Issue 169 - Belfast BT6 • BT7 • BT8
2 Royal Avenue becomes a JAM card friendly venue
2 Royal Avenue, Belfast city centre’s cultural and civic space, is now a JAM card friendly venue. By signing up to the NOW Group’s ‘Just a Minute’ (JAM) initiative, staff at the facility, owned by Belfast City Council, have received training to ensure they are equipped to provide excellent customer service to people with learning difficulties and communication barriers. Signage has also been installed throughout the building to reassure JAM card carriers of a positive and welcoming experience. The award-winning JAM scheme was created by participants with the Belfastbased NOW Group to allow people with a learning difficulty, autism or a communication barrier to tell others they need ‘just a minute’ discreetly and easily. Those with a communication barrier are often reluctant or unable to tell others about their condition but being a JAM card user or JAM card app user allows this to hapKerrie Sweeney, Chief Executive of Maritime Belfast Trust; Ms Graham from Oldpark and Ardoyne Community Group; Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Michelle Kelly and Judith Owens, MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast.
Local community groups explore more of Titanic Belfast
Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Michelle Kelly joined 36 community groups from across Belfast, recently, as they enjoyed a day out at Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic, as part of Local Community Day. Maritime Belfast Trust, the charity set up to preserve and promote Belfast’s maritime and industrial heritage, including the development of Titanic Belfast, worked in collaboration with Titanic Belfast to provide 500 complimentary tickets to the reimagined Titanic Experience.
The community groups came from Bloomfield Community Association, Sailortown Regeneration, Oldpark and Ardoyne Parent and Children Group, South Belfast Boat and Kayak Club, Ligoniel Healthy Living Centre, Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, Forward South, Extern and Belfast
City of Sanctuary. Kerrie Sweeney, Chief Executive of Maritime Belfast Trust said: “We have delivered six Local Community Day initiatives since 2016, welcoming over 3,000 people from 210 groups across the north, south, east and west of the city. The event sees the building opened up to a
range of neighbourhood communities, charities and not-for-profit organisations, allowing visitors to enjoy the experience who may not otherwise get the chance to visit Titanic Belfast.”
Continued on page 4
pen in a simple, effective, non-verbal manner. The announcement follows several accessibility enhancements at 2 Royal Avenue – the former Tesco Metro premises - to support increased participation. The venue’s sensory area has also been recently upgraded with funding from the Department for Communities, enabling it to deliver a wider range of events for all ages and abilities. “We are absolutely delighted to become a JAM Card friendly venue. Our staff are naturally patient and caring, but the training has really reminded us all of how important that is, “ said Lois Kennedy, Managing Director of MayWe Events, who manage the space. 2 Royal Avenue is the latest venue to join the NOW Group’s JAM initiative, with 135,000 users now carrying the card or using the app.