Two Laois organisations were presented with €10,000 over the weekend after winning in their respective categories at the National Lottery Good Causes Awards.
The Abbeyleix Bog Project scooped the Heritage Award while The Cuisle Centre Cancer Support won the Health & Well-being Award.
This was a fantastic result for Laois as they had winners in two of the seven categories available.
Laois Sports Partnership were also nominated in the Sport and recreation category but they just lost out to Liquid Therapy in Donegal.
The Abbeyleix Bog Project were represented on the night in the Clayton Hotel by Des Finnamore, Una Halpin (Groundwork – Killarney Oakwoods), Denise O’Meara, Yvonne Murphy, Hugh Shepherd, Joe Cahill and Koos Uys.
They beat off stiff competition from Bere Island Community, Donegal GAP Heritage and History Group, Offaly Reaching Out – Ireland XO, Tea Lane Graveyard Conservation Project and The School of Irish Archaeology.
Abbeyleix Bog Project is a voluntary and community-led, multi-stakeholder conservation project involving a natural heritage area of 200 hectares. The site consists of various habitats: raised bog, degraded raised bog, mineral fen, wet woodlands, mixed woodlands, and orchid-rich grassland.
The Cuisle Centre Cancer Support was up against the Bergerie Trust of Limerick, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Irish Wheelchair Association and Rossinver Community Development Company.
The Cuisle Cancer Support Centre was founded in 2004 and provides vital services to cancer patients and their families.
Such services consist include counselling at community level, manual lymph drainage and a wide range of holistic services such as Reflexology, Reiki, Aromatherapy Massage, Craniosacral Therapy and Acupuncture.
Congratulations to all of the worthy winners and the amazing finalists:
Good Cause of the Year, and Sport & Recreation Winner: Liquid Therapy, Co Donegal
Community Winner: Social Action Group Rathmore, Co Kerry
Arts & Culture Winner: Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership, Co Sligo
Irish Language Winner: Fáilte ar Líne, Co Dublin
Heritage Winner: Abbeyleix Bog Project, Co Laois
Youth Winner: YoYo Youth Cafe, Co Westmeath
Health & Well-being Winner: The Cuisle Centre Cancer Support, Co Laois
SEE ALSO – In Pictures: Four teachers celebrated for remarkable service and dedication to Laois school
