The search is onto find Ireland’s Volunteer of the Year with the launch of the Panadol supported Volunteer Ireland Awards 2013. 

The Volunteer Ireland Awards are the major annual initiative to celebrate volunteering in Ireland that are coordinated by Volunteer Ireland and supported by Panadol. The Awards invite entries from both the North and South of Ireland.Launching the Awards, RTE Presenter Keelin Shanley called on people in the county of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown to go to www.volunteer.ie and nominate ordinary people who do extraordinary things in their communities.

Manager of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Volunteer Centre Karen Johnson said that the Awards celebrate and recognise the thousands of remarkable people across the Island of Ireland who selflessly give their time and talent to benefit others and their communities.

“The search for the 2013 Volunteer of the Year is now on! We’re calling on all South Dublin County residents to help us shine a light on the county’s remarkable volunteers. Members of the public can nominate their choice at www.volunteer.ie.

“Whether it’s helping a local sports club, raising funds for a charity or helping a local community group, we want to celebrate the selfless volunteers who regularly give their time to help to make Ireland a better place. Nominate a volunteer you know and share their inspiring story with us.”

Panadol is delighted to be the lead sponsor of the Volunteer Ireland Awards for the fourth consecutive year and encourages everybody to take the opportunity to showcase Ireland’s outstanding volunteers who are an essential and highly valuable part of Irish life. Panadol tablets are made in Ireland in Dungarvan.

Nominations can be received up to 25th October. Category winners and an overall winner will be announced at a special Awards ceremony on 5th December. There are ten different awards categories including sports, arts, youth, environment, community, disability, education, social work, awareness raising and international development.

So far this year, over 10,000 volunteers have registered through volunteer.ie and local Volunteer Centres. These volunteers have clocked up over 320,000 hours of voluntary work which has an equivalent value of over €7,000,000.

Also, as part of this year’s Volunteer Ireland Awards campaign, one of the shortlisted 30 nominees will receive the Charity Hero Award, a lifetime achievement award honouring a volunteer who has – over the course of their life – made an extraordinary contribution to a good cause. The Charity Hero Award is a unique collaboration between the Volunteer Ireland Awards and the Better Together Campaign. The Charity Hero Award will be presented at the Better Together Awards ceremony in Dublin on December 12th.

Further Information: Ronan Cavanagh, Cavanagh Communications: (086) 317 9731 / Karen Johnson, Manager, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Volunteer Centre: (01) 209 0630.

Notes to Editors:

Volunteer Ireland

Volunteer Ireland is the national volunteer development agency and a support body for all local Volunteer Centres in Ireland. Our vision is every person connected to and participating in their communities to build a better Irish society. Volunteer Ireland works to increase awareness of, access to and quality in volunteering in Ireland.

Panadol

Panadol tablets are made in Ireland in Dungarvan Co. Waterford. They contain paracetamol which offers fast, effective pain relief for you and your family. Always read the label/leaflet.