Good causes across the UK are celebrating after the Pride of Britain Fund announced the winners of grants totalling more than £100,000.
The money will be given to local community groups and individuals around the UK to mark the 25th year since The Pride of Britain Awards were founded by the Mirror.
The Fund shortlisted from almost 2,000 applications, and local communities then voted to decide which projects in their area were most deserving of funding.
One of the winners from Northern Ireland is the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, which will receive £2,500 to support its work providing services for children with life limiting illnesses and conditions. The hospice’s youth ambassador Madison Wright told us a little about what the funding would enable them to do.
Tell us a bit about your organisation/project and the work you do
“The Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice provides services to children with life-limiting illnesses and conditions. They also provide support services for the families throughout the child’s life, and after the child passes away, these services are provided at home to families as well as in Horizon House. The Children’s Hospice relies heavily on the public’s generous donations and support to keep the vital service running.
Over the last two years the Hospice have provided these services to over 309 babies and children as well as their families. The Hospice is the only palliative care provider for babies and children in Northern Ireland. My volunteering role for the Hospice as their Youth Ambassador, and I’ve been in this role for over five years and as part of this role, I help the Hospice with fundraising events, I speak with local organisations about the positive impact Hospice has on the families within our community who rely on these services. I also organise my own fundraising events for this charity, the most notable being the Gala balls which in total raised over £63,000.”
How do you feel after hearing you're going to receive a Pride of Britain Fund grant?
“When I discovered I was receiving a Pride of Britain Fund grant I was extremely thankful for all the people who voted for me and the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice as well as being extremely grateful for the Pride of Britain for shortlisting me as a finalist and for the grant.”
What will this money allow you to do?
“This grant will allow families that use the Hospice to receive tickets for my next Gala Ball as the grant will be covering the cost and will cover fifty seats.”
Michelle Linaker, Trustee of Pride of Britain Fund and Head of Studio Live at Reach, said: “The Pride of Britain Fund is empowering ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
“We gave the public the chance to nominate unsung heroes across the nation.
“Now, 65 projects have the backing to give people hope in their area and we are so proud to have made that happen in this landmark 25th year of the Pride of Britain.”
To help support ordinary people doing extraordinary things in their communities, people can donate to the Pride of Britain Fund here.
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