Mayo broadcaster Francis Brennan has received an award from Ireland’s largest humanitarian aid agency for his work as a volunteer.
The Swinford native was one of thirty people honoured at Concern Worldwide’s Volunteer Awards in Dublin for his tireless dedication to the charity, which has been helping the world’s poorest people since 1968.
Francis, who co-presents the Saturday Forum on Castlebar Community Radio (CRCfm 102.9 ) and who is a regular contributor to the station, is a volunteer judge in the organisation’s primary and secondary school debating competition, Concern Debates.
Hundreds of schools take part in the annual competition, which encourages further debate about global issues. Concern relies on local volunteers like Francis to judge each debate.
"I have great admiration for young people who take part in these debates and how they just get up and do it – and they do it really well and put so much research and effort into it, said Francis after receiving his award.
"I see young people building up their confidence levels through these debates and developing great public speaking skills too."
Concern’s Michael Doorly, who heads the team that organises Concern Debates, thanked Francis for all the times he made himself available to judge the competition, especially when he was needed at short notice.
"Without volunteers like Francis, we would not be able to do the work we do, so we are extremely grateful,” he said.
"Our younger members of society are the future and many challenges await them.
"Through debating, they learn how to put their points across in a respectful, dignified yet convincing way. This is important because so much of our public discourse today is merely people shouting at each other. Through the debates we learn to listen to those who we may disagree with, as well as have them listen to our point of view.”
The awards celebrate the vital contribution made by the charity’s 1,700 volunteers in Ireland, who gave up an estimated 8,750 hours last year – which is valued at €85,750 using the national minimum wage rate of €9.80 an hour.
The charity’s volunteers include 1,500 fundraisers and 500 people who judge Concern Debates.
