Fundraising coffee morning at St Brigid’s School
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Tara from St Brigid’s School at the fundraiser with Garda Paul Martin, Peter Bourke, TD, and Joanne Jordan, principal.Image 2 of 6
Orla and Cliona, pass pupils, visited for the event.Image 3 of 6
Niall Barrett, SNA, with Emily and Aaqueenn, who were on duty collecting the funds.Image 4 of 6
Brenda Cahill and Isolda Kearney, SNAs at St Brigid’s.Image 5 of 6
Sara, Sophie and Noelle preparing the tea and coffee.Image 6 of 6
Deputy Bourke with Lorna Butler, deputy principal, and Ms Jordan.The annual fundraising coffee morning at St Brigid’s School in Mullingar brings together students, parents, and the wider community to support local charities, North Westmeath Hospice and the Westmeath Longford branch of Down Syndrome Ireland.
Principal Joanne Jordan said the connections are personal and they inspire the event each year. “The kids bring in the goods in the week leading up to the coffee morning, and we ask parents to donate as well,” she said. “I don’t think there’s any family in the school that hasn’t, in some way, been touched by cancer.”
Joanne’s mother passed away from cancer last year, and she knows how important the supports are. “The services and facilities provided to families are just unmeasurable. They are a lifeline.
“Every year, we host this event for North Westmeath Hospice, and Down Syndrome Ireland are very good to us as well, so they’re the two charities that we aim to give something back to each year, because we have a few families in school who are impacted by cancer, and we like to help support the hospice so they can provide end of life care and support to families.”
Peter Burke, TD, was a guest at the event. Joanne said: “We always invite Peter to our coffee morning because he’s very good to our school and supports young people with disabilities.”