Aoife Donohoe, with May Ward ,Chairperson of Dunfanaghy Family Recourse Centre. Bernie Sweeney, Administrator and Jean Mc Laughlin Project Co-ordinator
The Dunfanaghy Family Resource Centre in Donegal was announced as the first recipient of a new library to the value of €1,500 as part of the Bord Gáis Energy Donate a Library initiative.
Developed to help promote books and reading in the community, Bord Gáis Energy’s Donate a Library programme invites voluntary, community and non-profit organisations to apply for one of three libraries each year through the Bord Gáis Energy Book Club www.bordgaisenergybookclub.ie.
The scheme, which launched in April, is funded by Bord Gáis Energy and run in association with charity advocacy group The Wheel. It has proved very popular with over 150 nominations received from a variety of organisations throughout the country.
Books and Reading Sponsorship Programme Manager at Bord Gáis Energy, Emma Walsh said, “We are delighted with the response to this initiative. We’ve had nominations from many different types of organisations from all over Ireland and it’s really encouraging to see how these groups value the positive influence books and reading can bring to their communities.”
She continued, “Our chosen organisation – Dunfanaghy Family Resource Centre – do so much great work in the community of Donegal, and it’s lovely to be able to help them through Donate a Library.”
Jean McLaughlin, Project Co-ordinator of Dunfanaghy Family Resource Centre said members are all so pleased to have been selected to receive this library.
“We think it will have a positive impact on all our members who will really enjoy using it. We see this as just the start and we plan to build on and grow our library over the next few years.”
Selecting the chosen organisation was no easy task for judges Emma Walsh, Gert Ackerman from The Wheel and TV3 presenter Sinead Desmond, but they unanimously agreed that Dunfanaghy Family Resource Centre was a very worthy recipient.
Ten additional organisations were also selected for special recognition and they will each receive a Bord Gáis Energy Book Club pack consisting of books, Book Club notebooks, pens, children’s art sets and a national book token to the value of €50 to help them start their own libraries.
Nominations are open for the next library donation which will take place in January 2014. If you’re involved in or know of an organisation that you think would benefit from a new library visit brd.gs/Donatealibrary and let Bord Gáis Energy know why.