Staff and trustees gathered this week to say an official ‘thank you’ to Mary Sheard who as a founding member of Leeds Irish Health and Homes has stepped down from the Board. Mary was one of the driving forces in bringing together a group of passionate people back in the 1990′s who saw an urgent need for a specific service dedicated to supporting the Irish community in Leeds. This led to the establishment of Leeds Irish Health and Homes in 1996 starting out with one worker and 7 clients. The organisation now supports 250 people on a weekly basis with a range of housing and health issues via 121 direct support, groups and activities.
Ant Hanlon, CEO of LIHH spoke about Mary’s impact on the community in Leeds:
“It feels very hard to pay tribute to Mary in a few words. Her impact on Leeds Irish Health and Homes, and in turn the Irish community here in Leeds, especially the vulnerable members, will be felt for many years to come. She was the architect who campaigned, cajoled and fought for an organisation such as ours to exist when many doubted and cautioned against it, and then developed it into one that showed care towards its service users, had immense pride in the culture it was immersed in and dedication to the community which was Leeds and Irish together.”
“Mary believed in having an organisation showing quality, financial prudence and valuing those who worked for it, volunteered for it or used its services. I am very proud as Chief Executive to have been able to work alongside her, the original committee members and those members of the Board who took on their vision and have seen it through to the organisation and service it is today. She will be missed on the Board greatly, but I’m sure we will still see plenty of her as the giving community member she is.”
