Bray Order of Malta wins ‘Unit of the Year’ at national event

THE Bray Unit of the Order of Malta ambulance corps was awarded ‘Unit of the Year’ at their national conference in Kilkenny earlier this month.

‘Our volunteers are delighted to be awarded this prestigious award,’ said officer in charge, Lieutenant Bernard Hayden. He said that Bray received the award in 2010, and before that in 1947 for their work in the four corps services of the ambulance corps.

Those services are: first aid and ambulance services; community care, youth programme and training and education.

‘It really cements the commitment of our volunteer to the local and wider community,’ he said.

‘You may see our volunteers deployed locally for severe weather/major emergencies or regularly at the Carlisle grounds, Bray Air Display and many more local event’s volunteers are trained to the highest standard and accredited by the national governing body the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council.

‘You may also see us at our public first aid courses in Bray Institute, or providing transport for Bray Old Folks Association on a Wednesday evening. We are a charity and rely on donations to continue these services to the community as we have done since 1943.’

Bernard said that there is a huge commitment from all volunteers throughout the year for the many activities they were involved in.

New volunteers are encouraged to get involved. Cadet ‘youth’ volunteers are aged ten to 16 and based in Bray and Shankill, while adult volunteers are over 16 and based in Bray.

Recruitment information is available on the groups Facebook page, under omacbray.