Hughie Maughan is a resident of St Margaret’s Ballymun Dublin 9 who volunteers with Exchange House national Travellers Service Youth team.

He frequently comes into the hall in Ballymun when the Exchange House youth services are running session and gives advice and useful information to the young people.

Hughie has always had an interest in sports and enjoyed keeping fit. Over the last number of years he has decided to turn his hobby into something that enriches people lives. He got involved in running and has since completed an impressive number of marathons and half marathons whilst raising money for local and national charities around Ireland.

One of the charities that are close to Hughie’s heart is temple street children’s hospital. Hughie was very sick as a child and locals rallied around to raise money for treatment. He has stated that he “like’s to get involved with the hospitals as a way of giving back to families now that might be in the position I was in as a child. I like to think that somehow I made it easier for families to get the treatment they need if their child should ever need it”. Upon writing this Hughie has raised more than €50,000 through his accomplishments, most of which he has donated to Temple Street hospital.

Hughie is up for the Traveller Pride Award which will take place in the Rotunda Hospital on June 11^th 2014. Exchange House would like to wish Hughie our very best wishes for this award and every success in his future endeavours.