The LAMA (Local Authority Members Association) Community & Council Awards ceremony took place at the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork City on Saturday 22nd February 2025
Following an in-depth judging process, Wexford County Council’s Just 1 Life Road Safety Programme was chosen as the best Community Transport Initiative, beating off stiff competition from Tipperary, Limerick, and Roscommon. The judges acknowledged the extremely successful partnership between Wexford County Council and Wexford Rotary Club and the positive effect that the programme has had on reducing the numbers of young adults killed on the roads of the County.
For 17 years the Just 1 Life (J1L) Road Safety Programme has been a cornerstone of Wexford’s road safety strategy. Delivered to secondary school students, the programme aims to prevent young drivers’ deaths in road traffic collisions. Just 1 Life has significantly contributed to a reduction in road fatalities in County Wexford, with fatal collisions decreasing from 53 in 2006-2008 to just nineteen in the last three years. Through interactive presentations and videos involving local emergency services, health organisations, and mental health support agencies, the programme has educated over 23,000 students to date. This year, over 2,300 students will take part in five J1L events at the National Opera House.
David Codd, Road Safety Officer accepted the award on behalf of Wexford County Council. Mr Codd stated “We know that our Just 1 Life programme is making a significant difference on the roads in County Wexford. Feedback from our Transition Year participants is extremely positive with many pupils admitting they were shocked by the stories shared by our speakers. Our presenters come from all the emergency services in the county and have attended multiple collision sites where young people of a similar age to our attendees have unfortunately lost their lives. The Just 1 Life programme emphasises the stark realities and often tragic results of inappropriate driving behaviours. By sharing their experiences our presenters hope that they can impress upon the students the responsibility that comes with sitting behind the wheel of a car. To everyone involved in continuing the Just 1 Life programme, this award recognises their important and valuable contribution to Road Safety in County Wexford. We are very grateful for the continued support of Insp. Patrick Casey, An Garda Siochana Roads Policing Unit; Ger Carthy, National Ambulance Service; Eoin Breslin, Wexford Fire Service; Niall O’Muiri, Wexford Mental Health Association and Consultant Dr. Paul Kelly, Wexford General Hospital”.
About the Awards:
The LAMA awards offer a wonderful opportunity to highlight the work done within local communities and to reward and recognise the unsung heroes whose remarkable contributions have made a positive impact on people’s lives, as well as to acknowledge achievements by County Councils and partnerships across Ireland.
In its 19th year, the LAMA awards continue to grow, celebrating communities and councils working together. The 2025 awards ceremony, presented by MC Alan Shortt, saw a record number of 311 nominations across the thirty-one city and county councils which were whittled down to 137 shortlisted projects in twenty-seven categories.
