Mara Project – maximising access in rural areas in Northern Ireland
The MARA project
MARA project Northern Ireland, aims to improve the health and well-being of people living in rural areas throughout Northern Ireland, where the hidden nature of poverty and isolation can make it difficult to connect with the most vulnerable members of our community.
Under the project, people can benefit from a household visit whereby they will be given useful information on services, grants and benefits which may be of assistance to them.
The project is funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and led by the Public Health Agency for the four year period April 2011 – March 2015.
It is important that people in rural areas are made aware of the support that is available through MARA, and I hope you can help us spread the word.
How MARA PROJECT works
The programme aims to increase access to benefits, grants and services which are known to improve health and wellbeing. To reach out to the most vulnerable rural households, a personal, supportive and empathetic approach is required. That is where MARA makes a difference.
By placing community networks at the heart of the MARA project and using local knowledge, it is easier to identify and connect with people who could benefit from a household visit.
There are no eligibility criteria for a MARA household visit. However, typically householders that would benefit from a visit include older people, carers, disabled people, lone parents, ethnic minorities, lone adults, farming families and low income families.
People are given information on useful support and services, such as rural community transport, SmartPass, warm homes/energy savings homes scheme, occupational therapy assessments for disabled facilities grants, home safety checks, and benefits entitlement checks.
This support can make a real difference to people’s lives in rural areas.
How you can help
So that we can help make people aware of the support that is available through MARA, I would be
grateful if you could share this information with organisations and groups in your area, as well as staff
in your organisation.
This will help us to ensure that the project continues to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged
groups in our community.
How to get in touch
If you have any queries or would like further information on the MARA project, please contact:
Teresa McGarvey,
MARA Regional Project Manager, Public Health Agency, Health Improvement Team (West), 2ndFloor, Anderson House, Omagh Co Tyrone, BT78 1EE, telephone (028) 8225
3950, or email teresa.mcgarvey@hscni.net
<h2>Or contact your local MARA group on the details below:<h2>
Zone District | Council Area | Project Manager | Organisation Contact Number Email Address
Zone 1 | Banbridge | Lycrecia McGeary Tyrone Antrim Down Armagh (TADA)
(028) 3839 8888 lycrecia@tadarsn.com
Zone 2 Cookstown, Magherafelt Nuala Kildunne Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network (CWSAN)
(028) 8773 8845 cwsanmax@live.co.uk
Zone 3 Down Nuala McElroy County Down Rural Community Network
(CDRCN)
(028) 4461 2311 nuala@countydownrcn.com
Zone 4 Derry, Strabane Limavady Pauline Buchanan Rural North West Community
Support (RNWCS)
(028) 8166 2588 rnwcsmara@btconnect.com
Zone 5 Moyle, Antrim, Larne, Ballymena Liz Bird North Antrim Community Network (NACN)
(028) 2177 1155 elizabeth@nacn.org
Zone 6 Omagh Aidan Bunting Omagh Forum for Rural Associations (OFRA)
(028) 8225 1559 aidan.bunting@omaghforum.org
Zone 7 Ballymoney Coleraine Paul Sampson Causeway Rural Urban Network (CRUN)
(028) 7094 4934 paul@crun.org
Zone 8 Dungannon Armagh Clare Thompson Community Organisations of South Tyrone and Areas (COSTA)
(028) 8555 6880 mara.costa@btconnect.com
Zone 9 Newry, Mourne Craigavon Allison Slater South Down Family Health Initiative (SDFHI)
(028) 4177 4248 allison.slater@southdownhealthinitiative.com
Zone 10 Ards & Castlereagh Leslie Johnston County Down Rural Community Network (CDRCN)
(028) 9182 8884 nicholas@countydownrcn.com
Zone 12 Lisburn Lycrecia McGeary Tyrone Antrim Down Armagh (TADA)
(028) 3839 8888 lycrecia@tadarsn.com
Zone 13 Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey Anne Thompson outh Antrim Community Network (SACN)
(028) 9447 8645 wendy@southantrimcommunitynetwork.org
Zone 14 Fermanagh Barry Boyle Fermanagh Rural Community Network (FRCN)
(028) 6632 7006 fermanaghrcn@aol.com
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