Mayo volunteers win national awards

Mayo volunteers win awards


Ciara Galvin

TWO Mayo volunteers have scooped awards at this year’s Panadol supported Volunteer Ireland Awards. Castlebar woman Frankie Forde-Waldron and Liam Hendry from Ballina accepted the awards at the gala ceremony last week.
Ms Forde-Waldron won the national award for campaigning and awareness raising in recognition of her work in supporting the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation over the last 20 years.
Frankie has also done fundraising for many other charities including Crumlin Children’s Hospital, the Western Alzheimer’s Association, The Rape Crisis Centre in Mayo, Mayo Mental Health, Church of Ireland Restoration in Castlebar and Multiple Sclerosis.
Her sons Davitt and Garrett nominated Frankie for a Volunteer Ireland Award.
Speaking to The Mayo News Ms Forde-Waldron said she only found out a month ago she was nominated when she got a phone call from the awards organisers.
Ms Forde-Waldron said she ‘nearly fell off the chair’ when her name was announced at the event which was held at City Hall in Dublin.
“It was really exciting and a great night. Everyone was congratulating everyone else,” she said.
Liam Hendry won an award in the Social Work category in recognition of his contribution as Voluntary Carer to the late Leo Garvey, who passed away this year, aged 93.
Liam called into Leo twice a day to wash and dress him, making sure he ate properly, had the heating on, helped him to bed and came back every morning. Whilst Leo had home help for over five years, this service was increasingly cut in recent years so Leo came to rely on Liam’s help all the more.
When Leo could no longer live alone and had to move to a nursing home, Liam continued to visit him twice a day. Leo’s niece Rosemary Durkan nominated Liam for the award. Over 700 people were nominated across 12 categories.