Drama Classes begin on Saturday 4th September. All new members must register on the first day. A session for children aged 5-9 years will run between 1pm – 2.30pm whilst a session for 9-17 year olds will run from 2.30pm – 4pm. This years productions will be Alice in Wonderland for the younger age group, and Saturday Night Fever for the older age group. New members are welcome.

Little Wombles Playgroup re-opens on Wednesday 1st September at 9am.

Ballinascreen Early Years re-opens on Wednesday 1st September at 9am.

Pupils return to St Colm’s High School on the following dates:

• Tuesday 31st August – Upper and Lower 6th
• Wednesday 1st September – Years 8 & 12
• Thursday 2nd September – Years 9, 10 & 11
• Friday 3rd September  - All Pupils

• U6, U8, U10 & U12 Camogie training commences on Wednesday evenings from 6pm at Cahore playing fields. Please note that there will be no further Saturday training sessions for these age groups.
• Guest Tea and Traditional evening with local artists takes place at the Club on Sunday 15th August at 7pm. Admission is £10 and tickets are available from Ballinascreen Credit Union or any club member.

Draperstown Busking Festival & Community Fun Day organised by Draperstown Traders will take place along St Patrick’s Street on Sunday 29th August, including a line-up of musicians in the centre of the town competing in an open-air busking festival for a top prize of £200.

A number of craft stalls and family orientated amusements etc. are also planned on the day to ensure that young and old alike have a great time (Some amusements will be free whilst a small charge will apply to others).

The street festival will run from 3pm – 7pm. Please note that St. Patrick’s street will be closed to traffic from 2pm – 8pm on the day and traffic diversions will be in place.

Anyone who would like to get involved and showcase their talents in arts, crafts, balloon modelling, face-painting etc. should get in touch with Tracey on (028) 79629855 or via email at draperstownbuskingfestival@googlemail.com

To celebrate the centenary of the Ballinascreen National & Hibernian Hall, a band parade will take place on Sunday 8th August at 3pm, followed by an open-air concert in St Patrick’s Street. Everyone is welcome.

After the success of last years Summer Scheme a similar scheme will be run this year from Monday 2nd August until Friday 13th August. This year’s scheme, supported by the Workspace Community Fund, will involve a range of sports, co-ordinated by qualified coaches, including:

• Gaelic Football
• Hurling
• Camogie
• Soccer
• Basketball
• Rounders
• Tennis
• Table Tennis
• Dodgeball
• Unihoc
• Cross Country
• Badminton
• Indoor Hurling

Morning Sessions: P3,P4,P5: 10am – 12noon

Afternoon Sessions: P6, P7, Year 8: 12.30pm – 2.30pm

Registration takes place on Wednesday 28th July from 6pm – 8pm at the Backrow Recreation Centre or at Workspace Reception during July. The fee is £10 per child. For further information contact Workspace on (028) 79628113

Folks,

We’ve received the following press release in relation to the recent fundraising activities for Marie Curie Cancer Care:

The amazing people of Ballinascreen put not only their feet on the line but their hands in their pockets to the tune of at least £14,000 to make this years Marie Curie fundraiser the best ever. The annual street collection alone brought in £2,426 – a tremendous response given the current economic climate, the size of Draperstown, and the number of sponsorship cards in circulation.

The organisers would like to sincerely thank:

• • all of those who helped to make the event such a success,
  • the local business men and woman who paid for all the expenses of the ‘Blaze’ team and the “Best Dressed” prize,
  • Ballinascreen Credit Union for their unwaivering support, the use of their Community Window for advertising and in particular Niamh Scullion for her many talents in the development and printing of the “Firewalk” sponsor cards, posters, etc.
  • Big D who was exceelent as always in entertaining the crowd during the “Firewalk” and at the “Black & White” theme night,
  • the magnificent team of street collectors who brave the elements each and every year,
  • all of the local shops who kindly donated raffle prizes,
  • Maurice Regan and the staff of The Market Inn for all their help and support in the build up to the event and throughout the weekend,
  • Danny Scullion, Nuala McDonald, Paddy O’Kane, Sean McGuigan, Kenny McGregor, Kathleen Gray, Brian O’Hagan, Paddy McGregor, Patrick Cassidy, Conor McKenna, Conor McSorley, Kieran O’Hagan, Raymond O’Hagan, Joe McCallion, Sean McCallion, Steven McKenna, Gregory McWilliams, Austin McKillion, Miguel Lagan, Mark Brady, Nora Conway, Eamon McSorley, Gareth Blair, Sean Toner, Niall Falls and all of those who helped in any way,
  • O’Neill & McBride for the use of their salesyard for the “Firewalk”
  • Fr Clerkin for the use of the Holy Rosary car park
  • a special word of thanks to all the brave menu and women who volunteered to “Firewalk”

It is something that has never been attempted in Ballinascreen or the surrounding area before and it took a lot of courage for those individuals to be the guinea pigs. The sponsorship that they have raised to date and pledged is amazing. We want to talk the firewalkers for their immense efforts in raising sponsorship and to thank all of the people near and far who not only donated by came on the night to support them.

Finally we would like to thank Anne Roberts, area fundraising manager for Marie Curie Cancer Care, for attending the finale on Saturday night and addressing the crowd. She thanked all the firewalkers and commended the fundraising team for their tremendous efforts this year and in previous years. She stated that “there are 200 Marie Curie nurses in Northern Ireland who depend heavily on the efforts of fundraisers and the generosity of people such as yourselves. The £14,000 raised here in Ballinascreen this weekend will provide 700 hours of nursing care and support to patients and family in the comfort and privacy of their own home.”

Following the success of the recent Community Workshops, the Sperrins Gateway Landscape Partnership would like to invite everyone to a meeting which will take place on Thursday 15th April at 8pm in the Rural College. A summarisation of the results and views expressed during the community workshops held in March will be presented at this meeting, with a discussion to agree the priorities for the Sperrins Gateway Landscape Partnership scheme going forward. Everyone is welcome to attend and refreshments will be provided. For further information, you can contact Melissa Hogg on (028) 86747373