Charity heroes honoured by Link Awards nominations

news release

Tuesday, 9 September 2003

The Northern Bank — for its commitment towards helping to fight against Cancer, the killer disease which is experienced by one in three people in Northern Ireland every year — will join many other business supporters of charities this week in being formally nominated for the seventeenth annual NICVA/Camelot Link Awards. The nomination certificates for these prestigious ‘Oscars’ will be presented to businesses and public sector bodies — which have given their help, not just financially, but also in time, resources ideas and enthusiasm — at the Link Regional ceremony at NICVA’s offices in Belfast tomorrow evening (Wednesday).

"These awards are the primary mechanism by which local voluntary and community organisations can demonstrate their thanks to those in the private and public sectors who have supported them ,” said Seamus McAleavey, NICVA’s Chief Executive. “The value of such support should not be underestimated and Link is a unique opportunity to celebrate the success of many collaborative ventures. One such venture has been our own involvement with Camelot, who have supported these awards for seven years, and we would once again like to extend our thanks to them as this support comes to an end. We also receive great encouragement and support from the Belfast Telegraph and I am pleased that they are involved again this year .”

Catherine Jordan of Camelot’s Regional Office in Belfast said: “In what is the last year of Camelot’s seven year sponsorship, we are once more really impressed with the breadth and quality of the nominations. The entries again highlight the real bond that exists between the business and voluntary sectors in Northern Ireland and Camelot is delighted to have been able to play a small part in fostering that relationship.”

NICVA received a total of 71 nominations for this year’s Awards. These nominations have already been judged by a panel consisting of representatives from the private, public and voluntary sectors. The Chair again this year is Gerry Burns. The Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony in the Ramada Hotel, in Belfast, on 25 September.

/ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Lise Mc Greevy, Communications Officer
028 9087 7777 (work)
Mobile 07721746805

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

1. NICVA (the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action) is the umbrella body which represents the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.

2. The Link Awards are divided into two main categories:

Employee Category — divided into large company (100 plus employees) and small/medium sized company, and given to the employee or group of employees who best assisted the work of a charity in Northern Ireland in 2002.

Company Category — divided into large company and small/medium sized company, and given to the employer or group who best assisted the work of a charity in Northern Ireland in 2002.

The Link Trophy, the most prestigious award, will be chosen from the other categories, to go to the company which, together with its employees, has best assisted the work of a charity in Northern Ireland in 2002.

There are also three regional awards for the North, the South and Greater Belfast.

3. Camelot Group plc is the operator of the UK National Lottery and is not responsible for the allocation of funds raised to the Good Causes. Camelot is also one of the UK’s most generous corporate donors in terms of the percentage of pre-tax profits donated to charities and community projects.

4. This year’s nominations:

Nominations 2002 (30Kb)