Finalists at the forefront of East Belfast

​Finalists have today been announced for the fourth annual Eastside Awards in association with George Best Belfast City Airport. This year’s awards have proved to be the most popular yet, as hundreds of parents got behind their child’s favourite teacher nominating them via our media partner Belfast Live.

​Jonathan McAlpin, Chief Executive of East Belfast Enterprise and Chair of Eastside Awards Committee, said: “The Eastside Awards is truly at the forefront of celebrating all that is good about East Belfast and this year’s finalists should be extremely proud of themselves, in being shortlisted, as our judges had some difficult decisions to make, due to the high calibre of entries from local people across the community. We are looking forward to recognising these finalists at our awards ceremony in January which will be a truly memorable occasion with DJing legend Terri Hooley entertaining us as he embarks on his farewell tour.”
 
Eastside Awards in association with George Best Belfast City Airport finalists are:
Eastside Award for Teacher of the Year – Primary Schools sponsored by Belfast Live
Kathy Johnston, Gilnahirk Primary School; Lindy Forster, Greenwood Primary School; Mrs Galway, Knocknagoney Primary School
Eastside Award for Teacher of the Year – Post Primary Schools sponsored by Belfast Live
Sam Fitzpatrick, Ashfield Girls High School; Cheryl Hoey, Ashfield Girls High School; Colin McKnight, Ashfield Boys High School
Eastside Award for Contribution to the Arts sponsored by Phoenix Natural Gas
Can Do Academy, Healthy Hearts and Minds, Vault Artist Studios
Eastside Award for Sports Initiative of the Year sponsored by Millar McCall Wylie
Breeze Fitness Studio, Left Field, Orchardville Disability Football Club
Eastside Award for Tourism Experience sponsored by Titanic Belfast, Titanic Foundation, Titanic Quarter Ltd
East Belfast Mission – Turas, EastSide Tourism, Glentoran Football Club
The Titanic Eastside Award for Innovation sponsored by Titanic Belfast, Titanic Foundation, Titanic Quarter Ltd
Breeze Fitness Studio, East Belfast Community Capacity & Leadership Programme, PDG Advertising
Eastside Award for Business Start-Up sponsored by Belfast City Council
Breeze Fitness Studio, PDG Advertising, Raincheck Belfast
Eastside Award for Business Growth sponsored by Ulster Bank
Fusion Robes, Insight Out Financial, Parr Facilities Management Ltd
Eastside Award for Community Impact sponsored by The Urban Villages Initiative
Dementia Friendly East Belfast, East Belfast Mission – Turas, East Belfast Street Team
Eastside Award for Excellence in Health and Wellbeing sponsored by Solv Group
Helping Hands Autism Support Group, East Belfast Community Development Agency – Health Development and Connections Programme, East Belfast Mission – Hosford Health and Well Being Project
Eastside Award for Employer of the Year sponsored by Fleet Financial
Odyssey Bowl, Pacem, Parr Facilities Management Ltd
Eastside Award for Taste Experience sponsored by We’re Sure
Blethers Coffee House & Eatery, The Orchard Café (Orchardville), Ronnie’s
Eastside Award for Young Person of the Year sponsored by George Best Belfast City Airport
Mark Crooks, Jade Eaton, Zara Janahi
Eastside Award for Carer of the Year sponsored by Wolseley
Laura Collins, Rowena Frazer, Gillian Martin
Eastside Award for Community Champion of the Year sponsored by Belfast Harbour
Linda Ervine, Turas; Andrew Irvine, East Belfast Mission; Lynne McCreery, Belfast City Council
Eastside Award for Volunteer of the Year sponsored by East Belfast Mission
Zara Yanahi; Pauline Leathem, Cancer Fund for Children; Brian White, Brain Injury Matters (NI)
 
The recipient of a special Outstanding Contribution award sponsored by East Belfast Enterprise will be announced at the fourth annual awards ceremony as chosen by the committee. This individual will be awarded for the outstanding contribution they have made to the East Belfast community.
 
Hosted by television presenter Tara Mills, winners will be announced at a glittering celebration, with a pre dinner reception sponsored by The Waterside, Belfast, in Hastings Stormont Hotel on Friday 24 January 2020. In the spirit of the Eastside Awards, finalists will each receive two complimentary tickets to the ceremony and entertainment sponsored by The Open University will be provided by legendary East Belfast DJ Terri Hooley.