Assembly Speaker Unveils Cedar Foundation as New Charity of the Year

The Northern Ireland Assembly announced today that the Cedar Foundation has been chosen as its new staff charity of the year.

Speaker of the Assembly, Robin Newton MLA said: “A few weeks ago, I launched my intention as Speaker to focus on ‘Creating Opportunities’.  I believe there is tremendous potential for Parliament Buildings and the Assembly as an institution to act as a platform to encourage and recognise local achievement and endeavour within our community.  That is particularly relevant to those who are working, many in a voluntary capacity, to support valuable causes and members of our society who require support.  I am therefore delighted to welcome the Cedar Foundation on board as the Assembly staff charity of the year. The Cedar Foundation delivers a range of services throughout Northern Ireland to enable people with disabilities to get the most out of life and to be fully included in their communities.  Their services are designed around individual needs of each person, supporting children and adults with disabilities to participate in all aspects of community life. 

“While other charities will still be able to host events at Parliament Buildings, with the support of MLAs, the Cedar Foundation will benefit from any Assembly corporate fundraising activities which take place in Parliament Buildings this year.”

“I would also like to pay tribute to our outgoing charity, Positive Futures, and wish them well with their future campaigns and fundraising initiatives.  Over the past year Assembly staff helped raise over £4600 for the charity, which I know will be of tremendous help to those people supported by them.  We also hosted a number of events for Positive Futures throughout the year, which helped raise their profile, as well as increase awareness of the issues affecting those with a learning disability, acquired brain injury and autistic spectrum conditions.”

(l-r) Peter Gay (Chairman of the Cedar Foundation), Robin Newton MLA (Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly), and Stephen Mathews (Chief Executive of the Cedar Foundation) are pictured at the launch of the Assembly staff new charity of the year.  The Cedar Foundation delivers a range of services throughout Northern Ireland to enable people with disabilities to get the most out of life and to be fully included in their communities.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• The Assembly’s Charity Policy supports the selection of an official Northern Ireland Assembly Charity each year, with the organisation remaining the official charity for twelve months.
• The initiative demonstrates the Assembly Commission’s commitment to harness the collective efforts of Assembly staff and the organisation itself in supporting the voluntary and community sector. It also reflects the desire of Secretariat staff to demonstrate their social responsibility by supporting charitable endeavours.

This year the ‘advancement of education, training and youth development, providing support and assistance to young people across Northern Ireland in specific areas of deprivation’, was selected as the charitable purpose offering the Secretariat staff the opportunity to nominate charities that fitted that purpose. Once nominations were received staff were given the opportunity to vote for one of the five shortlisted charities and they selected the Cedar Foundation as their chosen charity of the year.

For any media enquiries, please contact:

Caroline Moore
Deputy Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly
Tel: 028 90 52 1606
Email: Caroline.Moore@niassembly.gov.uk