Winners

Explore our past winners.

2027 Nominations

70 results

Highly Commended

Good Relations Connecting Communities Project of the Year Award ・ 2024

Martina Byrne, Andy Peters, Catherine Cummings

The three volunteers nominated (Martina Byrne, Andy Peters, Catherine Cummings) have come together to create a rural connections focused project that breaks down barriers and builds relationship between local people from all ages and all backgrounds in their local area. From parent and toddlers’ programmes and cross-community schools projects, connecting children from different community backgrounds to a seniors project and Conversation Cafe which brings together local people of all ages as well as those new to the community they have broke down barriers across age, religion, culture and ethnicity. Since the start of this project in September 2023 the three volunteers have worked tirelessly to engage all members of their community in this project, which to date has involved over 300 participants from the rural communities of Rathfriland and Hilltown as well as surrounding rural areas. The project has seen a level of cross-community engagement previously unseen in the local area and has opened up a range a safe shared spaces for people from all backgrounds. The project is a true celebration of diversity, music, culture and connectedness, with plans to continue cross-community/cross-culture engagement beyond the project’s funding cycle.

1st Place Winner

Community Relations Council Exceptional Achievement Award (peacebuilding) ・ 2024

Elizabeth (Betty) Carlisle MBE

Working within the community sector for over 37 years, Betty Carlisle has established professional relationships with political figures, government, and other community organisations, including chairing the Greater Shankill Partnership and being a member of the Women’s Support Network and of the Clonard-Mid Shankill Initiative Partnership. Betty firmly believes that building connections between various communities in NI and ROI is essential to fostering a sense of shared purpose, breaking down barriers, and promoting community unity. Betty has been the CEO of Shankill Women’s Centre for the past 23 years, and her passion and drive for community work have resulted in its continued development and growing success. In Spring 2011 Betty was awarded an MBE for Services to Women. Betty has also been instrumental in developing two Social Economy Businesses; Small Wonders I & II, to support the growing childcare need in the area. Betty achieved a long-sought goal to accomplish a purpose-built shared space for women, with the new Shankill Shared Women’s Centre opening in Spring 2024, supported by Peace IV/SEUPB.

Highly Commended

Good Relations Connecting Communities Project of the Year Award ・ 2024

1. Naíscoil na Seolta

The name, Naíscoil na Seolta, means nursery school of the sails. This reflects their connection to the shipbuilding heritage in east Belfast, while also representing their children sailing off on their educational journey. The nursery school is the first Integrated Irish-medium education provider in Northern Ireland and is a unique and ground-breaking project which is changing attitudes and breaking down barriers. As is outlined in the Good Friday Agreement; the Naíscoil is a space to “cherish and promote the cultural expression of our children and their families and increase mutual respect and understanding”. Naíscoil na Seolta is in the third year of its operation as an Integrated Irish-medium pre-school in east Belfast. They tackle the misconceptions and traditional divides surrounding Irish language, equipping the next generation to build a brighter future for east Belfast.

Highly Commended

Good Relations Youth Award (Under 25) ・ 2024

Empowering Young Women’s project

The Empowering Young Women’s project aims to support young women aged 15 – 25 living across North and West Belfast. As a young women’s programme, EYW believes in fostering peace, equality, and mutual respect among the individuals in our projects and all communities. EYW is dedicated to building and nurturing positive relationships between women from diverse backgrounds, experiences, religions, and cultures. The project arose to empower young women to make better-informed choices in their futures and help them work towards their goals of further education, employment, and becoming more involved in their communities. The informal, safe, and welcoming environment allows young women to learn about topics that are often missed in school environments, such as periods, safe sex, pregnancy, and tackling anti-social behaviour. It also allows them to build trusted relationships with others from all communities and encourage mutual respect and understanding in our diverse society. This project is run by the Shankill Women’s Centre and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Highly Commended

Community Relations Council Exceptional Achievement Award (peacebuilding) ・ 2024

Joe McKeown

Joe McKeown has committed his entire adult life to engaging people of all faiths and none to conversations and relationships on peacebuilding and reconciliation. Most recently as new director of Youth Link, he has ensured that the organisation has not shied away from the unfinished work of good relations, particularly among its stakeholder organisations but much more widely in NI and across the island. He has inspired generations of youth workers to engage in the difficult conversations at the heart of this work, underpinned by a tireless commitment – both in employment and voluntary work – to social justice, fairness, diversity and inclusion. Through his relationships with organisations beyond this island, he is inspired by continuous best practice based on relationship and inspires others to do the same. At the heart of all this is his complete commitment to hearing the voice of young people in shaping how Good Relations work should and will be done in partnership with them. He gives a voice to these young people in a NI where their voice is rarely heard let alone factored in to how faith organisations engage in this most essential ministry of reconciliation.

Highly Commended

Good Relations Community Champion Award ・ 2024

Margaret Cunningham

Margaret Cunningham has dedicated three decades of her life to helping others, promoting understanding, celebrating difference and breaking down barriers in the local community. Margaret leads by example, showing knowledge, compassion, and empathy for each person she meets, going above and beyond to make life better for all. Margaret’s unfailing energy, enthusiasm and commitment continue to set a standard that other members of the community can aspire to. She is passionate about the work she does and the important messages she promotes, in delivering good relations and diversity programmes. She promotes and values difference and this is evidenced in the wide range and variety of programmes that she designs and delivers. Margaret was a winner in 2018 Education & Learning – Urban Villages, Community Awards, and Women of the Year 2016 – Derry City & Strabane District Council for Health & Education, evidence of the dedication and commitment Margaret shows to building relationships and promoting diversity through her work in health/education.

1st Place Winner

Good Relations Community Champion Award ・ 2024

David Patterson

David Patterson was a headmaster in Lowwood Primary School in North Belfast but has since taken early retirement as a carer. He has used his skills, knowledge and abilities to develop The Celebrating Difference Together TREK initiative and has involved schools with their communities through participation on the community-focused educational programme to explore, in a fun and engaging way, how all families and communities are different. Children and parents have been encouraged to see ‘difference’ as a good thing and embrace the shared values of Truth, Respect, Empathy and Kindness, which are the TREK values. Parents and community representatives are invited into school throughout the programme and materials are used in a fun and engaging way to explore the issue of personal, family, and community identity and promote good relations throughout. David has been the mastermind behind this resource and has worked tirelessly to develop Key Stage 1, 2 & 3 resources as well as an app for older children to use. He engages children, young people, and adults in the innovative initiative and suite of resources he has developed to create opportunities to understand difference, promote truth, respect, empathy, kindness and improve school, family and community relations in NI.

Highly Commended

Good Relations Volunteer of the Year Award ・ 2024

Helen Dunn

Helen has been instrumental to developing networks and making connections to provide meaningful support for newcomers. She volunteers with Glenabbey Church and Welcome Churches where she provides an opportunity for newcomers from diverse backgrounds to come together to practice their English and meet others in a welcoming environment, creating a much-needed social space for many who are very isolated. Helen continues to share her expertise voluntary to signpost newcomers and those organisations supporting newcomers to meaningful opportunities, developing her learning and knowledge by attending specific training and events and accessing resources so she can equip herself to support newcomers in the best way she can. Through this learning Helen is developing capacity within organisations she volunteers to help support others and develop their knowledge, widening support and promoting integration. Helen provides hands on support to many newcomer families through practical orientation, referring to appropriate organisations and being a friend to those in very challenging circumstances.

Highly Commended

Good Relations Volunteer of the Year Award ・ 2024

James Reynolds

James Reynolds at the age of 18 has, within the past year, earned his Cooperation Ireland Future Leaders Silver Award, and begun working towards Gold. James is now working on a social action project, making a short film to raise awareness of the stigma around mental health. He was part of Forever Friends International (FFI) community building programme, growing his leadership and community building skills and has been elected onto the Northern Ireland Youth Forum’s executive committee where he is both working with their mental health steering group “elephant coming out of the dark” and is helping with their social action projects to raise people spirits at Christmas and let them know they are not alone. Volunteering has been his top priority and he’s put it above all else.

Highly Commended

Community Relations Council Exceptional Achievement Award (peacebuilding) ・ 2024

Harry Maher

Harry has driven cross community work across Northern Ireland with drive, equity, innovation and determination for 25 years. From early days in the 1990’s as we emerged from conflict into the peace process Harry has worked tirelessly to develop and deliver programmes which would foster good relations, not only across ‘traditional’ communities but as Northern Ireland has changed, through extensive work with minority communities. From a DfC Community Development Officer in Belfast to leading interventions in the Suffolk Lenadoon Interface Group, Harry has built a reputation based on knowledge, skill and an ability to forge sustainable relationships that can make a difference across communities. This work is most apparent in the huge success which is the Housing for All Programme which currently supports 69 shared schemes as a catalyst to support the delivery of the shared housing and good relations across NI. There are now 1973 shared homes with 1223 social housing applicants living in a shared environment. None of this would have been possible without the commitment, skill and energy of Harry. His legacy is in place for years to come.