Did you see our article in the December edition of The Allen Eye?

You can read our last article below

Although 2020 has been a challenging and highly unusual year and we continue to struggle with the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board, Management and Staff of ACDAL would like to wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas and a 2021 that will bring back normalcy into all our lives.

Some Much Welcomed Good News.

In the summer edition of the Allen Eye, we were delighted to share with you our good news, in that ACDAL had been awarded funding under the Leader programme. In addition to this, we received match funding for the Leader

grant from the Community Enhancement Programme. ACDAL had recently learned that it had been successful with a submission for grant aid under the Drehid Community Grant Scheme. The Leader and CEP funding will be used to carry out significant remedial work to the exterior of the main premises. The Drehid grant will allow for some much- needed remedial interior work.

In late November, ACDAL further learned that it had been successful with securing grant aid from Enterprise Ireland, which will fund a complete IT upgrade in the Centre and the fitting out of several rooms for remote working and remote learning.

We are also very excited to share with you further good news, with regard to ACDAL being successful in securing funding from the ‘Just Transition Fund’. This substantial investment will be used to develop green field sites in ACDAL for the establishment of new businesses. The funding will ensure that all the necessary infrastructure is put in place, to include a road, footpaths, lighting and all the necessary utilities, so that the site in effect will be fully serviced and will, therefore, facilitate the development of up to 16 new enterprises and the creation of many jobs in Allenwood and the North West Kildare area. The turnaround of the build, we believe will be rapid, and will take just under a year, from start to finish.

With the formation of a new Board of Directors and the appointment of a new Manager in late 2018, there has been a renewed energy and essential activity in the last two years with progressing further the operation in terms of job creation, supporting enterprise, delivering quality affordable needs-based education and training for all ages, providing quality childcare and enhanced community engagement. As a Social Enterprise, we are depended on the support from grant aid, and never more so than now. The plan is to grow further in and sustain all of the aforementioned. An objective is to be a key player in the above and for the organisation to be a valuable and much availed resource for the community of North West Kildare.

We would like to thank and acknowledge the funding that we have received from the Leader Programme, the Community Enhancement Programme, the Drehid Community Grant Scheme, Enterprise Ireland and the Just Transition Fund. We are all very excited about the future and what it will bring to Allenwood and North West Kildare with the allocation of these grants.

Shared Office Space in ACDAL.

In 2020, we launched our shared office and remote working space. Ideal if you are fed up working from the kitchen table, finding it hard to stay on task, and crave a fit-for- purpose work station.

EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST

Did You Know We Deliver Training In…?

• Horticulture

• Knapsack & Boom Spraying

• Chain-Shaw Operations

• IT Skills

• Smart Phone & Tablet Use

• Health Care

• Early Child Care & Child Care Education

• H&S Training

For further information call today on 045-870 804

ACDAL is a well-established provider of CPC courses