Irene proves she is a model employee

A Sunday School superintendent for St Columba’s Cathedral, she is up to her oxters with the Ulster Project, chairman of PTA at Lisnagelvin Primary School, as well as a Community Champion for Tesco, Irene, who celebrated her 60th birthday on Friday, never sits still.

On Sunday, she was presented with a cut glass crystal vase and gift vouchers by the Dean of Derry, Very Rev Dr William Morton, and the select vestry in recognition of 35 years teaching Sunday School and later this month, on May 22, she will be winging her way to London. There she will rub shoulders with other Community Champions a black tie event at the London Marriott Hotel on Grosvenor Square, where she is hoping that her Cha Cha Slide on January 25 for Diabetes UK will be announced as the winner of Tesco’s ‘Best Community Involvement’ event.

With her counterpart from Lisnagelvin Tesco, Selina Fitzpatrick, they planned to hold the Cha Cha Slide indoors, but managed to secure time on the Peace Bridge.

“Once we got permission to use the Peace Bridge everything was set in place and the two stores worked together as a team. In the end 190 people turned out in terrible rain to take part. We collected £1,200 for Diabetes UK. I would love the Cha Cha Slide to win because it was all about the people who took part,” said Irene, who is also nominated as a ‘Local Community Star’ in the Tesco Value Awards, which will be judged in June.