The 18th Annual IPB Pride of Place Competition in association with Co-operation Ireland witnessed a very different celebration of the extraordinary voluntary work of communities all over the island of Ireland. It is the first time our judges were unable to visit places or projects, instead they made a series of virtual visits to communities across the island.
In light of the impact of Covid- 19, we had a difficult decision to make about proceeding with the awards this year. However, witnessing the wonderful examples of community spirit and social solidarity across the Island of Ireland, with communities to the fore of the pandemic response, made our decision easier. We believed this was not the time to cease acknowledging the amazing work you have all been doing for so many years. We were very fortunate to have fantastic and positive support from our headline sponsor IPB Insurance, the Local Authorities and their excellent Pride of Place Liaison Officers, and Co-operation Ireland, whose exceptional staff all gave us the belief to continue. Our team of experienced judges were delighted to hear stories, via Zoom, of hope and endeavour and they were inspired by the resilience of communities across the island.
For the first time in the long history of the Competition, we were unable to gather and celebrate the remarkable work of communities and groups across the island of Ireland. Instead, a virtual Awards Ceremony took place on 21st November 2020, hosted by Marty Morrissey.
You can view the prize winners of the 2020 competition here.