Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation is appealing to people to support this year’s Hospice Coffee Morning, together with Bewley’s.
The campaign has been launched by Together for Hospice, which consists of fundraising representatives of Hospice and specialist palliative homecare services throughout the country.
The campaign is celebrating its 28th year and Hospices nationwide together with long-standing partner Bewley’s, are calling on the Irish public to host a coffee morning on Thursday, September 24, to help raise vital funds for their local hospice.
This year due to Covid-19 restrictions, coffee morning hosts are encouraged to host socially distanced or virtual coffee mornings to ensure the safety of attendees and adherence to government guidelines.
It is hoped that this year’s events, whether held in small groups in homes or virtually with colleagues and friends, will raise much-needed funds for hospices across Ireland, to meet growing demands for the services.
CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, Martina Jennings, said: "Our coffee morning hosts range from families who have availed of the service and experienced the work of our wonderful palliative care teams first hand, right through to neighbours and work colleagues of the patient and the family, who have heard of what we do.
"The coffee morning is a really enjoyable social event for those who wish to host one and indeed for those who attend, even if this year is a little bit different for everyone.
"This is another very busy year for the Foundation, despite the fact that COVID-19 has caused disruption to fundraising and led to the closure of our shops earlier this year.
"Construction is underway on the Roscommon Hospice and it will be completed next year. All €6m of that cost will come from fundraised income. Our Mayo Hospice was completed last year at a cost of €9m, again all of which came from fundraised income.
"We are just so grateful to the people of our two counties who tirelessly support our Foundation year after year. Without the help of the public and their generosity in raising much needed funds, we would not be able to have undertaken the financial cost to build these much-needed facilities in Mayo and Roscommon.
"Thanks to the generosity of Bewley's, every single euro raised by people who host a local coffee morning, goes directly to Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation.
"Additionally, Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation also funds the palliative home care service across the two counties. This costs over €2 million annually and as the demand for this much-needed free service increases, so too do the running costs for the foundation."
Last year coffee hosts raised an incredible total of €122,298.68 at venues right across the two counties.
If you wish to register to host a Coffee Morning, you can log onto https://www.hospice.ie/campaigns/coffee-morning/, call them on 094-9388666 or email [email protected].
Once you register you will receive your free Bewley’s Coffee pack, which contains all you need to be a host for Coffee Morning. Remember every cup counts!
If you cannot host or attend a coffee morning, you can make a donation to Mayo Roscommon Hospice by logging onto https://www.hospice.ie/donations/donate-online/ or by calling the number above.
