Mayo Players celebrate school creativity for Sunflower Children's Hospice
Andy Moran along with four Mayo Senior players visited St Aidan’s National School in Kiltimagh to congratulate the winners of the 'Linking Little Lives' Colouring Competition, a community fundraising initiative run in aid of the Sunflower Children's Hospice.
Pamex Ltd has announced the winners of its 'Linking Little Lives' Colouring Competition, a community fundraising initiative run in aid of the Sunflower Children's Hospice. The competition, which invited primary school children across County Mayo to take part, drew an exceptional response from schools, teachers, parents and pupils, with entries showcasing remarkable creativity and effort.
In a wonderful celebration of the competition results, Mayo Senior Football Manager Andy Moran, alongside players Jack Coyne, Jordan Flynn, Cian McHale and Kobe McDonald, paid a special visit to St Aidan's National School in Kiltimagh to personally congratulate the winners.
Competition Winners
Category 1 – Junior Infants to 2nd Class: 1st Prize (€50 Smyths Voucher): Jason McAndrew, Knockanillo National School, Ballina, Co. Mayo
Category 2 – 3rd to 6th Class: 1st Prize (Visit from Mayo GAA Senior Players): Emilia Lee Farrell, St Aidan's National School, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo.
2nd Prize (€200 Elverys Gift Card for the school): Charlotte Rose Corless, St Aidan's National School, Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo
The visit was met with enormous excitement throughout the school. The players congratulated Emilia and Charlotte in their classroom before joining a packed school hall for a Q&A session with all pupils. Children heard about the important work of the Sunflower Children's Hospice from Martina Jennings, CEO of the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, put their questions to the players, and enjoyed jersey signings and a kickabout outside with the Mayo stars.
Tom Murphy of Pamex Ltd, said: “We were blown away by the creativity, colour and effort shown in every single entry. It was truly amazing to see the support from across Mayo for such a worthy cause.”
Martina Jennings, CEO Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, said: “We are so grateful to Pamex and to every child across County Mayo who picked up their colours and took part in the 'Linking Little Lives' Colouring Competition. The response from schools, families and communities has been incredible and serves as a great reminder of how deeply people care about bringing vital children's hospice services to the West of Ireland. Every entry, every donation and every act of support like this brings us one step closer to making the Sunflower Children's Hospice a reality for the children and families who need it most.”
Pamex extended its sincere thanks to Andy Moran and all the Mayo players for generously giving their time to make the day so memorable, and to the students, teachers and staff of St Aidan's National School for their enthusiastic participation and warm welcome.
The colouring competition forms part of Pamex's wider 'Linking Little Lives' campaign, which has already raised more than €16,000 for the Sunflower Children's Hospice through a series of fundraising initiatives including a Family Day in Portarlington, a wine and cheese evening, generous contributions from Pamex corporate partners, a skydive by one of their employees and a local Karate club training camp event in Castlebar.
The campaign's flagship event, the 'Linking Little Lives' Relay, takes place on June 24 and 25, when the Pamex team will undertake a 235km relay from Dublin to Castlebar over 36 hours, followed by a Family Fun Day at The Mall, Castlebar on June 26.
For many families in the West of Ireland, the journey to Dublin for specialist children’s care is long and difficult. The Pamex team will walk that distance to recognise that reality and to help bring hospice services closer to home. Step by step, the walk will symbolically link the Journey from Dublin with the future hospice site in Castlebar representing the journey of care that so many families travel.
Every donation will help fund the development of the Sunflower Children's Hospice, a dedicated facility that will provide specialist palliative and respite care for children and young people living with life-limiting illnesses, alongside emotional, practical and bereavement support for families across the Western Seaboard.
To make a donation, visit www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/linkinglittlelives