Deirdre Brennan

Deirdre is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Sports Studies at the University of Ulster. She is also the inspirational director of the Ulster Sports Outreach Unit which seeks to improve and enhance the employability of students at ther University. Amongst many other projects, the Unit currently delivers two London 2012 Inspire projects and has improved the prospects for hundreds of students in the last 15 years. Deirdre has been involved in basketball all her life (competing for many years for the Irish Senior Ladies team) and is now Head coach of Superleague team the Ulster Elks and the ehoo ps programme which engages at risk youth in the local area via an IT and basketball awareness programme. During this time she also developed the student scholarship scheme which sees foreign students take up scholarship positions in sport at the University. She is a devoted and tireless leader in the field of community sports development. She has dedicated personal finance and considerable time in the past 15 years working with children at most disadvantage across Northern Ireland, resulting in many lifetime achievement and volunteering awards from her local community. Deirdre is a truely inspirational woman who demonstrates all the qualities required to be a worthy torch bearer. She has been an inspiration to me not only as a director but also as a friend. Her warmth kindness and respect for others is second to none.