DOAGH POSTIE SHORTLISTED FOR FIRST CLASS AWARD

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk/news ... 3822549.jp

DOAGH postman, David Warwick, is one of just nine postmen and women from the province to be short-listed for Royal Mail's annual '1st Class People Awards' 2008.

Customers were invited to nominate Royal Mail people who they thought were the unsung heroes of the local community, '1st Class' charity fundraisers or individuals who performed a public spirited act of bravery or helped with an emergency whilst out on their deliveries.
David is short-listed in the 'charity fundraising' category for raising funds for the Christian Blind Mission through a five-day marathon around Lough Neagh. He demonstrated the exceptional contribution that Royal Mail employees make to their local communities and will receive £100 in prize money.
David said he was both surprised and delighted to be shortlisted for this award.
"My father is partially sighted so I was always keen to do something to help charities that support the blind and partially sighted," the 21-year-old told the Times.

"It was at a Saturday meeting of the Torch Trust that I first heard about the work of the Christian Blind Mission and decided I would like to help them out.
"Since then I've taken part in the marathon around Lough Neagh which helped raise £3,000 for the charity. Last Saturday I organised a charity shield football competition at Kilbride Presbyterian Church which raised more funds and I was also involved in a bag pack in Woodsides in Ballyclare and raised £500 from that.

"In addition I give talks, and take part in as many Christian Blind Mission events as I can."
Michael Kennedy, Area General Manager for Royal Mail, said: "Because our people make daily deliveries to all 27 million addresses in the UK, they are more visible on the streets than many other public sector workers, and are often first at the scene in cases of fire, road accidents, and robbery, and instinctively get involved.

"Postmen and women frequently discover problems when making deliveries. Someone may have had a fall or been taken ill and collapsed, and because they visit the same neighbourhood on a daily basis postmen and women notice when an old person isn't around and can raise the alarm."
Competing for an award in the same category as David is a team of postal workers from the Northern Ireland Mail Centre, Mallusk, who regularly give up their time to raise funds for the local Children's Hospice.

The group of ladies are all members of the Penny Black Club and are representing the Centre in the awards. The team members
– Liz O'Hara, Bernie Burns, Elaine McGurk, Tracy Toal, Collette Toal, Carol Reith, Nicole McCarthy, Maureen Magee and Eilish McNally, have been short-listed in the 'community fundraising' category for their tireless work organising events to raise funds for the Children's Hospice. They have demonstrated the exceptional contribution that Royal Mail employees make to their local communities.
From the short-list judges will now choose a regional winner in each category - Bravery, Community and Fundraising who will attend a national award ceremony on March 31.

The regional winners will each receive a cheque for £500 and a trophy at the awards presentation, where national winners in the three categories will be announced; they receive £1000.

At the ceremony one of these winners will be overall UK winner of 'Royal Mail's 1st Class People Awards', winning a luxury holiday and spending money.

[L Tommo]

I VOTED FOR BURSLEM AND BIG DAVE!!!

out :lfo :cfo