Member's statement: Live Life Well-Being Centre and Ballymacash Sports Academy: King's Award
Member's statement by Mrs Michelle Guy on .
- MLA
- Mrs Michelle Guy
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 8 December 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Live Life Well-Being Centre and Ballymacash Sports Academy: King's Award
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5284132
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I rise to congratulate two amazing organisations from our community, the Live Life Well-Being Centre and Ballymacash Sports Academy, on being awarded the prestigious King's Award for voluntary service. That is the highest honour that a volunteer-led group can receive in the UK and is often described as the MBE for organisations. To see not one but two groups from our area recognised in that way is an exceptional achievement and a testament to the incredible work that is happening on the ground in Lagan Valley. The Live Life Well-Being Centre's recognition marks an important first because it is the first time that a group of disabled young people has received that award.
Live Life director of services, Philip Reain-Adair, recently highlighted the type of contribution that the young people make, which includes knitting hundreds of small woollen hats for neonatal unit at the Belfast Royal Children's Hospital, bucket collecting for local charities, supporting local food banks and providing entertainment to nursing home residents. The dedicated volunteers at Ballymacash Sports Academy show what community-led sports can achieve by giving opportunities to all regardless of age, gender or ability, improving people's mental and physical health. They have demonstrated a genuine commitment to inclusion and are focused on meeting the needs of the local community. What they have built is pretty remarkable and a credit to everyone involved. Commenting on the award, the chairman of Ballymacash Sports Academy, Philip Trimble, said:
"This is a tremendous achievement and honour for all of those connected with Ballymacash Sports Academy. From our BRFC coaches to our fantastic craft club members, school and club partnerships, we are simply delighted to have our vision and hard work recognised by His Majesty The King."
As an MLA, I have been warmly welcomed by both groups, and I know that their volunteers do what they do not for recognition or applause but because they care and genuinely want to improve the lives of people in our community. It is inspiring and appreciated. Congratulations to you all.
337 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.03 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.99 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:08 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.