Jenna Robinson got quite the shock last Thursday morning when her phone started to buzz, as news broke that she had been shortlisted as a finalist for the Impartial Reporter Community Champion Awards, in association with Encirc.

“The phone has been hopping all morning,” she laughed, when The Impartial Reporter caught up with her.

Mrs. Robinson is humble regarding her nomination, maintaining that she spends her time in the background.

She said: “I just am in the background and potter away, I don’t like the limelight, so I am quite shocked.”

Mrs. Robinson has played a pivotal role in instilling community spirit in the village of Belleek.

She has helped organise St. Patrick’s Day events which proved popular in the Border village, and she has also played a role in organising events for Easter and Christmas which proved popular.

She particularly focuses on events that help make memories for the children of the village.

“I would do a lot of work in the village around the St. Patrick’s Day parade, or any event really that involves children. I want to make them happen, as they are important.”

The mum wants to ensure that all children growing up in the village do so with happy memories.

“With my own three kids, I want to have as much happening as possible in the village for them growing up so that they have good memories.”

Born and bred in the village, she grew up with a great feeling of community spirit instilled in her from her parents, but especially from her late uncle, Patsy McCauley, a highly-respected community man in Belleek who died in April.

She said: “I have always lived in Belleek. I learnt my community spirit from my Uncle Patsy, who died suddenly a few weeks ago.

"He was the heart of the community here in Belleek, and it is even more special to be nominated, as my sister believes he may have put in the nomination."

Mrs. Robinson was surprised to be nominated and wished to thank those who took the time to nominate her.

“I want to thank anybody who took the time out to nominate me, and it is just a lovely surprise."

She firmly had the village’s interests at heart as she added: “Everything I do for the village is just for the kids to make sure we have community spirit in Belleek.

"Every time we do something or organise an event, the people of the village really support it, and make it so worthwhile."

 

Mrs. Robinson has been nominated in the Community Champion of the Year category, sponsored by Encirc. Also nominated in that category are Christine Duffy, Natasha Dane, Shelley Cowan and two fellow Belleek women, Michelle Rooney and Siobhan O’Brien.

The winner of this category and all of the other categories will be revealed at the awards ceremony at the Lough Erne Resort on June 27.