Unicef sacks Verwoerd by email despite recent praise

MELANIE VERWOERD has been sacked as executive director of Unicef Ireland by email — despite recent praise from the board for her fundraising efforts.

In a statement confirming her dismissal yesterday, Ms Verwoerd said she was “deeply shocked” by the decision of the chairman and board of the charity, “who had as recently as June expressed their gratitude for my efforts on the occasion of the charity’s annual report”.

Ms Verwoerd said her employment was terminated by email at 5.26pm on Friday, July 15, because the board “felt that the media interest in my relationship with Gerry Ryan, who died on April 30, 2010, was damaging Unicef”.