Best Children's Lockdown Award runners-up... Treble Trouble Choir and Joey Burke

CHILDREN'S AWARD

During the pandemic young people stepped up to the plate too, displaying resilience and an admirable strength of character. One of those was nine-year-old Bobby Bonner.

His dad Billy Bonner, a soccer coach with Parkvilla FC in Navan, recalled chatting to Bobby one day and the youngster outlining how he had noticed how there was no-one offering full half-hour soccer training sessions on-line for kids to follow.

So Bobby stepped up to the mark and decided to do something about it himself using his considerable skills as a 'Tech Kid' and his tremendous interest in soccer. Bobby said that with some help he would he would present half-hour sessions to local youngsters twice a week live on Facebook.

Not only that he would create his very own You Tube Channel to show the videos on. So he set about solving the practical problems involved in turning his theories into practice. "To say I was stunned at this idea is an understatement!" said his proud dad Billy.

The sessions were put together by Billy with big brother Callum also helping to coach the sessions and they were broadcast on the social media networks. Throughout lockdown for a 10-week period Bobby presented 20, 30 to 40 minute sessions, twice a week (every Tuesday and Friday, 6pm) to kids within the safety of their own home or garden, online and live. It was a great way to keep the team, the club, the community together.

The training sessions were constructed in such a way they were always within a two-metre square area, ensuring all kids could join in, even if they had no outdoor space. The 21 videos Bobby put together had around 15,000 views on the Parkvilla Facebook page. Bobby showed a tremendous commitment to the project throughout, helping to keep kids fit who were at home with nowhere to go. For such a contribution Bobby Bonner gets the overall Children's award.

There were lots of great nominations and they're all winners but for the Children's Award category we also chose two runners-up.

Joey Burke from Yellow Furze National School, Beauparc was one of our two runners up.

Not long after lockdown Joey, who loves his arts and crafts, went off to his room and emerged with a superbly-created, imaginative booklet on what Covid-19 means to him.

Just six, Joey outlined in his own way the importance of social distancing, washing hands and coughing/sneezing into your elbow.

It was so good Health Minister Simon Harris published it on is Facebook page. The booklet was Joey's way to combat the pandemic, his contribution to the cause.

Joey’s mum Siobhan was clearly delighted for her son to presented with a runner-up award.

“We are delighted for Joey and yes so so proud of him.

“It has been been a very hard time for him and I’m sure the same goes for alot of children. But Joey has become very attached to both my husband and myself so much so he won’t even sleep in his own room as he is afraid of the coronavirus.

“This will really boost his confidence because he is normally such a confident little fellow. And everyone who knows Joey knows and and loves him for it.”

In Kilmessan a group of young singers - the Treble Trouble Children’s Choir - displayed tremendous commitment towards lifting the mood of others. Before lockdown they visited a nursing home in Navan and performed a number of songs from their own CD for residents. The children also wrote to the residents for Easter, creating beautiful cards and letters for them to read as well as buying chocolate and treats for them.

It was a real act of kindness at a difficult time for the staff and residents of the care home and families who had loved ones there. The members of the choir also created a video as part of a Jigsaw fundraiser to promote young people’s mental health. In that way they created awareness about the incredible work Jigsaw too. The members of the Treble Trouble Children’s Choir are heroes also and our second runners-up.

AN honourable mention goes to Katie Fitzsimons. She lives in Clonmel and her aunt Tracy O'Sullivan, who is based in Athboy, works as an ITU nurse in Beaumont Hospital. At the start of the lockdown there were many changes in the hospital regarding the use of PPE. New signs and information sheets were needed.

As one of the mangers in the Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU), Tracy wanted an eye-catching poster outlining when staff could remove their Personal Protecton Equipment (PPE). Gowns could be removed in one area, head gear in another. Tracy, knowing Katie's talents, asked her neice to design posters. Katie's work proved to be imaginative and informative. In short they were brilliant. They were approved by the Consultant Microbiologist and used in all Critical areas during the pandemic.

Thanks to everyone who nominated friends, family, groups and communities for the first and (hopefully last) Meath Chronicle Lockdown Awards.

Thanks also to our wonderful sponsors who got behind the initiative: Meath Co Council, Utmost, Ecomm, Alltech and SuperValu.