Glens Red Squirrel Group celebrates more than a decade of support as rural grant scheme delivers £11,700 boost

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir with members of the Glens Red Squirrel Group

The volunteers behind one of the Glens of Antrim’s best-known wildlife conservation groups are celebrating more than a decade of investment after receiving over £11,700 in funding to help protect Northern Ireland’s native red squirrel and strengthen community engagement.

The milestone was highlighted during a visit by DAERA Minister Andrew Muir to the Glens Red Squirrel Group, where he marked the wider success of the Department’s 2025/26 Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme, which has provided £1.65 million to 1,029 rural voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland.

For the Glens Red Squirrel Group, the funding has helped deliver practical improvements that support both wildlife conservation and local community involvement, reinforcing the group’s long-standing role in protecting one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic native species.

More than a decade of investment

Established to protect and help maintain the population of red squirrels across the Glens of Antrim, the community-led group has benefited from the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme since first applying in 2015.

Over the past 11 years, it has successfully secured 11 grants worth a total of £11,701.46.

The funding has been used to support environmental improvements, purchase specialist equipment to help protect wildlife and enhance the group’s work engaging local communities and raising awareness about the importance of conserving the native red squirrel.

During his visit, Minister Muir met volunteers to hear first-hand how the funding has supported their conservation efforts and educational work with local people and young people.

Scheme supporting communities across rural Northern Ireland

The Minister said the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme continues to play an important role in tackling rural poverty, social isolation, loneliness and health and wellbeing challenges by enabling community organisations to deliver projects tailored to local needs.

He said:

“I am delighted that over 1,000 rural voluntary and community organisations have benefitted from funding totalling £1.65 million from the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (2025/2026).

“This scheme is a key initiative delivered through my Department’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Framework that supports rural community-led, voluntary organisations in identifying and implementing projects that address locally identified poverty, isolation, loneliness and health and wellbeing issues.”

Speaking about the Glens Red Squirrel Group, the Minister added that it had been encouraging to hear how the funding was helping volunteers protect the native red squirrel while also raising public awareness of the species’ declining numbers and inspiring young people to become involved in conservation.

He also thanked voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland for the contribution they continue to make in supporting rural communities.

Helping communities stay connected

The Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme is delivered by Rural Support Networks on behalf of DAERA through its Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Framework.

Breige Conway, Manager of the Northern Area Community Network (NACN), said the programme had enabled community organisations to deliver practical projects that directly benefit rural residents.

She said the funding had helped groups build capacity, improve shared community spaces and create more opportunities for people living in rural areas to remain connected while tackling isolation and disadvantage.

For the Glens Red Squirrel Group, the continued investment has not only strengthened efforts to safeguard one of the Glens’ most treasured native animals but has also helped bring local people together around a shared commitment to protecting the area’s natural heritage for future generations.