The Gala Fund Raising Event organised by Wicklow County Councillors in aid the Wicklow Hospice Foundation earlier this year has been shortlisted for a Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Award.
The Gala Event held in the Parkview Hotel, Newtownmountkennedy, raised over €84,000 for the Foundation and was the brainchild of the elected members of Wicklow County Council and supported by the five Municipal Districts.
The Excellence in Local Government Awards, sponsored by Vodafone in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, are held to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work being carried out by Local Authorities all over Ireland.
Presentation of the Awards will take place in November in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin.
In its supporting submission to the Awards organisers, Wicklow County Council highlighted how in January of this year the Wicklow Hospice Foundation needed to raise an additional €1m to enable the project proceed to tender.
The total building costs are estimated at €7.5m but €4.5m was required to secure a bank loan to commence the building work. At the fundraising levels at the time it was estimated it would take five years to reach this goal which the Hospice Foundation is working hard to achieve.
The aim of the Gala Fund raising event was:
- To raise much needed funds to help the project to tender stage and to create and keep the awareness on the benefits of this County wide project.
- To lend the support of the elected members to the project, to keep the focus on the future goals and objectives of the project and to highlight the eight year journey this far.
- To do something worthwhile for the community by using their capabilities and community and business links to work in partnership with the Hospice Fund Raising Committee to assist the project reach its goals.
The event was a huge success with 320 people attending the Gala Dinner and succeeded in raising over €84,000 for the Hospice Foundation, including the contributions from the Municipal Districts.
Cllr Edward Timmins, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, welcomed the shortlisting of the project for the Excellence in Local Government Awards 2017 saying: “It was a huge honour and a privilege for the elected members and TD’s to be involved in this fundraising event. The Hospice when developed will provide end of life care to people throughout County Wicklow and I congratulate the fundraising committee and everyone involved. The nomination for the award is reflective of Wicklow Hospice Foundation’s hard work and achievements to date and not least the generosity of the people of County Wicklow who have supported the project since the very beginning. “
