SOFT Ireland

Mant thanks to all who participated in our Christmas Card competition. With lots of lovely entries it was very dificult to choose the winners. However Mary O’Brien has selected the following designs for our new range of cards.

Edel Reilly, Age 6, Athlone, Co Westmeath

Evan Kelly, Age 6, Co Kilkenny

Fionnán Henry, Age 7, Athlone, Co Roscommon.

Emma Healy, Age 8, Kilmeedy, Co Limerick.

Lauren Reilly, Age 9, Athlone, Co Westmeath

Kate Moore, Age 9, Tralee, Co Kerry.

Ashling Monaghan, Age 11, Maynoth, Co Kildare.

Niamh Rispin, Age 11, Navan, Co Meath.

Emma Judge, Age 12, Crossmolina, Co Mayo

Shane Kennedy, Age 14, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

Christmas Cards will be on sale from early October. Please contact Michael & Michelle Griffin (044 9335674) for further details. We will also have our full range of cards for sale at the AGM in Mullingar.

Congratulations to all our winners and your prizes will be winging their way to you all shortly.

This years SOFT Ireland AGM will take place on the weekend of the 6th to the 8th November and the venue is the Bloomfield House Hotel in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
The rates are as follows….
€119 per person sharing(adult rate) for 2 nights B&B and 1 dinner
Rate for extra night(Thurs or Sunday) €50 per person sharing for B&B.
€20 per child (4 – 16 yrs) per night B&B sharing with adults – Childrens dinner €15.
Interconnecting rooms: Charge – €80 per night for 2 children, €100 per night for 3 children.
Special Children and children under 3 are free(sharing with adults).

Bookings should be made directly with the hotel – quoting SOFT Ireland AGM – at 044 9340894. The web site address is www.bloomfieldhouse.com. To guarantee rooms the management of the hotel has requested that bookings are made before the 16th October.

This year SOFT Ireland is delighted to offer up to €250 to families to assist with the cost of dinner and accomodation.

The AGM weekend is very popular with our families and over the years it has become the highlight of the SOFT Ireland year. Much of the weekend concentrates on the ‘business’ side of the charity but it also gives families an opportunity to learn a bit more about SOFT and the work we do. There is also plenty of time to meet other families, to share experiences and to make new friends.

A creche facility will be available for the babies and toddlers while the AGM is being held on the Saturday morning. We have organised that the younger children be taken by bus on the Saturday morning to a local play centre for some fun and games. The older children will get the opportunity to travel to Lilliput Adventure Centre for a morning of outdoor activities. We would advise parents to visit their web site on www.lilliputadventure.com for information on activities. A change of clothes will definately be required!!

The Grand Finale is our Saturday night dinner which is followed by a fun raffle and live musical entertainment for all the family. We would appreciate if every family could bring a prize for the raffle. This is always a very lively event and we understand that some of our newer families may not be ready for this – there will also be a quieter area available if you would like to ‘get away from it all’ to have a chat.

Photographs may be taken over the course of the weekend and published in the SOFT newsletter. The tribute Book will also be displayed in the Quiet Room for the duration of the weekend. Parents are reminded that children must be supervised at all times over the course of the weekend. Name badges will be provided – please wear them as it makes it so much easier for everybody to become acquainted.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!!