Warm tributes paid to retiring Chairman of Birr 20:20

Warm tributes were paid to retiring Chairman of Birr 20:20 Salters Sterling during the community group's recent AGM.
Cllr John Carroll, Secretary of the group, warmly thanked Salters for being such an excellent Chairman since the group's inception seven years ago.
He said Salters' Chairman's Report to the AGM was “a very important and typically thorough report looking over the last seven years of our hardworking group. As this is his last night as Chairman, it is an occasion tinged with regret. The contribution by Salters to 20:20 and to the town has been incredible, invaluable. His contribution is unquantifiable. His approach, his attitude is great, because he doesn't seek the headlines; he's devoted to the work. And after each meeting a huge amount of work is done. Salters would have the longest list of things to do of all of us after each meeting and you could always be sure that it would be done.”
Cllr Carroll said the retiring Chairman had a fantastic ability to make connections and to work with all types of people. “His style is very much hands-on, and this style is obvious from the reports.
“Salters is not stepping away from Birr 20:20, something which I am very happy about. Filling his Chairmanship shoes will be very hard to fill. To provide his level of leadership will be very difficult. I am happy to think of Salters as a friend. He is a very decent person to know and an excellent person to be on a committee with.”
The Councillor pointed out that Birr 20:20 is a strong organisation which has a hand in many different projects. “From the beginning good seeds were sown in decent soil. From the beginning a positive nucleus was created, with its heart very much in the right place. We have worked very hard over the last seven years, because we believe in community and we believe in Birr. All of us want to see Birr become a better place in which to live and work. However, as we all know, there's a big task of work in front of us.”
He said Birr 20:20 will be continuing with its Pillar system and there will be a Leader of each Pillar. The Pillars are sub-committees which tackle assigned projects. The Board, he remarked, will continue to work alongside the Pillars, continuing to give the structure and the legalities of the organisation.
“Thank you Salters,” Cllr Carroll concluded, “for all that you have contributed during your lifetime in the area”.
“I fully endorse that,” commented Sean Loughnane. “Salters has huge energy and commitment. He understands the massive importance of solidarity with your local community. He's a great leader. During my time on the Board with him he opened my eyes as to what can be achieved. During my business career I have been in many organisations and Salter's positive, can-do attitude is as good as any attitude that I have experienced in any business organisation. It's been a pleasure working with him and working with the group. I have greatly enjoyed the last seven years. To some extent I have had an easy time of it because Salters has generated a lot of the energy!”
He praised Salters and Michael Hanna for putting forward their own funding to get projects off the ground. “The community spirit shown by Salters and Michael has been incredible. If only a lot more people were like that. Our world would be a lot better.”
Bernie Fanneran, who is also a Board member, recalled late 2014 and the first meeting in the Blazers meeting room in Dooly's Hotel, when they discussed the need to create a group which would fill something of the void created by the loss of the town's local authority. “It was not long after the end of Birr Town Council and we were worried about the void which that had created and we were worrying about the future. Our worries were justified. Because of the demise of Birr Town Council, Birr lost its housing services which were diverted to Tullamore. And we lost a number of other services.
“Birr 20:20 has done so much since it was formally established in 2015. Salters has been a friend to all of us. He always helped us in Birr Tidy Towns. His devotion to community should be an example to all.”
Fiona Breen thanked Salters for sharing his “wealth of experience. I remember him telling me of the importance of positive body language when you are interacting with people, whether it be the look of your eye, the tone of your voice, the words you choose.”
Salters thanked them for their kind words. He said the members of Birr 20:20 “were a marvellous team.” He said that while he will continue to be in the group, “I won't be at the forefront any longer and I feel relieved about that, because it is a significant workload and after seven years it's time to step down from the role.”