Hundreds turn out for Sunflower Children’s Hospice Family Fun Day in Mayo
The community event marks the finish of 225km charity relay as more than €16,000 is raised for the children’s hospice
The Mall in Castlebar was filled with music, laughter and community spirit on Friday, June 26 as hundreds of people attended the Sunflower Children’s Hospice Family Fun Day in support of the new children’s hospice being developed by the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation.
The free event, held from 12pm to 4pm, transformed the town centre into a lively festival featuring live entertainment, food trucks, an exotic zoo, a dog show, vintage vehicle displays, a mega games van and a popular dunk tank, providing fun for all ages while raising awareness of the important cause.
The entertainment began with an energetic performance by Shake Rattle & Ceol, whose interactive music session had children and parents singing and dancing together. Later, Ciaran &Lisa kept the festive atmosphere going with an afternoon of live music.
Martina Jennings, CEO of the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, said the event demonstrated the tremendous community support behind the Sunflower Children’s Hospice project.
“It was wonderful to see so many people come together today, all in support of the Sunflower Children’s Hospice,” she said.
“Events like this remind us that this hospice isn’t just a building project; it is a community coming together to say that children and families in the West of Ireland deserve specialist care close to home.”
She also thanked the team from Pamex Ltd for their dedication throughout the “Linking Little Lives” campaign.
The Family Fun Day also marked the finish of Pamex Ltd’s remarkable 225-kilometre relay walk from Dublin to Castlebar. Over 36 hours, employees completed the relay before arriving in Castlebar on Thursday evening, with the campaign raising more than €16,000 for the children’s hospice so far.
Tom Murphy of Pamex Ltd described the arrival in Castlebar as a memorable moment.
“Walking into Castlebar today after 36 hours on the road was a moment none of us will forget,” he said. “We set out to raise funds and awareness, but what we’ve gained is a real sense of what this hospice will mean to people across the West of Ireland.”
The Sunflower Children’s Hospice will be an eight-bed specialist facility providing palliative and respite care for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses.
The hospice will also offer emotional, practical and bereavement support for families, with facilities including family accommodation, hydrotherapy baths, sensory and play rooms, and gardens accessible from every bedroom.
Donations towards the project are still being accepted here as the campaign continues to build support for the Sunflower Children’s Hospice.