Nine organisations to share social entrepreneurs award of €600,000

Nine organisations are to receive €600,000 between them under awards made by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland.

Three people, Irene Lowry of Nurture, based in Skerries, north Dublin, Gary Doggett, of the Pro-Social Drivers Programme, based in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, and Stephen Plunkett of U-Casadh, in Ferrybank, Co Waterford, were each awarded €140,000 as part of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s Impact Awards.

Nurture offers counselling and therapy to women, partners and their families experiencing a pregnancy or childbirth-related mental health illness.

The driver’s programme aims to improve the behaviour of higher risk groups of drivers including young people.

And U-Casadh works with people who have come in contact with the criminal justice system. It uses rehabilitation and training to encourage entrepreneurship and social inclusion.

Elevator awards

The awards, sponsored by DCC plc, an international support services group based in Dublin, were made at a ceremony in the capital on Tuesday evening. Six other social entrepreneurs have received €30,000 each in the Elevator Awards category.

They were Rachel Moore of Express Your Gender, Auveen Bell of Blossom Ireland, Wayne Dignam of Care Leavers Network, Keith Moore and Gordon Rose of Smartvote, Arlene Naughten and Lorraine Lynch of Sugru Therapy, and Derek McDonnell of The Mojo Project.

Chief executive of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Darren Ryan said the organisation had established a great track record of working with people who offer pioneering solutions to social problems.

“The organisations that we have funded and worked with have impacted the lives of 380,000 people on the island of Ireland to date,” he said.

“With the ongoing commitment of DCC plc, we are excited to continue to assist dynamic individuals, including this year’s awardees, who are making a real difference to the lives of people in Ireland every day.”

Tommy Breen, chief executive of DCC said the company was proud to be a long-term sponsor.

“It is a great privilege to play a role in getting behind Ireland’s brightest and most ambitious entrepreneurs working to have a positive impact on our society,” he said.