Irish Red Cross awards recognise pupils’ campaign to revoke classmate’s deportation
Homeless campaigner Alice Leahy has been named as humanitarian of the year at an Irish Red Cross awards ceremony.
Ms Leahy was recognised for her lifetime of dedication to helping society’s most disadvantaged people, said Pat Carey, Irish Red Cross chairman.
“She has developed an unrivalled understanding of the needs of those on the margins of society and during every day of her working life she has implemented practical measures to help combat social exclusion,” Mr Carey added.
Ms Leahy, director and co-founder of the Alice Leahy Trust – a support centre for homeless people – has been working to secure better services for vulnerable people since the mid-1970s.
Students at Tullamore College who campaigned to revoke the deportation order of their friend Nonso Moujeke were also recognised at the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Awards.
The Offaly teenager was facing deportation to Nigeria earlier this year despite having lived in Ireland since he was two years old.