At the centre of every community are people who go the extra mile. Every town, village, and parish has those who work hard to make a difference in their area, whether it's ensuring safety, building connections, promoting wellbeing, or advancing sustainability.
AXA Insurance recognises the tireless and unseen work these people do to help their communities, which is why it created the Community Hero Awards.
It highlights four heroes who have supported their friends, colleagues, neighbours, and wider community.
This year, the four winners and their charities have gone above and beyond, strengthening their communities and the wider area. Here are the four winners of this year’s AXA Insurance Community Hero Awards.
Scott Bryan - Community Roots
Winner of the Sustainability Category
Community Roots began when Scott Bryan noticed a growing disconnect between people and their communities, as well as between people and nature.
To tackle this, Bryan and the wider organisation transform unused spaces in his local neighbourhood in Dublin 7 into gardens, focusing on building environmental sustainability while strengthening social bonds.
Each garden is designed with sustainability and community in mind, and Bryan also leads Soil Mates, which connects garden owners with neighbours who would love to grow food but have nowhere to do so.
The organisation has brought together people from all parts of the community together with a shared goal, and is so successful that there is a waiting list of people around the country who want to bring Community Roots to their area.
Donna Price - Irish Road Victims Association
Winner of the Road Safety Category
After losing her son in a road traffic collision in 2006, Donna Price went on to establish the Irish Road Victims Association (IRVA) to support families who faced a similar loss, as well as those living with the physical and mental scars caused by their own experience in a road traffic collision.
Led by Price and run and staffed entirely by volunteers, the IRVA has become an invaluable source of help to hundreds of people around Ireland affected, including legal guidance and bereavement counselling.
The organisation also works to improve investigations, legislation, and data sharing, and to provide vital assistance to prevent deaths on the road.
Price’s hard work saw her serve on the board of the Road Safety Authority, and she is currently serving on the Road User Safety Forum, giving those affected by collisions a voice.
Mary Doherty - Lifeline Inishowen
Winner of the Women’s Safety and Wellbeing Category
For over 30 years, Mary Doherty has been running Lifeline Inishowen, which helps those affected by domestic abuse.
It provides services such as a helpline, drop-in service, advocacy, court accompaniment and professional counselling and has helped 184 adults and 61 children across Inishowen in 2024.
Doherty is at the heart of these operations, her energy and commitment ensuring that the helpline is answered, volunteers are trained, professional counselling is arranged, and fundraising to help those in the region.
Much of what Lifeline Inishowen has achieved is down to Doherty’s leadership, hard work and friendly approach to everything she does, all of which has helped many lives in an area with over 39,000 people.
Leona O’Callaghan - The Haven Hub
Winner of Mental Health Category
Leona O’Callaghan founded The Haven Hub in 2019, a mental health and suicide prevention charity. Having overcome her own mental health challenges, she was inspired to help others in her home city of Limerick and beyond, providing free support to those facing challenges in their lives.
Her work has seen the organisation expand, including campaigning for permanent premises for the service. It was successful, and The Haven Hub moved into its new building last year.
O’Callaghan works on the organisation’s free night time service, which offers emotional support to people, and has created multiple initiatives to help those experiencing mental health difficulties in her community.
For more about these inspiring winners and their stories, see axa.ie.
https://www.axa.ie/articles/news/the-axa-community-hero-awards-2025/?flushcache=true
