NOMINATOR

Name: Martin Cahill    
Job Title: Fundraising Manager
Organisation: Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland

NOMINEE

• Background and Extent of fundraising undertaken:  Every year for the past 22 years, a committee of students form Maynooth has organised a 'Maynooth to Galway and return' cycle event over a weekend period, usually in late march. The students elect a new committee each year, select a beneficiary charity from a shortlisted number of charities, and organise every minute detail of the event, including sponsorship, traffic control, support vehicles and minibuses, safety of cyclists Garda collection permits and a group of collectors who collect en route and also in Galway City on the Saturday of the weekend. 

• Distinctiveness of the effort: the event is unique in its own right in that it is essentially a group of students collaborating to organise a valuable and lucrative event for the chosen charity with lots of publicity and a net return of upwards of €75,000.

• Longevity: 22 years in existence

• Innovation: As a practitioner in the industry for some years now, I have never witnessed such enthusiasm, organisational skills and willingness to be a part of the event from such a young group of people.

• Leading by example:  The activity involved in months of preparation, training and obtaining sponsorship of food and accommodation, together with support vehicles and safety measures is a unique example to younger students of what needs to be done to contribute to the lesser advantaged groups in our society.

  The Cystic Fibrosis Association recommends this group of students for the award on the grounds that:

  • As beneficiaries in 2009, I travelled with the event and witnessed first-hand the uniqueness of the event.
  • Because they choose a different charity each year, it is possible they would not receive any particular recognition in the non-profit fundraising sector.
  • It is an opportunity to acknowledge the huge contribution this group have made to the sector over many years.