Derry youth worker has been recognised as one of the Quiet Peace Builders

A Derry youth worker has been recognised as one of the Quiet Peace Builders.

Anne Marie Bell was one of 21 to have been honoured by the John and Pat Hume Foundation.

This award was to celebrate those who have contributed to the peace process in their daily lives at a “Recognise the Quiet Peacebuilders” event at the Guildhall.

The centre manager at Pennyburn youth club was proud to receive the award.

She said: “To be in youth work for 42 years and to be given these awards for what you do as to the unsung heroes of the youth service in the sense that you do the stuff because you love doing it. 

“You don’t do it to get awards, you don’t do it for recognition but it is nice to be recognised for the work that you do at the same time but I feel really proud and honoured.

“I always say to people that there is no I in team, so that award may be in my name, but it is for all the young people and most certainly all the staff, as we are all in this together, and without them we would not be making the difference in Pennyburn.”

Mrs Bell was shocked to hear that she had been nominated to receive the award, wishing to thank those who nominated her for such a privilege.

As someone who struggled in school, she worked hard to get into a profession she dreamed of working in as a child, with her latest ambition being to be able to continue to provide through her role for the community with her team.

She said: “I was brought up through the youth service, and the reason that I got into it was because I wanted to give back for the stuff I would have received. 

“The role models in my day growing up were volunteers in the Shantallow community. 

“I really admired these people and you kind of looked up to them and thought ‘God I would love to do that some day’. I was a non-achiever at school; my dream wasn’t really to be a youth worker, as you needed a degree, and I didn’t achieve that well at school, but I went on to work in factories for eight years.

“When I went to Pennyburn youth club, Brendan Wilkinson was the leader in charge, and he told me to go away and do my degree.

“In one aspect this took me back to the negativity of school, but I went, and I received my degree in youth work in 1995, and then I got my master's in Peace and Conflict studies in 1998.

“I think awards like this help to keep that doubt out of your head about being a non-achiever and being that person that can see themselves making a difference to the community and changing lives; you are promoting peace and trying to give young people the best outlook on life.”