We are very happy to share that our volunteers won the Best Large Group award at the 2025 National Volunteer Awards.
This award is a significant achievement for our volunteers. It represents the hard work our volunteers put into everything they do as the national suicide bereavement organisation for Ireland. This win belongs to our Support Group Facilitators, who lead our peer support groups, and our HUGG Champions, who represent us at various events across the country.
Our Impact in Numbers:
Our volunteers are the reason we can provide a safe space for people to share their grief. Between January and September 2025, our dedicated volunteer network achieved:
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246 Support Groups: Led by our trained Facilitators nationwide.
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480 Hours of Peer Support: Dedicated to leading groups where people feel heard.
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1,129 Attendees Served: Each person met with kindness and shared understanding.
What our volunteers do:
Our volunteers are active in two main roles. Our Facilitators lead our support groups, connecting with communitys who need our support. Our Champions are ambassadors for HUGG, representing us at fundraisers, community events, and many mental health and wellbeing events.
The impact of connection:
HUGG has supported me and given me hope following the loss of my son, Sean, to suicide. I am immensely proud that I can now offer that compassion and encouragement to others
Phyllis
HUGG Volunteer
With Sincere Gratitude to Our Team
We want to express our deepest thanks to every single one of our volunteers. Many people across Ireland have lost someone to suicide, and you are the ones ensuring that no one has to walk that path alone.
Whether you are facilitating a group or representing us at an event, your time and empathy are the reason we can provide the support that we do.
Thank you for everything you do for the HUGG community.