The Link Awards 2006

Corrie star at Link awards

BJM, a firm of Chartered Accountants in Gordon Street, Belfast, has won the main Link award 2006 for its work with SPEAC (Special Provision for the Education of Autistic Children).

Actress Sue Cleaver, who plays Eileen Grimshaw as the Streetcars taxi worker in Coronation Street, gave out prizes to businesses and others who have excelled in their contribution to good causes. She was the star guest last night (Thurs 28 September) at the gala dinner for the NICVA Link awards, run in association with BT Fusion.

“We had an excellent range of entries. Nearly all the organisations nominated do valuable fund-raising, providing money which is essential for charities to do all their good work for Northern Ireland,” said Seamus McAleavey, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA).

“But the contribution of business, schools, colleges, clubs and societies goes well beyond money. The Link awards recognise their contribution to raising awareness of issues ranging from cancer to racism, helping long-term unemployed people to get into work, fighting global poverty, giving people with disabilities access to the arts and many other important aims.”

Link Awards

The Link awards were set up to recognise and promote good partnerships between charities and the business sector. Since then the charity Oscars have expanded to take in statutory bodies, schools, colleges, clubs and societies.

BJM and SPEAC: Overall Winners

Overall winner BJM has a special interest in autism because managing partner, Brendan McGinn’s child has the condition. He paid for help for his own child but was inspired to help others who could not afford it. Mr McGinn has been the main driver in raising £160,000 to provide extra resources for a special centre run by the South Eastern Education and Library Board at Tor Bank.

Early intervention for children with autism can transform their lives. An intensive, one to one programme known as applied behavioural analysis (ABA) helps children gradually build up skills from toilet training to playing with their peers. It can improve language, communication and social behaviour and promote educational attainment and independence.

As well as raising a large sum of money to employ specialist staff and provide training, BJM does all the administration for SPEAC, uses its offices as the charity’s official address and helps with planning and other activities.

Large Charity

Banbridge-based Gordons Chemist, which has 44 outlets throughout Northern Ireland, won the large charity prize for its financial and practical support for Ulster Cancer Foundation’s Pink Link breast cancer awareness campaign and its Care in the Sun promotion to highlight the danger of sunburn.

Medium Charity

Bank of Ireland held a vote of all staff to decide its charity of the year and Childline won by a huge majority. They agreed an ambitious target of raising £90,000 but broke the barrier and went on to collect £110,000. The bank won the medium charity award for its efforts, which have helped Childline publicise its helpline telephone number for vulnerable children: 0800 1111.

Small Charity

In return for a lot of rubbish, RFD Beaufort took the small charity award. The Dunmurray company sorts and saves waste material every week and gives it to Play Resource which recycles it and passes it on to children’s projects and playgroups all over Northern Ireland for play and education. Some of the waste has been turned into artwork which is presented back to the company.

Innovation

Link has an award for innovation which went this year to Marks and Spencer, nominated by Gingerbread. It has developed a special programme of training and work experience in its stores for lone parents, helping them to take a step into employment. Over the next year, 15 lone parents will take part in the Belfast, Lisburn, Bangor, Ballymena and Newtownabbey stores.

Challenge

Beyond Skin is a charity located in Ballyclare which fights sectarianism, racism and other forms of intolerance using music in a project called Motion. It aims to show how our individuality can produce something far more attractive and unique when we work together. Ossia Music in Belfast won the award for challenge for its help, including free hire space for rehearsals by a show that tours Northern Ireland.

Clubs and Societies

Teemore Shamrocks Gaelic Football Club in Derrylin, County Fermanagh decided to help Oxfam by setting up three textile recycling banks, which raised about £1,000 in the first three months. Its enthusiasm deepened and soon members were growing plants for Oxfam’s garden project, buying fair trade goods and visiting local schools to spread the message of recycling and fair trade. As a result, it won the Link award for clubs and societies.

Schools and Colleges

Cairnshill Primary School in Belfast won the schools and colleges prize for working for 10 years with Orbit Dance, which offers dance to adults with moderate to severe learning and physical disability. Sixty-five pupils and three teachers from the school worked with Orbit to put on a show of music and dance. It raised £1,000 to help a team of disabled dancers to travel to Germany to introduce children and adults with learning and physical disabilities there to creative dance.

Special Merit

A judges’ special merit award went to Musgrave SuperValu-Centra for its contribution over the last six years to Action Cancer’s mobile detection unit for women. A brand new Big Bus went on the road earlier this month and the company is funding it to the tune of £612,000 over the first three years. It also supports Action Cancer’s programme to promote healthy lifestyles in schools.

Runners-up

The runners-up in the seven categories are: Northern Bank, nominated by NI Chest Heart and Stroke Association (large charity); NI Fire and Rescue Service, proposed by NI Cancer Fund for Children (medium charity); Sainsbury’s, nominated by Homestart (small charity); Maria Marks, named by NI Mother and Baby Action (innovation); Vodafone NI, proposed by Speechmatters (challenge); Club GTI, named by CLIC Sargent NI (clubs and societies); and Garvagh Pre School Playgroup, nominated by Angels of Hope (schools and colleges).