Hospice AGM to takes place next week

The Annual General Meeting of Delvin Hospice Homecare takes place on Monday of next week, November 4 at 8.30pm in the Blue Hackle Inn, Delvin (Dolores Gaffney"s).All members are welcome, and the group hopes to see some new faces on the night.2008 has been a spectacularly successful year for Delvin Hospice volunteers, with the group managing to raise in excess of €42,000 in funds, which go directly towards supporting Hospice palliative care in Westmeath.Small events such as the Annual Table Quiz and Coffee Morning were well supported, and the main events for the year - the Ladies" Mini-Marathon in Dublin and the very successful pig roast at Isaac"s Well, Clonmellon - pulled in plenty of funds for the local group.Last week, the funds were presented to Marie O"Brien of Westmeath Hospice in a well-attended presentation night which followed a Mass in memory of one of Delvin Hospice Homecare"s most dedicated committee members, the late Mary Moran.At Monday night"s AGM, the committee and members will discuss planned events for the coming year, as they aim to increase the fundraising haul in 2009. First on the agenda will be the group"s forthcoming annual table quiz, which takes place in the Blue Hackle Inn on Friday of next week, November 7 at 9pm. The support of the people of Delvin and surrounding districts would be greatly appreciated.Tickets for Athboy concertMusic fans in Delvin will surely be aware that well known Irish songster Tommy Fleming will perform in concert at St. James" Church, Athboy on Friday next, November 7 at 8pm.People interested in attending the event can get their hands on tickets at Lenihan"s Butchers and Delvin Post Office, both on Main Street, Delvin. Each ticket costs €32.Friday bus service to MullingarA morning bus service from Delvin to Mullingar operates every Friday, taking senior citizens and those without private access to transport into Mullingar for their weekend shop.The service, which is run by Westmeath Rural Transport in association with local hackney operators, is a valuable one which provides pensioners with free Friday bus travel to Mullingar, or those under the age of 66 who carry a free bus pass.However, there is a very real danger that the bus service may be discontinued, owing to the small number of people who are taking advantage of it.If you would like to get on board this worthwhile trip to Mullingar every Friday morning, then please come forward to boost the numbers, because in these economically challenging times, the phrase 'use it or lose it' applies universally.For more details, phone (087) 9516647, (087) 2929624 or (087) 2372647. Those under the age of 66 and travelling without a bus pass are charged €4 return, while students may travel for €2 if they are equipped with proper student ID.Clonmellon Community Council AGMTuesday week next, November 11 is a date for the people of Clonmellon to note in their diaries, as the Annual General Meeting of Clonmellon Community Council has been scheduled for 8pm that night.All residents of Clonmellon are encouraged to come along on the night, and as Clonmellon is one of the fastest growing villages in Westmeath, it is hoped that many will attend this important meeting.The keynote speaker at the AGM will be Sgt. John Connolly, the Crime Prevention Officer for An Garda Siochána"s Longford/Westmeath Division, who is based at Mullingar Garda Station.All those who attend the forthcoming meeting - which will take place in Clonmellon Community Centre - will be entered into a raffle.All the fun of the fair at FordstownResidents of Delvin and Clonmellon looking for a day out on Sunday next, November 2 will be delighted to hear that this year"s Fordstown Street Fair kicks off at 12 noon.The fair - which takes place at Fordstown, on the Kells side of Clonmellon - is a family fun day featuring all sorts of attractions, such as cattle contests, donkey derbys, line dancing, children"s entertainment, threshing, a dog show, live music, and the selection of the 'Fordstown Culchie' for 2008.Admission is €5, and children can join in the fun for free.