Families, residents and visitors to the Ards Peninsula will be in for a treat this August with the inaugural Copelands Summer Fete taking place in Donaghadee on the Bank Holiday Saturday, 24^th August.

One of Northern Ireland’s oldest charities, Belfast Central Mission (BCM), is building ‘Copelands: Dementia, Nursing and Residential Care’ outside Millisle, which will provide practice-leading care for up to 60 residents and is due to open early 2020.

To raise awareness of Copelands and all that it will bring to the Peninsula, the Ards & North Down Council area, greater east Belfast and beyond, BCM is holding a family fun day in the grounds of Killard House School in Donaghadee from 10am to 2pm.

The Copelands Summer Fete will be a jam-packed half day event with everything to keep young and old entertained. With giant games, face painting, arts and crafts for the kids, there will be hot food trucks, a coffee van and a variety of market stalls available for the grownups, with live music throughout for everyone to enjoy.

Donaghadee native, BCM Board member and volunteer, Shelagh McCaughan, is looking forward to the event and Copelands’ long-term prospects;

“Copelands is going to be a major asset to the area when it opens next year, both in terms of care provision but also for jobs, employment and volunteering opportunities.

“I have been fortunate enough to witness first-hand the fantastic work BCM does, and I know Copelands will introduce an exemplary model of care for its residents with a peace of mind for their families and friends.

“Our new Summer Fete is our way of introducing Copelands to the community with the hope that it will move to the main site for next year’s event, and we thank Killard House School and Principal Colin Millar for having us for this first outing, and hope everyone has a great day out.”

With stalls including Indie Füde, Coffee Angels, Peppup sauces and Winnie’s ice cream van, Sprinkles & Crumbs, Streetza Pizza Van the local food scene will be well represented. Artisan crafts from across the region, including Twisted Pixie and Adornable jewellery and Alison Hanvey Ceramics, Mary Ellen Crafts will also be there, among many others.  Or why not bring your child to the Peace of Mind yoga worshops.

The local PSNI Community Officers and volunteers from the Donaghadee Fire Station will have their vehicles on-site, while there will also be displays from the historical society and art from Kirk House, BCM’s residential care home in east Belfast.

The Copelands Summer Fete is free to attend, providing the perfect opportunity to learn more about the Copelands project as it develops and the employment and care opportunities it will provide, together with the range of work carried out by BCM and its projects across Northern Ireland.