The natural world is the larger sacred community to which we belong. To be alienated from this community is to become destitute in all that makes us human. To damage this community is to diminish our own existence. – Thomas Berry

Common Ground exists to serve a few distinct and interrelated communities who have come together in this project. These communities include:

• the local people of the East Erne district;
• all the species of plants, animals and insects that thrive within the unique and diverse
  environment;
• the people who come from afar to spend time and share in the Common Ground
  community.

This section is about the services for people in the local communities. These are being
developed as a community health and wellbeing hub which will run synergistically with
the other Common Ground activities.

The project aims to serve the whole community using a total systems approach. The following people will be supported by a range of therapeutic services : troubled individuals and families; the elderly; people in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse; individuals suffering with anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress and suicidal tendencies; home and professional carers, and those feeling isolated. The plan is to provide basic health and well-being services in an
innovative way to the East Erne area. The area has been classed demographically as deprived in provision of healthcare services in particular social care and mental health.

Proposed services to be delivered from the community hub.

The services that are in consideration for development include: daycare for people with special needs/ learning difficulties using the care-farm model; elderly daycare; daytime/overnight
respite and individual/group support for home carers; a programme for professional health and social care workers to prevent burnout; a farm play group facility & holiday activities for
families; lunch club for marginalized, socially excluded and isolated people.

In due course there will be a range of innovative groups/activities to choose from: horticulture therapy; gardening for health; a good relations community garden; indoor and outdoor talking therapies; rural arts/crafts for mental wellbeing and good relations; healthy cooking including a seed to plate programme; farm and environmental activities for mental wellbeing and good
relations; clinical space for a range of allopathic and complementary health care practitioners; a men’s shed.

The confirmed services include horticulture therapy, a community garden project, and a range of low-cost groups, short courses and ways of young people, schools and colleges getting involved.

[otw_shortcode_button href=”http://www.commongroundni.org/contact/” size=”small” icon_type=”general foundicon-star” icon_position=”left” shape=”round” color_class=”otw-blue” target=”_blank”]Contact Us[/otw_shortcode_button]

Please tell your family, friends, neighbours and the world via your networks and social media: