Edenderry girl wins award for charity work

A big hearted nine year old from Edenderry who has helped hundreds of people affected by homelessness is one of a group of exceptional young people recognised at an awards ceremony this week.

Lexie Delaney received the Young Fundraiser of the Year Award at the The Woman’s Way and Pharmaton Children’s Awards winners were announced on Monday last at a special lunch at The Hive in Airfield Estate.

The awards were supported by Pharmaton to find Ireland’s bravest and most courageous children. Each winner walked away with a luxury goodie bag worth at least €500.

Hundreds of nominations were submitted by parents, relatives, friends, teachers and communities from all over Ireland. The judging panel of well-known Irish personalities had the daunting task of sifting through all the entries to whittle them down to category winners.

Lexie, who is a fourth class student at Scoil Bhride was certainly a worthy recepient of her award. For the past two years she has been campaigning on behalf of the homeless – through charities such as Inner City Helping Homeless and the Ken Smollen Food Appeal – and collected thousands of items for those in need.

Lexie began her chartity work when she was a seven year old after seeing a homeless teenager on Dublin’s Grafton Street while shopping with her parents.

From then on Lexie made it her mission to make a difference – and she has, including helping children in emergency accommodation.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week, Lexie's mother Lillian said that all of her family and friends are "so proud of her".

"She is just so good. She is just such a thoughtful child. If she can put a smile on someone else's face that's what she will do.

"The support she gets is unbelievable from people we know all over the world, from friends in New York, Spain and England, they send money through Paypal."