Galway wins at National Age Friendly Awards

The ‘Healthy Islands’ initiative, led by Galway Rural Development’s Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) with the Healthy County Galway team in Galway County Council, won the National Age Friendly Award on Friday evening last in recognition for their work ‘Age Friendly Active and Healthy Aging’. 

Pictured are Helen Melia and Alan Farrell from Galway County Council, Dr Anne Cassidy from Galway Rural Development, Cathaoirleach Liam Carroll, Mary Cronin from the Older Person’s Council, and Andrew McBride of Healthy County Galway.

The primary aim of these awards is to recognise and reward achievement in age friendly initiatives around Ireland and the winning team represented the many organisations who worked together to bring the Healthy Islands events to the main four offshore Islands in County Galway.

The winning Healthy Island events aimed to provide information on the supports and services that are available and help the Island communities recognise and develop healthier lifestyles. The efforts created opportunities for good health and enabled older people to actively participate and contribute to community life.

Expressing gratitude for the award, and acknowledging the importance of the partnerships, SICAP Team Leader Dr Anne Cassidy said she was thrilled with the acknowledgment. "This award is a testament to our commitment with Healthy Galway and all our partners to build inclusive and supportive environments for our older friends in rural communities."

Chairperson of GRD Cllr Pete Roche warmly praised Anne and her team for the partnership approach which amplified the impact of the ‘Healthy Islands’ initiative. "It’s a proud day for all of us at GRD" said Cllr Roche. "Important information and access to services face additional challenges due to the rural nature of these communities". 

"However, this collaboration between service providers, the Council, and organisations working on the Islands, including the terrific Island Co-ops reminds us of what’s possible and it represents a terrific mix of expertise, resources, and a shared passion for creating thriving, age-friendly communities. Through Healthy Islands, we believe we can continue to create a lasting positive impact."