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New Year's Honour for Early Years Member

Published on: 20/01/2010

A Ballymena woman's lifetime of working with young children has received recognition from the Queen in the New Years' Honours List.

Sally Gamble was one of just 25 people from the Northern Ireland community and voluntary sector to be named in the annual list and she received her MBE for services to the community.

Sally has been leader of Gracehill and Galgorm Playgroup for the past 27 years, dealing during that time with around 1,000 young children. She has also been a Boys' Brigade Officer at Harryville Presbyterian Church for 25 years. Happy for her honour to be finally made public, Sally says she has enjoyed every minute of her time working with children in the community, a labour of love which spans almost three decades.

Speaking about her award, Sally said:

"I received a letter a while ago but I couldn't say anything, not even to my children. I am absolutely thrilled to receive my MBE but for me, it's all about team work. I am part of a great team and we have had the same staff for 26 years."

"Children have always been a very important part of my life," Sally added. "It is a very great honour in itself to look after someone else's children. It's a job that I love."

Congratulating Sally on her award, Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive of Early Years said:

"Early Years is delighted that one of its member groups has been honoured with such a prestigious award. Sally has made an enormous contribution to her local community throughout her life and her commitment to the education, health and well-being of children in the Ballymena area is deservedly being recognised."

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