Glebe House

Times have changed too in terms of the property and facilities we have at Glebe House. From the first extension to the old house in 1977, we have added on buildings to meet the programme demands, and taken some down too. We now have an activity barn for wet weather play, the Rookery building now our main accommodation area which sleeps 40 plus. The arts and crafts room, the self-catering cottage, the computer suite and sauna and the latest building, the Orchard, which is a self-contained conference/workshop facility. The original Glebe House is still the core of the facility, with the dining rooms and main kitchen. We may have had to give up on the farm, but with our donkeys, the nature and wild life areas, donkey trails, garden, and sensory garden, we still have lots to offer in the 16-acre site. There is still work for Harmony Community Trust to do, and a role for Glebe House in the future. The role will need to change to adapt to the current needs of society in Northern Ireland, the inclusion of people from a wider variety of backgrounds, the increasing gap between the "haves" and "have-nots", the needs in recruiting volunteers, the reduction in funds particularly from statutory providers and the declining interest in Northern Ireland from abroad. We are ready to meet the new challenges as we have done over the years, without losing the sense of purpose and the ethos on which the organisation was founded in 1975. Apart from extending our outreach to include children, young people and adults from across the sectarian, racial and national boundaries in our society, we will also be concentrating on providing a much needed respite and therapeutic experience for children and young people "in need " or "at risk", a role we have been playing to an increasing extent in the past 10 years; providing opportunities and training for volunteers and welcoming the local community to make use of our facilities.