TWENTY-FIVE doves were released in Limerick yesterday to launch the annual fundraising drive for the Milford Hospice care centre. The doves represented 25 years of fundraising for the centre, which provides a range of inpatient and hospice services in the midwest.
The Silver Jubilee harvest fair will take place on August 29th and is set to be the centre’s biggest fair to date, according to organisers. One of the largest tented villages in the midwest will be erected on 13 acres of tarmac at the UniGolf club in Castletroy.
Eamonn Ryan, who has been chairman of the harvest fair for the past 25 years, said yesterday the focus this year would be on family fun and value. He complimented those who had continued to attend the fair, ensuring the “largest and best-run event of its kind in the country”.
He asked people to make an effort to support the charity this year in the light of the additional financial pressure on services.
Milford care centre continues to develop its range of inpatient and hospice services provided to patients and their families throughout Clare, Limerick and north Tipperary.
Pat Quinlan, chief executive of Milford hospice, said: “While these are challenging economic times for everyone, our aim is to deliver the highest standard of services possible, because that is what the people of the midwest fully deserve.”
He asked the local community to support the Milford fair as they had in the past.
“Fundraising events such as the harvest fair greatly assist our voluntary fundraising efforts for our hospice services,” Mr Quinlan added.