Margaret is 'fundraiser of the year' |
Margaret Gill's tireless efforts on behalf of Self Help Africa and the memorial fund established in memory of her late daughter earned national recognition, when she was named Irish fundraiser of the year at an awards ceremony in Dublin.
Margaret collected the accolade at the annual awards ceremony hosted by Fundraising Ireland, at Dublin's Four Season's Hotel, in late October.
Amongst more than 100 national contenders for the award, Margaret received the top prize in recognition of her tireless campaigning on behalf of the Barbara Gill Memorial Fund that was established following her daughter's death, two years ago.
A teacher and leading figure in Development Education in Ireland, the late Barbara Gill died when she was knocked from her bicycle while cycling on Dublin's quays.
A number of months before her death she had travelled with Self Help Africa to Eritrea - an experience that prompted her to embark on a campaign to fundraise to provide a new school in a remote village that she had visited.
The memorial fund that was established following Barbara's untimely death made that dream a reality, and her parents travelled in late 2008 to Adi Gebru, Eritrea, to formally open the new school that their fundraising efforts had made possible.
In the two years since the campaign was first established the couple have raised more than €150,000 to support Self Help Africa's ongoing efforts to improve educational facilities in the Horn of Africa country.
Paying tribute to Margaret Gill on winning the national award, Self Help Africa CEO Ray Jordan said that the citation was 'a fitting tribute to the courage, determination and tireless efforts' of both Margaret and Bill, who he said were 'an inspiration to us all'.
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