Downpatrick Office 02844612311 / Newtownards Office 02891828884

County Down Rural Community Network

Helping Communities Help Themselves

Welcome to CDRCN. The network is a voluntary umbrella body set up and managed by community groups in County Down. We are committed to an inclusive future where all citizens actively participate in local life, helping each other to create a healthy, peaceful, vibrant & sustainable society.

News & Events

Training, Events, Funding and more

Social Farming Awareness week 2022

Social Farming is an innovative use of agriculture to promote therapy, rehabilitation, social inclusion, education and social services in rural areas. Social Farming Awareness week will take place from Monday 3rd October to Friday 7th October 2022, with the...

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Rural Community Development

Building & maintaining community infrastructure and developing community capacity

Rural Community Development

We provide a comprehensive community development service to member groups helping to improve their quality of life.

Health Development

Local communities benefit from our dedicated Community Health Development Teams across Down District and the Ards Peninsula.

Neighbourhood Renewal

We deliver a range of targeted health and wellbeing and community initiatives to hard to reach groups within Downpatrick NR area.

Social Prescribing

A community approach to health and wellbeing

What is Social Prescribing?

  • The provision of non-medical services in the voluntary and community sector
  • The creation and maintenance of referral processes and pathways that enable GPs and other health practitioners to make referrals into such services for individual patients
  • Social prescribing takes a community approach to health and wellbeing rather than looking for a pill to cure all ills.

What is SPRING?

“SPRING” social prescribing helps people 18+ to address social, emotional and practical needs by connecting them to sources of support within their community to improve their own health and wellbeing.

SPRING is a brand new National Lottery funded Social Prescribing project organised by the Healthy Living Centre Alliance (HLCA) & Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing. It has been funded for 3 years initially with extension to 5 depending on outcomes.

Ballymote Centre

For community and business

CDRCN has managed the Ballymote Centre for over 18 years under a management agreement with the Ballymote Board of Directors. Ballymote Community Project Ltd (BCPL) is one of the most successful social economy projects in Northern Ireland.

Contact CDRCN

13 + 14 =

Main Office

Ballymote Centre
40 Killough Road
Downpatrick
BT30 6PY

T: 028 4461 2311

Ards Office

Ards Network Centre
43-45 Frances Street
Newtownards
BT23 7DX

T: 028 9182 8884

South Down Office

Altnaveigh House
51 Downshire Road
Newry
BT34 1EE

T: 028 4461 2311

South Armagh Office

Crossmaglen Community Centre
Cardinal O’fiaich Square
Crossmaglen
BT35 9AA

T: 028 4461 2311

CDRCN is funded by

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