Friday, March 29, 2024
5.5 C
Galway
HomeFarming NewsMartAid: Virtual nationwide charity auction
Catherina Cunnane
Catherina Cunnanehttps://www.thatsfarming.com/
Catherina Cunnane hails from a sixth-generation drystock and specialised pedigree suckler enterprise in Co. Mayo. She currently holds the positions of editor and general manager at That's Farming, having joined the firm during its start-up phase in 2015.
Reading Time: 4 minutes

MartAid: Virtual nationwide charity auction

Several marts across Ireland will concurrently host a live charity auction, MartAid, tomorrow (Wednesday, November 5th).

This event will be streamed globally on MartEye with hundreds of exciting products and experiences up for grabs.

The money raised will be donated to Embrace FARM in support of their work, helping those affected by farm accidents.

More than €150m worth of stock sold

MartAid is the brainchild of MartEye, which is used in 40 marts across Ireland and the UK.

Since launching only 6 months ago, the Portershed-based firm has grown at a phenomenal rate with over 50,000 active users. The company was founded at the start of COVID-19 to help marts and farmers buy and sell livestock online.

MartEye co-founder, Mark McGann, said: “Our goal was to create a product that would be affordable, easy to use and could be set-up quickly.”

- Advertisement -

“We consulted with mart owners early on to establish their needs along with the needs of the sellers and buyers.”

“We currently have over 50k active users. More than €150 million has been sold through the platform in just a few short months.”

“When marts started letting buyers in again, our downloads and engagement continued to grow at pace. The average time people spend in an app is usually around 5 minutes and with MartEye, it is five times that.”

The start-up company is holding the initiative to “give back to the incredible farming community” that has supported them.

Embrace Farm

Embrace Farm was founded by Brian and Norma Rohan in 2014. Brian with his wife Norma and extended family lost his father, Liam, Rohan, to a sudden farm accident in 2013.

Liam Rohan, in his full and healthy life, was a popular and respected farmer and had represented Ireland many times at World Ploughing Championships. He suffered a severe blow to his head while carrying out repair work on machinery and sadly died days later.

Like most farming families, the Rohans experienced great and invaluable support from neighbours and friends but were surprised to find that there was little or no emotional or practical support networks available to farm families suffering such loss.

Statistics from the HSA highlight that people are almost 10 times more likely to be killed working on a farm than any other type of work in this country. Almost half of all workplace deaths in this country are on farms.

Why MartAid is happening

Speaking on why this MartAid event is happening, Norma Rohan of Embrace FARM, “The impact a farm tragedy leaves behind on the family is huge, the emotional loss is only one aspect, there is also a practical loss.”

“In the majority of cases, it’s the farmer himself that is killed, the man that knows the running of the farm, probably has the bank account in his own name, that’s frozen.”

“He probably knows every little nook and cranny on his farm, where the wet spots are in fields, knows just how to tweak a bit of machinery to get it running smoothly, these are just a few little examples.”

“His spouse who is left behind, may know the workings of the farm, but often doesn’t as she will have her own off-farm job. She is left with what to do with the farm, how to manage her children’s grief, and how to cope with all the decisions that suddenly need to be made.”

“In many cases, she too has to live right next to in-laws who may or may not be happy with some of the decisions she has to make.”

Prizes 

“The marts and people have been so generous with their prizes and time for MartAid. AXA Insurance has also been so generous and didn’t hesitate to support this project from the beginning.” McGann said.

Prizes include:

  • A training session with Irish & Lions rugby legend Sean O Brien;
  • A team talk with the 18 times All-Ireland Cork Legend Rena Buckley;
  • A training session with the Galway Hurling star Joe Canning;
  • Two signed Liverpool jerseys signed by Jamie Carragher;
  • Moocall sensors;
  • A €400 euro voucher from O Donovan Engineering in County Cork (Cork Marts);
  • 1000 litres of tractor diesel from Ross oil Farnanes;
  • Calving camera kits.
Support

MartAid will kick off at 6pm tomorrow (Wednesday, November 5th).  To support MartAid, check out https://www.marteye.ie/martaid  or get social across Facebook and Twitter.

- Advertisment -

Most Popular