Foyle Down Syndrome Trust '˜delighted' with award nomination

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Jim McKeever tried his hand at making cup cakes in Foyle Down Syndrome Trust's new kitchen on Friday last with the help of Kathy Coyle, Nicola Harkin, Declan Feeney, Laura Duddy, Alison Smyth, Bronagh McLaughlin, Lisa Cregan, Emma Diver as well as Instructor Anne Kelly and support worker Victoria McCloskey. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

The manager of Foyle Down Syndrome Trust says the organisation is delighted to have been nominated by the local Council for the IPB Pride of Place Awards.

The Derry organisation has been nominated by Derry City & Strabane District Council in the Community Enterprise Initiative Category of the Awards which are being staged in association with Co-operation Ireland Awards.

The competition is across all councils on the island of Ireland and Foyle Down Syndrome Trust is the only organisation in Derry to have been nominated.

The judging took place recently at the Trust’s centre in the Waterside and the results will be announced at a ‘red carpet’ awards event at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on November 26.

Lorraine Gallen, Manager of Foyle Down Syndrome Trust, said: “We are so proud to have been nominated for this award by our local Council whom we would like to thank.

“Our staff, children and young people with Down Syndrome and their families all had a great morning proudly informing the judges about our many and varied Educational and Social Development projects and how Foyle Down Syndrome Trust enriches lives.

“We now look forward to attending the prestigious event in November at the Waterfront in Belfast where we will hear the outcome of the judging, fingers crossed.”

The Deputy Mayor of Derry & Strabane, Colr. Jim McKeever, spent half the day with the staff and clients at Foyle Down Syndrome Trust.

He said: “It was a fantastic experience. The atmosphere in the premises was just brilliant.

“Foyle Down Syndrome Trust work for children from birth up to age 30. They do sensory learning for young people and a wide range of projects and programmes such as independent living.

“There is so much good work going on there . I can’t praise them enough, and I wish them all the best now for the awards ceremony.”