Tuesday, April 5, 2011

COFFEE FOR A CAUSE

Readers of my blog and tweets will know that I regularly contribute to East Coast Radio's Morning Programme with Declan Meehan. The programme is produced by the effervescent Claire Darmody - a powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm. Along with producing 3 hours of live radio every day, she also is instrumental in organising East Coast FM’s Wicklow Wide Coffee Morning in aid of the Cancer Support Services in County Wicklow and the Wicklow Hospice Foundation. As someone who spent nearly ten years organising the Alzheimer Society's Tea Day, I have some insight into just how much hard work such an undertaking is. And raising money for such a worthy cause as Cancer Support needs our support. So let me tell you what Claire and East Coast Radio are doing.

On Friday 8th April coffee mornings will be taking place all over Wicklow to raise funds for cancer support. There will be 10 large events taking place simultaneously around the county between 10am and midday. Declan will link-up live to each venue a couple of times throughout the Morning Show as well as interviewing some celebrities that will be showing their support to the event. Already confirmed to take part on the day with appearances and/or performances are; Musicians; Bagatelle, The Dublin Gospel Choir, Luan Parle, The High Kings, authors Cathy Kelly and Emma Hannigan, Sports personalities Shane Byrne and Mick O’ Dwyer, TV personality, model and author Amanda Brunker and award winning celebrity chef Catherine Fulvio. The coffee mornings will take place in;



  • The Martello, Bray

  • The Beach House, Greystones

  • The Buttery Café at Fishers, Newtownmountkennedy

  • Avoca in Powerscourt, Enniskerry

  • The food court in the Arklow Bridgewater Shopping Centre, Arklow

  • The Grand Hotel, Wicklow Town,

  • West Wicklow House, Blessington

  • Kavanaghs, Vartry House, Roundwood

  • Avondale Sports, Rathdrum Main Street

  • The Park Pavillion, Aughrim

The event is being promoted across the station, who are suggesting that people who can’t attend one of the East Coast venues might consider organising their own coffee morning.


The Coffee Morning is to raise money for all of the cancer support centres/services in County Wicklow and also for the Wicklow Hospice Foundation. In the last two years this event has managed to raise over €50,000, last year over €30,000 was raised in just two hours and we are hoping to make this years Wicklow Wide Coffee Morning an even bigger success. So there you are...... What can you do? Well if you are in or near Wicklow, have a look at the list of venues and round up a few pals and drop in for your cuppa and donate a few euro. Myself and some of my girlfriends are going to drop into Avoca in Powerscourt (hardly a hardship) to do our bit... care to join us? If you can't drop in and would like to help you can donate online by going to the stations website here1


Good luck Claire and good on East Coast FM for such a great initiative.

7 comments:

  1. This is a fantastic initiative! Good luck to all involved.

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  2. Best of luck to all involved with this endeavour. There isn't a person in the country who hasn't been touched in someone by the disease of cancer, or by the care received for the sick person involved. My own grandmother died in a hospice and the care and kindess shown by the staff was fabulous.

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  3. Raising money for cancer support services is so worthwhile. Reading the Times Health supplement today which is totally about cancer and the statistics are depressing. Coffee mornings are great fun and a great way of contributing to a great cause. Well done East Coast Radio and well done Barbara.

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  4. I will try and persuade the better half to leave the kitchen sink for an hour and to cross the county line for a very good cause. Hope it goes well. Bon appetit!

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  5. What a great fund raiser for cancer awareness. My friends mother died of cancer on Mother's Day. I wish I was there to lend my support.

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  6. Good luck with this morning, a great cause and so deserving - we really value the hospice and homecare services here in Waterford, even though there are only a couple of hospice beds in the county the hospice at home service is fantastic. I would drop in if I was nearby! Looks like the thick fog today will keep me close to home - luckily I've a day off ;)love long weekends doing just about nothing!
    Catherine

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  7. This is good because that radio program has a cause and that's what really matters, most of time we're looking for something different and I think this is what I was looking for.

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