For the past 40 years a family from the Cregagh estate has been dedicating their time to looking after and supporting those in need in their community.
Dot Blackburn or Nanny Dot, started her work helping the vulnerable when she started to fundraise in order to help a disabled family member get the care that they needed and since then has continued to dedicate her time to supporting worthy causes in her area.
This has seen her organise charity street parties, Christmas toy drives, meals for those in need and fundraising campaigns to support sick children and their families during difficult times.
Read more: The primary school unit supporting deaf pupils for 30 years in East Belfast
Dot said: "This all started about 40 years ago when I was trying to raise the funding so that a niece of mine would be able to get care for her disability and started doing all that I could to get the money.
"After that things just continued and every year I would organise different events and fundraisers in order to donate to worthwhile causes in the area and do a bit to help anyone who might need it."
Her daughters Shelley and Ashleigh say that they grew up with their mum volunteering her time to help various causes and as they grew older they joined her in her efforts with the family who are known locally as Team Dot, with their mum's house on the Cregagh operating as their headquarters.
Shelley said: "For as long as I can remember mum has always been doing things to help others in our community and growing up it was just a normal thing for us to be around.
"She has done all sorts for local charities over the years, whether that is raising money for new equipment at the hospice or organising events to gather donations. This is on top of doing things to help people out in our area who need a bit of extra support.
"Although mum isn't quite able to do as much as she used to, Ashleigh and I have sort of taken over most things and it feels like every year we are doing more and more, and have some brilliant people who help us in everything that we do.
"In the past few years we have also started supporting some local children who have been going through cancer treatment and have started doing deliveries to the vulnerable in the area with the help of two great ladies.
"This year we are looking forward to a number of events we are preparing for, with our Mayday Madness street party for charity and our Lunch at Nanny Dot's where we will be providing packed lunches to any child from Cregagh who wants it.
"We also have to prepare throughout the year for our Christmas Toy Drive, where we receive donations from across Belfast. You cannot move in the house due to the amount of presents that we receive and it does get a bit chaotic, but it is so nice to see the generosity of people from across Belfast who donate."
Shelley said that they are hoping to develop a new headquarters for TeamDot this year, but they are struggling to find a suitable and affordable premises for them.
She said: "We would love to have somewhere we could set up a proper premises for us so that we would be able to do things a bit more officially instead of out of mum's house, but we are having trouble finding something that is right.
"We don't take any money from our donations and anything we receive goes immediately to the charities or families we are helping so we just don't have the funds to get somewhere at the moment and would be very grateful for anyone who could offer some help.
"This would give us a space to store some of the donations we receive along with having somewhere to run our meal deliveries from."
TeamDot said they would not be able to do the work it has been doing if it was not for the support of generous local people and thanked everyone who has helped them over the years and hoped they can continue supporting the community in the coming years.
If you would like to donate to TeamDot to help them continue their work you can do so through Paypal at: Teamdotpresents@hotmail.com
READ NEXT:
Belfast suicide prevention group creates Christmas music video with important message
NI social worker recognised for services to young people with cancer
Belfast teenager's food drive to help the most vulnerable this Christmas
NI mum on how tragic loss of two daughters in childhood led to writing career
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
