People Place Space, a Choice poetry project run by Belfast-based poet Niamh McNally, which welcomed aspiring poets to take part in creative workshops in the Ballymena area proved a hit with participants.
The initiative, which forms part of Choice’s Good Relations commitment in the area offers the opportunity for participants to meet new people, tell their story and learn new skills, including creative writing.
People Place Space entails taking part in three workshops, free of charge, and groups and individuals are welcome to join. It is supported through the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy, which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.
The Nursery Close, Ballymena, shared housing development is supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive with £2.3m being invested in the scheme’s development and associated five-year Good Relations Plan.
The Ballymena focused workshops took place over March and April in the Carson Centre and the Braid and welcomed 15 participants, including local residents Ann Gibson and Ruth McCandless who tried their hand at poetry and as a participant will have the opportunity to have their work published in a collection that will launch in September 2025 as part of Good Relations Week.
Workshops focused on three key areas:
1. Introduction & Getting To Know You
2. Jumping Into the Space
3. Developing and Editing
Speaking about People Place Space, Belfast-based poet and facilitator Niamh McNally says,
“These creative writing workshops focus on story-telling and poetry and aims to engage diverse groups by bringing them together in a safe, creative space. Through each participant’s unique story, experience, nationality, language, dialect, and an exploration of place and home, we’ll have a publication that will showcase all of this diversity, in print. I look forward to welcoming new participants to People Place Space.”
Speaking about People Place Space, Cyril Moorhead, Choice’s Good Relations Officer said,
“We’re delighted to have Niamh on board to deliver such an innovative writing project as part of our Good Relations work which is helping people unlock their sense of place and identity through poetry. I encourage anyone who has an interest in exploring what home means to them through writing to sign up and become part of this fantastic project. I look forward to reading the poetry in the showcase”.
People Place Space is currently being delivered across other areas in Northern Ireland, including in Lisburn, Dungannon and Derry/Londonderry – with the initiative being extended to a wider range of locations due to its popularity.
If you wish to take part in People Place Space in the other locations, please contact Niamh via email on: peopleplacespace@outlook.com
Choice provides a mix of supported, sheltered and general needs housing across Northern Ireland, providing over 12,000 homes across the region. Choice plays a key role in the delivery of the ‘Housing for All programme’ – creating communities through diversity and inclusivity. With seven shared
housing schemes across Northern Ireland, Choice has demonstrated the impact these schemes can have for the benefits of the local communities.
