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BNest helps the ACM community create a community tourism enterprise

ACM community gets help from BNest. Pictured at the BNest 2017-2018 incubator programme graduation ceremony Eamon Ryan, founder BNest, Gert O’Rourke, UL Nexus Innovation Centre, Kasia Zabinska, BNest, BNest graduate Jennifer Murphy from ACM Community Centre, Carmel Fox, Ballyhoura Development Company and Emily Duffy, inventor of the Duffily Bag. Closing date for applications for the 2018/2019 programme is August 15. Picture: Sophie Goodwin/ilovelimerick

 

BNest helps the ACM community create a community tourism enterprise

The Ahane Castleconnell Montpelier community (ACM), located in the heart of Castleconnell, was established as the Millennium Project Group in 1998 by the Castleconnell Community Council (CCDC) and immediately set about the task of developing a Community Centre in the parish. 


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The goal for ACM community is to create a community tourism enterprise in the village of Castleconnell, Co. Limerick that will support sustainable local development.

This will happen by providing employment opportunities, creating a sense of pride in the village and supporting the development of local amenities that benefit visitors to the village and the people that live there. This community-driven initiative will put Castleconnell on the map as a food, health and wellbeing destination. It is a unique social enterprise tourism initiative which also addresses social issues to create a more resilient community.

Jennifer Murphy from the ACM community, who works at a tour enterprise for Castleconnell that has both social and economic impacts. She said that Castleconnell is a village with a rich culture of heritages which would offer people a lot of tourist attractions. “We would like to showcase what the place has to our visitor.”

ACM community was able to develop tourism of Castleconnell with the help of BNest, the first dedicated Social Enterprise Incubator Programme in Ireland which caters to all types of organisations from non-profits to community enterprises to businesses with a social conscience. BNest offers a six-month peer programme at no cost to participating organisations and is dedicated to helping businesses that want to make a social impact.

“BNest offered an unparalleled and authoritative form of support for the enterprise which helped me to grow what was originally an idea into a business that has the potential to make a positive difference, ” said Jennifer, “BNest helped me formulate an enterprise out of the idea that I had. I wouldn’t be able to get that on my own.”

You can apply for the BNest peer programme now but closing date for applications is August 15. The BNest Social Enterprise Incubator Programme 2018/2019 begins September 7, 2018. Apply at www.bnest.ie/apply

For more information on ACM community, go here

For more information or application on BNest, go here

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Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.