Spark Change Awards

On Friday 18 October 2019, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral were delighted to attend the inaugural Spark Change Awards in Dublin Castle. The event was opened by The Iveagh Trust Community Choir with 4 musical pieces ‘Bach Air’, ‘Blackbrid’, ‘PLASTIC’ and ‘Dock of the Bay’.  The choir is run in partnership between the Cathedral and The Iveagh Trust.

We were thrilled to be shortlisted in two categories – Includer and Storyteller.  We are honoured to have received the Storyteller Award which represents the collaborative nature of our work with partners in the Community including: Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána, RADE, 61st Merchants Quay Scouts, The Iveagh Trust, YMCA Dublin, local schools including the Cathedral Choir and Grammar Schools, Francis Street CBS, Warrenmount Schools, CMS Learning Project and many more!

The award truly represents the Dublin 8 Community working in collaboration towards a more sustainable community.  The SDGs are at the core of our approach. Dorothy Stewart, Scientific Officer, Environmental Protection Agency presented the award to Kelley Bermingham, Community Officer and she was then interviewed by John Gibbons, Irish Times Columnist and MC of the event.

In Saint Patrick’s, and at The Wheel, we see sustainable communities as being socially resilient, environmentally healthy and economically thriving. We believe that every community and voluntary organisation, charity and social enterprise is already working towards achieving at least one, and often a number, of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The various projects undertaken within, and extending from the cathedral including the fund distribution ask people to engage with and appreciate the goals as they relate to their work / the organisations actions.  Projects like the LoveD8 showcase, Cabbage Garden Interagency Project and Plastic Snake Project all work towards global impact at the grassroots level. Using the iconography supplied by the UN makes project goals recognisable. We continue to expand and drive awareness daily.