Two Limerick organisations shortlisted for National Lottery Good Causes Awards

TWO Limerick organisations have been shortlisted in this year's National Lottery Good Causes Awards. 

The Awards. which take place on May 29, honour the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals from all over Ireland who with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities.  

Blue Box Creative Learning Centre, one of the Limerick nominees, is a not-for-profit organisation working with children and young people suffering trauma due to poverty, bullying, sexuality, grief, loss, domestic violence, homelessness, environmental or domestic trauma.

Through Creative Arts therapy, they address the emotional, cognitive and developmental needs of vulnerable children and families living in Limerick by developing therapy interventions in response to the mental health and well-being needs of children in schools and community settings.

Blue Box provides services to 16 secondary and primary schools and four pre-schools as well as on-site services and outreach services to community organisations and local families. 

Funding received from the National Lottery has allowed children and young people suffering from mental health due to trauma to access free therapy that would have been otherwise out of reach.

Headway Limerick, the second local nominee, provides rehabilitation services to adults living with acquired brain injuries.

The aim of the not-for-profit organisation is to support clients to rebuild their lives after brain injury and to help them to reach their full potential. Acquired brain injuries can cause emotional and financial suffering to those affected.

The group ensures that help is accessible and works to assist clients to become active members of their communities and funds from the National Lottery allowed Headway to promote and support community inclusion for clients with an Acquired Brain Injury.

The National Lottery Good Causes Awards have six categories: Sport, Health & Wellbeing, Heritage, Arts & Culture, Community and Youth. A seventh category, Irish Language, will have a special award to be announced on the night at the Awards final, in recognition of outstanding work done in the promotion of the Irish Language.

Each category winner will receive €10,000 while the overall Good Cause of the Year will get an additional €25,000 on top of this.

The winners will be announced at a virtual event hosted by Grainne Seoige live from the Mansion House in Dublin. 

Following the announcement, in February, of the thirty-six finalists each of the community groups, sports clubs and organisations participated in a virtual judging process.

The judging panel was chaired by Lotto presenter Nuala Carey and also included Seamus Griffin, CEO of the Griffin Retail Group, Fergus Finlay, Columnist and Author, and Jennifer Crowe, CSR Manager of the National Lottery.

“We were in total awe of each of the 36 finalists after seeing their presentations. It’s no easy feat being asked to do a presentation remotely but each of the groups really took the task in their stride and highlighted all of the wonderful work being done in every corner of the country with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding. Each of the finalists truly are doing amazing work within their communities and if we could give them all an award, we would! I wish all 36 finalists the best of luck on the day," said Nuala Carey.

More information on the finalists and the National Lottery Good Causes Awards can be found here.