King's Award for Voluntary Service: 'formidable community activists' from Glengormley receive Royal recognition
A community group, formed by women in the Newtownabbey area in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour, has been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Queens Park Women’s Group, based in the Ballyclare Road area of Glengormley, were announced as recipients of the prestigious accolade- the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK (equivalent to an MBE)- on November 14.
The group formed in 2010 due to concerns about anti-social behaviour in the Glengormley area.
A number of young people from across the region were getting drawn in to anti-social behaviour and were facing the possibility of getting a criminal record.
A group of women from the area joined together to address the problem. They launched the 50/50 project in 2012 and over 100 young people got involved in support programmes and training.
The group has grown over the past 15 years and now has premises and provides a number of services including training, ladies’ drop in, Christmas Toy Appeal and support for people from across the community.
Members still provide a visible presence in the local park on Friday and Saturday nights to address any issues.
The group works closely with other community organisations within the borough and also with statutory organisations such as the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, PSNI and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Members of the organisation, one of one 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the UK to receive the recognition this year, are to set to receive an award crystal and certificate from David McCorkell, Lord-Lieutenant of Co Antrim.
In addition, two volunteers from Queens Park Women’s Group will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in 2025, along with other recipients of this year’s award.
Welcoming the prestigious accolade, Ena McTaggart, the group’s Chairperson said: “We’re delighted and honoured that our group’s work has been recognised.
"I’d like to pay tribute to all those people who have supported and helped us over the past 14 years. We couldn’t do all this hard work without the volunteers who support us throughout the year and we thank them all very much.
"To everyone who has contacted us for help and support we will be here for as long as we are needed. To all the funders and organisations that took a chance with us when we started out on our journey, I thank you very much and for the funders supporting us now, thank you so very much too. It’s been a long journey, but very worthwhile.”
Congratulating the group, Glengormley UUP Ald Mark Cosgrove said: “I’ve known and worked with Ena and Sharon and other group members for nearly 15 years since they first started their life-changing cross-community youth intervention activities in Glengormley in 2010.
"There are hundreds of young people with stable lives because of the work this group and other stakeholders did to keep them out of the criminal justice system and the life-changing negative affects of a criminal record.
"As a local politician I know from my numerous engagements with the group that these are very formidable community activists who simply refuse to take no for an answer if it’s something they believe in and it’s been a privilege and honour to have worked with them for the betterment of our community.”