One of the BEM recipients in Fermanagh has gone from volunteering with young people to senior citizens. Ethel Oldcroft from Coleshill Crescent, Enniskillen, receives her award for voluntary services to older people.
Ethel began her volunteering work with Enniskillen Guides before moving to the Cub Scouts at Rossorry which she continued for 20 years, retiring as their Akela. She was presented with a long service award by the Chief Scout.
However Ethel then became one of the founding members and Chairman of Rossorry Parish Church’s Wednesday Club and has remained Chairman 17 years later.
“I’ve gone from leading 8-11 year-olds to over 50’s,” she joked.
It is her enthusiasm and meticulous planning that has made the Wednesday Club such a success. It has 40 members and each week members share in group activities or listen to a speaker.
“The Wednesday Club has changed people’s lives,” she said. They are soon to embark on a new six-week programme, “Think Wise, Age well.”
Ethel has led the group to meet the then First Minister, Peter Robinson and Commissioner for Older People, Claire Keating and has met the Duke of Kent.
In addition, Ethel is secretary of Coleshill Community Association as well as the Coleshill Senior Citizens. She also teaches craftwork to learning disabled young people and young adults which she enjoys greatly.
She does all this despite being a long term sufferer of Lupus Disease.
Last year, Ethel won a Community Hero award.
She revealed when she heard the news of this latest award she began to shake with emotion and her family broke down in tears of joy when she told them.
Ethel describes her husband, of 57 years, Charlie as “her rock” and they have a son, Charles and two daughters, Kim and Janet, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.