most visited tourist attractions. WRP has been instrumental in assisting the following new developments at Glenroe A new admissions and information area. A large outdoor playground area catering for children from infants to 12 year olds including a specially designated toddler area. An enlarged all weather pets corner. Restoration of 'Dinny's Cottage' to a traditional cottage from by-gone days. Glenroe continues to grow and expand and WRP are happy to be associated with this new development. Tel: 01 2872288 Email: mail@glenroefarm.com Web: www.glenroefarm.com

Kilpatrick House Kilpatrick Guest Farmhouse is situated just off the N11 near the village of Redcross in a beautiful scenic location in Co. Wicklow. The house is one of great character and distinction and had previously operated as a farm guesthouse for a period of thirty years and many notable guests stayed there. The most famous of these guests was the famous Austrian Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, he was a resident at Kilpatrick House while writing one of his major works "Philosophical Investigations" in 1949-50. The house has been recently refurbished to accommodate 3 ensuite bedrooms with support from WRP under the NRDP Programme. History is now repeating itself and the doors of Kilpatrick House are open and welcoming guests once again, WRP are very pleased to be associated with this important on farm tourism diversification project. Tel: 0404 47137 Email: info@kilpatrickhouse.com Web: http://www.kilpatrickhouse.com

Miniature Safari Land at River Valley Caravan & Camping Park River Valley Camping Park is situated in the picturesque village of Redcross. This award winning tourism and leisure park has just recently developed a new innovative all weather leisure attraction on site - Miniature Safari Land. This attraction consists of miniature radio controlled vehicles and boats in a fantasy world of, land, roads, caves, lagoons and canals in an all-weather secured area of approx. 100 sq. meters. This new attraction has been developed with the support of LEADER+ funding, allowing the promoters to add to the existing cluster of attractions on-site and further enhancing the tourism package that River Valley has to offer. Tel: 0404 41647 Email: info@rivervalleypark.ie Web: www.rivervalleypark.ie

The Old Milking Parlour at Ballymurrin House The Old Milking Parlour at Ballymurrin House Quaker Settlement County Wicklow With the support of Wicklow Rural Partnership, Delphine and Philip Geoghegan were able to fulfil their ambition to restore and conserve the Old Milking Parlour at Ballymurrin into eco-friendly self-catering accommodation. The recently converted Old Milking Parlour is part of an original 17th century Quaker settlement and is a superbly equipped rural retreat, offering incomparable accommodation with a four-star Tourism Ireland rating. It is spacious, light and airy, designed following eco-friendly principles and can accommodate up to eight persons. For further details please contact Delephine & Philip Geoghegan Tel + 353 404 48206 Email icon@iolfree.ie Web www.ballymurrin.ie

Rural Enterprise

Ballyknocken Cookery School Ballyknocken Cookery School is a new enterprise at the existing Ballyknocken 4 Star Guesthouse near Glenealy. The promoter Catherine Byrne Fulvio has received many prestigious awards for her guesthouse and plays a leading role in tourism promotion in Co. Wicklow. This business is based on farm and with the support of WRP's LEADER+ Programme the promoter has converted an old disused milking parlour into a cookery school. This facility operates primarily as a cookery school at present with plans in the pipeline to expand the selection of courses on offer to include some lifestyle type courses. Ballyknocken is open all year round. Tel: 0404 44627 Email: cfulvio@ballyknocken.com Web: www.ballyknocken.com/

Eve Studio Pottery Eve Studio Pottery is based in Blessington, Co. Wicklow. There Eve produces a range of colourfully decorated slip cast ceramics. Each piece has been designed and made by her at the studio. As well as functional pieces, sculptural and decorative pieces are also produced. The studio also offers a "paint on pottery" activity as well as pottery classes for both adults and children. A unique feature of the business is that Eve Studio Pottery also offers children / babies hand or foot prints onto pottery. This unique, personalised service is ideal for all the family to keep as a memento for parents, grandparents, godparents etc. With LEADER + Grant aid from WRP, Eve Studio Pottery was able purchase and install a larger kiln which has significantly increased the production capacity of the business. Eve Studio Pottery is open to the public at the Blessington Craft Centre, Blessington, Co. Wicklow and can be contacted at 045 865850.

Horse Therapy Centre WRP have supported this highly innovative rural enterprise which provides an alternative and complementary holistic healing treatment service for horses, mainly based on Reiki and Seichem healing energy. The target market for this service is the professional horse market in Ireland including racehorses, sporting horses, national hunters and show jumpers. This enterprise is situated on-farm and is providing the promoters with an excellent alternative source of income. Tel: 0404 64434 Email: info@horsetherapycentre.com Web: www.horsetherapycentre.com

Environmentally Friendly Initiatives

Clearpower Ltd Clearpower Ltd and Richard Page a farmer based in West Wicklow have developed a a very innovative environmentally friendly project. The project started out with short rotation coppice (SRC) willow being grown purely as an energy crop for woodchip. Apart from the revenue from willow chip as a fuel, the densely planted and rapidly growing willow plants have been proven to be an environmentally sound treatment zone for problem liquid wastes. This method of liquid waste treatment, known as bio-filtration has been applied with consistently good results in Sweden & Northern Ireland over the past decade. The site at Grangecon became the first in the country to use the growing of willow for bio-filtration purposes. The project bio-filtered 1,000 tonnes of brewery waste from Diageo. The liquid brewery waste was dispersed over the willow by piping. The addition of the revenue from waste treatment changes the overall economics of growing and establishing willow, making the overall package (problem liquid waste a more viable prospect.

Exploitation of agriculture forestry and Fisheries products

Eilish Oils Ltd. The project entails the processing of locally produced oilseed rape into a high-protein animal feed ingredient. This processing will also produce pure vegetable oil as a renewable fuel which can substitute diesel oil in cars, for eating etc. The promoters have run this project on a pilot basis for the past 2/3 years. They have worked closely with the Teagasc in Oakpark, Carlow and the University of Limerick. The project provides a new and innovative opportunity for Irish agriculture in the renewable fuels industry. It is also an environmentally friendly initiative with no waste product. Address: Kilmurry, Newtown Mount Kennedy, Co. Wicklow Phone: 01 286 3673 Fax: 01 284 2814 Email: oilswell@eilishoils.com Website: http://www.eilishoils.com

Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese John Hempenstall has been farming for the past 25 years at Curranstown just outside of Arklow. Realising that a gap existed in the Irish market for a top quality blue brie cheese John developed a soft blue-veined brie cheese, 'Wicklow Blue', with the help of the Dairy Products Research Centre at the Teagasc Centre in Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork John is highly innovative being the first Dairy Farmer in Co. Wicklow to use his own farm milk to produce cheese. The business is expanding and is currently supplying local restaurants, delicatessens, specialty food shops, supermarkets and cheese wholesalers along the East Coast from Dublin to Waterford. Tel: 0402-39543 wfcheese@eircom.net

Wicklow Rural Partnership Ltd., Saville House, Saville's Cross, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Tel: +353 404 46977, Fax: + 353 404 46978, Email: info@wicklowleader.ie