Irish drinks company Walsh Whiskey*, through its international community of supporters, has raised €16,000 (over US$18,000) to fund 1,000 hours of homecare for youngsters supported by the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation.
The foundation, which has a ‘no care like home care’ motto, provides specialised nursing care for young children with complex medical and life-threatening conditions, for whom life is uncertain and every day is a challenge.
Walsh Whiskey noted how the COVID-19 pandemic has created serious financial trouble for many charities, including the Jack & Jill Foundation.
“The €16,000 raised will fund a whopping 1,000 hours of home nursing care for the 340 extra special children under our wing, giving their families a break from the non-stop role of caring” – Jack & Jill Foundation CEO Carmen Doyle
Just over a month ago, Walsh Whiskey Founders Bernard and Rosemary Walsh set up a raffle to support the charity. As the prize, they donated their personal collection of all nine vintages of Writers’ Tears Vintage Cask Strength, a super-premium Irish whiskey produced since 2011.
When bottled later this year, the 2020 vintage will be added to the prize, which was won by Liam Boland from Dingle in a live broadcast on Facebook yesterday (9 July).
Supporters purchased raffle tickets via Eventbrite and Walsh Whiskey has covered the platform’s fees to ensure the total amount will go towards nursing care for seriously ill children under five years old.
Bernard Walsh said: “Rosemary and I are very grateful to everyone in the wider Walsh Whiskey community that supported these children and their families. The raffle is now concluded, but people who missed it can still donate directly to the Jack & Jill Foundation at www.jackandjill.ie/how-you-can-help/donate.”
Jack & Jill Foundation CEO Carmen Doyle commented: “We want to thank Bernard and Rosemary, and the Walsh Whiskey team, for making this wonderful raffle happen and we are so very grateful to every single person who bought a ticket.
“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on our fundraising calendar and we want to thank everyone for answering our SOS appeal by supporting Jack & Jill. The €16,000 raised will fund a whopping 1,000 hours of home nursing care for the 340 extra special children under our wing, giving their families a break from the non-stop role of caring. So, from our community to yours thank you so very much.”
The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation was set up in 1997 by Jonathan Irwin, and his wife Mary Ann O’Brien, in memory of their son, Jack, who suffered a brain trauma shortly after birth. The foundation takes its name from a nursery rhyme which has its Jack and Jill characters going up a hill to fetch a pail of Water. “Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after”: The reference to crown or head is synonymous with brain trauma or injury. Jack & Jill provides critical home nursing care and end-of-life support to 340 children from birth to five years of age in Ireland with highly complex medical conditions. These are extra special children who may not be able to walk or talk, are tube fed, oxygen dependent and require around the clock care. The Jack & Jill service operates seven days a week, has no waiting list and mobilises an army of community nurses and carers. |
*Note: Walsh Whiskey is a Silver Partner at the inaugural Moodie Davitt Virtual Travel Retail Expo, the defining travel retail event of the year. The Irish drinks specialist is one of many top-class players in a stellar-line up of independent and multi-nationals at this breakthrough Expo. For details, please contact Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com