Nomination Form

To nominate candidates for the Athlone People of the Year Awards please complete the form below.

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Athlone People of the Year Awards

Nominations sought for Athlone People of the Year Awards 2010

The 6th annual Athlone People of the Year Awards were launched recently at a ceremony in the town's civic offices.

The 2010 awards, organised by the Rehab Group, are being run in conjunction with Athlone Town Council and the Westmeath Independent and the event itself will take place on Friday April 23, in the Radisson Blu Hotel. Much-loved comedian Brendan Grace will be host and compere on the night.

Eight members of the community will be selected as the Athlone People of the Year award winners, with one person winning the overall award on the night.

Sheila Buckley-Byrne, Area Manager of the National Learning Network, Rehab Group, said the awards ceremony was a crucial part of the organisation's work.

“These awards fit so well with what Rehab is about, values like courage, innovation, empowerment, inclusion, respect, are all important... You know the unsung heroes, the people who are achieving, doing, going that extra mile for others in our town our country. Let us honour them on your behalf and say thanks on April 23.”

Mayor of Athlone Mark Cooney was full of praise for both Rehab and the awards themselves stating: “The range of activities and the variety of organisations with which the award winners have been associated has been truly remarkable and public awareness of these organisations and their voluntary work has been greatly heightened.”

Padraig Lydon, Chairperson Athlone Rehab Voluntary Committee and member of the national Board of Rehab Group, thanked John Walsh Town Clerk and Athlone Town Council for their work on behalf of Rehab, as well as the sponsors.

“Rehab is a dynamic organisation which helps by assisting people in achieving their goals. The money raised from the People of the Year Awards goes towards maintaining our services. When we relaunched in 2005, we hoped for a high profile event and it has gone from strength to strength,” he added.

Tadhg Carey, editor of the Westmeath Independent, emphasised that events like the People of the Year awards were the “epitome of good news stories” in the locality.

“The people nominated provide us with an opportunity to get our teeth into a plethora of good news stories,” he added. “What I particularly like is that the people are nominated by their peers. They say that a prophet is never recognised in their own area, but the People of the Year Awards gives the lie to that.”

To enter a nominee simply fill the nomination coupon printed in The Westmeath Independent each week or the coupon on this webpage before the closing date of 11 March 2010.

The main criteria for nominees is a person or organisation within Athlone and its environs who has made an outstanding contribution at a local level. Such contributions can be characterised by achievement, commitment, courage, persistence and distinction. Other attributes can include leadership, job creation, economic development, youth projects, professional or cultural development and pioneering or outstanding work in education or the environmental field.

Coming soon: Watch out as the Westmeath Independent highlights the services of Rehab Group and the generous sponsors of the awards.