Kilkenny community groups in with chance of winning €35,000

TWO Kilkenny community projects have made it to the final of a national competition that recognises hard work in the community and are now in with a chance of winning €35,000.

Kilkenny’s No Name! Club, and an initiative in Kilkenny by Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind have made it the finals stage of the National Lottery Good Causes Awards 2019.

The No Name! Club ensures every young person involved with them is given the opportunity to become a responsible active citizens. No Name! supports and challenges young people by allowing them the opportunity to create spaces and activities that suit their needs and interests. No Name! Clubs are run by young people aged 15 years and over, who come together in a healthy, safe and lively environment where there’s fun, friendship and enjoyment. No Name! will contest the Youth category.

Shane Doyle and Dylan O’Neill from No Name Club Kilkenny

Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is the national charity dedicated to helping persons who are blind or vision impaired, and families of children with autism, to achieve improved mobility, independence and social inclusion. The Kilkenny branch used funding to supply service dogs in the Kilkenny area and will contest the Health & Wellbeing category.

Helen Jones, John Burke and Aggie from Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind 

Each national category winner will receive €10,000 while the overall Good Cause of the Year will get an additional €25,000 on top of this. The winners will be announced at a Gala Awards event in the Clayton Burlington Hotel next Saturday.

The judging panel is chaired by broadcaster and businesswoman Norah Casey, who said: “We were blown away by the 36 presentations. Each of the groups we met are doing amazing work in their communities and were all winners in their own rights.

“The work that is being done all over Ireland with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding is truly humbling and outstanding.”

Nearly 30c in every €1 spent on National Lottery games goes back to good causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish language. More than €5.4 Billion has been raised for good causes since the National Lottery was established 32 years ago.