Leona O’Callaghan named as a 2026 AXA Community Hero

Clodagh Ryan, AXA Branch Manager in Limerick and fellow Limerick woman Leona O’Callaghan, winner in the Mental Health category. Leona is donating the prize funds to The Haven Hub. Photo: Chris Bellew / Fennells

Limerick’s Leona O’Callaghan has been named as one of this year’s AXA Community Heroes

A Limerick woman has been named as one of four AXA Community Heroes from around Ireland, following a nationwide search for people making a meaningful difference in their neighbourhoods. Hundreds of nominations were submitted across four categories, highlighting individuals who show leadership, innovation and creativity in helping others.

Leona O’Callaghan was awarded the title of AXA Community Hero in the Mental Health Category, thanks to her work with The Haven Hub. Leona founded the mental health and suicide prevention charity in 2019, providing free support to people facing challenges. She went on to lead a campaign to secure permanent premises for the service, which moved into its new building last year. She still works on The Haven Hub’s free nighttime service.

Leona has also taken on two projects to help younger people. One supports those with mental health challenges by arranging activities and travel to help remind them the world is a wonderful place even at difficult times, and the other is Social & Sober, which offers alternative activities for 18 – 30 year olds who would prefer to socialise away from the pub and party scene.

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Leona says she’s thrilled with the award and says the €20,000 prize fund will be going to The Haven Hub, “It makes it all worthwhile. To have this financial support makes a massive difference to being able to continue, and expand our services, and means that all the hard work, the late nights and times you’re away from your own family to provide this service are all worthwhile”.

The other winners and their chosen charities are for Road Safety:  Donna Price, Westmeath – Irish Road Victims Association; for Sustainability: Scott Bryan, Dublin – Community Roots; and for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing: Mary Doherty, Donegal – Lifeline Inishowen.

Marguerite Brosnan, CEO of AXA Ireland, says the category winners are extremely impressive: “The AXA Community Hero Awards are about honouring the work of remarkable people across Ireland who are going the extra mile to help others.  It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their achievements for the wider public, who might otherwise never hear about them.

Donna, Leona, Mary and Scott are wonderful examples of the type of person we want to recognise. Their devotion to helping improve the lives and experiences of others is inspirational and they are truly deserving of the title Community Hero. I would like to sincerely congratulate them for their win and commend them for all their work”.

Each of the AXA Community Heroes was nominated by someone close to them and the company has decided to recognise their efforts too, as Elizabeth Arnett, Chief Communications, Brand & Sustainability Officer at AXA Ireland explains:

“The success of the Community Hero programme relies on people putting others’ names forward and explaining why they deserve the title. At a time when we are all living very busy lives, we wanted to show our appreciation for those who took the time to tell us their story. That’s why each person behind the nominations for our winning AXA Community Heroes will also receive €3,000, as a token of our appreciation”.