The 24th Annual SPONSORED BY H H Virtual H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H Thursday 10th H December 2020 H H H H H H H H H at 7.00pm H H H H H H H H H H H WATCH ONLINE LIVE ON H WITH THANKS TO ALL OUR PARTNERS Welcome to the 24th Annual Aisling Awards our free, online courses their degrees while which we know have imprisoned during the Open University salutes helped many furloughed years of the conflict here. workers and families since These graduates and the first lockdown. The students spent many years the Aisling Awards 2020 latest figures show that in isolation and 293,000 citizens across confinement in prison. The The Open University is pandemic that has taken our students at a distance, Ireland have accessed our course by the end of June proud to partner again with the lives of many and online and with personal OpenLearn site – that is had been used by 12,500 The Aisling Awards to changed how we all now tutor support. We have more than double the people across the U.K. and salute and acknowledge have to engage with our seen a huge increase in number in 2019. beyond. the extraordinary families, our friends and demand not just for our One of those courses, We congratulate all of contributions and impact of our work. formal certificates, degrees Coping in Isolation: Time the Aisling nominees and John D’Arcy, Director, people across the city For many decades The and postgraduate to Think, was launched in look forward to cheering Open University Ireland against a cruel, global Open University has taught qualifications but also for the spring of 2020 to help loudly for the winners. I people deal with issues would also like to thank from lockdown isolation the fantastic Aisling Events and loneliness. Written by and Belfast Media Group our academics in Belfast teams who have made with new material from OU these awards possible in graduates who gained this most difficult of years. and of themselves for the betterment of others. But there has never been – and we fervently hope that there will never be again – a year in which the spirit and the determination of this city have been put to such a gruelling test. The good news is that it is a test that Belfast has passed with flying colours. Robin Livingstone Inside this supplement Group Editor you will read Belfast Media Group extraordinary stories of A YEAR that began with ordinary people uncertainty and fear is unquestioningly and ending in hope and enthusiastically throwing optimism in a week in themselves into the #GetFitStayFit which the first Covid Covid fray. Sporting and MEMBERSHIPS vaccine was administered social clubs have in the Royal Victoria repurposed as Hospital. community service Gym and Classes* PEAK (anytime) - £25 Concession rates That event itself was a depots; businesses have reconfigured to turn out £13.50 per month celebration of the same Gym and Classes* OFF PEAK Over 65 – qualities of community, personal protective (before 3pm) – £16.00 £5.00 diversity and selflessness equipment; school staff Over 65 pay as you go – joining fee that we are here tonight have gone the extra mile – £2.00 per class / £2.00 gym entry Gym Only (anytime) – £20 to celebrate: a vaccine and then a thousand manufactured in Belgium, more to ensure the Classes* Only – £20 Exceptional Extras developed in Germany by children and parents they the children of Turkish serve were given the Student Membership (anytime use) – Icebath guest workers and support they needed to navigate the Coronavirus £17.50 (valid student ID must be shown) administered to a Belfast Members - £5 per session nurse. storm. The world cheers as one And, of course, to the *This includes all IN HOUSE classes any or 5 sessions for £20.00 classes in GREEN are an extra charge of when such epoch- fore in this cavalcade of £7 the kind and the caring 3.00 per class Non Members - per session defining triumphs are or 5 sessions for £20.00 witnessed, but this year have been the heroes of Pay As You Go Options right across the globe, on the NHS, who are given Shaftesbury Bikes a micro-level groups and very special recognition £10 individuals have been tonight with the joining fee for any pay as you go presentation of the Free Booking Scheme for all Members displaying precisely the – including classes same qualities – qualities Aisling Person of the Year – Call reception on 028 9031 2377 £4.00 that have given us a award to nurses’ leader per 50 minute class glimpse of light at the Pat Cullen. It’s only fitting £3.00 end of this long and dark that a year of such per 30 minute Express class Covid tunnel. unprecedented challenge £4.00 For over two decades should end with a tribute gym entry the Aisling Awards have to those who rose to that been saying thank you challenge with such WWW.LORAG.ORG and well done to those unprecedented courage who give of their time and service. This supplement is published by Belfast Media Group. Copies are available in pdf downloadable format at www.belfastmediagroup.com. 2 THE 2020 AISLING AWARDS THE BELFAST MEDIA GROUP ‘SHOW MUST GO ON’ CULTURE & ARTS AWARD n The Broads n Chloe Dougan When lockdown hit, playwright and actress Maria Chloe Dougan is the resident fashion designer at Connolly felt “useless” and thought she had the Duncairn Centre for Culture and Arts in North nothing to offer as Covid destroyed her work and Belfast and is used to making drag costumes for industry. Maria decided to use her skills and create a play for elderly and vulnerable people who are her clients. After making a video on how to make living in isolation. your own mask when Covid hit, Chloe turned her ‘The Broads’ is a 50-minute musical glimpse into attention to making Personal Protective the lives of three Hollywood greats: Judy Garland Equipment (PPE) for frontline hospital workers (Maria Connolly), Marilyn Monroe (Roisin and others in need during the crisis. Chloe helped Gallagher) and Bette Midler (Christina Nelson). The raise more than £15,000 to buy materials in order play is designed to bring hope, entertainment, to make the PPE equipment and co-ordinated the colour and little bit of glamour into the lives of NI Scrubs Group page on Facebook to gather people here who need it the most. Rehearsals were done via Zoom and The Broads was performed at materials in the greater Belfast and Lisburn areas. care homes, rehabilitation units, sheltered living Her efforts resulted in 20,000 pieces of PPE accommodation and for NHS staff at the Belfast including scrubs, masks, gowns, hats and ear City Hospital Cancer Centre and the RVH. pieces in just 12 weeks of hard work. n Mela at Home n New Lodge Arts After their annual Belfast Mela event was cancelled, ArtsEkta helped deliver a virtual ‘Boredom Buster’ book festival with over 50 free digital events New Lodge Arts helped more than 5,000 promoting Belfast’s cultural diversity through young people during Covid-19 lockdown a line-up of local music, dance, food and art thanks to a creative book project. With the between August 24-30. ‘Mela at Home’ help of 12 artists, they developed a ‘Boredom ensured the year’s flagship cultural event Buster’ book that included games and art went ahead and beyond expectations, it activities that can be done on your own or reached over 250,000 across the world. Over with family. Within a fortnight of creating the 1500 free ‘At Home’ kits were also delivered book, 5,000 copies were delivered across to local communities in Belfast. The ‘Mela at youth clubs, schools, community Home’ has helped form new partnerships organisations and the Mater Hospital. They and interest in the Belfast Mela countries worked alongside the Lower North Belfast including India and USA and the broadcast Family Support Hub to ensure the book was element of the festival may be here to stay.. delivered to those children in greatest need. PAST WINNERS 2001 Justus Community Centre 2006 Gary Mitchell 2011 Ballymurphy: The Aftermath 2016 Kabosh Theatre Company 1997 Brian Kennedy 2002 Terry O'Neill 2007 Terry George 2012 Culture Night Belfast 2017 Colin Davidson 1998 Pam Brighton 2003 Sam Millar 2008 St Agnes’ Choral Society 2013 Féile 15 2018 Deirdre Mackel 1999 West Belfast Film Festival 2004 Pearse Elliott 2009 Féile an Phobail 2014 Belfast Community Gospel Choir 2019 Upper Springfield Development Trust’s 2000 Raymond Watson 2005 Ronan Bennett 2010 A Night with George 2015 Tony Devlin, Brassneck Theatre Action All Ability Drama Group Funded by rew Stanford Supporting NI’s Arts & Cultural sector through the pandemic “… Our Bright Lights … Thank you to our amazing creative community for inspiring us, entertaining us and lifting everyone’s spirits throughout these exceptional times.” Roisín McDonough, CEO, Arts Council of Northern Ireland Arts Council of Northern Ireland . This immersive production toured to outside spaces of homes of children with PMLD or complex needs in August 2020. Photo: And Photo: 2020. needs in August with PMLD or complex children homes of outside spaces of to toured production . This immersive COCO artscouncil-ni.org ArtsCouncilNI @ArtsCouncilNI Replay Theatre Company, Company, Replay Theatre THE 2020 AISLING AWARDS 3 THE KENNEDY CENTRE FIRST-CLASS COVID HEROES EDUCATION AWARD n St John the n West Belfast Baptist Primary Partnership When lockdown was announced and School children were sent home from school, When schools started to close in mid-March, WBPB delivered its 260 iPads to St John the Baptist Primary School Principal children from West Belfast and the Chris Donnelly made sure the school was Shankill to help with remote school ahead of the curve, with staff creating work.