John
Shelly Bursary 2004
This year’s worthy recipient
of the John Shelley Bursary was the Niall Mellon Challenge,
a charity that was nominated by two branches, namely
the North Eastern Branch and the Roscommon EHOs under
the auspices of the Western Branch. It was the first
time two nominations had been put forward for the same
charity.
The presentation was made by Mrs. Elizabeth Shelley
and was gratefully received Mr. Niall Mellon himself.
In his acceptance speech Niall very entertainingly regaled
us with his experiences in establishing the project
whilst also putting a very human face on those benefiting
from it. Many of our retired members were present and
it gave all an opportunity to catch up with old friends.
The Bursary is presented to a different charity every
year and the criteria for nomination is available upon
request.
Below we have the nomination submitted by Ms. Marie
Gillooly PEHO and the staff of Environmental Health
Department, Roscommon.
For the past number of years a project has taken place
in South Africa known as the Niall Mellon Yethu Township
Initiative. A large number of volunteers, tradesmen
and women, builders, plumbers etc. primarily from Ireland
have gone to South Africa to build a huge number of
houses in a shanty town. They volunteered their services
free of charge and these homes have been provided to
the new occupants at an interest free loan which is
repaid into a community fund and is then subsequently
used for further housing construction work. The overall
aim of the project is to build 1000 homes for 1000 families
and at the moment the project is in its 3rd year.
Environmental Health Officers in Co. Roscommon believe
that the John Shelley Bursary 2004 should be used to
fund the building of a home for a family in South Africa.
To build a full house costs €5,000. The reasons
for applying for the bursary for this project were as
follows:
1. In the past our colleagues played a huge role in
tenement clearances in many cities - this would have
included Mr. John Shelley PEHO, himself in Dublin.
2. In addition our colleagues around the country, in
both urban and rural areas, have played major roles
in improving housing standards nationally and in moving
people from unfit housing stocks to properties that
were fit for human habitation.
3. In providing this home for a family in this township,
we, today, will have played a huge role in rehousing
a family from accommodation that is so substandard,
it is below the standards our former colleagues worked
so hard to better back in the 1950’s, 60’s,
70’s etc. - the old tenements of Dublin were probably
of a higher standard that these current shanty town
huts.
4. We passionately believe that this is a very worthwhile
cause and is both directly and indirectly related to
past and present work of EHOs. In October/November 2004,
50 houses were built in the Yethu Township. A full house
was funded by the EHOA’s John Shelley Bursary.
We can be very proud of our role in providing a new
home for a family in South Africa.
I would personally like to express my gratitude to the
EHOs of the Environmental Health Department in Roscommon
for their support in promoting and raising awareness
of
this project and in addition to our colleagues in the
EHOA Western Branch.
Find
out more about the John Shelly Bursary here... |
