Launch of the Diaspora Strategy
Co Chairs Tom Shanley and Siobhan Rooney with LIF CEO Noelette Hanley, Minister Neale Richmond and Luton Mayor Javed Hussain
We were deeply honoured today to welcome Neale Richmond, Ireland's Minister of State with responsibility for the Irish Diaspora, to Luton Irish Forum for the UK launch of Ireland's Diaspora Strategy. The visit was a significant moment not only for our organisation but for the wider Irish community across Luton and Britain, highlighting the importance of connection, representation and support for Irish communities abroad. The day provided an opportunity to showcase the breadth of work delivered by Luton Irish Forum, from supporting older people and vulnerable community members to celebrating Irish culture, heritage and identity. We were also privileged to host a roundtable discussion bringing together leaders and representatives from Irish in Britain, icap Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy, NOAH Enterprise, Irish Network Stevenage, Milton Keynes Welfare Support Group, Young at Heart Dementia Café, Coventry Irish Society, BIRMINGHAM IRISH ASSOCIATION and the Hertfordshire GAA, alongside colleagues from the visiting Irish Government delegation, including Embassy of Ireland, Great Britain.
The discussion highlighted both the opportunities and challenges facing our communities and reinforced the importance of collaboration across the Irish community sector. A heartfelt thank you to our trustees, ambassador, staff team and volunteers whose dedication, professionalism and passion helped make the visit such a success. Events of this scale require an enormous team effort behind the scenes, and we are incredibly grateful for everyone's hard work. We would also like to thank the Mayor of Luton, Javed Hussain, and the Mayor of Houghton Regis, Cllr David Jones, for joining us and supporting this important occasion. Your presence reflected the strong relationships built between our organisation and our local communities.
A special thank you goes to our members, volunteers and guests who joined us throughout the day. You are the heart of Luton Irish Forum, and it was wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate the contribution of the Irish community. We were delighted to welcome the Minister with a Pipe Band reception and to enjoy a moving performance of "Lullaby of Luton" by Brian Burke and Kevin Naughton, which added a very special touch to the celebrations. Today was a reminder of the strength, resilience and generosity of our community and of the vital role that Irish organisations continue to play in supporting people to connect, belong and thrive. We look forward to continuing this work and to building even stronger links with our partners both locally and across the Irish diaspora.
Photo credit: Christine Sosnowski
