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A Million Reasons to Say Thank You, Integrated Schools Celebrate Support from Hagan Homes
19th June 2025
Last week, Integrated College Glengormley played host to a very special event, a heartfelt celebration and thank you to Hagan Homes, whose support has been instrumental in advancing Integrated Education across Northern Ireland.
Over the past three years, Hagan Homes has donated an extraordinary £1 million to the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), enabling over 260 projects in Integrated schools to come to life. Their generosity has helped fuel a period of remarkable growth: the number of Integrated schools has risen from 68 to 76, and more than 3,000 additional pupils are now benefitting from an integrated education.
The event brought together Integrated schools from across the region to reflect on the positive impact of these funds, and to share their stories.
As a beneficiary of several Hagan Homes-funded initiatives, Integrated College Glengormley was a fitting venue for the occasion. The College has received support through multiple grant programmes including:
Integration through Sport - enabling students to engage in sports like hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football, helping to bridge cultural divides in a fun and practical way.
The Uniform Programme - supporting families in financial need by helping with the costs of school uniforms and other essential items.
The Trust Programme - funding the College’s ‘Exploring our Identities’ project, which encourages pupils to reflect on and share their own cultural identities in a safe and inclusive environment.
Speaking at the event, Principal Ricky Massey said:
“We are delighted to host Hagan Homes today and to thank them for their continued support. The Integration through Sport programme, for example, has enabled us to offer a greater variety of sports and promote inclusion through shared experiences.”
As demand for Integrated Education continues to rise, Hagan Homes’ Impact of Growth grant has helped schools like Mallusk Integrated Primary School expand their capacity. With funding for an additional teacher, Mallusk IPS significantly increased its enrolment, opening opportunities for even more children in the area to experience the benefits of an Integrated learning environment.
This ripple effect goes beyond the classroom. As more families gather at the school gates each day, the spirit of integration naturally extends into the wider community.
Hagan Homes’ support has also made a difference where it matters most, in helping children with additional learning or emotional needs reach their potential.
Sara Browning, Learning Support Coordinator at Millennium Integrated Primary School, shared how a grant helped them continue their vital nurture provision:
“We had been self-funding this provision for pupils facing major attachment issues, but Hagan Homes’ funding enabled us to embed it fully into our school. It’s made a huge difference to those who need extra support.”
The celebration closed with a message from Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the IEF, who paid tribute to the scale and impact of Hagan Homes’ contribution:
“We are proud to stand with pupils, teachers, and parents today to express our thanks. The projects funded by Hagan Homes have made – and will continue to make – a lasting difference to the lives of thousands of young people across Northern Ireland. Thank you for believing in the vision of a truly Integrated Education.”
As Integrated Education continues to grow, partnerships like this one between the IEF and Hagan Homes show what’s possible when local businesses invest in the future, not just of pupils, but of our entire society.