South Dublin’s Bernie Roche was named Community Volunteer of the Year at the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) Awards for her tireless efforts to improve her local area.
Bernie is the secretary of Rathfarnham Village Tidy Towns, and she has been involved in a number of environmental groups in recent years.
“I would always have been involved in committees, but I started to get involved in the environmental side of things before Covid. I’ve always had an interest in nature, thanks to my Dad. I met up with people in the Dodder Action and it took off from there.”
As well as the Dodder Action Group and Rathfarnham Village Tidy Towns, she helps out Stepping Stone Forests:
“A chap called John Kiberd heads that up, they put little mini woodlands in schools and public areas. It involves work with the council and the biggest thing we have done is plant 8,000 trees in Dodder Valley Park over the last two years. That was an adventure in itself.”
• Dodder Action group at work – follow them on Facebook.
Bernie is also involved in Willbrook Litter Mugs, Ballyroan Garden Group, and other “bits and pieces” around where she lives and the work keeps her very busy.
“I’d be out every weekend and a couple of days a week. Doing things with local schools or tidying up around the village, or planting. Trying to keep the place looking half decent, getting people to appreciate where we live – we are blessed to be here, there is so much greenery around. It’s (important) to appreciate and understand what will be lost if we don’t look after it,” she said.
Now retired from the workplace, her voluntary commitments having filled her days.
“It’s pretty much a full time job. It’d be up to 30 hours a week, but you wouldn’t do it if you didn’t enjoy it. I’ve made an amazing network of friends from it.”
She has huge enthusiasm for what she does and for doing what she can for her local environment.
“I love it, there’s nothing better and you meet such great people. I don’t know if you’ve ever come across Dodder Action, but when you see those people in the river hauling out mattresses, you couldn’t but want to get your boots on and get in and help out. The Dodder is just amazing, and it’s free. That’s what keeps you coming back to it, there’s magic in it.
“People pay to go on these meditation courses, but you can just sit still in nature for five and ten minutes and look at what’s around you… It’s free but it’s priceless,” she said.
A very modest individual, she was stunned to receive the award.
“I was completely taken aback, I have to say. I’d prefer to just do the grunt work and let someone else do the glitter. It made me very proud, but at the same time they could have picked out any of the people that I work with. Once I got over the mortification, I was kind of chuffed I have to say.”
