Residents in Meigh have taken part in a community planting event to create pollinator-friendly areas at the Meigh Community Centre.

The session brought together members of Meigh Men's Shed and other volunteers from the local area. They worked alongside each other to plant areas that support local wildlife and improve shared green spaces.

The event was part of the Bloom and Branch initiative, delivered by The Conservation Volunteers. The programme focuses on increasing biodiversity, expanding native tree cover, and raising awareness about the role of pollinators in ecosystems and food production.

It is also part of the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council's Local Action Plan's Thriving Together initiative, supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

The initiative encourages cross-community collaboration, with projects bringing together people from different backgrounds and traditions to work on shared environmental goals.

Council Chairperson Cllr Glyn Hanna said that supporting biodiversity and the environment has never been more important. He added that local people are delivering projects on a cross-community basis and should be commended for their work.

Further Bloom and Branch sessions will be rolled out across the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area. Residents interested in participating can email bloomandbranch@tcv.org.uk

A PEACEPLUS newsletter is published every two months, highlighting projects delivered under the Co-Designed Action Plan. To receive it, residents can email peace@nmandd.org and ask to be placed on the PEACEPLUS database.