Who will be Ballymena’s ‘person to be proud of’

The company has recently connected its 50,000th customer in Northern Ireland to the lower-cost, convenient fuel. As General Manager Michael Scott explained, Firmus Energy prides itself on its excellent customer service record and, with 90 team members in its Antrim headquarters, all employees are trained to the highest standards.

“Our employees work together very well to help each other, much like people living alongside each other in a community, “ said Mr. Scott. “We know that some go well beyond what is expected of them and in firmus energy, we recognise this.

“We are delighted to support this competition, acknowledging the unsung heroes across Northern Ireland for whom helping others is a way of life.

“This competition aims to recognise just some of those individuals and highlight how their selfless actions benefit other local people.

He added: “As we extend our gas network even further, such as to Bushmills, Bessbrook and Ballyclare, more and more people are opting to switch to natural gas.

“As well as being around 31% cheaper than home heating oil natural gas can contribute to cleaner air for the area as it is the most environmentallyfriendly fossil fuel emitting less carbon emissions into the atmosphere than other fuel alternatives.” To date, firmus energy has invested more than £72 million in the natural

gas infrastructure in NI and is regularly applies to the regulator to extend the pipeline to bring the benefits of natural gas to thousands more homes and businesses each year. To find out more about how to switch to natural gas, visit www.firmusenergy. co.uk or call 0845 032 4567.

Nominee 1: If ever there was a person who deserved the title of ‘dedicated fund-raiser’ then it is Ballymena’s Margaret McCrory who has been a leading light in the Chest Heart and Stroke Association in the Mid-Antrim area for many years. A devoted servant to her chosen charity.

Nominee 2: Having just completed the gruelling Dakar rally in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles, Philip Gillespie has set new standards for overcoming disability and trying to help others. Philip, from Ballymena, was badly wounded in Afghanistan while serving with the Royal Irish.

Nominee 3: Betty Campbell has been raising money for charity for over 30 years. Awarded an MBE two years ago, her efforts to date have seen over £538,000 raised for local good causes and the 73-yearold shows no sign of slowing down if her recent annual charity Ladies’ Luncheon is anything to go by.

Nominee 4: Mary Carney has been the public face of the Dogs Trust Kennels at Teeshan, Ballymena for her entire career. A tireless worker on behalf of our canine companions, Mary has helped re-home hundreds if not thousands of dogs bringing joy to their new owners far and wide

HOW TO VOTE To vote for your favourite, simply text BMT (space) PROUD (space) followed by the two digit number of your choice from the list of finalists printed and send to 61500 (e.g. BMT PROUD 01 then send to 61500)

Standard JP competition terms and conditions apply. These can be found at http://www.johnstonpress.co.uk/jpplc/competition/ or contact the Promotions team at 2 Esky Drive, Carn, BT63 5YY. Texts cost 25p plus your usual network rate. The winner will be the finalist who receives the greatest number of votes. The judge’s decision is final. Prize is as stated, no cash alternatives. Lines close at 12 noon Wednesday 3rd April 2013. Please note, if you should enter after the closing date, your vote will not be counted but you may still be charged. By supplying your telephone number you’re happy to receive SMS messages from

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