ROTARY CLUB OF DONAGHADEE YOUTH AWARDS
On Thursday 24th May 2007 Donaghadee Rotary Club held its Youth Awards Evening at Grace Neills Donaghadee. President Mark Brooks gave the introduction and welcomed the members, partners and their guests. Celine Gervin (Dungannon) District Youth Activities Chairperson said that Rotary had an obligation and a duty to pass on something to the youth of today. She likened them to a beautiful shrub which if left alone would wither. Celine said that Rotarians needed to devote time and energy to them if they were to flourish. She sited Bradley Johnston and Connor Lamb the two award winners as shining examples of what time and energy can achieve. Celine concluded her address by stating that Youth Opportunities is the future of Rotary and our community. President Mark paid tribute to Rotarian Tim Johnston the club Youth Activities Chairperson who organised the clubs involvement with the Young Chef competition and the Youth Leadership competition. Bradley Johnston the winner of the Young Chef Competition was presented with his trophy. President Mark spoke of the extremely high standard of the event and thanked Grace Neills and Pier 36 for their sponsorship of the competition. Connor Lamb was then presented with the Alf Buchanan Trophy for winning the Youth Leadership Competition. Connor spoke about his trip to Strasbourg and how fantastic an experience it was. He thanked the club for selecting him as their entrant. Mark then introduced the guest speaker Baroness May Blood M.B.E. Chairperson of Barnardos a Rotary charity. Baroness Blood spoke about her life. On recalling her childhood and her schooldays, she recalled how her Vice-principal at primary school had forecast that she would only be a hussy (Baroness Blood took this as a compliment.) As a worker in Blackstaff Mill she was involved in Trade Union affairs. In the 80’s and 90’s she became involved in community work. She spoke about the Early Years Programme and her involvement in the peace process. She has now been a member of the House of Lords for 9 years. The Baroness spoke of her involvement with children all over N.I. through Barnardos. Baroness Blood regretted that we live in a 70% segregated society where so many children cannot read or write. She concluded by saying that it was great to see Bradley and Connor two young people putting something back into society. In reply to a question about the peace line Baroness Blood stated that it was walls in people’s minds that had to be taken down.
|
|
|
