Staff at the Ericsson plant in Blyry have been thanked this week for their part in raising over €5,400 for Down Syndrome Ireland.
Employee Steven Clinton organised an ice-cream party at the plant as part of a national campaign which ran across the summer months, and this week RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy presented a cheque for €285,000 to the charity.
There were a total of 1,240 such ice-cream parties held across the nation, supported by HB Hazelbrook Farm, with 22 held in Westmeath.
This year Tesco Ireland also came on board hosting HB ice cream parties in their stores to mark a very successful tenth anniversary for the campaign which has seen a total of over €2.8 million raised for Down Syndrome Ireland.
“This money raised provides much-needed funds for the development of Down Syndrome Ireland’s nationwide support services to its 3,000 member families, which are in huge demand and under resourced,” said Pat Clarke, chief executive of Down Syndrome Ireland.
Down Syndrome Ireland celebrates its 41st anniversary this year.
The organisation, which has over 3,000 member families across 25 branches nationwide, is the largest organisation concerned with the welfare of people with a learning disability in Ireland.
Down Syndrome is 97 per cent funded by voluntary contributions and events organised by its members.
As part of the campaign Down Syndrome Ireland also ran a nationwide competition, supported by American Holidays, for a€2,000 holiday voucher, and this was won by Ann O Donnell of the Leaping Frogs Child Minding Service in Limerick.
