THE recently-retired Chief Executive of the West Belfast Partnership Board, Geraldine McAteer, is set to give back to the community as she donates an Aisling Education Bursary to help an asylum seeker with their studies.

Discussing her retirement, Geraldine told the Andersonstown News: "On leaving the post, I am donating an Aisling Education Bursary as a way of giving a little bit back after years working in the community in West Belfast.

"The Aisling Education Bursaries are one of the Partnership’s regeneration initiatives that I am most proud of as they directly assist individual people to get a foot on the ladder – to access a training programme, a college course or a degree which will lead them to a good job and career. The bursary can help with whatever a person needs, whether fees, books, a laptop or childcare."

Detailing her inspiration for the bursary, she continued: "I’ve been inspired by the many small businesses who have donated an Aisling Bursary over the years and by the families who have donated bursaries in memory of a loved one – people like the Fergusons, the Brownlees, the Clarkes, Fitzsimmons and the Vallelly families.

"I’ve always found the infectious enthusiasm and commitment of people like Steffy Vallelly, Briege Brownlee, Marie Ferguson and David Fitzsimmons very motivating."

Geraldine explained that she would like the bursary to go to an asylum seeker who has come to our shores to escape conflict and seek a better life. 

"They are getting it very hard as they are not permitted to work, they live on a shoe-string, nor can they get access to education grants and so I hope the bursary will help some-one get on to their chosen course.

"I would especially hope that women asylum seekers apply for this bursary.  I know how hard my own mother – who was a mill-worker and later worked in the RVH – worked to raise a family and I would love this bursary to go to a woman who needed it."

Details on the bursary will be circulated to groups who work with asylum seekers within the next week.