Self less volunteer proves hands that do wishes can put smiles on young faces
Inspirational garda Anne Marie wins Neutrogena’s Hands-On Community Hero award for her charity work
THE charity volunteer who arranged for young Liverpool superfan Daire Gorman to visit his own heroes has been named Neutrogena’s Hands-On Community Hero of the year.
Anne Marie Larkin, a detective garda based in Bailieboro, Co. Cavan, is also the representative of the Little Blue Heroes Garda charity in the Cavan-Fermanagh region where she looks out for 18 children with serious illnesses, helping them and their families to enjoy some respite from the daily grind.
Daire, who has Crommelin Syndrome which caused him to be born without arms from his elbow down
‘It’s been wonderful for him. He’s a great lad’
and without a femur bone in both of his legs, was even named-checked by Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp when he announced his forthcoming retirement as manager last week.
Klopp admitted he would have some explaining to do to the 12-year-old after meeting the Monaghan boy with some of the club’s superstars on a visit to Anfield in December.
Garda Larkin said she can’t believe how what she thought was a simple trip to a football match has turned out.
‘I got involved in the Little Blue Heroes charity here about three years ago. It’s a Garda charity but we get no funding and all the work is voluntary.
‘I was trying to get some help for a young neighbour of mine who was diagnosed with Leukaemia aged just four, and the charity said they had no one in the area to represent them, so I ended up doing it.
‘I rang Daire’s mum during the summer and asked if there was anything he would like for his birthday and that’s how the trip came about. She said Daire is mad about Liverpool football club.’
Ms Larkin managed to get a name of the person who runs the club’s disability access from another neighbour in Cavan who used to bring his brother to games. And although all the disabled tickets were sold out, the person in charge offered his tickets to Daire.
‘It just took off from then,’ she recalls. ‘It’s been wonderful for him. He’s a great lad.’
Ms Larkin was nominated for the award by the inspector at her station, Lionel Mullally, for her community work. She had already received her €3,000 prize money, and last weekend took her nineyear-old daughter, who has juvenile arthritis, to Disneyland in Paris.
‘It was a wonderful thing to be able to do, especially for my daughter who’s had a tough time with her health issues,’ she said.
‘She’s on a lot of medication but is so brave.’
Speaking about his colleague’s community work, Inspector Mullally said: ‘In June this year, she arranged for six families with children with serious illnesses and disabilities to have a four-day holiday on the Aran Islands. Ann Marie has to use her own holiday time for this and pays her own way.
‘In December, she also organised a concert in Cavan featuring local choirs and other singers, again with the intention to raise funds for the Little Blue Heroes.
‘She also dressed as a bunny at Easter, organised a national Christmas party at Barretstown and arranged for seriously ill children to light Christmas lights in a number of towns.’
Michaela Cronin-Neilan, commerical marketing manager at Neutrogena’s parent company Kenvue, said the brand was delighted to support the hard work of local volunteers.
As well as Ms Larkin receiving €3,000, two runners-up were awarded €1,000 each in recognition of their voluntary work in their communities.
Ms Cronin-Neilan added: ‘Neutrogena understands the power of hard work and the importance of supporting the hands-on heroes in the local community. The different stories shared were inspiring and really highlighted the importance of community spirit across Ireland, especially over the past few years.
‘Congratulations to Anne Marie, she is extremely hard-working and passionate about The Little Blue Heroes and we are delighted to share her story and recognise her incredible work.’
‘The different stories were so inspiring’