Do you know a person or a group who give up their own time to make your community a better place? Do they go out of their way to help others? Do they engage with Cork County Council and other organizations to bring about improvements to the area that you live in? If you know of an individual or a group who does just that, then this is your opportunity to have their nomination included for the 2016 Cork County Mayor’s Community Awards.
The Cork County Mayor’s Community Award Scheme, now in its fourth year, is a public recognition of the amazing work that is undertaken by people throughout Cork, those whose voluntary efforts assist others. Their voluntary work not only improves the lives of the individuals that surround them but also contribute to the betterment of our communities.
Commenting on the upcoming awards, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. John Paul O’Shea said “There are many examples of individuals and community groups who do such trojan work for their respective areas during the year. These awards are a recognition of these efforts on behalf of Your Council, Cork County Council”.
The 2015 overall winners epitomised the very essence of these awards. Margaret O’ Callaghan, who claimed the overall individual award, has campaigned for many years to raise the issue of suicide within her local community and established the Suicide Awareness Project in Charleville. Whitechurch Foiroige, who cater for young people between the ages of 13 and 17, were the worthy winners of the community/voluntary group awards for their efforts to involve not just the youth in their community, but everyone.
Margaret O’ Callaghan from Charleville who the overall Individual Mayor’s Community Award in 2015.
Mayor O’ Shea added “There are so many wonderful individuals and groups in Cork County that I would like to afford recognition too, congratulate on the enormous positives they are bringing to their communities and promote further their commitment to their communities. Their selflessness, energy and enthusiasm are what these awards represent”.
So if you know of an individual or community and voluntary group deserving of these awards, please make contact with the elected members of Cork County Council and get those nominations in. You can contact any of the elected members (not necessarily your local representative) and ask them to put forward your nominated individual and/or group.
You may also seek a nomination from the recently established Public Participation Network (PPN) through its Secretariat. 22 community leaders who were recently elected to the PPN Secretariat to represent communities throughout Cork also have the opportunity to nominate an individual or a community group in Cork deserving of an award.
The full list of the elected members of Cork County Council can be found on www.corkcoco.ie and PPN secretariat members details are available at www.corkcountyppn.com
Closing date for receipt of nominations for Cork County Council County Mayor’s Community Awards is March 24th next. The County Mayor’s Community Awards will take place in County Hall on Wednesday May 11th.
