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Awards Night Feb 07

Introduction

The IFA’s Inaugural Football For All (FFA) Awards Night on Saturday 24 February 2007 was a great success. The event was designed to shine the spotlight on the Unsung Heroes, Key Change Drivers and Volunteers who promote the Football For All ethos throughout NI.

The IFA’s FFA Awards Night Event Management Team consisted of Colleen Macauley, Jessica Delargy, Lerina Bright and Marc Hurley. All credit must go to them for running a highly professional and enjoyable event which reflected extremely well on the IFA.  A special note of thanks must also go to Sueann Harrison, IFA Communications Manager, Spike Hill, IFA Resource Manager and Caroline Menary, IFA Press Officer, who helped with media management on the night, pre and post event publicity. Our Presenters on the night included Gerry McKee, IFA Boys Development Officer, Alfie Wylie, IFA Women’s Football Development Manager, Mal Donaghy, IFA Disability Development Officer, Alan Crooks, IFA Disability Development Manager and Lee Carroll, IFA Grassroots Manager. They played a key role in the success of the event. FFA AWARDS 07

The Award Winners were:

Media coverage of the event was extensive:

Pre publicity in the Belfast Telegraph, positive coverage with pictures in the Sunday Life immediately the day after the event, positive coverage in the Belfast Telegraph (local heroes section on Wednesday full page dedicated to event), Newsletter and Irish News on the Monday after the event, positive coverage on U105 radio and positive TV coverage with BBC post event with Colin Murray endorsing the IFA’s Football For All message. As well as individual press releases highlighting the achievement of the Award Winners in their area targeting the local papers where they live and work.

Support

Paul Rothwell, Managing Director of Vi Sport, who were our main commercial sponsor for the event enjoyed his companies involvement to such an extent that he publicly committed to sponsoring the event for the next 5 yrs!

Jim Dennison, Director of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council’s European Programme and Adrian McNamee from the Special EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation both attended the event and commented on how successful our Football For All Programme has been over the last seven years. As key core funders of our Community Relations work their support and praise is greatly valued!

Both the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs and the Irish League Forums Supporters Groups felt the event was a great success.

Phil Smyth, Chairman of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs emailed the IFA after the event saying:

“I hope you are sitting back and taking a well earned pat on the back today, congratulations on a great night at the awards. It was certainly a well run 'do' with a bit of craic intertwined with the serious business of presenting awards to deserving recipients”.

Martin Harris, who won an Unsung Hero Award, from the Irish League Forums Supporters Group, emailed the IFA after the event to say:h

“Just a quick note to say thanks for a great night on Saturday (I've just about recovered - I'm getting too old for all this!).

I'm really genuinely pleased for you that it all passed off so well because I could tell from talking to you in the last few days just how much it meant to you. I know Brian was hugely impressed as well despite all his reservations.

Personally, I'm hugely embarrassed to be recognised at such an event given some of the other infinitely more deserving winners but at the same time I'm immensely proud and honoured!”

We also received similar messages of support and praise from the wider football family recognised at the Awards, such as Women’s Football, Disability Football, Boys Football and the Parents of the NI Moderate Learning Difficulties Team whose Player’s received International Caps from Mal Donaghy and Alan Crooks in recognition of their outstanding success at the INAS FID World Cup in Germany 2006, reaching the Quarter Finals. This is the first time the IFA have handed out International Caps to a team from the Disability strand of development.

Special Thanks

A special note of thanks has to go to Neil Lennon for volunteering his support via video recorded messages for Award Winner’s Stewart McAfee (NI Fan’s Outstanding Achievement Award Winner) and Desmond Magennis (FFA Lifetime Achievement Award Winner).

A massive thank you must also go to the excellent Colin Murray for volunteering his very much in demand services for free to be the IFA’s Football For All Ambassador 2007 and superb Host for the event. Colin’s contribution was invaluable and we are very much in his debt! He gave the event the media coverage it deserved and played a key role in maximising great publicity for the people who deserved it most, the Award Winners.

Conclusion

The IFA’s Inaugural Football For All (FFA) Awards Night on Saturday 24 February 2007 was a great success. The main aim of the Awards Night was to first and foremost shine the spotlight on the wonderful achievements of Volunteers who make such a valuable contribution to the sport of football in Northern Ireland. A secondary aim of the event was to highlight the superb development work of the IFA in the community promoting positive Community Relations, Women’s Football, Disability Football, Boys Football, Football For All Development, Supporter led initiatives and supporting Grassroots Development of the beautiful game in all it’s various strands.

The IFA’s Inaugural Football For All (FFA) Awards Night on Saturday 24 February 2007 was a celebration of our success in the areas highlighted above and most importantly the success of the Volunteers who are the lifeblood of the sport of football in Northern Ireland.  We will strive to make next year’s event even more of a success! Thank you to everyone who supported the event and helped make it such a great night.

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