‘Please support us’ - Sunflower Day launched at Market Square

North Westmeath Hospice is asking people to support them during this year’s Sunflower Day which is taking place on June 7 and 8.

The annual fundraising event is celebrating its 30-year anniversary in North Westmeath and was officially launched at Market Square in Mullingar on Tuesday, May 21.

North Westmeath Hospice provides palliative care services in the area to people in their own homes or in dedicated beds at Regional Hospital Mullingar or Killucan.

At the launch, chairperson of their fundraising committee Margaret Claffey said the sunflower is a “symbol of hope”.

“We’re hoping to raise some much-needed funds this Sunflower Day that will help support our specialist palliative care team,” she said.

“Everyone knows at this stage that they provide excellent end-of-life care to all who are terminally ill in the area.

“It’s going to start on polling day this year, so hopefully people will be out and about for it.

“Everyone in North Westmeath has been incredibly loyal to us over the years and we’re once again asking them to come out and support us on June 7 and June 8.”

Ms Claffey said it's one of their biggest fundraising events of the year, along with the coffee morning in September, and wished to remind everyone that “all funds raised locally will stay local”.

North Westmeath Hospice ambassador Tina Kelleher, of ‘The Snapper’ fame, said she’s been involved with the organisation since the mid-90s.

“I’ve always been involved in the hospice because my family has had the privilege of using their palliative care services,” she said.

“My father died 23 years ago and I will always remember the service we got from the hospice, it really left a lasting impression on our family.

“It was really important to daddy to die at home and it was important for us to be able to do that for him.

“The hospice palliative care team allowed us to be able to do that, they are a magnificent team and this is a fantastic charity.”