Human Rights Commission visits North Down and Ards

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) visited Ards and North Down as part of its ongoing engagement work.

The Commission met with local political and community representatives from Ards and North Down on Friday 29 June as part of the Commission’s continuing community engagement programme.

In partnership with the North Down Community Network, the Commission participated in a ‘Community Café’ summer event in Bangor and met with a range of community groups and community volunteers to discuss issues that are most important to them and their local area. The Commission also met with the MP for North Down, Lady Sylvia Hermon, the MP for Strangford, Jim Shannon, local MLAs, the Lord Mayor of Ards and North Down, local Councillors, and the Bangor District Police Commander.

Louise Little, Manager of the North Down Community Network commented:

“North Down Community Network are delighted to be partnering with the NIHRC to help people better understand the work of the Commission and how they can avail of help, support and services for the range of issues or challenges they are facing. At the core of what we do is empowering people to understand their rights and to be better informed about how to access them. The annual event serves to celebrate the amazing time and commitment of local volunteers from across Bangor and beyond, as well as inform people from all backgrounds and walks of life just how relevant the work of the Commission is to their life and living.”

Les Allamby, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Chief Commissioner added:

“Today gives us a great opportunity to visit North Down and Ards. We are delighted to meet with the North Down Community Network and to hear about the great work that they are involved in. Meeting with local political representatives and the PSNI provides us with an invaluable insight of the human rights issues that are affecting the local community. This helps us plan our work for the future and ensures our work is relevant to what is happening to people’s lives locally.”

ENDS

Further information:

For further information please contact Claire Martin on (028) 9024 3987/ 0771 7731873 or by email on claire.martin@nihrc.org

Note to Editors

1. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent statutory body first proposed in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement (1998) and established in 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act (1998). It is answerable to Parliament at Westminster.

2. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission visited Ards and North Down on Friday 29 June and met local political and community representatives.

9:00am – Meeting with Stephen Agnew MLA.

9:30am – Meeting with Kellie Armstrong MLA.

10:00am – Meeting with Mayor of Ards and North Down, Richard Smart.

11:00-1:00pm – Community Café summer event at North Down Community Network Resource Centre.

2:00pm – Meeting with District Commander Superintendent Brian Kee and team at Bangor Police Station.

3:15pm – Meeting with Lady Sylvia Hermon MP.

4:30pm – Meeting with Jim Shannon MP.