Monday, April 18, 2011

Priest honoured by NI Assembly for charity work

The huge amount of charity work done by a Belfast based priest was recently recognised when he received a special award from the Northern Ireland Assembly.
 
Habitat for Humanity volunteer Fr Raymond McCullagh received the award for his, “outstanding contribution to international development.” 

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit non-denominational Christian movement dedicated to the global vision that everybody has a right to safe and decent shelter.  

Since 1993 Habitat NI has built more than 90 homes across ten communities in Northern Ireland in partnership with some 16,000 volunteers as well as being involved in several projects in third world countries. 

At a special ceremony held at parliament buildings in Stormont, Fr Raymond received his award from the all-party group on International Development (APGID), which also launched a new international development strategy on the evening. 

According to the group members, Fr Raymond, through his work as chaplain in the University of Ulster and his participation in the Habitat's Global Village programme, has provided not alone for developments in Northern Ireland but has also been the catalyst for 
Habitat NI's partnership with Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia. 

This partnership began when a team from the University of Ulster visited Ethiopia in 2005.  

Ever since this visit, a special relationship has existed between the University of Ulster's Global Village Team and the Habitat Humanity Ethiopia. 

To date the strategic partnership between the two groups has built homes for 150 homes for Ethiopian families.  

Fr Raymond also confirmed that he will travel to Ethiopia again later this year.