Legacy transcends city politics

David Ervine's legacy is helping children from both communities

He was a politician from a loyalist area of Belfast, but David Ervine's legacy has transcended the sectarian politics of his home city.

The leader of the Progressive Unionist Party died in 2007 following a heart attack aged 53.

It was an abrupt end to his journey from being a UVF bomber to brokering the loyalist paramilitary ceasefire of 1994.

After he died, a foundation bearing his name was established, which supports education and peace-building initiatives.

In his home area of east Belfast, Bridge Community Association's Education by Choice project has received funding to increase educational achievement and aspirations.

The flagship initiative received £29,000 for equipment and a programme tutor, to help residents across his former constituency, an area he remained passionate about until his death.

Joe Conere has been the principal of the project for the last four years. Initially based on the Ravenhill Road helping Protestant children it has now opened a site in the Catholic Short Strand, thanks to funding from the initiative.

School

Between the two bases 38 boys and girls, aged between 14 and 16, who have fallen through the gaps of mainstream education are being tutored in eight topics including GCSEs and emotional literacy.

Ervine tribute sold at auction

"We see them coming in with low self-esteem and no confidence because of how they have been treated and we work to increase their confidence," Joe said.

He said that they were working on running joint initiatives between the two sites, including integrating staff and projects involving youths from both communities.

Other initiatives in Belfast receiving support from the Foundation include the George Best Community Cup and a breakfast club at a south Belfast primary school.

The help is not confined to the greater Belfast area with Tyrone suicide prevention charity, the Niamh Louise Foundation receiving assistance.

Based in Coalisland, the charity will receive financial support to develop mentoring programmes in the area and 20 mentors will be tutored through the project.

The funding, totalling £36,000, was dispersed on Tuesday night at a special event put together by the David Ervine Foundation for the Cathedral Arts Quarter Festival.

It included the auction of a framed poem written by Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney in tribute to the former PUP leader, which was bought for £1,250 by businessman Brendan Duddy, who helped broker the 1994 IRA ceasefire.

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