Easter Bunny family hop to it delivering eggs to hospitals and charities

A Dublin family is spending this week distributing thousands of Easter eggs to hospices, hospitals and homeless hubs across the city.

By Sunday, Thomas Metcalfe and his two daughters, Lauren, 18, and nine-year-old Ellamay, from Ballymun will have delivered more than 3,400 easter eggs to charities and organisations in the capital.

The chocolates were donated by individuals and companies in Ireland, the UK, Spain and Turkey, with those based abroad sending bank transfers so eggs could be bought locally.

Lauren said the initiative started 13 years ago after she broke her foot two weeks before Easter.

She was treated at Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street hospital and told her dad she wanted to give her eggs to other children in the hospital.

“So, we started off that year with 19 easter eggs and in a little paper bag” she said “and now it’s just a different level”.

Temple Street is still the main focus of the drive and, on Thursday afternoon, they will arrive with a US police car and a Garda escort to deliver more than 1,000 eggs, which will be distributed to patients there as well as in Tallaght, Connolly and Crumlin hospitals.

However, an increase in donations in the last few years has allowed the family to give eggs to other charities and organisations, including LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, Ronald McDonald House and the Little Blue Heroes Foundation.

One organisation they deliver to, St Francis Hospice, is holds a particular importance for the family.

In the last two years, the hospice has looked after Mr Metcalfe’s aunt, Marie, and his childhood friend, Bob.

Mr Metcalfe described the end-of-life care they received as “out of this world”.

He said his aunt was married in the hospice, adding “the way they set it up for us was absolutely amazing”.

Having seen all the people they have looked after, he said, “I thought it was a good gesture to try to give a little bit back to them”.

Speaking at another drop-off point, Our Lady’s Hospice in Harold’s Cross, the family said their living room has been taken over by all the eggs and Lauren said they spend a “crazy amount of time” organising the drive.

Ellamay said they carry on the tradition because they “like seeing kids’ faces happy” adding “it makes me feel happy”.

While the trio still spearhead the efforts, friends and family pitch in to help and Lauren says she has roped one of her friends into donning the Easter Bunny costume this year.

Mr Metcalfe said the family were late starting the campaign this year and were worried if they were going to get enough eggs but have been overwhelmed by the response, which saw collection points set up in a school, community centre and pub.

He said his local area of Ballymun often gets a “bad rep” but said “the community is great”.