Operation Transformation Ballyhaunis launches on Mayo Day

Posted in Connect on April 26, 2016.

Over the past number of weeks the business people, voluntary groups and clubs of Ballyhaunis have gathered together to form Ballyhaunis/GoBallyhaunis.

Operation Transformation Ballyhaunis in association with Fleetwood Paints is part of their plan for Ballyhaunis.

It was decided that the town needed a collective spring clean. The Ballyhaunis Tidy Town Committee has been fundamental to maintaining the town’s cleanliness, but as with many towns affected by the economic downturn they felt the need to brighten up the derelict buildings in the town centre and to encourage all property owners to revamp their property. This is not something unique to Ballyhaunis but the approach they have taken is quite unique.

They approached Fleetwood Paints to cosponsor their Operation Transformation. They outlined to them as many as 30 buildings which they’d earmarked that were in need of repainting in the town centre.

Fleetwood Paints kindly agreed to exclusively supply paint for the project.

The town sports clubs, scouts and students from Ballyhaunis Community School will provide the willing painters, all proud locals looking to showcase their beautiful town.

Local businesses as well as property owners will provide the funding for the materials in conjunction with Fleetwood Paints.

Major Equipment from the town are supporting the Health and Safety of the project and Cashels Engineering will be providing power washers made in Ballyhaunis for the clean-up.

They are launching the project on Mayo Day as the first Operation Transformation for an entire town. Fleetwood will join in the launch and Mayo County Council as part of the Mayo Day programme will also be proudly assisting.

They will be taking to social media to promote the project with regular updates to show the progress so be sure to check out all their great work on the day.

Like every other rural town Ballyhaunis has been affected by the economic downturn and the scars that it has left behind. The group are eager to promote all that is good about Ballyhaunis.  The first step was to create an umbrella brand under which they could organise themselves. They have achieved this with a very simple variation of the name Ballyhaunis incorporating the town colours red and black and also a heart.

They immediately arranged via social media to promote the Ballyhaunis brand and in the process support each other in business, sport and voluntary causes. There has been an enormously positive uptake in the town to the project and there is a new found sense of identity.

They have had over 50 businesses and town groupings row in behind the brand and participated by having their picture taken supporting the project. The brand has really taken off and has been seen globally in Times Square, New York, at Sydney Harbour Bridge and at the World Cup of Racing in Dubai.

Irish TV has been to town to film the project in operation.  The Farmers Journal has also requested a sit down discussion to tap into the project.  Members of the Ballyhaunis diaspora in America have reached out and the project is expected to be mentioned in an interview with a Ballyhaunis ex-pat in the New York Times shortly.

The collaboration of business experience, entrepreneurship and positive enthusiasm among the people of the town is proving infectious.   Already local businesses have seen an improvement in mood and willingness for local people to keep their business local and help their own community.

Key projects have been identified to improve the town and at the same time have some fun.

The group has no leader and there is no hierarchy. They all act as a tight knit group with one main focus – “to improve our town for ourselves and everyone”.

“We are very thankful to Fleetwood Paints and to Mayo County Council for their help and support but most importantly we are very thankful to the people of Ballyhaunis for their support, encouragement and enthusiasm”.

For further details contact :

John Higgins                       086 829 2603                                       jhconsult@eircom.net

Donal Byrne                       087 115 2295                                       info@bigredbarn.ie

Evan O’Dwyer                   086 8242724                                        e.odwyer@odwyersolicitors.ie

See Also

Twitter @goballyhaunis

Facebook            goballyhaunis