Write a comment
A Lurgan woman who has dedicated years of her life to raising over £1 million for Evora Hospice (formerly Southern Area Hospice) has been nominated for one of the UK's most prestigious awards, with the hospice praising her extraordinary contribution to the local community.
Deirdre Breen, founder of the Lurgan-based support group The Friends of Evora Hospice, has been nominated for the Pride of Britain awards in recognition of her tireless fundraising efforts. The group reached the remarkable milestone, surpassing one million pounds raised in December, with all funds going towards supporting Evora Hospice's vital work caring for patients and families across Armagh, Down and Tyrone.
Damien Hillen, Director of Development at Evora Hospice Care, praised Deirdre's impact beyond the impressive fundraising total. "Deirdre represents everything that is good about fundraising. Her dedication, her energy and her quiet determination have raised an incredible one million pounds for our hospice, but her impact goes far beyond that. She has inspired a generation of supporters, brought people together year after year, and made a real difference to the lives of families across our community. I have seen first-hand the respect and admiration people have for her. She is an exceptional person, a true force for good."
Evora Hospice has been providing expert palliative care for over 35 years, supporting Southern Health and Social Care Trust patients with compassion, dignity and specialist care when they need it most. The hospice relies heavily on fundraising to maintain its services, making Deirdre's contribution all the more significant.
The Pride of Britain awards recognise heroes from across Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales who have made a positive impact in their communities. Deirdre's nomination saw her featured on UTV last week, highlighting her exceptional dedication to the cause.
Liz Cuddy, CEO of Evora Hospice, emphasised how Deirdre's achievement came through countless small actions rather than one major event. "Raising such an incredible amount was not the result of one big event. It came from thousands of small actions carried out year after year by someone who truly believes in the difference hospice care makes. Deirdre and the Friends of Evora Hospice have organised and supported coffee mornings, concerts, park runs, and countless other events. She has spent evenings packing hampers, weekends standing in the cold at fundraising events, and most of her free time thinking about how to raise the next amount."
Cuddy went on to highlight the real-world impact of Deirdre's efforts. "The money she has raised has helped care for thousands of people with life-limiting illness. It has supported their families, provided comfort at the end of life, and offered emotional support after loss. Evora Hospice relies heavily on fundraising to keep its services going and Deirdre's work has made a real and lasting impact. Her contribution is woven into the lives of so many patients and families. Most of them will never meet her, but they have felt the benefit of what she continues to do, year after year," she adds.
Deirdre's Pride of Britain nomination serves as recognition not just of her fundraising success, but of the profound difference one person's dedication can make to their community. Her work with The Friends of Evora Hospice continues to ensure that families across the region receive the specialist care and support they need during life's most challenging moments.
