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The Southern Area Hospice Services (SAHS) and Newry Credit Union have teamed up to offer one lucky family from the southern board area in Northern Ireland the chance to be together this Christmas with a £1,000 travel voucher up for grabs.
The competition aims to reach out to people from Newry, Dungannon, Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon and the surrounding areas living all over the world to encourage them to support Southern Area Hospice Services. For every £50 raised either by loved ones who are living away or family at home a name will be entered into the draw to win a £1,000 travel voucher. The more you raise the more chances you have to win. The voucher can be used to bring someone home for Christmas, fly a family member out to be with loved ones abroad or it can be used by the winner anytime in the next 12 months.
As well as encouraging fundraising abroad the competition is great for anyone who is at home missing a loved one, relative, or friend overseas. Local people are able to take part by fundraising at home and enter friends and family living abroad into the draw. Destination Newry assisted Southern Area Hospice with a promotional video which can be used to promote the initiative across the world.
Majella Gollogly, Fundraising Manager at SAHS said: “This year we have noticed a significant drop in the levels of donations to the Hospice. Our organisation is one that survives on the generosity of local people. Due to the increasing number of people, especially young people, moving overseas to live or find work this is an excellent way to increase awareness of the work that we do at the Hospice. It can help us raise the vital funds required for us to continue to provide high quality care to all patients as well as giving one local family the chance to be together this Christmas".
Brendan Jackson, Manager, Newry Credit Union said: “We are delighted to have teamed up with Southern Area Hospice to support this worthy local cause. Last year the Southern Area Hospice cared for more than 1,000 patients and their families living with cancer and other terminal illnesses and is a vital resource in the local community. We are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year with a series of events and this competition seemed like a great way for us to help bring a local family together this Christmas while supporting Southern Area Hospice. We notice amongst our own members more and more people who have loved ones living abroad for work, study and travel. We would encourage both family at home and those who have left the Southern Board Area to get involved to help the Hospice and possibly walk away with this fantastic prize.”
Cathal McCoy, Destination Newry added:, “For this campaign to work it is essential for Southern Area Hospice to get the message out there to people living abroad and we were only too happy to help in creating a promotional video for the initiative. We are also encouraging people who are fundraising at home or who want to support people fundraising abroad to come into the studio and record a message of support to be displayed on Southern Area Hospice’s Vadio page. We wish everyone luck and look forward to announcing the winner to people watching all over the world live on Destination Newry on Friday 13th December".
All participants at home and abroad will be provided with a downloadable fundraising pack and details about how to record a message of support.
For every full £50 raised and logged with Southern Area Hospice by Monday 9th December a name will be entered into the draw. The draw will then be made live on Destination Newry on Friday 13th December. For information or to register please contact Denise Doyle on +44 (28) 30251333 or doyled@southernareahospiceservices.org
