Copyright belfastlive
A dedicated team of local volunteers have raise more than £40,000 to help support the valuable work of their local hospice. The Team from James O’Hara & Sons Motors, Ballykelly, Co Derry , along with a dedicated group of local volunteers have raised a remarkable £43,312, in support of Foyle Hospice. On 13-14 September, over 80 Cyclists took on 134 miles across two days, in the business' Annual ‘North Coast Cycle Challenge.’ The local car dealership have been devoted supporters of Foyle Hospice for over 20 years. Jim O’Hara, of James O’Hara & Sons, explained: "We would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who got involved and to those who volunteered from our local area to help us promote this event. "There was a huge team behind it, and we couldn’t have done it without them. It is great to see the community, people from all walks of life, coming together each year. "It is so important that we continue to support Foyle Hospice as it is a vital service and we are so fortunate to have it in the North West." Donall Henderson, Chief Executive, Foyle Hospice added: “We are so grateful to Jim and his dedicated team of volunteers who organise this annual event as a fundraiser for Foyle Hospice. "They worked particularly hard this year as they set out to raise £40k for our fortieth anniversary and they smashed it! "The O'Hara Cycle Event really is the essence of what community fundraising is all about - people coming together, doing something that they enjoy, raising money to make a difference. "Thanks so much to all involved and all those who participated, raising much-needed funds to support our patients." Foyle Hospice provides 9 bed spaces in its Inpatient Care Unit, as well as Day Therapy facilities, community nursing, 24/7 Advice Line and bereavement counselling services for both adults (Forget Me Not) and children (Healing Hearts). The total annual cost of providing the services is approximately £4.1 million. It costs approximately £5,000 for 24 hours of care for 9 beds in the Hospice In-Patient Care Unit. Approximately 65% of the annual running costs are provided through the support and generosity of the North West communities. Foyle Hospice has been providing Hospice and Palliative Care services in the North West since 1985. They say they are "extremely privileged" to have cared for over 23,000 patients and their families to date. Foyle Hospice provides ongoing palliative care services for patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, while supporting their families and loved ones throughout the Western Health and Social Care Trust area in Northern Ireland.
