Spirit of NI Awards: Pamela Ballantine given Outstanding Contribution award as local heroes recognised (2024)

Sarah Harford

That's all folks...

That's it for the Sunday Life Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards for another year. Huge congratulations to all tonight's winners and thank you to everyone who made the event so special.

Sarah Harford

Outstanding Contribution

Our final award of the night is a very special one - and a surprise for one of our hosts.

The Outstanding Contribution Award, sponsored by Ulster Bank, has gone to Pamela Ballantine. It has been presented by Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, with Sunday Life’s Martin Breen and Ulster Bank’s Terry Robb.

Broadcaster Pamela is a legend on Northern Ireland’s screens, having worked with UTV for four decades.

Pamela also inspired many when she opened up about her cancer diagnosis last year, and was recently presented with an MBE for her services to charity and fundraising.

Sarah Harford

Special Recognition Award

Students of Methodist College have been named the winners of the Special Recognition Award, sponsored by Ulster Bank.

This award goes to someone who the judges feel represents the spirit of Northern Ireland by selflessly serving others and being an inspiration to us all. It has been presented by actor James Nesbitt, Sandra Wright of Ulster Bank, and Ed McCann of Mediahuis.

The students of this south Belfast school quickly sprung into action when classmate Oliver collapsed to the ground during a game of rugby. The 14-year-old’s friends did what they could to keep his airways clear and place him in the recovery position. What they didn’t know was that Oliver had actually suffered a cardiac arrest, and their quick thinking and calm heads helped save his life.

The students got a teacher who began administering CPR, before a classroom assistant arrived with a defibrillator, which they kept going until an ambulance crew took over. Oliver is now recovering post-surgery and the Methodist College students have a bond for life.

Sarah Harford

Caring Spirit

Gillian Clarke has been named winner of the Caring Spirit Award, sponsored by Power NI.

This award goes to someone who has dedicated their time to caring for a friend or family member, and has been presented by Linda Robson and Christopher Biggins.

Super mum Gillian moved heaven and earth to care for daughter Kathryn, who was diagnosed with a rare type of tumour at a young age. Gillian fought for her daughter, learned how to manage her complicated medical needs, and held her hand every step of the way.

When Kathryn’s tumour started to change at age 19, Gillian stepped down from her full-time job to provide around-the-clock care. After a surgery left Kathryn with little control of her body, doctors discharged her for palliative care. But with the support of her mum, she took on a gruelling rehab programme and slowly managed to regain parts of her old self. Five years on, Kathryn has received more positive news about her tumour which has given the family a renewed sense of hope.

Sarah Harford

Overcoming Adversity

Aaron Kerr has been named winner of the Overcoming Adversity Award, sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC Ireland & Northern Ireland.

This award goes to someone who has overcome huge personal challenges, whether it is dealing with illness or disability or overcoming problems. It has been presented by UTV’s Paul Clark and Diane Carson from The Traitors.

Aaron (26) lives with cerebral palsy, uncontrolled epilepsy, a rare chromosome disorder, renal failure and is a full-time wheelchair user. But Aaron is known for living his best life and, together with his parents, has been taking part in marathons across the UK and Ireland.

Team Kerr are on a mission to promote equality, inclusion and disability rights. To date they have over 50 marathon medals in their collection, having smashed the 2024 London Marathon at the end of April. Aaron’s determination always gets the team across the finish line, and the family’s registered charity has raised thousands of pounds and helped fund specialist running chairs for other athletes with complex needs.

Sarah Harford

Eco Champion

Ciara Laverty has been named winner of the Eco Champion Award, sponsored by Metcollect.
This award seeks to recognise an individual or community group that has gone the extra mile to care for and protect the local environment for future generations, and has been presented by Emmerdale stars Natalie J Robb and Lewis Cope.

Local Lough Neagh ranger Ciara, from Maghery in Co Armagh, is one of the eco-champions campaigning to improve water quality and influence decision makers. Lough Neagh, which is the largest freshwater lake on these islands and provides 40% of Northern Ireland’s drinking water, became the epicentre of an environmental crisis last summer when green algae began to blanket the water.

Ciara is passionate about protecting the lands and waters where her family has lived and worked for generations. She and her colleagues are determined to protect the waters at all costs and safeguard these crucial ecosystems for years to come.

Sarah Harford

Spirit of Sport

Cathy Booth and Andrea Harrower have been named winners of the Spirit of Sport Award, sponsored by Decathlon.

This award goes to someone who has made an exceptional contribution to sport, and has been presented by Dame Kelly Holmes and boxer Ryan Burnett.

Sisters Cathy and Andrea from Co Down have both lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer. Andrea’s husband Paddy and Cathy’s schoolfriend Natalie passed away, prompting the sisters to take on a gruelling challenge to fundraise for Northern Ireland’s only pancreatic cancer charity, NIPANC.

Pedal the Periphery saw Cathy and Andrea cycle 480 miles in just 48 hours, battling headwinds, sleeplessness, night terrors and stress fractures along the way. To date, they have raised over £100,000 for pancreatic cancer research, which NIPANC is investing into early screening and detection services.

Sarah Harford

Community Hero

Una Burns has been named winner of the Community Hero Award, sponsored by Nearby.

This award goes to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to their local community or neighbourhood, and has been presented by Coronation street stars Calum Lill and Channique Sterling Brown.

Charlie’s Bar manager Una helped her Enniskillen pub to become a global sensation thanks to their heartwarming Christmas advert which went viral and usurped the likes of John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Sainsburys.

Una wanted to remind her community that the most wonderful time of year for some can be the loneliest time of year for others. With the help of friends, she created a short film which shows an elderly man who befriends a young couple in the bar at Christmas. The campaign also raised much-needed funds for Age NI and reminded everyone how impactful it can be to extend a hand of friendship.

Sarah Harford

Blue Lights in the spotlight

Gareth Hanna

Sarah Harford

Unsung Hero

Roy McNaught has been named winner of the Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by The Boulevard Banbridge.

This award goes to someone whose great deeds have previously gone unnoticed but who has made a major contribution to a person or community. It has been presented by Blue Lights stars Dan Gordon and Paddy Jenkins.

Roy (70) from east Belfast has turned his love of music into a force for good, setting up Kids in Need Charity Promotions. This is where local cabaret artists perform to raise money for charities including NI Cancer Fund for Children, Autism NI, Tearfund and the Air Ambulance.

Roy has been described as a real driving force in his community. He lost his wife in 1998 and his best friend more recently, but has been determined to continue his good work and lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

Sarah Harford

Charity Champion

Anne Graham has been named winner of the Charity Champion Award, sponsored by Kingsbridge Foundation.

This award goes to someone who has worked tirelessly for a charity, and has been presented by Strictly star Debbie McGee and Brendan Quinn of Netflix's One Day.

Anne has recently retired after more than 12 years working with victims of human trafficking in Northern Ireland. Along with husband Michael, she helped found the NI office of the Victims of Slavery Support Service with the charity Migrant Help. The service has grown from supporting a handful of victims at any one time into current support of over 350 individuals, many of whom have fled violent trafficking ordeals overseas.

In her spare time, Anne holds fundraisers, information sessions, cake sales, and anything to raise money and awareness of the people she supports. She is also known to open her family and home to those who need it, and she has devoted her life to caring for others.

Sarah Harford

Young Carer

Bláthnaid Girvan has been named winner of the Young Carer Award, sponsored by Punjana.

This award goes to a young person who has dedicated their time to caring for a friend or family member, and has been presented by Hope Street’s Kerri Quinn and Coronation Street’s Michael Condron.

Bláthnaid (15) has a lot more on her plate than GCSEs and TikTok dances. The Lurgan teen is a young carer for her sister Nessa, who is 11 years old and lives with a number of complex conditions which affect her mobility, co-ordination and vision.

One of Bláthnaid’s teachers describes her as a model student, a devoted sister and praised her work ethic and positive attitude. She is also passionate about championing the role of young carers and wants to raise awareness around the challenges they face. She has spoken at the Youth Assembly and has been meeting with local MLAs to share her story, using her own family’s morning routine to express just how full-on caring responsibilities can be.

Sarah Harford

999 Hero

The RNLI has been named winner of the 999 Hero Award, sponsored by Four Star Pizza.

This award goes to a member of the emergency services who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their job, and has been presented by Blue Lights stars Desmond Eastwood and Joanne Crawford.

The RNLI can be a lifeline for the hundreds of people who are involved in incidents at sea every year in Northern Ireland. From 10 stations around NI’s coastline, more than 200 volunteers give up their time to ensure vital search and rescue services can be accessed around the clock.

Volunteers also oversee fundraising activities to try sustain these vital services. These hardworking teams are quietly training and operating in the background, determined to keep people safe around our coast.

Sarah Harford

'One of the great nights of the year'

Sarah Harford

Spirit of Health

Donna Magennis has been named winner of the Spirit of Health Award, sponsored by Balmoral Healthcare.

This award goes to a medical professional who has gone the extra mile to improve the health and wellbeing of their patients, and has been presented by actors Bronagh Waugh and Niamh McGrady.

Nurse Donna formed a unique and special bond with a boy named Jonathan, who was born with a rare connective tissue disorder. At the age of four, Jonathan spent 18 months in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, where Donna always made time for her young patient and provided invaluable support to his mother – from dancing and playing to practical tasks such as washing clothes and picking up Happy Meals.

When it was clear his fifth Christmas would be his last, Donna sacrificed her own family celebrations to go home with Jonathan and give him time with his family. When Jonathan sadly passed away, Donna kept in touch with the family. She has even inspired Jonathan’s mum to retrain as a paediatric nurse and regularly checks in to help with her studies and provide words of encouragement along the way.

Sarah Harford

Spirit of Youth

Jasmine Parker has been named winner of the second Spirit of Youth Award, sponsored by Better.

This award goes to someone under the age of 18 who should be recognised for their special achievements, and has been presented by singer Brooke Scullion and Emmerdale star Natalie Ann Jamieson.

Since she was six years old, Jasmine has been collecting Easter eggs and delivering them to children in hospitals across Northern Ireland. Every year she has set herself a more challenging target, and has collected more than 2,300 eggs in the hopes of making a big difference to a sick child or someone going through a tough time.

Jasmine has also organised fundraisers all year around. She has collected toys and sweets to give to children having procedures to try and brighten up their hospital visit, spurred on by her love of helping others.

Sarah Harford

Spirit of Youth

Isla McManus has been named winner of the first Spirit of Youth Award, sponsored by Better.

This award goes to someone under the age of 18 who should be recognised for their special achievements, and has been presented by Oscar-winning actor James Martin and Give My Head Peace star Damon Quinn.

11-year-old Isla from north Belfast has autism, and is determined to show the world how amazing people with autism and other neurodiverse disorders can be. She is a keen advocate for Autism NI and is fighting to make the community feel more accepted.

One way Isla does this is by using her talents, and she captured the hearts of thousands of people when a video of her singing went viral. She has since gone on to perform at Disability Pride, helped switch on Christmas tree lights and took part in Autism’s Got Talent in London.

Sarah Harford

Spirit of Education

This award goes to a truly inspirational teacher who has helped children and young people fulfil their potential, and has been presented by Derry Girls stars Leah O’Rourke and Ian McElhinney.

Fred is a tutor with Include Youth, an organisation providing education for children and young people who have not had a positive experience with mainstream education. He has been with the organisation for more than 25 years, teaching literacy, numeracy and ICT, and is determined to give young people a fresh start.

At the young age of 75, Fred recently qualified as a tutor of English for people who don’t have it as their first language. But students have said his lessons extend far beyond the school curriculum, and that is what makes him a remarkable teacher who has inspired hundreds of young people over the years.

Sarah Harford

And the award goes to...

The first winners of the Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards are about to be announced.