The founder of a charity established to protect Bermuda's children was yesterday honoured for her efforts over the past 18 years.

Sheelagh Cooper established The Coalition for the Protection of Children as a means of lobbying the Government to develop legislation to protect Bermuda's youths.

As evidence of her success, the organisation has grown to provide a range of prevention, intervention, treatment and after-care programmes and services to hundreds of families.

She was yesterday presented with a Bermuda CableVision Community Service Award as an acknowledgement of her "significant achievements in helping to raise awareness about the importance of a safe, healthy and nurturing environment for children in Bermuda".

Bermuda CableVision also presented the charity with $1,000.

"Mrs. Cooper has worked tirelessly for the last 18 years without pay to ensure that The Coalition for the Protection of Children can operate with minimal overheads and that over 90 percent of the money raised through the charity's various fund-raising efforts can be used to help families in need," said Bermuda CableVision general manager Terry Roberson.

"For this she deserves our utmost admiration. With five children and 14 grandchildren herself, Mrs. Cooper is as an example of how volunteer work can become a true labour of love."

Bermuda CableVision presents four Community Service Awards each year based on nominations from members of the public.

Culture and Social Rehabilitation Minister Neletha Butterfield and Telecommunications Minister Michael Scott attended yesterday's presentation.

"Working with children that have been subjected to child abuse is about breaking a cycle so that our community can be restored," said Ms Butterfield. "Children who may not have a secure and supportive home environment and are exposed to criminal elements such as drug and alcohol addiction, child abuse and family violence are more likely to repeat this same behaviour as they become adults. So I applaud Mrs. Cooper for assisting families in this regard."

Added Mr. Scott: "As a community each of us share a sacred trust to reach out to our neighbours, particularly those who are most at risk. Mrs. Cooper deserves to be honoured in this fashion today because she represents one of the building blocks for a community that is interested in healing and helping turn hopelessness to empowerment and securing a happy and productive future for our children."

The Coalition for the Protection of Children employs seven people. It offers a child abuse hotline, financial assistance, conflict resolution programmes and peer mediation training for students in Bermuda's public schools. It also provides a nutritious breakfast to underprivileged children from approximately 250 families last year it served 30,000 meals.

Mrs. Cooper also founded The Centre for Community and Family Mediation, a division of The Coalition, which provides hundreds of couples every year with family mediation services. In addition, she was a founding member of the Christian Housing Ministry, Habitat for Humanity Bermuda and continues to be chairman of the Family Selection Committee for the organisation.

"I founded The Coalition to primarily lobby the Government to develop legislation to protect children in Bermuda, as at the time no laws were in place to address child welfare," Mrs. Cooper said. "However, child abuse is a complex issue and since then the charity has grown to also provide a broad base of preventative and treatment services. Ensuring legislation is in place to address child abuse once it has occurred is not enough. Healing and empowering families is the focus of our work. We help families to identify and build upon their strengths."

More than 100 volunteers contribute approximately 2,000 hours annually working for The Coalition for the Protection of Children. Interested volunteers or persons in need of more information should call 295-1150, e-mail: cpc@ibl.bm or visit www.coalition.bm or www.mediate.bm.