A recent Irish Hospice Foundation survey reveals that three quarters of Irish people want to die at home – but the stark reality is that only one quarter will get to do so mainly due to lack of hospice services and a serious funding crisis.
Supported by Bewley’s, Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning, now in its 23rd year, is one of the biggest annual fundraising initiatives for local hospices. This year’s event takes place on 17th September.
Speaking at the launch Claire Byrne said she was delighted to be supporting the event.
“I was humbled recently to experience at first hand the work and dedication of staff at St. Francis Hospice in Raheny and to hear of the amazing work that is being done by hundreds of volunteers in local hospice groups all over Ireland. I would urge people across the country to get behind Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning by organising an event for their local hospice group or supporting one on the day,” she said.
Mr Pat Quinlan, CEO of Milford Care Centre, Limerick and Chair of the Voluntary Hospice Groups, said the country’s local hospice services were facing a “serious funding crisis” as demands for palliative care increase due to our growing aging population.
“Every hospice service around the country is reporting major funding challenges with services stretched to the limit and hospice services more reliant than ever on the generosity of the public in order to continue with their work,” he said.
Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning, has become an institution since it first started brewing 23 years ago. Over 16 million cups of Bewley’s coffee have been enjoyed and an estimated €32 million raised for hospice care nationwide in this period.
The continuing success of Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning has been boosted by the development of a thriving coffee culture. On Thursday 17th September, people in workplaces, homes and local organisations across Ireland are being asked to hold a coffee morning and to collect €2 for each cup of Bewley’s fresh coffee drunk.
All money raised locally at #coffee4hospice events stays local and goes directly back to fund local hospice care services. Hospice or palliative care is for patients and their families at the stage in a serious illness where the focus has switched from treatment aimed at cure to services aimed at ensuring quality of life.
Money raised on September 17th will go towards supporting the many hospice home care teams countrywide.
Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning does make a difference. For example in 2014:
- an average of 3,204 people accessed community specialist palliative care services every
- month. 23% of these were new patients, 7% above target and a 2% increase on 2013
- an average of 740 new patients every month received specialist palliative care in the community, a 1% increase on 2013.
Mark Saunders, Bewley’s Brand Director, said the company was “extremely proud” of its long-standing support of the event.
“Hospice care is about ensuring the best possible quality of life for people throughout our communities and for a company that was originally a Quaker company, these community based values continue play a very important role in Bewley’s today. Every cup of our coffee consumed on behalf of Hospice on the 17th September will contribute to ensuring families receive the best care and support possible at end of life and we want as many people as possible to take part all over Ireland,” he said.
“We provide Bewley’s fresh ground coffee free of charge to all coffee morning hosts. The more cups of Bewley’s coffee that people enjoy the greater the benefit that will be achieved for hospices and communities all over Ireland.”
Anyone can host a coffee morning and Bewley’s provides the fresh ground coffee free of charge.
Registration advice and details on how to get your special complimentary Bewley’s fresh ground coffee pack can be obtained by contacting the Irish Hospice Foundation on (01) 679 3188.
People can also register to host a coffee morning at www.Irelandsbiggestcoffeemorning.ie
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