Support Hospice Care Over a Coffee – Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning

This Autumn people across Ireland are being encouraged to support their local hospice service by having a cup of coffee for Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning. Now in its eighteenth year, Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning, sponsored by stalwart supporter Bewley’s, aims to raise much needed funds for hospice services nationwide.

Local fundraising for hospice services is now more important than ever before. Hospice care, like other areas of the health service, has been affected by cutbacks and local fundraising is essential to ensure that vital hospice services are maintained.

Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning, launched at Bewley’s Café Grafton Street on Sunday September 3rd by RTE’s Joe Duffy, Vivienne Connolly and Noel John McLoughlin of Bewley’s, is an all-island fundraising event. The event has been sponsored by Bewley’s since it began in 1993 and this year aims to raise €2 million for local hospice services, that’s over 1 million cups of Bewley’s coffee.

Pictured launching Ireland's Biggest Coffee Morning at Bewley’s Grafton Street were RTE’s Joe Duffy and Vivienne Connolly with Noel-John McLoughlin of Bewley’s

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 consumed. Complimentary Bewley’s fresh ground coffee packs will be provided to all coffee morning hosts. All money raised locally stays locally and goes directly back to fund local Hospice care services.

Hospice or palliative care involves the total care of patients and their families at the stage in a serious illness, where the focus has switched from treatment aimed at cure to ensuring quality of life. Almost 30,000 people die annually in Ireland and over 6,000 people use hospice services every year. It is estimated that this will have doubled by 2016.

Kevin O’Dwyer, Chairman of the Hospice CEOs group, stated: “Hospice care in Ireland enjoys unique grassroots support where individuals volunteer to develop or support their local service. This commitment has shaped the care that their communities, neighbours, friends and loved ones receive at the most vulnerable time in someone’s life. We who deliver hospice care hugely value and rely on this public support. We would appeal to the public to support Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning, every cup of coffee counts.”

Noel John McLoughlin, Marketing Manager of long term sponsor Bewley’s said: “We’re delighted to be involved with Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning, celebrating its eighteenth year in 2011. As in previous years, over a million cups of Bewley’s coffee will be served on 15th September. We want as many people as possible to take part all over Ireland. We’ll provide Bewley’s fresh ground coffee free of charge to all coffee morning hosts. The more cups of coffee that we can give away, 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 your local hospice group or by calling the Irish Hospice Foundation on (01) 679 3188. Details are also available at www.bewleys.com/hospice