FBD Insurance has joined forces with Hooves4Hospice in aid of the planned Midland Hospice Building Fund.
Lions Clubs across these counties have proactively established Hooves4Hospice, a fundraising project to help raise funds and build awareness for what is a vital community resource.
The project was launched in January 2020 and actively sought funds to buy calves and found farmers to donate and to rear these animals to support the hospice initiative.
Despite the challenges of 2020, over 400 young animals are currently being reared by volunteer host farms.
A spokesperson for Hooves4Hospice said: “The number continues to increase as more and more farm families offer their support.”
“Thanks to the generosity of the farming community, the entire proceeds of the sale of all these animals will go towards the urgent and much needed Midland Regional Hospice Building Fund.”
Hospice care provides compassionate care for people in the last phases of an incurable disease and focuses on the quality of life for patients along with their caregivers.
Currently, the Midlands region, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, and Laois, is the only region in Ireland that does not have access to a Level3 Hospice which has proven to be beneficial around Ireland.
FBD partnership
Pat Lalor, chairperson of the Hooves4Hospice project, said:
“FBD has shown remarkable empathy with our project and the need for a Regional, Level 3 Hospice in the Midlands. Like us, they are full of admiration of the generous and practical role the farming community is playing through raising funds, which will greatly help us achieve our ambition.”
“The Midlands is the only region in Ireland that does not yet have a Level 3 Hospice. With the support and assistance of FBD, we look forward to that gap being bridged sooner than it might otherwise happen.”
“Despite the continuing restrictions brought about by the Covid19 pandemic, we are optimistic that our fundraising project will continue to prosper and that the ambition of the people of the Midlands to have a Level 3 Hospice in our region will be realised.”
Help deliver much-needed hospice
Speaking at the announcement, Chief Commercial Officer with FBD Insurance, John Cahalan said:
“We are privileged to be a partner with the Hooves4Hospice charity. This voluntary, innovative and unique fundraiser is a credit to the farming and wider communities across Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford.”
“Level 3 Hospices are a critical community resource. We would encourage anyone across the midlands who can support or get involved with this initiative to get involved through the many different options available through the Hooves4Hospice initiative.”
“We would like to acknowledge the exceptional support farm and business customers in the midlands continue to show us in FBD insurance and hope we can help play our part to help deliver a much-needed hospice for the region.”
