Glentoran Club Secretary Ricky Rea and Glentoran Superstore Manager Ruth McCreery receive the award from Vice Lord Lieutenant of Belfast, Sir Nigel Hamilton.
On Saturday 6th October, Glentoran Football Club was formally presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The award was presented by the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Belfast, Sir Nigel Hamilton at a ceremony kindly compered by Pete Snodden of Cool FM and attended by over 100 of our loyal volunteers in the Premier Lounge at the Oval.
Glentoran Chairman welcomes Sir Nigel Hamilton and the Lord Lieutenant's Cadet, Cadet Sgt Major Ryan McMaster, to the Oval
Thanking our volunteers on behalf of the club, Glentoran Chairman Stephen Henderson said: “Today, Her Majesty bestows upon you, upon us, the highest award available to a voluntary organisation.
For 136 years, Glentoran Football Club has been embedded in the East Belfast community. Throughout our years of success and resultant world travel, we have never lost sight of who we are and where we are from. In an era of post industrial decline and the difficulties of adaption to a new world order, our club has become the last remaining icon of East Belfast.
The multi award winning Glentoran Gazette team
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises the impact you have had, and continue to have, across all aspects of our society here in East Belfast and beyond. Delivering, based upon minimum wage calculations, significantly in excess of £1m worth of volunteering work each year, you have impacted positively on so many. From the youngest members of our society to the oldest, from the newest members of our society to the least fortunate, delivered in our name, irrespective of faith, ethnicity, gender or ability. All have been, and will continue to be, welcomed. We do this because we can, because of this community and this club’s immense pride in East Belfast.
This is your day. Your award. This is Her Majesty the Queen recognising you and bestowing the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. On behalf of Glentoran Football Club and the thousands of people whose lives you have touched and enriched, I will leave you with two words that are never said enough. Thank you.”
Graeme Norris (Glentoran Finance Committee) and Trevor "Michaelangelo" Taylor (Stadium Team) with Sir Nigel Hamilton
We would like to thank our local representatives who attended to support the club on the day – East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson, Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long MLA, local Assembly members Chris Lyttle and Joanne Bunting and Belfast City Councillors George Dorrian, Michael Long, Peter McReynolds, Chris McGimpsey, Tom Haire, Sonia Copeland, Tommy Sandford and Jim Rodgers. Thanks also to Pete Snodden for compering the event so professionally.
Pete Snodden meets Jodie Killops (Glentoran Milkbar and Christmas Appeal for the Homeless) and Norman Ternahan (Glentoran Gazette and Company Secretary)
Photographs by AM Photography NI