LAUNCH OF 2018 HOPE AND DREAM 10
LAUNCH OF HOPE AND DREAM 10 AT ENNISCORTHY CREDIT UNION
THERE was a wonderfully positive atmosphere at Enniscorthy Credit Union last week as this year’s Hope & Dream 10 was officially launched.
At this year’s launch, The Enniscorthy Guardian along with the rest of The People Newspaper Group were delighted to officially come on board as official media partners for what has become one of the biggest fundraising events of its kind in the South East.
As always, the 2018 event will benefit The Hope Cancer Support Centre and this year it was decided to share the money raised with two other charities, namely Wexford Hospice Homecare, who have been on board for the past two years, and Friends of Wexford General Hospital’s ‘MRI Now’ campaign.
This year’s event will take place on Sunday, April 8, and the organisers were delighted to announce that the website had officially gone live for people to begin registering.
As people took their seats, Race Director Michael Jordan pointed out a clothesline with six different Hope & Dream t-shirts for six years.
‘As you can see, the first t-shirt has no date,’ he said. ‘ That’s because the organisers initially thought this would be a one-off event. From year two there’s a date and year on it and the rest is history.’
In the past six years, Hope & Dream has raised a total of €828,194 for The Hope Cancer Support Centre and partner charities.
This year, organisers are hoping they can attract the biggest number of participants yet and maybe even pass the €1 million mark. ‘It’s not bad for what started out as a little event,’ said Michael.
‘ The people of Enniscorthy and Wexford should be very proud. As well as the fundraising, it takes a crowd of around 200 people to put this show on the road in terms of marshalling, registration, gardaí...all of these people give their time to help those who need it and it’s a wonderful atmosphere.’
Chairperson of The Hope Centre, Una Doherty once again thanked both Michael Jordan and Denise McDonald, without whom she said the event simply would not happen. Speaking on behalf of Wexford Hospice Homecare, Eamonn Mernagh said that they were over the moon to have been asked to stay on as one of the charities involved this year. He said that every year Hospice needed to raise €450,000 in voluntary donations just to keep the show on the road.
‘It’s almost unbelievable that that’s what it takes,’ he said. ‘But that’s what needs to be done and that’s what the people of Wexford do for us. Hope & Dream is there with us every step of the way and we’re completely endebted for them asking us back again.
‘It’s all volunteer work whether it’s standing at the bridge or putting fencing out in Davidstown. This is what it’s all about and we’re delighted to be part of it again.’
THIS YEAR ORGANISERS HOPE TO ATTACT THE BIGGEST NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS YET, AND MAYBE EVEN PASS THE €1 MILLION MARK. NOT BAD FOR WHAT STARTED OUT AS A LITTLE EVENT
Ciaran Sheridan spoke on behalf of Friends of Wexford General Hospital’s MRI campaign and outlined that their mission from the very start was to stop Wexford General Hospital from being downgraded like so many others around the country.
In terms of an MRI machine for the hospital, he said that they were set a goal of raising €250,000 for this vital piece of equipment. He said that they were some of the way there and were hopeful that Hope & Dream might make this dream a reality.
‘Being part of this project and community that has been put together here is amazing,’ he said. ‘We’re very thankful for having been included. It means a huge amount. We’re already half way there on funding for an MRI machine and I would love to think that this just might get us over the line.’
The annual Hope & Dream t-shirt has become somewhat of a phonomenon in recent years, as people anxiously wait to find out what colour they’ll be sporting setting off from the Promenade.
To finish the night off, the new t-shirt, bearing the purple and gold of Wexford, was unveiled by official race starter Darragh Jordan.
Entries are now being taken for Hope & Dream 2018, with both 10 mile and 10 kilometre options available to both run and walk.
People are encouraged to get involved and sign up to their New Year’s resolution now by taking part. It’s always a magical experience and the feeling you’ll get when you cross that finish line will be second to none. For more details, see www.hopeanddream10.com