Event Press Releases

Press Release
26th August 2007

                     Reaching new heights in Newry

On 26th August 2007, 45 people took part in the first abseil, at the Canal Court Hotel, since it opened 10 years ago, in aid of the Southern Area Hospice Services and The Active Group (TAG). Most of the participants wanted a challenge and to take part in the first Abseil down the Canal Court Hotel. Some participants wanted to conquer their fear of heights or fulfil a dream and some wanted to accomplish the abseil for a relative or friend. Most importantly, they wanted to raise much-needed funds for their chosen charities.

The Canal Court Hotel is based in the heart of Newry City and was the perfect location to organise a fundraising abseil. Canal Court Hotel is a four-star hotel, renowned for its high quality, fine dining, superior accommodation and relaxing atmosphere. The hotel is synonymous with entertainment having established itself as the social hub of Newry. Lisa Mc Crink, Hospice Events and PR Officer, stated:

Excitement and tension was rising as the different teams of participants prepared in the Carrick Suite, as they received their training. Laughter filled the room as people joked to reduce any fears and help relax each other. Each participant showed wonderful support and encouragement to their fellow team members. As each participant made their journey up the rear steps of the Canal Court Hotel, the breeze was blowing around their faces, they were able to get a feeling of how high they were going to be abseiling down. The abseil took place at the rear of the Hotel. Each participant could view across the city of Newry from the rooftop before abseiling down the 60ft drop. A professional photographer was available also on the day to take a dream-fulfilling photograph for each participant to take home with them.

The charity abseil resulted in an exciting, fun and challenging way to get people to come together and enabling the participants to have both an exhilarating and rewarding experience, while raising much-needed funds for Southern Area Hospice Services and The Active Group (TAG).

The Southern Area Hospice Services (SAHS) is now operating 18 years to date. It has continued to grow and expand its palliative care services throughout the Southern Health Board Area providing palliative care to those suffering with cancer and chronic neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease. SAHS operational costs are in the region of £2million pounds with an ambitious fundraising target of £1.8million for 2007. The money raised from the abseiling event will go towards the medical fund and helping others. For more Hospice information please phone (028) 3025 1333 or visit the Hospice website www.southernareahospiceservices.org. Lisa Mc Crink stated:

“On behalf of the Southern Area Hospice Service, we would like to thank all the abseiling participants, who raised wonderful funds for their local Hospice. By helping us, you are helping others. We are always surprised by the overwhelming support that we receive from the local community and would like to sincerely thank them for their support and generosity throughout the years”.

The Active Group (TAG) was formed in early 2002 to meet the social needs of young adults with a learning disability from the Newry and Mourne Area. TAG Members are aged between 18 and 30, who have a mild to moderate learning disability. Through Fundraising, TAG are able to provide a wide range of activities for their members to take part in. For more information on TAG please contact The TAG Coordinator, by phoning 07818 418 486 or via email: theactivegroup@hotmail.co.uk.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Lisa Mc Crink (Events and PR Officer)
Southern Area Hospice Services
St.John’s House, Courtenay Hill,
Newry, BT34 2EB
Tel: (028) 3025 1333

Donna O’Hagan (TAG Co-Ordinator)
The Active Group (TAG)
C/o Newry & Mourne HSST,
John Mitchell Place,
Newry, BT34 2BU
Tel: 07818 418 486

Press Release

28th March 2007

         Golf:Warrenpoint offering £20k prize find at first

                                  pro-am in 20 years

WARRENPOINT Golf Club is staging its first Pro-Am event in 20 years this summer.

And it will be the top tournament after the Irish PGA Championship with a £20,000 prize pot on offer for the professional players.

New club captain Paul Digney decided to stage the competition in June to raise money for the Southern Area Hospice Services.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for local golfers to play with some of the best professional golfing talent in Ireland," he said.

"We hope to have at least 50 top professionals to play alongside each team of three amateurs.

"The main purpose of this event is to raise vitally needed funds for Southern Area Hospice Services.

"It faces an enormous task this year of raising in excess of £1.8 million to support the tremendous work they do to provide palliative care for the people of our community suffering from or affected by cancer or terminal illness.

"Your support for the Iveagh Movie Studios Charity Pro-Am will go towards running the 12-bed inpatient unit at St John's House in Newry, the day unit, outpatient units in Craigavon and South Tyrone Hospitals, medical home visits, social work and bereavement counselling services."

Majella Gollogly, fundraising manager for Southern Area Hospice Services, added: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank Paul Digney and Warrenpoint Golf Club for all their support over the years.

"Every local fundraising effort undertaken goes towards meeting our target for this year which will allow us to continue to provide a high level of care and services. We are looking forward to the Pro-Am and hope that local golfers will turn out in force for the event."

Michael McCumiskey, secretary of the PGA, said: "The PGA is delighted to be going back to Warrenpoint after an absence of over 20 years.

" Warrenpoint has produced many top golfers over the years and it is a pleasure to bring our PGA members to such a first class facility."

Press Release

26th March 2007

             5th Annual South Armagh Half Marathon & Fun Route
           will takes place on Saturday 25 August 2007 @ 12 noon
                  Organised by Women & Family Health Initiative,

                                                   South Armagh.

The Women & Family Health Initiative’s aim is to promote, develop and support community based health projects within South Armagh. The Half Marathon & Fun Route is open to walkers, runners and wheelchair users, but is primarily a walking event, organised to promote and increase physical activity for everyone aged 16 and over.

Each year we nominate local charities that participants may raise sponsorship for and this year we have chosen Southern Area Hospice Services. Tell your family & friends, near and far about this event. Physical activity is so beneficial for our health & well being, so come out, get out and get training. Remember also that this is your opportunity to help terminally ill patients and their families by raising sponsorship for this very worthy charity.

The Launch of our South Armagh Half Marathon & Fun Route will take place at our ‘Spring Into Action’ Health Information Evening on Wed 25 April in Meigh Community Centre. Time:- 7.30 - 9.00pm. Application Forms for Half Marathon & Fun Route will be available on this night. However you may register online now @ www.activeeurope.com

Press Release

29th February 2007

                 Upcoming Abseiling Event at the Canal Court
                         to help raise funds for Local Hospice

Fancy a challenge? Want to conquer your fear of heights? Want to organise a group of people from your workplace to have an exciting team-building day out of the office? Want to fulfil a dream to abseil?

Don’t hang around, join our hospice abseiling event at the Canal Court Hotel. It will be a fun day for everyone and an event to remember. You will be grabbing an opportunity to abseil down the Canal Court Hotel in Newry on Sunday 22nd of April 2007. A local company, Outdoor Concepts will provide the necessary safety equipment, qualified instructors, on-the day training for participants and moral support where required!! Organising a charity abseil is an exciting and challenging way to get people to come together and have both an exhilarating and rewarding experience, while raising much-needed funds for your local hospice.

The Southern Area Hospice Services (SAHS) is now operating 18 years to date. It has continued to grow and expand its palliative care services throughout the Southern Health Board Area providing palliative care to those suffering with cancer and chronic neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease. SAHS operational costs are in the region of £2million pounds with an ambitious fundraising target of £1.8 million for 2007. This breaks down into £200 an hour that needs to be funded to enable the SAHS to continue to provide specialist care to those who need palliative care across the Southern Health Board Region.

Through taking part in the abseiling event and raising the sponsorship amount of £200 you will be helping to cover one hour of medical costs for Southern Area Hospice Services. To register for the abseil you must be over 16 years of age. Anyone between the age of 16 and 18 must have their form signed by a parent or guardian and should be accompanied also on the day by this person. For more information and to request a registration pack please contact the Fundraising Office at (028) 3025 1333.

Press Release

February 2007

                             Raising Funds and Fitness Levels

It’s mid February and the health and fitness scheme you planned for yourself in January has been cast aside with the low fat food and the jogging bottoms. Even though you’ve uttered the words, “I never want to see another piece of chocolate again”, or, “I’m going walking every evening this week”, it just hasn’t materialised and now your motivation levels are at an all time low! Pretending not to care will only work for a little while so give yourself a shake, imagine how much better you’ll feel when you do a little exercise and go find those jogging bottoms where you last hid them from sight. Giving yourself a goal to work towards is a great way of helping you to stay motivated so why not get fit while raising some vital funds for your local Hospice!

This year is the 25th Annual Flora Women’s 10k Mini Marathon which is the biggest all women event of it’s kind. It takes place on Monday 4th June 2007 in Dublin City Centre. This gives you plenty of time to train if you would like a challenge and would like to jog or run it this year. However, women of all ages and levels of fitness are urged to take part and you can choose to walk, jog or run (or do a combination of the three - it’s your choice!) This event is the biggest all women event of its kind.

Kerry Quinn, Regional Marketing Officer for Southern Area Hospice appeals to ladies throughout the region to take part in the event this year. Kerry said, “Last year, the Mini Marathon was a huge success for us. More than 170 women took part for Southern Area Hospice and we had a brilliant day out. The organisation of the event in Dublin was fantastic, especially considering the fact that there were over 40,000 women taking part! It really was a fantastic day and I’m looking forward to taking part again this year. I also want to thank everyone who took part last year and helped us to raise a huge amount of money. I look forward to seeing you all again this year and hope we are as successful again.”

Southern Area Hospice will provide return transport and your race t-shirt on the day. For further information and a registration form, contact Kerry on (028) 3025 1333 or email quinnk@southernareahospiceservices.org. The number of entries will be limited so to avoid disappointment, please register as soon as possible (before 30th March) to ensure you can take part.

Press Release
November 2006

                               Hospice invites you to remember ….

As the Christmas Season approaches Southern Area Hospice Services prepare to illuminate their Light Up A Life tree (Thursday 7th December 2006 in the Hospice grounds), and invite members of the public to remember their loved ones by sponsoring a light on the Hospice Christmas Tree.

One relative who has dedicated a light in memory of his father explained:

“ my father passed away in the Hospice last year and we take comfort from dedicating a light in his memory. It helps us to know that by doing so we are not only remembering dad, but also helping the hospice care for others. I hope to continue to do this every Christmas as my gift to dad and in thanks to the hospice”.

Thanks to the generosity of the Royal Mail postworkers, all homes throughout the Southern Health Board Area should soon have a dedication form, to dedicate a light on the hospice Christmas tree simply fill in this form and return it using the envelope provided. Alternatively telephone the fundraising office on (028) 3025 1333 and one will be forwarded to you. All Dedications will be accepted until Christmas.

Press release
September 2006

            Why not host a Coffee Morning and help the Hospice?
Ireland’s biggest coffee morning is taking place this year on the 14th of September. It could not be easier to raise money for the Hospice. Simply gather family, friends or work colleagues together and charge them for their coffee. Coffee will be provided free of charge by Bewleys. It's really that simple. To register as a coffee morning host, contact Kerry at the fundraising office on (028) 3025 1333.

Press Release
September 2006

             HOSPICE AND BUTTERCRANE TEAM UP FOR HAPPY

                            CHRISTMAS FOR HOSPICE PATIENTS

Southern Area Hospice Services and Buttercrane Centre in Newry launched their new Christmas Card Collection with all proceeds going directly to the Hospice.

The Christmas cards depict familiar scenes taken by local photographer Mark Pearce and included Narrow Water Castle and the viaduct at Bessbrook Winter in the Mournes was captured by Belfast photographer Chris Hill.

Buttercrane Centre have sponsored the production of the Christmas cards thus ensuring that every penny spent on these local scene cards will go towards boosting the Hospice funds for provision of care.

Siobhan McArdle, Hospice Fundraising Co-ordinator, said,

“We are delighted that at last these special Hospice Christmas Card have been produced, the idea has been in the pipeline for some years, and we are very grateful to the Buttercrane Centre and the photographers for helping to make the idea a reality."

"We hope that local people will support the Hospice Christmas Card promotion and help us improve the services that are necessary to help our terminally ill patients."

Southern Area Hospice Services cares for people with terminal illness living in the Southern Health and Social Services Board Area of Northern Ireland, from Fivemiletown to Dromore, Newry to Portadown, and Dungannon to Castlewellan. We are a registered charity and are totally dependent on the support of the local community to provide our wide range of care and support services.

With a fundraising target of £1.7 million for 2006, we need to raise a whopping £200 every single hour to help people affected by terminal illness”.

Peter Murray, Manager of the Buttercrane Centre, said,

“The Christmas cards are fantastic and the Buttercrane Centre is extremely pleased to be working with such a worthwhile and active charity within our local community. We wish them every success with their Christmas Card appeal”.

Southern Area Hospice Services Christmas cards are available from the Hospice Reception, Hospice Shops, the Buttercrane Centre or by telephoning the fundraising dept on (028) 3025 1333 for a brochure.

Press Release
4th August 2006

                      Hospice Doctor encourages you to sign up for

                                  London Marathon "Team 2007"

Are you a keen runner? Is it an ambition of yours to complete the London Marathon? Have you a dream to be like Paula Radcliffe or Dwain Chambers for a day and to feel the adrenalin of participating in one of the world's greatest sporting events?

Southern Area Hospice Services are offering people the chance to help their local Hospice and to get fit at the same time. For the first time ever our local Hospice has 10 guaranteed places in next year's Flora Marathon being held on 22nd April 2007 and Hospice Doctor, Dr Lawrence Dorman, has been the first to sign up.

Dr Dorman is urging people in the locality to join him in taking advantage of opportunity to participate in the London Marathon. Dr Dorman said:

"This is a fantastic opportunity for Hospice to be able to send ten people to one of the greatest and most challenging events of the sporting calendar. I'm really looking forward to it. Working for Hospice, I have first hand experience of how important the services that the Hospice provides are to those patients and families who need them. By competing in the London Marathon 2007 we hope to raise thousands of pounds for the Hospice in order to reach the £1.74 million target needed so the Hospice can continue to provide vital services to local people".

Running 26 miles through many famous London districts and past many landmarks, including Cutty Sark and the Tower of London, whilst capturing the ambiance, the excitement and anticipation of the day, will be an achievement of a lifetime!!

If you are in good health and have a good level of fitness why not join Dr Dorman in completing the fabulous challenge of the London Marathon 2007 and run in aid of Southern Area Hospice Services. Participants who feel they are up to this challenge and would like to join Dr Dorman are asked to contact the Hospice immediately as places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. To register please call Emma Trainor on (028) 3025 1333 or by email trainore@southernareahospiceservices.org

Press Release
June 2006

                              Mexico Volcano and Rainforest Trek

The Southern Area Hospice has just launched their fifth overseas trekking challenge to Mexico. The trek will take place in November 2007 (date to be confirmed). Mexico Volcano and Rainforest Trek is a 67km trek through a variety of scenery including sub-tropical rainforest and a 4200m climb to the summit volcano de Perote. The trek finishes with an 18km white water rafting experience. Mexico is a traveller’s paradise, crammed with a multitude of opposing identities: desert landscapes, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient ruins, teeming industrialised cities, time-warped colonial towns, glitzy resorts, lonely beaches and a world-beating collection of flora and fauna.

The Mexico Volcano and Rainforest Trek has fantastic views from the tops of high extinct volcanoes and takes a trail through low lying sub-tropical rainforest and traditional Indian villages nestled in hidden gorges. It gives a glimpse of an ancient Indian way-of-life that has changed little over the years. A day rafting on the Rio Pescades and Antigua through a beautiful canyon of Volcanic rock and tropical vegetation completes our trek.

If you are interested in finding out more about this fantastic trek please call the fundraising office on 02830251333 to request a trek information pack.

Press release
April 2006

                 Annual Dinner Dance raises a spectacular £50,000

One of the biggest annual fundraising events for the Hospice took place on Friday 7th April, when the 36th annual dinner dance took place in the Canal Court Hotel. The business community turned out to support the Hospice Dinner dance, organised by the dedicated dance committee, raising a spectacular amount of £50,000 for the Southern Area Hospice Services.

The sparkling repartee and style were matched by the fantastic raffle and auction prizes on offer which included lunch at the House of Lords with Lord Rogan, sponsored by stakeholder Communications; a fine dining experience for eight in your own home cooked by chef Simon Dougan of the Yellow Door Deli and a Pat Jennings Hosted lunch and tickets for Tottenham Hotspur.

Bidding was fierce as auctioneer Gary Best of Best Property Services encouraged diners to part with their cash to help fund the vital services provided by the Hospice throughout the year. The evening concluded with dancing to Luv Bug and was hailed as a resounding success by the Committee’s Liam Goss. The event’s main sponsors were The Quays, Hughes Bookmakers, Newry Democrat, First Trust Bank, O’Hare & McGovern Ltd, Group 4 Securicor and Killowen Contracts Ltd. The Committee was grateful to those who contributed auction and raffle prizes, to all who gave of their time to ensure the event’s success and to the patrons for their continued support.

Press Release:
31st January 2006

                 John Dalzell Sit-out raised £100,000 for Local Hospice
John Dalzell Sit-Out Team exceeded all expectations by collecting the astonishing amount of £100,000 in aid of the Southern Area Hospice. All of the £100,000 raised by “The John Dalzell Sit-out Team” will go directly to the hospice to help us care for local people who need our help.

John Dalzell MBE has been actively fundraising for the Southern Area Hospice Services since 1989. Inspired by the work of Black Santa in Belfast, John decided to mirror his efforts and stage a sit-out here in Newry to help local people affected by cancer or other serious illness. For the past 15 years, the week before Christmas each year has seen John and his team of volunteers on Hill Street in Newry. In recent years John has extended his sit-out greatly to cover many other areas. He now has collections in Armagh, Banbridge, Portadown, Dungannon and many other towns.

John Dalzell and his team dedicate a lot of hard work and time into organising the sit-out appeal, and are always keen on improving the sit-out to make it more memorable for the community. John conducts a Christmas Band Parade down Hill Street in Newry in celebration of the finale of the sit-out. John and his team begin working on the appeal in the early part of the summer and do not rest until the last penny raised is handed over to the Hospice in January. Management and Staff at the Southern Area Hospice Services would like to thank John, his team, including the SELB Bus Drivers organised by Phelim Lally, PSNI, all of the local businesses and everyone who supported the Sit-out 2005, for their tremendous hard work, loyalty and determination in raising such an amazing amount to help us to continue providing specialist care to our patients and their families.

Press Release
12th January 2006

                         Southern Area Hospice Services Slimathon
Southern Area Hospice Services is urging the people of Newry and Mourne to take the challenge and lose Ibs to raise £'s in their 2006 Slimathon. Anyone interested in participating can go along to the treatment room of the Newry Sports Centre to register between 11am and 7pm on Thursday, January 19 and Friday January 20th or between 11am and 5pm on Saturday January 21. For further Slimathon information call the Hospice on (028) 3025 1333.
Run in association with Newry Sports Centre and Weight Watchers, all proceeds from the Slimathon are in aid of the Southern Area Hospice Services. Those who return their money before Saturday March 4th will be entered into a fantastic draw.