GENEROUS Patsy Moloney is well known in the town for his dedication to promoting the welfare of others.

Now the boot is on the other foot as Patsy has been nominated for a Pride Of Swindon award for all his charitable and community works throughout the years.

“It feels strange but I am absolutely delighted,’’ said Patsy who, for many years, organised gigs and events in The Ship pub in Westcott Place, now the 12 Bar.

“I remember I had a man in a bath of beans outside The Ship, another on a toilet and another lying in bed,” he said.

“I had volunteers to press the lights at the crossing to get money from drivers passing by.

“It was all as a gimmick to raise money for the Prospect Hospice.’’

The 67-year-old, from Helston Road, in Swindon was nominated by Carol Gibbon, the new chairman of the Old Town Festival.

“I have known Patsy since 2003, when I joined the Old Town Festival committee,” said Carol.

“Patsy was the chairman of the entertainments committee and organised the parade, introduced the dog show and became the festival vice-chairman.’ He was with the festival committee for 15 years.

“I will miss it,’’ he said. “I met a lot of good people.’’

Every Christmas Patsy gives up his time to make sure the homeless of Swindon spend the festive period in the warm, tucking into a turkey dinner and sleeping in a proper bed through his efforts with Christmas Care, a shelter at Queens Drive Methodist Church Hall.

The Irish community in the town owes Patsy a huge debt as he almost single handedly pulled them all together with his Irish dances, social gatherings and concerts at the Wyvern Theatre.

He said: “I had a full house at the Wyvern for all four concerts with stars like Brendan Shine.

“The dances gave the Irish community somewhere to go and it kept them together.’’ His daughter Sarah ran her own Irish dance academy and her students would give displays at her father’s dances.

The Children In Need campaign and play equipment for Brimble Hill School also had Patsy lobbying for funds and he sent a number of sick children from the former convent in Groundwell Road on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, in France.

Today Patsy is spearheading the steering committee for The Dome community centre in Walcot. “ “We will be voting in the committee on March 8 and I have put forward to become chairman,’’ said Patsy.

“We should have the keys by the middle of May and we have the summer to look forward to.”