The 2nd Wicklow Garda Youth Awards took place on Saturday the 4th of February in the Grand Hotel, Wicklow town.
The awards were sponsored by the County Wicklow Partnership and were hosted by Today FM DJ Philip Cawley.
For the next 2 days Wicklownews.net will post a picture and bio of one of the winning recipients, today we have Timothy and Christopher Hopkins.
Both Timothy & Christopher were born with a condition called Larsens Syndrome which have required them to have numerous surgeries throughout their lives.
They have both attended main stream school for junior, primary, secondary and 3rd level this far. They have both obtained Level 5 on the piano with the Royal Academy of Music and have both represented Ireland in swimming and obtained medals on the disabled junior swim team in 2012.
They have both been members of the junior Paralympic training squad. Despite their challenges and busy lives both boys find time to volunteer in the community. Timothy with Enable Ireland Silverpines Bray and Christopher volunteers in the Cancer Research shop in Bray also. They have both picked studies hopefully leading to assist any community with Timothy studying social care and psychology and Christopher studying sport management.
Due to their need to attend a school on ground level they made a 22km round trip every morning and this was after arising from bed at 4.30am to complete a 2k swim. For over 5 years the boys swam a total of 10k per week. Throughout their years neither of the boys allowed their disability hold them back, nor did either ever complain. They excelled at all they did and never looked for any recognition for the voluntary work that they did.
In fact it was their father that nominated them for this award without their knowledge and I somehow fear he may have got a lot of grief from the boys. Both John & Isobel Hopkins are extremely proud of the boys strength and positive attitude and are more than proud of the young men that they have become.
Full list of award winners
Special achievement category, Michael O’Brien, Martina Conyard, Rachel Casey, Lee Timmons, Timothy and Christopher Hopkins.
Individual category, Jeremy O’Donovan, Shannon Franey, Eireann O’Sullivan, Luke Power, Chloe Gilmore, Joe Dempsey, Sinead Roche and Molly Comish.
Group category, Glenealy Foroige Youth Club, Greystones Community Summer Project, Seomra Youth Centre in Bray, Newtownmountkennedy Senior Youth Group, Arklow Sea Venture Scout Unit and Marc Brady and Rachel Crimes from Colaiste Chraobh Abhainn in Kilcoole.
