On 21st May the Embassy of Ireland in London hosted a joint reception for the Irish Youth Foundation (UK) Grant Awards 2024 and the Women’s Irish Network (WIN). It was an opportunity to celebrate our 35th year raising money together to help young Irish people and their families across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. We’ve now awarded more than £6 million in grants since our establishment, making a significant difference to the futures of these young people.
This month we also celebrate 20 years since incorporating The Lawlor Foundation in 2005. We are delighted to have continued the foundation’s aim and legacy of advancing education in Northern Ireland through the Lawlor Education Grants Programme enabling us to support disadvantaged pupils from both sides of the community, as well as more youth and community projects in deprived areas.
Last year’s Rock ‘n’ Rugby event was the catalyst for a generous donation that has allowed us to inaugurate two bursaries supported by Giving|Grousbeck Fazzalari in association with Queen’s University Belfast Foundation and Ulster University. These bursaries will run over two academic years giving young people who would not otherwise have the opportunity or the means to pursue higher education and expand their horizons.
Our partnership with WIN has, as always, made a significant contribution to the number of projects we are able to support, and WIN chair, Yvonne Maher, announced they are donating a further £8,000. WIN has now donated in excess of £600,000 over the years since WIN was founded in 1998 by Lady Clancy Hatch and the late Nessa O’Neill. These funds are directed towards projects that specifically benefit young Irish women and their families. We are so grateful for their ongoing generosity.
The Embassy reception was the ideal opportunity for us to present our Quality Award 2024 to the Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith. This special annual award was made in recognition of the Irish Cultural Centre’s excellent work in the community over many years and, in particular, developing innovative and successful online content during and since the Covid pandemic, introducing the Centre’s work to new audiences. William Foote, ICC Centre Director accepted the award.
L to R: Deirdre Fraser, wife of Irish Ambassador Martin Fraser; William Foote, Centre Director, Irish Cultural Centre; Orla McBreen, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Ireland; John Dwyer, Chairman, Irish Youth Foundation (UK)