‘Incredibly grateful’ Electric Picnic winner donates prize to volunteer

There is still good in the world, as a lovely Electric Picnic story shows.

The winner of a luxurious weekend for four at Electric Picnic has given away his prize, to a deserving Laois couple.

Chris Collins who lives in the UK, won the Laois SPCA’s online raffle for an incredible luxury EP package.

He had spent €100 buying 15 raffle tickets for the prize which is worth well over €3,000 thousand euros.

It includes four weekend tickets with Early Access passes, glamping in the Pink Moon Faiche Tipi campsite in a 4 person super deluxe bell tent and VIP lounge access.

He kindly opted to give it away, to a Laois couple who volunteer as animal fosterers for the LSPCA.

When the LSPCA contacted Chris he asked if he could donate the prize.

“I follow Julie Anne on insta and entered because i love the work the Laois SPCA and her and her husband do'

'If it’s ok, I'd like to give the prize to Julie Anne Kelly and her husband as a thank you for all the amazing fostering work they do,” he asked.

Julie Anne, @thesoulfulgardenerLaois on Instagram, and her husband Eoin foster all sorts of rescue animals.

A delighted Julie Anne spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

“We’ve never even been to Electric Picnic, and we live 20 minutes away.

“Myself and my husband are just so incredibly grateful to the very kind and generous person who won the raffle, who is rewarding us for our kindness we show to our rescue animals, and the work we do.

“I actually can’t believe there are such beautiful humans in the world that would just recognise our work and repay us with such a huge generous kind gift.

“We are so looking forward to taking a break for ourselves from our own animals to go to Electric Picnic. It’s incredible, we are so grateful,” she said.

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The LSPCA draw raised over €29,000 for the charity which has a shop in Hinds Square, Portlaoise and will have an information stand at EP.

After raffle costs, they expect to have raised some €23,500 for their work.

Finn Ryan from the LSPCA spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

“We're delighted for Julie Anne, she is a very important part of our team. As well as fostering tricky cases she has adopted the little dog Bobby Joe from us and recently ended up adopting her cat foster, Bobby No Eyes, a one eyed stray we took in from Kilminchy Portlaoise. He ended up losing his second eye and Julie Anne and Eoin have created the perfect paradise in their home for a blind cat.

“We'd like to thank Chris and everyone who bought a ticket and all the people and businesses who supported us by sharing the competition.

“We are always teetering on the edge of broke at this time of the year, this is peak kitten season, and we usually have to stop admissions or TNR (trap, neuter, return for feral cats) or both so it's amazing to have a big financial boost like this without any of the team having to go out and further exhaust themselves.

“We did have two team members who worked very hard promoting the raffle but at least they could do it from the couch.

“This time of the year is a constant battle with the never ending arrival of kittens. The majority of kittens born outdoors will not make their first birthday due to illness, inexperienced mother (they can become pregnant from 4 months), exposure or predators. Please help us by neutering your pets or contact us about cats you are feeding.”

Another winner was also drawn in Laois last weekend for a pair of Electric Picnic tickets.

The The Friends of Portlaoise Hospital also raffled two tickets, in aid of patient comforts in Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

The lucky winner was announced on Sunday, August 16 as Eileen Kelly.

The tickets were kindly donated by the Electric Picnic Residents Committee in Stradbally.

“Every cent raised from this raffle will go directly towards enhancing patient comforts at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise,” the charity group had said.

They raised €4,000 which will be used on projects, equipment and improvements that help enhance patients comforts at the hospital.