National award for cycling star Benny
CYCLIST, Benny Grogan, has been heralded as one of Ireland’s top volunteers.
From 27 exceptional volunteers, nine winners were selected for this year’s Volunteer Ireland Awards including Benny.
These national awards to celebrate Ireland’s unsung heroes were held at a special ceremony in Sligo, the 2017 European Volunteering Capital.
The awards aim to celebrate the extraordinary dedication that nominees have shown to help others, often taking time away from family and friends to give back. They give us a chance to say thank you and celebrate their achievements.
Benny has been a dedicated volunteer for most of his life, particularly with his beloved St. Kevin’s GAA.
However it is to the WATCH cycling club that he is most dedicated.
He had volunteered for many years as a sighted pilot for blind cyclists under the support of the NCBI. When the NCBI reduced their services in his local area he stepped in and established the WATCH cycling group in Louth so that blind cyclists could continue to enjoy the freedom that comes from being on the open road.
Never one to seek the spotlight, Benny has often said that “The people who come out with us, the blind and the partially sighted, are our inspiration to do this”.
This year marked an extremely special year for the Volunteer Ireland Awards. Not only were they celebrating their tenth year, they also formed part of the prestigious closing ceremony of Sligo’s designation as European Volunteering Capital.
Commenting on the shortlist for the Volunteer Ireland Awards, Louth Volunteer Centre Manager Gráinne Berrill said “Volunteers are the backbone of communities across Ireland. Benny is a fantastic example of the strong culture of volunteering we have in Louth. Volunteers are often unseen but the contribution they make to Irish society is immense.
‘ These awards give us a chance to say thank you and celebrate the difference volunteers make every day.”
Louth Volunteer Centre is an affiliate of Volunteer Ireland and hosts a database of volunteering opportunities for anyone interested in getting involved.
If you would like to try out or find out more about volunteering in Louth contact Louth Volunteer Centre at 041 9809008, www.volunteerlouth. ie or @volunteerlouth on social media.