Community-21 – a series of conversations reflecting on community work over Covid-19, funded by the Community Relations Council‘s Media Grant Scheme.
Northern Ireland is an interface – an interface of ideas; of cultures; of perspectives on the past, present and future. The Forthspring Inter Community Group – while existing on one of Belfast’s most infamous interfaces – is anything but that. The organisation has thrived as a community centre that has brought people together – irrespective of what side of the wall they’re from – for over two decades since the Belfast Agreement. It is now headed by their new Director, Eddie Wallace, who is continuing this fond cross-community tradition in new and innovative ways.
Eddie began the daunting job of bringing residents of west Belfast’s Clonard and Woodvale estates together during a global pandemic and amidst some of the most political upheaval Northern Ireland has seen in some time. From finding innovative ways to continue their inter-community Springers and Youth Matters programmes, to building the capacity of families and schools to meet the needs of their communities through their MUMO project, to getting their community, arts and pensioners groups up and running online, Eddie had his work cut out for him during Covid. He not only met these demands but exceeded them through building stronger community engagement and raising more awareness of Forthspring’s presence and impact.
The Forthspring premises originally served as the grounds of Springfield Methodist Church dating back to the 1950s. In the tail years of ‘The Troubles’, the church grounds came under attack by prolonged sectarian violence and the congregation’s numbers regrettably dwindled. Those that remained in the church were faced with a difficult decision. In true Christian spirit, they put the community first, agreeing to expand the church into a community centre. The building would remain a place where the congregation and their cross-community prayer and bible study groups would meet, but the grounds would now also serve as a community and youth centre focused on reconciling the two communities in a shared and safe space.
Eddie has prioritised expanding Forthspring’s impact further across the city since coming into the role. In January 2021, the Belfast Multi Cultural Association (BMCA), based on the Donegall Pass, was the victim of a heinous hate-motivated arson attack on their community centre, which until that time hosted a food and clothing bank, as well as a prayer space for Belfast’s refugee and asylum seeker communities. With the help of NICVA, Eddie advocated that they use the old church hall space available in Forthspring to continue serving their community after their centre was rendered unserviceable.
Their services have now continued at Forthspring. The BMCA’s presence has also led to many intercultural events and potlucks where locals and migrants have come together to learn more about and enjoy each other’s cultures through food, furthering intercultural relations. The friendships that have developed from these events have helped integrate people from migrant backgrounds while also helping locals to see themselves and their own communities in a different light.
When political turmoil erupted on Forthspring’s doorstep in April and May due to tensions arising from the NI Protocol, Forthspring’s long-running prayer groups, church members and the BMCA joined together to pray for peace in the community and led a procession down the Springfield Road and back up through the other side of the wall to help cull the riots. Since then, the community centre has now expanded upon its cross-community / ecumenical ethos to tackle issues from a united, intercultural and interfaith approach. This model ‘sprung forth’ out of good will, which communities across the world could learn much from.
‘Community work’ might sound enticing to some and, while certainly rewarding, it isn’t for the faint of heart. To be a true servant of the community, one needs to be there in the best and worst of times. Eddie and Forthspring’s dedicated staff got out in the streets during these riots and did their best to promote peaceful protest while doing what they could to prevent young people from establishing criminal records in the strife. Iconically, they linked arms together with other community workers across the peace line and walked hand-in-hand towards the rioters, preventing them from being able to move down the road and helping cease the violence. This is the dedication that is needed to push society forward. This is community.
From their shared history projects, to their youth and family services, to their expanding reach to communities that have recently come to call Northern Ireland home, Forthspring is the model for communities in transition. Belfast’s walls may have been put up by two communities, but they will be torn down by one.