Gallery of Winners

Eric Allen took the winningphoto ofvolunteer coaches giving guidance on technique at Lurgan Amateur Swimming Club.

The weekly training schedule at the Club is demanding - two 6am sessions, week day evenings plus Sunday mornings. ‘Having a lie-in’ is a rarelyused phrase among the coaching team! Their duties range from teaching five year olds to swim, to getting the best from the Club's premier squad.

Volunteers also assist with activities and events outside the pool including the maintaining records of the swimmer's personal best times, team selection, running and manning the swimming shop, annual trips, officiating at regional galas and the managing the Club’s own online shop at www.buy.at/lasc .

This year the Club hosted the annual County Armagh Championships which would not have been possible without volunteers – coaches and parents - who staffed the event.

­Runner Up: Allan McCourt

Allan took this photo while working as a volunteer with Church Missionary Society (CMS) Ireland in Rwanda where he helped to finish building a school.

Allan was tasked with taking pictures of the school both before and after the work was finished, as well as painting and decorating. Local children helped the volunteers and made them feel part of thecommunity.

Allan said it was great to be part of a project that not only helped with the education of local children, but also brought benefits to the whole community. He found the experience both uplifting and heart rendering and tried to portray this in his photography. The CMS Ireland volunteers still keep in touch with the school byemail and the children are settling in well to their new school.

Runner Up: Charles Maxwell

Charles is a long-term volunteer registered with Causeway Volunteer Bureau . He is chairperson of the Fun Raisers Group.

He has volunteered for several groups and plays an active role in his community. He is soon to start volunteering as a walking tour guide in Bushmills.

The runner-up photo was taken by Charles at Coleraine Leisure Centre, where members of Compass Advocacy Group were holding a music workshop. Charles is not actively involved with the group, butwent alongwith a friend.

Compass Advocacy Group is a user led, user managed, project for adults with learning disabilities. The Group's aim is to promote advocacy by sharing experiences, advice and information. It provides training to improve the quality of life for people with learning disabilities.

(L-R) Nick Garbutt, Head of Corporate Affairs forNorthern Bank, Wendy Osborne OBE, Director of Volunteer Development Agency andEric Allen with his picture of volunteers coaching at Lurgan Amateur Swimming Club.

(L-R) Nick Garbutt, Allan McCourt with his photograph of a team of volunteers from CMS Ireland building a school in Rwanda, and Wendy Osborne.

(L-R) Nick Garbutt, Charles Maxwell who photographed a music workshop at Compass Advocacy Group in Coleraine, andWendy Osborne.