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Prestigious gong for Angela
01.10.10
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
A popular Buncrana woman got the shock of her life
when she discovered she had won a prestigious award
and didn't even know she was in the running.
Angela Tourish was one of eleven individuals from
across the county honoured as the Rehab Donegal
People of the Year winners were announced in
Letterkenny last Tuesday.
The only Inishowen winner for 2010, Angela scooped
the title for her work with local group, iCARE,
which helps children with autism.
“I’m still in shock. I thought the man on the phone
had the wrong person when he rang to tell me I had
won. The committee from iCARE nominated me but I
didn’t have a clue. It’s a pleasant surprise
though,” said the local photographer.
One of the founder members of iCARE in 2000, Angela
dedicated her award to everyone involved with the
vital association over the last decade. |
“This award is not just
for me. We were all in it together and, looking
back, we worked like trojans,” she said.
Like most parents here, Angela knew little about
autism until her daughter Orla (13) developed the
syndrome. She fears that recent cutbacks have eroded
the service here.
“At one time we had the best services for autism in
the country and parents from all over Ireland and
Britain brought their children here. We secured
music therapy in Scoil Iosagain added to 1-to-1
classroom assistants for every child. We also
secured a specially-adapted bus, which Scoil
Iosagain and iCARE still use to take children to
various activities,” she said. |
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Anglea Tourish |
“Unfortunately we can’t
provide that level of service now due to recent
government cuts. I am proud of the work we did with
iCARE over the years but I wouldn’t want to be
starting over again with the way things are going
now.”
Angela was also instrumental in setting up a respite
and activity centre for children with special needs.
She will be presented with her award at a gala
ceremony in the Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny
this Saturday night. |
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