what can I say, I'm a sucker for a charity shop! I love a good hoke among the clothes, shoes and…read morebags and often I find a wee gem, a wee diamond in the rough. Holywood is no exception when it comes to good charity shops, in fact I would say they have some of the best. On a stinking wet Wednesday recently I called to see if I could buy an umbrella - the wee lady hunted high and low for me and while she was doing that I looked at the shoes - some lady with great taste had obviously just had a clear out. I was able to pick up a gorgeous pair of red patent Kurt Gieger's for £6.00! She didn't have an umbrella but the rain didn't bother me as much as I left with my lovely, well broken in beauties!

There comes a time when you need more from life than shoes and trinkets (yes, really!). You all…read moreknow how cool growing your own is at the minute, right? You may even know that waiting lists for council allotments are as long as the M2. Well, there is a way to have your salad and carrots and eat them, too. At David Morrow's private allotments (up behind Ice Bowl in Dundonald, near Streamvale Open Farm). There is a whole other world of growing-your-own going on up there. The views are mid-boggling - you can literally stand on some of the allotments and gaze over Strangford and over Belfast Lough the other way. There are all sorts of people there, too - a real community. Retired people, families with dogs and toddlers, University professors - they're all there, planting and weeding and munching. There are picnics and barbecues and rows of sunflowers. Tidy allotments all in rows, higgelty piggelty ones and even some with chickens. You might never have thought of doing something like this , but lots of people club together and maybe take one between a couple of families (you pay by the year, per square foot - it's not that pricey). David is always happy for people to go and have a look - why not pop up and see for yourself?

Te is a community space used for various activities…read more Set up to be the beacon of the community. Has workshops,counselling.. I was in here for a meeting. Just using their meeting room for a charity I volunteer with. The place seems quite spacious with numerous rooms. There is also an upstairs. It's located near Yorkgate shopping centre. It's is inside some terrace houses that where converted.

Bryson Charitable group is a really excellent organisation and it deserves the praise and attention…read moreof all Northern Irish yelpers! The activities of Bryson can be split into two main areas: care services and recycling services. From programmes for children and youth to services for the elderly, Bryson House provides the highest standards of care to those who need it most. I actually volunteered for a while with Bryson in the People, a volunteer befriending scheme matching adults with learning difficulties with individuals from the wider community on a one-to-one basis. In addition to our well-known Care Services, they have undertaken created a number of environmental projects including Recycling Services, an Energy Efficiency Advice Centre and a range of education programmes to help young people understand their relationship to the environment. From my experience the people of Bryson are passionate about their jobs and the people and communities they help in. If you have any desire to volunteer, or perhaps want to recycle more effectively, look no further than Bryson!

Impressive that they have 2 changing rooms. Usually just the one in charity shops…read more It's quite a small shop but has lots of stock. I hardly ever see anyone on the till. You can hear and see the staff working out the back. They have a decent range of shoes.

"ArtsEkta (Ekta means bonding/uniting in the Indian language) is a multi-award winning arts and…read morecultural organisation that works to develop intercultural relationships at the heart of the community and is home to the Belfast Mela. We are dedicated to strengthening and deepening relationships between different cultures and communities through a series of exciting and inspiring cultural based programmes." A brave mission statement proudly displayed on Arts Ekta's website, but without doubt, this non-profit organisation is superb at strengthening community relationships throughout Belfast. Belfast Mela is a fantastically fun family day out which has been running annually in Botanic Gardens for the last few years. I always enjoy visiting the Mela but it can be extremely busy so it's best to arrive early in the day and pre-order entrance tickets. There's music, dance, food, performance and entertainment by local Chinese, Indian, African and Eastern European communities. You'll even seen a bit of Irish dancing and The Armagh Rhymers have made appearances at the Mela as well! More recently I attended a live, free, outdoor event called Nine Nights (October 2015) as part of Belfast International Arts Festival. Arts Ekta put on a bedazzling show, which was a combination of theatre, dance, music and fireworks. This told the tale of an epic battle spanning nine days and nights between an evil demon and the Indian Goddess Durga. Various community groups in Belfast worked together to create costumes, arts and crafts for and participated in the Nine Nights performance. Credit is due to Arts Ekta and outdoor events company Walk The Plank for creating one of the best things I've ever seen happen at Belfast City Hall. The lighting, pyrotechnics and shadow projections were breathtaking. Keep an eye on their website for the next Arts Ekta extravaganza: http://www.artsekta.org.uk

ArtsEkta is the number one charity organisation in Northern Ireland which promotes ethnic arts. It…read morecelebrates a number of cultures and diversity. Something we really need in Northern Ireland! The are responsible for the Belfast Mela which is an annual festival celebrating culture and diversity in Belfast (see review) it's held this year on 28th August, you should visit if you get a chance it'll be well worth it! Their aim is to promote diversity through arts and culture and offer a number of services for organizations who are interested in their facilities. These include; Outreach Programme, Arts Programmes & Workshops (Dance, Drama, Music & Visual Arts), Events & Festivals, Support for Artistic Development, Volunteering oppourtunities to members of public and work placements and Corporate Hospitality. They represent a number of cultures including; Indian / Sri-Lankan, Chinese, Polish, Lithuanian, Mexican, Danish, Islamic, Irish, Ulster Scots, Argentinean, Japanese and Columbian. Their motto is; "We are champions of good inter-cultural arts practice"

This particular Restore shop focuses on house stuff and bikes…read more The items have had previous owners. The Restore staff have fixed anything with the items that may have been wrong and put them for sale in the shop. A great place to pick up some furniture. The shop is really big. So there is always space for big items like sofas and tables.

We got a matching three seater sofa and two chairs in perfect condition, literally looked like it…read morejust came out of a shop, still has the plastic on the foot rests of the recliners . Fraction of the price that a furniture store would have been. I think they sometimes get shop clearance items given to them. Furniture is hit and miss and the good stuff sells really quickly . Don't worry about getting anything you buy home they can deliver as they have a van, good too if your donating anything big. Also good if your after a cheap bike .

i have been for counselling several times before , this service being offered is exceptional ,…read moreeasy to talk to good listeners lovely friendly people i highly recomend b mcmahon cert hsc open