First responders and mountain rescue team are Good Cause finalists

THE Dublin/Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and Bray Cardiac First Responders have beaten stiff competition to be announced as finalists and East Region winners in the first ever National Lottery Good Causes Awards.

The awards are aimed at honouring the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals all over Ireland with the help of Good Causes funding. Nearly 30 cent in every euro spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes. Both Wicklow groups came out tops in the sport and health categories, and now proceed to the national finals.

The winners will be announced at a televised dinner in Dublin on November 3. A total of 36 groups from all over Ireland go forward to the final in six categories – sport, health and wellbeing, arts and culture, heritage, community and youth. Each national category winner will receive €10,000 while the overall Good Cause of the Year will get another €25,000 on top of this.

The Dublin/Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team is responsible for saving multiple lives over the years. The team respond to lost walkers, experienced mountaineers who get caught out due to bad weather and tourists who have no navigation experience but want to enjoy scenic areas.

Good Causes funding has helped purchase the first mountain rescue stretcher capable vehicle in Ireland. This vehicle has had a huge impact on rescues, reducing the amount of time an injured or ill patient has to be manually carried over uneven terrain.

Bray Cardiac First Responders is a volunteer group who save lives by doing call outs for the National Ambulance Service when people are in cardiac arrest, choking, chest pain, stroke and or unconscious collapse. Good Causes funding has allowed the group to purchase equipment to train members of the community, including 6th class pupils in two primary schools in the town.

National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin wished the organisations the best of luck for the finals. ‘We were overwhelmed at the level of entries we received for our first National Lottery Good Causes Awards,’ he said. ‘We had over 500 applications from every county in Ireland in all categories. Through these awards we want to show how people, organisations, projects and sports clubs are doing extraordinary things in their communities.’