Collone Young Farmers Club has been awarded the prestigious Green Flag award from Ulster Wildlife Grassroots Program and Presenting the award, Orlagh McNeill, Project Officer – YFCU – Grassroots Challenge and Charlene McKeown from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. YFCU are delighted that Collone YFC are the third club to be awarded the Green Flag award and look forward to more Young Farmers Clubs across Northern Ireland being awarded the green Flag Award for taking action for wildlife in their neighbourhood, whilst also improving their confidence, employability and wellbeing.
Collone YFC have excelled in eco water management. Collone YFC took part in a six week water saving campaign with members learning how to save water washing cars, creating rain catchers and saving water around their homes and farms. The eco-committee took to social media over the 6 weeks to show their followers what all Collone member have been getting up to. Another major topic Collone YFC members looked at was healthy living. Collone members wanted to raise awareness of physical and mental health by offering more opportunities to improve these within the club calendar. The club held a fitness night and a mental health night within the club programme. In June 2020, the club took part in the 600 mile challenge and donations were made to yellow wellies for mental health resources. Due to covid-19, Collone YFC also revamped their eco-code which is now 'check your head, check your diet, check your environment'.
commenting on Collone YFC being awarded the Green Flag Award, Orlagh McNeil, Project Officer, Ulster Wildlife Grassroots Challenge, saying " he commitment and dedication the club has shown in achieving their green flag award has been outstanding despite challenges with the pandemic. The social media water saving campaign was particularly impressive and is something to build upon in future . Congratulations to the club on achieving their success."