Amazing Laois group are Community Champions
VIP Hub, represented by Tracey Percy and Ger Brown are presented with the €10,000 Community Champions award by Carol Murphy (People First) and Majella Moore and Dan Bergin (Laois PPN) at the People First Credit Union agm in The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise. Photo: Alf Harvey
AN AMAZING Laois group that helps people with disabilities to take part in sport has won a Community Champions title, with a prize of €10,000.
The VIP Hub team won the coveted award at the People First Credit Union AGM, when they were up against worthy finalists Portlaoise Community First Responders and the Irish Wheelchair Association, Athy.
Meanwhile, six secondary school students were presented with scholarships worth €1,000 each at the packed event, which was held in The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise on 28 January.
VIP Hub received the Community Champions award in recognition of their ‘outstanding contribution’ and exceptional work supporting athletes with visual and physical impairments across Laois.
Founded eight years ago as a volunteer-led initiative and now recognised through Sport Ireland, VIP Hub supports over 100 athletes across a wide range of para and inclusive sports.
The organisation plans to use the funding to deliver the Laois Inclusion Games, a two-day sporting event for children and adults with disabilities which is scheduled for next August.
Scholarships for students from each of the secondary schools within the common bond were presented to Grace Fox (Heywood Community School), Liam Maher (St Mary’s CBS), Sarah Murrell (Scoil Chríost Rí), Nathan Lam (Portlaoise College), Szymon Trela (Ardscoil na Tríonóide) and Maita Phairah (Athy College).
Members also demonstrated strong support for community development, approving the transfer of €80,000 into People First Credit Union’s community funding budget.
The money will be distributed throughout the year to assist community and voluntary groups, delivering projects with lasting social, environmental and community benefit.
The evening concluded with tributes to Clive Davis, who stepped down as chair after 19 years’ service; Mary Carmody, who resigned from the Board of Directors and Mary Crowley, who stepped down from the Board Oversight Committee.
Members were also presented with strong financial and operational results for the year, including a total gross loan book of €48.7m, representing 7.88% growth, with 6,461 loan applications received, 82 per cent of which were approved, totalling €30.2m.
During the year, 1,424 new members joined People First Credit Union, while 40 local community groups received €72,691 in funding.
