Call to support Irish Red Cross fundraiser
Volunteers clock up a million minutes a month
Irish Red Cross volunteers, including those in the Cashel branch and other branches across Co Tipperary, give one million minutes of their time every month helping people and communities across Ireland, from responding to medical emergencies to supporting communities affected by storms, flooding and other crises. Now, as Ireland enters the winter storm season, the Irish Red Cross is calling on the public to help strengthen that vital volunteer network through A Million Minutes, a new national fundraising and awareness campaign launching today.
This month, on October 25 the clocks go back and people in Ireland will gain an extra hour. ‘A Million Minutes’ campaign is asking people to give back their hour by taking the Irish Red Cross 1 hour challenge – Walk, Run, Hike, Cycle, Dance, Play, Learn - and raise vital funds for the Irish Red Cross.
With extreme weather and other emergencies placing increasing demands on communities, funds raised through A Million Minutes will help strengthen the capacity and capability of Irish Red Cross volunteers and branches nationwide, ensuring they are equipped and ready to respond when people need them most.
In Cashel, the Irish Red Cross branch will host a CPR demonstration and bucket collection in SuperValu on Cashel Main Street on Saturday, October 24, and everyone is welcome to get a taster of vital lifesaving skills.
Martin O’Keeffe, Irish Red Cross, Cashel branch said, “Crises don’t wait until we’re ready. The Cashel branch of the Irish Red Cross is focussed on preparing for emergencies – be it a severe storm, flooding, a fire or pandemic - responding when needed and helping the Cashel community recover stronger. We are preparing by upskilling our volunteers and increasing the capacity of our branch. With the support of the public and local businesses we can do even more. We are inviting everyone to take the Irish Red Cross 1 hour challenge – be that a sponsored run, walk, cycle, swim - and help us raise ‘A million Minutes’ – essentially help us buy more vital preparation time - to train our volunteers, maintain and upgrade their equipment, and make our branch network even stronger, and better able to respond to their communities in times of crisis.”
Irish Red Cross Cashel branch supports its local community in a wide variety of ways, including:
- providing first aid cover at local events and sporting occasions – enabling people to safely enjoy events like car racing at Tipperary Raceway, Rosegreen, just outside Cashel; ladies Gaelic football matches in New Inn and Fethard Town Park; community events such as family open days in Cashel and Fethard, and concerts and sporting events held in the Cashel area. - training community groups and school children in first aid – boosting lifesaving community skills, as well as teaching CPR and AED skills to the local Community First Responder group; - supporting vulnerable or ill people isolated due to heavy snow, storms or flooding – bringing essential supplies but importantly human care and connection, bringing people to medical facilities. - transferring patients with mobility or transport challenges to medical appointments, ensuring they can receive critical continuity of care, including nursing home residents in Cashel.
Martin recalls a particularly rewarding patient transfer during very heavy snow a number of years ago.
Martin explained, “The Cashel branch was called on to help a young dialysis patient who needed to get to his treatment in Dublin. It had been snowing very heavily and his home was located on top of a very steep incline. Other vehicles had tried to reach his house unsuccessfully. Thankfully our 4 X4 patient transfer vehicle managed to get through the snow and we brought him to his treatment in Dublin. I'll never forget how relieved and grateful his parents were, and how everyone involved was delighted to have been able to help. That is why is we do what we do. To help others – to be side by side with them, when needed.”
HOW TO SUPPORT CAMPAIGN
To support these initiatives and give one million minutes back to the Irish Red Cross visit www.amillionminutes.com to kick start your 1 hour challenge or to make a donation.