Breed McMahon and Mary Price, volunteers with Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services and Irish Seal Sanctuary shortlisted for national award
November 13th, 2014: Breed McMahon and Mary Price, volunteers with Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services and Irish Seal Sanctuary (respectively) have been shortlisted for the Volunteer Ireland Awards 2014. Over 500 nominations were received for this year’s Awards ceremony, Ireland’s biggest Awards campaign for volunteers.
Breed McMahon has worked and volunteered with people with intellectual disabilities in St Joseph’s Centre, Clonsilla for over 40 years. St Joseph’s Centre is part of the Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services and provides day and residential care to older people with moderate, severe and profound disabilities. Breed retired in 2010 and since then regularlyvolunteers over 40 hours per week. Breed is involved in all aspects of life at St Joseph’s Centre – she volunteers on a one to one basis with ladies with a severe disability.
Mary Price is founder member and Director of the Irish Seal Sanctuary. Mary has volunteered behind the scenes for the Irish Seal Sanctuary and has helped out at both a practical and board level for over 30 years. Mary has opened her home to over 800 orphaned seals since she began volunteering with the Irish Seal Sanctuary. She was at the cutting edge of this emerging activity and influenced many young volunteers and interns coming after her. Many of these today, are prominent in wildlife rehabilitation in Ireland and across the world.
The Volunteer Ireland Awards is the national campaign to recognise Ireland’s volunteers. 30 shortlisted volunteers and their friends and family will attend a gala Volunteer Ireland Awards ceremony on December 4th in Dublin City Hall in celebration of International Volunteer Day. 10 Category Awardees will be announced at the event.
One shortlisted volunteer will be the recipient of the Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year Award. The award is named in memory of the late Christine Buckley – campaigner, activist and Co-Founder of The Aislinn Centre.
Commenting on Breed and Mary’s shortlisting for the Volunteer Ireland Awards, Daiga Ancikovska, Manager of Fingal Volunteer Centre said “We are thrilled that Breed and Mary have received national recognition for their incredible work. Volunteering is the lifeblood of hundreds of charities, sports clubs and community groups in Fingal. The Volunteer Ireland Awards is all about shining a light on the unsung heroes in our community. Well done to Breed and Mary and to everyone volunteering week in week out to help make Ireland a better place to live.”
For more information on the Volunteer Ireland Awards 2014 or to read the inspiring stories of the 30 shortlisted volunteers, visit www.volunteer.ie
