Mary Mooney

Mary has made an immense contribution to the Deaf community in Northern Ireland though her voluntary work with our charity, Action on Hearing Loss. Mary has volunteered with us for nearly four years and in that time she has become one of the hardest working in Northern Ireland. She runs four hearing aid support sessions every month - more than any other volunteer in the region - carries out home visits to help people with their aids; gives talks to staff in care homes and helps out at events, providing information and encouragement on all aspects of deafness and hearing loss. She has, single-handedly, seen almost 250 clients in the last year alone. Marie, Mary's manager, says: 'The sheer number of clients Mary sees, the diverse range of events she supports, her mentoring role, her volunteer recruitment role and her unshakeable enthusiasm really make Mary stand out as a unique volunteer. But it's not just about quantity; it's the quality of the service she provides. Mary consistently achieves positive outcomes for so many people dealing with a hearing loss. One of the many people she has helped, R.A. Mulholland, says: 'I wish to express my sincere appreciation for the very special contribution that Mary makes to those of us with hearing disability in Strabane. Her practical approach and personal interest make her an excellent volunteer. RNID (now Action on Hearing Loss) are fortunate in having her as part of their team.' Mary is a fantastic role model for all volunteers.