From left; Darren Ryan, CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Niall Breslin, Susan Quirke, and Tommy Breen, CEO of DCC plc.

Bressie wins Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Award for A Lust for Life

Niall Breslin, Bressie, and with his Co-Founder Susan Quirke, has been awarded a Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Impact Award.

Their organisation, A Lust for Life, takes a holistic view on mental health and offers people an online platform to share their experiences of difficult periods of their lives.

They also engage in advocacy for social, educational and health policy reform and organise inspirational events to bring people together to build connections and community.

The award consists of €140,000 in funding and support to expand and grow the social enterprise.

Through this awards ceremony, two other social entrepreneurs have also been awarded funding and support worth €140,000 in the Impact Award category. They are Claire Brady from Lakers and Dara Connolly from ReCreate.

A further six organisations each received funding and support worth €30,000 in the Elevator Award category.

They were Sam Synnott and Judith Ashton from Buddy Bench Ireland, Alex Cooney and Cliona Curley from CyberSafeIreland, Shane McKenna and Killian Redmond from DabbledooMusic, Noelle Daly and Stephen Cluskey from Mobility Mojo, Barry Grant from Problem Gambling Ireland and Francis Cleary from Step Out Ireland.

Bressie said: "This award is a great honour and a testimony to the hard work and dedication of so many people who have got behind us.

"A Lust for Life is a movement for wellbeing. We are creating ripples of change that are spreading all over the world at a time when so many people are suffering from stress, anxiety, depression and the day to day challenges of life.

"We aim to inform, connect, inspire and empower, to show people that they are not alone, to give them a space to get heard, to see that hope is always possible if we take action and join together.”

Over the last 12 years, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has invested over €6.7 million in social entrepreneurs and 1,230 employment opportunities have been created in the process.

The programme is sponsored by Irish company DCC plc, who have been the flagship sponsor of the awards for the last six years, and earlier this year pledged their commitment to Social Entrepreneurs Ireland until 2019, with a further €700,000 in funding over that time.

CEO of DCC Tommy Breen said: “DCC is proud to be a long-term sponsor of the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Elevator and Impact Award programmes.

"It is a great privilege to play a role in getting behind Ireland’s brightest and most ambitious entrepreneurs working to have a positive impact on our society.”

Darren Ryan, CEO of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, said: “Social entrepreneurs are problem solvers. Whenever the current system is too slow, inadequate or missing, a social entrepreneur will roll up their sleeves and take action.

"The social entrepreneurs receiving awards are all pioneering new solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges.

"With the ongoing commitment of DCC plc, we will back these entrepreneurs to take risks and be brave in pursuing ideas to solve Ireland’s social problems.”

The awards ceremony, which took place in the Mansion House, Dublin, on Tuesday October 11, was hosted by Joan Freeman, founder of Pieta House, and John Evoy, founder of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association, who are both former recipients of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awards.