Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network
(CWSAN) is a community umbrella organisation
which was formed in 1996 to represent and
support the interests of community groups
within the rural areas of Cookstown District
and along the Western Shores of Lough Neagh.
The network aims to support the activities
of groups in the area through a range of
measures which include training,
facilitation, information access, brokerage
and consultation.
The network operates from a central location
at the Crieve Centre, Stewartstown serving
the needs of groups in this rural area
stretching from the River Moyola to the
north, the River Blackwater to the south and
westwards to the Sperrins foothills.
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CWSAN is one of twelve Rural Support Networks (RSN’s)
affiliated to the Rural Community Network (RCN)
and is largely funded by the European ”Building
Sustainable Prosperity" Programme through RCN
and the Department for Agriculture and Rural
Development within it’s Rural Development
programme. The network also receives substantial
funding from the Community Fund. CWSAN has a
cross-community focus and is managed by a
voluntary committee which is elected annually.
Since 1997 the Network has expanded from a few
groups based along the Lough Shore to the
present membership of 45 affiliated groups
(serving 70 groups in terms of advice, policy
and networking). These include community and
development associations, youth, farmer’s
groups, women’s groups, welfare rights, ethnic
minorities, playgroups, historical and cultural
groups and a number of issue based partnerships.
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