Community Planning Partnership Marks 10 Years of Working Together for Fermanagh and Omagh

The Fermanagh and Omagh Community Planning Strategic Partnership Board has marked ten years of Community Planning across the district, celebrating a decade of partnership working to improve wellbeing and deliver better outcomes for local people.

The milestone was recognised at a meeting of the Partnership Board on Thursday 25 June 2026. Established in 2015, Community Planning brings together statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations, working alongside residents to help create a healthier, safer, more connected and prosperous Fermanagh and Omagh District.

To commemorate the anniversary, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Community Planning Strategic Partnership Board took part in a ceremonial tree planting, symbolising the growth achieved over the past decade and the Partnership’s continued commitment to future generations.

The anniversary programme also placed community voices at its centre through two intergenerational engagement initiatives. “Shaping Our Future Together” invited children and young people to share their hopes for the district through artwork, poetry, photography and video. More than 1,000 pupils were engaged through school visits, with 20 schools participating. Submissions highlighted the importance of green spaces, recreation, family, community facilities and local identity.

Older residents also shared their experiences, memories and aspirations through “The Wisdom We Share” poetry competition, which received 52 submissions. The poems reflected themes of belonging, community, nature, family relationships, resilience and the value of life experience, reinforcing the importance of ensuring older people’s voices continue to shape the district’s future.

A selection of artwork from “Shaping Our Future Together” will be displayed at Strule Arts Centre, while poems from “The Wisdom We Share” will be exhibited at Omagh Library and Lisnaskea Library. A curated selection of poems and artwork will also be brought together in a commemorative publication, Shaping Our Future Through the Wisdom We Share – An Intergenerational Composition, creating a lasting record of the voices that helped mark the milestone.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Errol Thompson, Chair of the Community Planning Strategic Partnership Board, said: “Celebrating ten years of Community Planning provides an opportunity to recognise the power of partnership and the importance of listening to the people we serve.

“Over the last decade, statutory partners, the community and voluntary sector, and local residents have come together to help shape the future of our district, achieving a great deal through collaboration, shared ambition and collective action.

“The creativity and enthusiasm demonstrated through both the schools challenge and the poetry competition remind us that everyone has a valuable contribution to make. The ideas, experiences and aspirations shared through these initiatives will help inform and inspire our work as we look towards the next decade of Community Planning.

“I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to, supported and participated in our 10-year celebration activities. Community Planning succeeds because people are at its heart, and by continuing to work together we can build a healthy, safe, connected and prosperous Fermanagh and Omagh for future generations.”

Reflecting on the milestone, the Partnership acknowledged the many organisations, community groups and residents who have helped shape Community Planning since 2015 and reaffirmed its commitment to collaborative working to improve quality of life across Fermanagh and Omagh District.