2021 Grant Awardee
Birmingham Irish Association
Birmingham Irish Association was established in 1957 and aims to provide a range of support, advice and information to meet the welfare and cultural needs of the Irish community in Birmingham.
This year we have awarded £3000, towards a full-time Young People and Children’s Emotional Support Worker who will be responsible for the young people’s dementia support services to help to ease the anxiety around the transition back to a post-lockdown world.
This is a real concern for the young people who haven’t seen family members for a long time and do not know how they have deteriorated and whether they will know them.
Covid restrictions allowing, the role will include continuation of existing youth clubs (one for primary aged children and one for secondary aged children), which meet three times per week and the extension of existing provision to meet the needs of additional children by the end of the year.
Learn more about the BIA’s work online through their website, Facebook and X (Twitter)
We are delighted that the Birmingham Irish Association’s CEO, Maurice Malone, will be representing the Irish Youth Foundation in the Vitality Big Half Marathon on the 22 August.
If you would like to sponsor Maurice in his journey to the finish line on the 22 August, we would like to thank you so much and invite you to click here to visit the Virgin Money Giving fundraising page.
“The past year has been difficult for us all on a personal level and the impact of the pandemic has had a disastrous effect on charities who heavily rely on fundraising to survive and provide the fantastic services to our community.
"I am delighted to be given the opportunity to take part in the Vitality Big Half to raise funds for the Irish Youth Foundation. For many years they have funded organisations throughout the UK to allow us to support the young people in our community. Without this money, many of the projects aimed at supporting our young people simply wouldn’t happen.
"It has been well documented that mental health and well-being will be an issue for many in the years to come following the pandemic and in particular amongst the younger generation. Please help me to give something back and support the Irish Youth Foundation in their work to provide organisations with the financial backing to support and care for those young people in our community.
“Training is painful and slow at this point and I ache in places I didn’t know existed! However, I'm determined to see the challenge through and if I can get around the course in one piece and finish before it gets dark I will be delighted! Please dig deep to support the Irish Youth Foundation and their wonderful projects. Thank you so much."
Maurice Malone, CEO of Birmingham Irish Association
Meet our fab four runners who took on the Vitality Big Half 2021