Members' Statements – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 10:30 am on 10 September 2024.
Matthew O'Toole
Social Democratic and Labour Party
10:30,
10 September 2024
On Saturday, we had a glorious day in Ormeau park. The sun was so strong, and it was so balmy. As one of those people who normally have to shelter under the awning of the beautiful oak and elm trees in Ormeau park, I put on my factor 50 and was there as a participant and volunteer at an amazing community festival called "Ballynafest".
I want to reflect on Ballynafest and the amazing hard work of the volunteers. It is entirely volunteer-led, and it was a wonderful, glorious community day. There was a range of activities, including music, a petting zoo and circus entertainers. That part of South Belfast is cross-community in the traditional sense that we mean it in Northern Ireland, and it is a gloriously diverse community, with people from a range of national and ethnic backgrounds and people of all ages and all classes and creeds, and it was a day that allowed that community to come together in Ormeau park. It really brought out the absolute best of that part of South Belfast, which is a place that I am proud to call "home" and proud to represent as my Constituency. People from that greater Ormeau Road area, including Ballynafeigh, Rosetta and Ravenhill, came together and had a wonderful day. It really was driven by people in that community. There was relatively limited support from Belfast City Council, but a lot of elbow grease, creativity and imagination went into it, and it really exemplified the best of that community. I say a huge "Thank you and well done" to the organisers and everyone who participated.
I also want to flag other community festivals in South Belfast. "Open Botanic" is happening this weekend. Botanic is an area that is also gloriously and wonderfully diverse, and people from across the world have come and made their home in the Botanic, greater Holyland and university area. There will be a day of community activity in Botanic, and I encourage people to come along. Unfortunately, I doubt that we will have the glorious weather that we had last Saturday in Ormeau park, but, no doubt, it will be a special day. Again, that event is an exemplification of what makes South Belfast so special, and it sits in stark contrast to some of the hate that we saw this summer. That event is what South Belfast and Belfast in general are and should be all about.
I also want to reflect on Lowe Memorial Church in Finaghy, which has a glorious annual fun day. They too had a really successful day on Saturday and got a great day for it. Lowe Memorial Church is another great community institution in Finaghy. Well done to them; they are a huge part of the community in South Belfast. I want to reflect on those examples of the glorious, diverse community in South Belfast in which people support one another and have a great time together, as you well know, Mr Speaker.
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In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
