Galway football captain Padraic Joyce and Mayo veteran James Nallen put all local rivalries aside to launch the 2008 Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) Good Neighbour Award in Galway on Monday.

The two GAA legends joined VFI President Val Hanley and former Cork GAA star Johnny Crowley from Heineken Ireland to launch this year's award.

The award scheme, now in its third year, will run in all counties outside Dublin. The aim is to recognise the unsung heroes who make a difference to the life of a friend or neighbour in their local community.

Customers of the 5,000 VFI participating pubs will be invited to nominate someone in their local community who deserves such recognition. One person will be selected from all nominations and will be chosen as the VFI County Good Neighbour.

The person selected as the County Good Neighbour will then be nominated for the national title. The overall winner will receive a specially commissioned trophy and €3,000 to donate to a local charity or approved community project of their choice as well as a well earned €2,000 holiday voucher.

"This award honours the unsung heroes of our communities. People who give of their time selflessly to help others in their community deserve to be honoured.

"Our members are often an integral part of local communities, particularly in rural Ireland and acts of kindness and generosity are thankfully still common place in modern Ireland. The VFI and its members wish to acknowledge these heroes and their often-unseen acts of tremendous kindness. Rural isolation is an issue and the help of a good neighbour can go a long way," said President of the VFI, Val Hanley.

Galway captain Padraic Joyce said, "I am glad to support the VFI Good Neighbour award and lend my support to this worthy scheme. Ireland needs local heroes and it is only right that unsung heroes who put in so much time and effort are honoured."

"Isolation is a modern day problem and loneliness is more prevalent than in the past – we need more good neighbours in our communities," explained Mayo star, James Nallen.

Further details of the award scheme and nomination process can be found on www.vfi.ie.

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment