Rouskey Community and Development Association

Throughout the COVID-19 health pandemic, there have been many examples of our communities responding to the exceptional circumstances to help those in need. Here, Rouskey Community and Development Association shares its story.

Prior to Covid, Rouskey had a busy Community Centre which facilitated a variety of classes, events and courses within the rural, farming community. The Centre was the focal point in the area and its closure, due to Covid-19, has had a detrimental effect in our rural community. During Covid-19, every effort was made to keep in contact with our community and this included setting up a Facebook Page called ‘Rouskey Lifting the Mood through the Arts’. Our local community were invited to post pictures capturing their lives throughout lockdown. It got an amazing response with local people sharing photos of their family lives, nature, animals, landscapes, baking, arts and crafts.

The Centre has continued to deliver our volunteer Befriending Service by phoning the elderly and vulnerable in our community. Their health and well being is crucial as they tend to be excluded from the many services and opportunities available online as they either do not have internet, have the necessary technology or know how to use it.

Within our community, many businesses and Volunteers have provided supplies such as food and scrubs for the NHS staff and with the help of the Omagh Forum, these have been delivered to the Western Health & Social Care Trust.

Despite the many challenges in the future, the Centre is planning ahead and has submitted applications for funding in order to deliver a number of projects within our community. We plan to work with Multimedia Heritage which will help develop skills within our community in recording and presenting and produce tangible outcomes including talking books and colourful books. It is vital that the Centre continues to deliver as many of its services as possible, albeit in a reduced capacity, because it provides a lifeline to many in our community.