AS we get ready to celebrate this year’s Aisling Awards on 4 December, there is still time to nominate your local community group for the MediCare Community Rebuilding Award.
Once again, we are looking to recognise the community based organisations which have gone above and beyond to improve the lives of those within their communities over this past 12 months.
Our community heroes will be recognised at a gala event in the Europa Hotel with nominations closing on 14 November.
Looking ahead to this year’s event, Aidan McKegney, Operations Director at MediCare Pharmacies recounted how winning the award helped the company.
“Interestingly enough, in 2008 we won an Aisling Award for Best Belfast Business. We got a lot of value out of that and it was positive for the business and for our staff to be recognised.
“We realised the value of it and I think it is great for us to be able to get involved and put something back in.
“It is a valuable thing to do and if it helps other groups then that is a positive.”
Aidan added that it is important for MediCare to sponsor the Community Rebuilding Award as they are a community-based business themselves.
“All of our pharmacies are at the heart of the community and we serve the community. I think, particularly within the last year or so with Covid it has been particularly important to have community groups working to help and support the community.
“Pharmacy itself has remained open throughout that time. We have been serving the community and it is very much an open door situation. We are very proud of our staff who have turned up to work throughout that time and made themselves available to ensure that patients get their medication in a safe and timely manner.
“They have families too and it has been incredibly difficult for them. We understand that communities need that sort of support and they need these organisations to help communities function, particularly in these difficult times.”
Offering advice to anyone considering submitting a nomination, Aidan said to go for it.
“Anybody who has benefitted from the work that these groups do would appreciate that the importance of them being there.
“I think that it would be very important to nominate whatever community group you are involved in, to support them and nominate them. Whether they win the award or not, it is a way of acknowledging the work that they do and making them realise that they are appreciated and valued.”
