A lasting legacy for Lydia: Mayor honours Co Antrim fundraiser Paul Ross

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins, pictured with Paul Ross, whose Sky Blue Ribbon fundraising appeal was named Fundraising Volunteer Group of the Year at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Awards. 

A County Antrim father who has turned the devastating loss of his 21-year-old daughter into a fundraising movement that has raised more than £100,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland has received special recognition from the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens.

Paul Ross was welcomed to a mayoral reception by Councillor Dawn Huggins following the remarkable success of the Sky Blue Ribbon Appeal, created in memory of his beloved daughter Lydia.

Lydia lost her life in a road traffic collision on 28 December 2023. In the years since, her memory has inspired an extraordinary community fundraising effort involving family, friends, football supporters, businesses and organisations across Northern Ireland.

The Mayor said Paul’s determination to create something positive from profound personal loss had touched lives far beyond his own community.

‘Extraordinary courage, compassion and determination’

Paying tribute to Paul and the wider Ross family, Councillor Huggins said the £100,000 fundraising milestone represented both an exceptional achievement and an enduring legacy for Lydia.

“The Ross family’s story is one of unimaginable loss, but also of extraordinary courage, compassion and determination.

“Paul has channelled his grief into something truly remarkable, raising more than £100,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland and helping to support a service that makes such a vital difference to people across our community.”

The Mayor said the latest recognition was also a tribute to the many people who have stood alongside Paul and supported the appeal.

“Being recognised as Fundraising Volunteer Group of the Year is a fitting tribute to Paul, Lydia’s memory and everyone who has supported the Sky Blue Ribbon appeal,” she said.

From a simple ribbon to a £100,000 appeal

The Sky Blue Ribbon Appeal grew from a deeply personal tribute to Lydia, who shared her father’s passion for Ballymena United FC.

Sky blue ribbons worn in her memory by friends and fellow football supporters ultimately became the symbol of a fundraising campaign that spread across Northern Ireland’s football community and far beyond it.

The ribbons were sold at Ballymena United games and away grounds, while a succession of fundraising events and donations helped the total grow.

From sponsored walks and golf events to quiz nights, bun sales and other community fundraisers, people repeatedly found new ways to support Paul and keep Lydia’s memory at the heart of the campaign.

Ballymena United also produced a special third kit in Lydia’s memory, featuring a sky blue ribbon on the shirt, with proceeds from sales supporting the Air Ambulance fundraising effort.

Fundraising recognised at Northern Ireland awards

The scale of that community effort was formally recognised when the Sky Blue Ribbon fundraising group was named Fundraising Volunteer Group of the Year at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Awards.

The award recognises a group of people who, through their hard work, dedication and positive example, have made a meaningful difference to the charity they support as volunteers.

The 2026 awards considered fundraising activity carried out between April 2025 and March 2026.

For Paul’s campaign, the recognition followed an extraordinary period in which a simple symbol associated with Lydia became the focal point for a community determined to support a life-saving service in her name.

‘The people of Causeway Coast and Glens are proud’

Councillor Mervyn Storey , Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins, Paul Ross, James McDermott and Alderman John McAuley.

Councillor Huggins said it had been a privilege to personally recognise Paul’s contribution during the mayoral reception.

“It was a privilege to welcome Paul and recognise his incredible contribution. His fundraising has touched so many lives, and I hope he knows just how proud the people of Causeway Coast and Glens are of him and all that he has achieved.”

Tap image above to read more of Paul’s story.

The civic recognition comes as the Sky Blue Ribbon Appeal continues its work for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, ensuring that what began as a tribute to a much-loved daughter continues to make a difference to people facing some of the most critical moments of their lives.

For Paul and those who have rallied around the Ross family, the remarkable total tells only part of the story. At its heart remains Lydia — and a sky blue ribbon that has become an enduring symbol of her memory, bringing communities together and helping support a service dedicated to saving lives across Northern Ireland.