Clareman’s charity work recognised in Britain

Clare native Dan Lyons, who hails from Coolshingaun, Maurices Mills, was honoured in England recently for his charity work.

 

The Redhill, Surrey resident was chosen for the national award as a result of his continued commitment to raising money for causes that include Romanian orphanages and HIV charities.

Having worked for 10 years as a volunteer nurse, he met a relief group who were going to Romania following the fall of the Ceausescu regime. He went with the group and helped at an orphanage on the outskirts of Bucharest for six months.

On his return, he got a group of helpers to raise money for the orphanage, which he continued to visit each year, bringing medicine, clothes and equipment. In 2001, this work was recognised when he was awarded an MBE, which was presented by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

He is a member of numerous groups in Surrey including Parish Pathway at St Joseph’s Church, Redhill; Croydon Mental Health Service League of Friends of Nurses and Jumbulance UK, a registered charity that takes small groups of severely ill patients to Lourdes. He is also a member of the society of catholic nurses.

Born in 1930, the 11th child in a family of 12, he emigrated to England in 1949, having attended Dysart National School until he was 14-years-old.

In England, he trained as a nurse and qualified as a TB nurse in 1952 and for SRN nursing in 1954. From there, he qualified in psychiatric nursing in 1959 before going into hospital administration in 1965. He went on to work for 42 years in the health service, with his last appointment being that of assistant director of nursing in Warlingham Park Hospital in Surrey. He retired in 1991.

Speaking after receiving the award, he said, “I am very healthy and if you are like that, you must keep going. It’s very therapeutic to help other people and there are a lot of retired people who could do more. Every day you need something to get up for.”

Now 83, he still travels home to Maurices Mills regularly, a place he once described as the centre of the universe.