Supporting Belfast: SOS Bus NI and the LCN Awards
At the LCN Awards, held on 6th June at the Crowne Plaza Belfast, guests celebrated the very best in Northern Ireland’s hospitality scene. But amidst the glitz and glamour, there was also a deeper purpose: supporting a cause that underpins the safety and wellbeing of our city’s night-time economy.
This year, LCN proudly partnered with SOS Bus NI as our chosen charity—a decision grounded in shared values of community, compassion and collaboration.Veronica Morris, CEO of SOS Bus NI, said they were delighted to be the charity partner for the event. “It was great to meet familiar faces in the hospitality scene but also to connect with those who had not come across our work before. It’s important for us to share what we do and explore how the hospitality sector can further support us and the wider night-time economy.”
We caught up with Veronica to hear more about the incredible work being done by her dedicated team of volunteers.
“Most people don’t realise how much we actually do,” Veronica begins. “SOS Bus has been around for almost 20 years, and with just two and a half staff and over 130 trained volunteers, we deliver up to 20,000 hours of voluntary service each year.”
“We are incredibly grateful to the Licensing and Catering News team and everyone who donated on the night. The £3,350 raised will go directly towards supporting vulnerable individuals on the streets of Belfast. It’s a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when the hospitality sector comes together in compassion and solidarity with the most vulnerable of our citizens. Thank you for standing with us.”
The organisation runs five core programmes, all aimed at supporting the most vulnerable in Belfast, particularly in the city centre and during the busiest times in the night-time economy. From their Compassionate Action Programme, which operates Monday to Thursday afternoons engaging with those who are homeless, intoxicated through alcohol or incapacitated through drugs or unwell, to their vital Night-Time Support Programme on Fridays and Saturdays, SOS Bus is a quiet but crucial presence in the city.
Veronica explains that the volunteers are trained in both emergency first aid and mental health support. “They’re out on foot and in our distinctive buses, working in close partnership with the PSNI, Belfast City Council and other local agencies. We support anyone who’s vulnerable—be it through overdose, emotional distress or simply being separated from their friends.”
Their reach extends far beyond the streets of Belfast. From major concerts and festivals to university campuses and refugee transport services, SOS Bus NI is embedded in every corner of community care. “We were at over 30 events last year,” Veronica shares, “including St Patrick’s Day, Culture Night and all the big summer festivals. We’ve got minibuses set up like ambulances. We even transport people to hospital when ambulances are delayed. It’s a big operation, often quietly done in the background.”
That sense of quiet impact is exactly what drew LCN to this organisation.
“In a city like Belfast, collaboration is key,” Veronica says. “We work hand in hand with the police, the council and now increasingly with hospitality businesses too. Events like the LCN Awards help raise awareness and open the door to new partnerships.”
Through its Compass Alliance initiative, SOS Bus is also creating a forum for businesses and stakeholders to come together and find more compassionate, practical solutions to challenges facing Belfast’s nightlife and public spaces.
For us at LCN, championing the hospitality sector means recognising the systems that keep it safe, sustainable and humane. SOS Bus NI is one of those systems and we’re proud to have stood with them at this year’s awards.
To learn more or get involved, visit: www.sosbusni.com
