HONOURS
Royally Rewarded This month Ulster Tatler features a selection of photographs from those members of the community recognised in the Birthday Honours.
LYNSEY AGNEW BEM Miss Lynsey Anne Agnew was awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to the Lisburn Foodbank, especially during the Covid-19 crisis. “We started Lisburn Foodbank in 2013 and I have been involved since the very beginning discussions about offering this support in our community. As we became busier each year I eventually gave up my job to come on board full time at LCC Community Trust. We knew we needed to do more and as we explored our options we have now grown into a community organisation that offers support across a range of projects including; Lisburn Foodbank, Kickstart Social Supermarket, More than Food workshops and volunteering opportunities and our Wellbeing projects. We offer emergency food provision, longer term food support, help with budgeting and household management, income maximisation and debt advice. We also use a holistic approach to not only look at practical tools to improving someone’s situation but also to support their mental and emotional wellbeing through a mixture of group work and one-toone coaching. In March 2020 we began to see a steep increase in demand for our services as news of the pandemic broke. By mid April we had jumped from supporting approximately 100 families per week to 400 per week. We had to completely restructure our model for service delivery to accommodate all the restrictions and keep our volunteers safe, while still being able to support the most vulnerable in our community. With our amazing team of staff and volunteers, and the support of our local community, we were able to continue this vital service, which many described as a lifeline.”
THOMAS HAIGHTON BEM Mr Thomas David Haighton was awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to Adults with Learning and Physical Disabilities. “I am both honoured and humbled to receive a British Empire Medal for services to people with a Learning Disability. I am privileged to work with adults with a learning disability, and to be honest I get so much more from them than they do me. I have a real passion for the work I do and will continue to advocate for those I care for. We have come so far in raising awareness for people with a learning disability and ensuring they are seen as valued members of our society, but there is a lot more work to be done. Unfortunately the pandemic has seen people with a learning disability lose out on so much and become isolated with little or nothing to do, not to mention the additional pressures put on parents and carers. Now we are starting to come out the other side of the pandemic, I will ensure people with a learning disability
once again have their voices heard and rights upheld. At the age of 13 I started helping the Volunteers in Carrickfergus Junior Gateway. I continued this and became a volunteer myself in later years. Carrickfergus Senior Gateway were looking volunteers and I joined to help out at the age of 17; I became Gateway Leader in 2005 to present day. My experiences with Gateway led me to a career in Learning Disability and at the age of 16 I started working in Castleview Private Nursing Home; 3 years later I moved to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust as a Support Worker in Hawthorns Adult Centre. I have worked my way up through the years and am now Registered Manager of Hawthorns. My experience and knowledge gained have enabled me to make positive changes for those with a learning disability and one of my main highlights was Carrickfergus Senior Gateway hosting the first every Learning Disability Pride event held in Carrickfergus in 2017. This was a day that brought
thousands of people together to support those with a learning disability and to show that they are valued members of society. I take great pride in what I do and in everything I am involved with, but I couldn’t do all this on my own; my biggest support comes from my amazing family and also from those that work alongside me in all Learning Disability Services. I am pleased to accept this award on behalf of all of them.
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