On Sunday 2 March, Maritime Belfast Trust held its 8th annual Local Community Day in partnership with Titanic Belfast, an initiative that brings together communities to connect with Belfast’s Maritime Heritage.
This year, 500 representatives from over 30 community groups got to enjoy a complimentary visit to Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic. Groups included Waterfront Neighbourhood Network communities, Belfast South Community Resources, Holy Family Youth Club and Tiger Bay.
The Local Community Day reflects the Trust’s ongoing commitment to engaging with and supporting local communities, providing opportunities to not only explore the world-class Titanic Belfast exhibition and SS Nomadic but also discover the work of Maritime Belfast and explore the wider heritage of the Maritime Mile.
Kerrie Sweeney MBE, Chief Executive of Maritime Belfast Trust said “Local Community Day is one of our annual highlights. Over the past eight years, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming more than 4,500 local people to Titanic Belfast, from a range of diverse groups. It’s always a pleasure to host community groups and offer them the chance to visit and engage with the heritage on their doorstep.”
Jonny Walker, Leader of Four G Day Opportunity Service “The Titanic Experience is first class. For some of our group it is their first visit and everyone loved it! A huge thank you to Maritime Belfast Trust and Titanic Belfast- I’d highly recommend the experience to anyone.”
Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast Limited “We were delighted to once again collaborate with Maritime Belfast Trust for Local Community Day, offering 500 individuals the chance to experience Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic. Community engagement is something we deeply value, and it was wonderful to welcome 30 community groups to explore Belfast’s rich maritime heritage”
Through their destination and engagement programmes, Maritime Belfast Trust has connected with over 510,000 people from 400 community groups and schools and supported and worked with 145 partner organisations and businesses. Since the start of 2025, waterfront neighbourhoods and businesses have also been enjoying lunch time walking tours as part of Belfast’s HUB-IN Project. The €8million Hub-In programme, funded through by EU Horizon 2020 and piloted across 8 cities over the last 4 years is now coming to its conclusion. Delivered in partnership with Belfast City Council, this initiative has supported Maritime Belfast to encourage citizens to step away from their daily routines and explore the waterfront while fostering new relationships, promoting collaboration and offer a unique opportunity to discover the area’s rich maritime heritage.