MS Ireland Volunteer Wins National Award

Pauline Smyth receiving her award from Peter Fisher of Cookstown Textile Recycling.

The awards recognise the outstanding achievement of volunteers who work in the 200 plus charity shops around Ireland.  Pauline bet off stiff competition from charity shop chains like Oxfam, Age Action and the Irish Cancer Society.

Pauline says of her win,

“I couldn’t believe I won. Deirdre the manager of the shop asked if she could put me forward but I only said yes for the craic; I never thought I’d even be considered. I had the most wonderful day at the awards and people have been so good congratulating me about the award. The awards ceremony was also extra special as all my 9 kids were able to make it and for the fist time in 18 years we have a family photo.”

Deirdre O’Brien Ray, manager of the MS Ireland Charity Shop in Bray, composed the following profile of Pauline for initial application.

Pauline Smyth is 83 and half years old (the half is very important to her) and a volunteer in the MS Charity Shop in Bray.

Having offered her services for free for the past 17 years, Pauline has become a leading light in the shop and an integral part of its everyday running. She is a well-known figure in the town and well-loved by the scores of customers that she has helped over the years.

Originally involved in setting up the shop, Pauline became the first shop volunteer working two afternoons a week for eight years. In the past nine years Pauline has worked every Saturday morning. Hail, rain or snow Pauline is at the shop at 10am sharp ready for work. The only time she takes a break is for the month of November when she travels on her own to visit her sons in Boston and returns with presents for all her friends in the shop.

Pauline’s extensive family are fully aware of her devotion to MS Ireland. Not only do they regularly make donations but they also ensure she gets to the shop by organising to taxi for her when weather conditions are bad.

Pauline’s long-lasting contribution to MS Ireland is all the more impressive when you hear her personal story. In 1970 Pauline’s life took a tragic turn when she was widowed while pregnant with her tenth child. Her husband and eldest daughter were killed in a road traffic accident in Wicklow. She says her positive attitude, sense of humour and her “fags” and coffee have kept her going. She has a remarkably upbeat attitude which she brings to the atmosphere in the shop.

For a person of her years she has an amazing capacity for change with a practical ‘can do’ approach to any task she undertakes. She has a wonderful sense of humour and can turn any dull atmosphere into a cheerful situation with her dry wit and unique one liners.

She is an outgoing and people-oriented person, with an excellent reputation for professional customer focus, which she has passed on to the other members of the team. She is a team-player, with the ability to build trust and interact with all kinds of people.

She has a positive influence on the people around her, which really stands out. Pauline is a very strong and courageous woman. She is a great role model and regularly bestows her wisdom on others in the form of solid advice and guidance. She also has huge capacity for the welfare of others. She is the kind of person who thinks about other people before herself and does everything in her power to help others.

When she is finished her shift in the shop, she can be found outside the local coffee shop, having her coffee and fag and entertaining the regulars with her amusing and witty remarks. Pauline touches so many people lives, she is the face of the MS Charity shop is Bray and we are very lucky to have her.

Check out ICSA website for further reading.