MATTY FORDE AND OTHERS PREPARE FOR THE CHOP
Shave or Dye for hospice
THIS SATURDAY will see some north Wexford men take part in a live-streamed Shave or Dye for North Wexford Hospice Homecare after they spent the lockdown period working on the creation of long beards and thick heads of hair.
Those having their beards and heads shaved are Micheal Furlong, Matty Forde, Richard Deering and Councillor Joe Sullivan, while those who signed up for the hair dye treatment were Paul Boyle, Councillor Donal Kenny and Stevie Redmond.
Organiser Ciara Tomkins said that the idea was the brain-child of her father James Tomkins along with Michael Furlong and others, after annual fundraising events for the charity – such as Enniscorthy’s ‘Hope and Dream Run’ and the Amber Springs’s ‘The Hospice BBQ’ – were called off due to Covid-19.
‘We have been really involved with fundraising for the North Wexford Hospice every year and, due to Covid, we couldn’t organise the hospice barbecue and we know they rely on the Hope and Dream run, so we came up with a different way to raise money and everyone was really willing to do it.
‘Connacht rugby player Paul Boyle had to go back training so he did his early and dyed his hair blonde, but the rest of them are all set to do it now on July 4 in a big room in the Amber Springs Hotel. We’ve restricted the numbers but we’ll be live-streaming the event on Facebook and Instagram’.
Ciara said that the support so far from the GoFundMe online site has been excellent, and all participants have sponsorship cards to fill.
One of those is former Wexford footballer Matty Forde, who explained that he has never done anything like this before.
‘In the time we’re after passing through, it kind of nearly happened by accident. I didn’t bother shaving or cutting my hair during the lockdown and the idea was thrown at me about making use of it. The North Wexford Hospice is an excellent cause and I was delighted to do it. There’s very few people who it wouldn’t affect in some way or another, the type of work that goes on there.
‘It’s a very small thing we’re doing but if we can gather a few pound doing something simple, we know it’s going to a great cause,’ he said.
Matty said that there has been good fun along the way as the team prepare for Saturday.
‘There has been plenty of good-natured slagging and abuse over the last few weeks, and I’m sure it’ll be the same afterwards but it’s a small price to pay. We have politicians, rugby players and GAA players involved so, with this mix, we hope it’ll spread the support out a bit’.
Having only gotten married earlier this year on February 14, like all of us, the Covid-19 lockdown came as a surprise to Matty.
‘It was tough for a lot of people and not seeing family and friends for a long time was hard but we all went through it well enough. I kept busy, worked from home for a while and was out doing a bit of running and cycling.
‘Anything to keep your mind occupied was key as that’s the big challenge for a lot of people, but it has made us grateful for things we do have. Keeping positive pre- and post-lockdown is so important and I think I’ve done that well. Things seem to be starting to improve now but it wasn’t easy and it’s not something you’d want to be doing every year. I’m glad at this stage that it’s over.
‘I’m looking forward to getting back to work, I enjoy it and the social aspect of meeting friends and just being able to meet people in general. There’s people I haven’t seen in a while, and there are people who were at my wedding that I haven’t seen since. It’ll be nice to have the option to watch sport and go to games again, get back to whatever this idea of normal might be’.
Matty admitted that it wasn’t easy to fill the void left by the lack of sport during the pandemic.
‘We only realise now how much we probably rely on it and maybe take that for granted. The social, mental and physical aspect, the whole lot, all of a sudden that was just taken away from us and you realise how much you miss it.
‘To have it taken like that, people will maybe appreciate it a bit more from here on in. I hope young boys and girls who drifted away from it might have realised they miss it and return to it. Physical activity is great for the mentality and it might push some people to return to it,’ he said.
To watch the live-stream, search ‘North Wexford Hospice Fundraiser’ on Facebook or Instagram from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. on Saturday, July 4.
To make a donation before that date, search North Wexford Hospice on www.gofundme. com.