Virgin Media TV to broadcast first ever National Lottery Good Causes Awards

The inaugural National Lottery Good Causes Awards are to be broadcast on Virgin Media One (formerly TV3) on Sunday 11th November, and hosted by popular TV presenter Karen Koster, it was announced.

The significant new Awards are aimed at honouring the incredible difference that National Lottery-funded projects are making to communities all over Ireland. Nearly 30 cent in every euro spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes and more than €5.3 billion has been raised since the National Lottery was founded 31 years ago,

36 Awards finalists will pitch to a judging panel chaired by broadcaster and businessman, Bobby Kerr, in the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone tomorrow and Tuesday (8th and 9th October).

The Awards, which were launched in June, were open to community projects and organisations who received Good Causes funding in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. From more than 530 entries 138 County winners were announced in July and 36 Regional winners in August.

The Awards have seven categories: Sport, Health & Well Being, Arts & Culture, Heritage, Community, Youth Affairs and the Irish Language. Each category winner will receive €10,000 and the overall Good Cause of the Year will receive an additional €25,000. The winners will be announced at a Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday 3rd November, with the ceremony being broadcast on Virgin Media One on Sunday 11th November.

National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, said today: “Since the National Lottery was founded more than three decades ago more than €5.3 Billion has been raised for Good Causes. This money has helped shape the development of communities all over the country. I am delighted to have Virgin Media as our TV partner for the Good Causes Awards. They will play an intricate part in telling the individual stories of each of our finalists. I wish the 36 finalists all the best in the competition”.

Patrick Kinsella, Head of AFP at Virgin Media Solutions commented: “The National Lottery is used to celebrating winners. We are now delighted to be partnering with the National Lottery to celebrate the unsung heroes who work quietly under the radar to make positive change in their communities thanks to Good Causes funding. The fit for Virgin Media TV is a natural one and I am very much looking forward to creating an Awards programme that will cast a light on the inspiring work going on in towns, villages and parishes all over Ireland.”

The awards host, Karen Koster, said: “I am thrilled to be hosting this unique event which will focus on the people who are doing extraordinary things thanks to Good Causes funding.  I am especially excited at the prospect of meeting and getting to know the incredible finalists who will be coming from all over Ireland to this very special event.”

The full judging panel is: Chair broadcaster Bobby Kerr; Lotto presenter Nuala Carey; Seamus Griffin of Griffin Retail Group and a member of the National Lottery Retail Council; Michael Hayes, Head of Marketing with the National Lottery and Miriam Donohoe, PR & Corporate Communications Manager with the National Lottery.

The national finalists contesting the pitches over the next two days can be viewed at www.lottery.ie/good-causes-awards-winners.

 

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