All aboard for Acquired Brain Injury Ireland
ACQUIRED Brain Injury Ireland celebrated ten years of service in County Wexford recently with the launch of a very special project on the River Slaney. The organisation, which provides care and assistance to people who have acquired brain injuries by a variety of means, currently provides rehabilitation services for around 45 people across the county, supporting them and their families through training, advocacy and practical help with both residential care and a day service.
Members are encouraged to develop new relationships and interests and as part of this rehabilitation, members decided that they would love to build a boat. ABI attempts to break down all goals into achievable and manageable projects and tasks for members and with funding from Wexford County Council through the ‘Artist in the Community’ grant and help from expert Andi McGarri, the members were able to make this a reality.
The boat consists of a timber frame and seats, surrounded by over 200 pieces of willow bent into shpe and all covered with a canvas sheet. It is held together with over 2,500 cable ties. A crew of 10 paddled it from Enniscorthy to Edermine under the watchful eye of Andi and at Edermine, the crew changed to row it back up the Slaney to Enniscorthy.
Louise Power from ABI said: ‘All of the rowers returned to the shore exhilarated and relatively dry with a new found confidence. Our clubhouse activities such as this are funded completely through grants and fundraised money and are essential to the rehabilitation of the people we serve. The clubhouse itself is funded through corporate sponsorship from our corporate partners BNY Mellon, who also provide us with some of their staff throughout projects like this one to help out and get involved. Our Clubhouse simply could not function without the support and generosity of our corporate sponsors, the grants that we receive and all the people that fundraise on our behalf so we would like to extend a huge thank you to all.’