SOFT Ireland

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!!

SOFT Ireland will be holding a fund raising night at Mulingar Greyhound stadium on Saturday 3rd October 2009.
Gates open at 7pm and the first race is at 8pm sharp. There will be musical entertainment after the last race.
Tickets cost €20 (children free) and include entrance to stadium, race program and entry to a draw for €500.

There will also be an auction for a greyhound pup and a raffle on the night.

Tickets are available from Michael and Michelle Griffin – telephone 044 9335674.

We need to sell 360 tickets for the night to be a success so encourage your friends, family and work colleagues to come along and enjoy a great night out.

We hope to sell ads for the race program which are priced at €35 for a quarter page, €75 for a half page and €100 for a full page. Again if you can help with this please contact Michael or Michelle.

For anyone wishing to stay the night we have contacted a number of local hotels and received the folowing rates….

Bloomfield House Hotel, Belvedere, Mullingar  Tel 044 9340894
B&B €65 per person sharing
B&B plus dinner €89 per person sharing

Greville Arms Hotel, Pearse Street, Mullingar Tel 044 9348563
B&B €40 per person sharing

Newbury Hotel, Dominic Street, Mullingar Tel 0449342888
€99 per double room including breakfast

The 2008 AGM took place over the weekend of 7th to 9th November 2008 at the Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth, Co Kildare. The event was very well attended with approximately 100 members and their families in attendance.

Proceedings started on the Friday evening with the AGM and the election of  officers and committee members. The Chairman, Patrick Farrelly, expressed his gratitude and that of all the SOFT members for the tremendous work carried out by secretary Carmel Reilly throughout the year.

On Saturday the other main business of the weekend – the launch of the SOFT Ireland Booklet ‘Why Our Baby’ took place. And who better to carry out the official launch than the SOFT special children themselves who read poems and verses about what SOFT means to them. Needless to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

Whilst the launch was extremely appropriate and successful it was generally felt the subsequent lack of media profile, either visual or written, was disappointing and did not do justice to the extremely professional quality of the book and it’s contents. The tremendous effort put in by Paula Doyle in particular and indeed various members of the sub-committee cannot be underestimated.

Guest speaker at the launch was Dr Siobhan Gormally from Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda who gave a very informative talk regarding the current research, care and treatment of Trisomy 13/18 babies. The launch was also attended by Prof Andrew Green from the  genetics department of Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin and by a number of Jack and Jill personnel.

During the scheduled book launch the younger members of the party were whisked off for a few hours of play and fun in the ENRG play centre in Newcastle and all had a very enjoyable time. The busy weekend also included the launch of the new SOFT website.

Saturday evening commenced with a very enjoyable meal followed by great music provided by Eddie Quinn.

The weekend closed on Sunday morning with the traditional closing ceremony, reading of poems and verses by family members and culminated in the release of balloons in memory of all those special children no longer with us.

We have great pleasure in inviting you and your family to our annual Spring Break. This year it will take place on the weekend of the 27th to 29th of March. The venue is the Celtic Ross Hotel and Leisure Centre, Rosscarbery, Co. Cork.

The Spring Break is a very informal and relaxed weekend. There is plenty of time to meet other families, to share experiences, talk about your special child and make new friends. We would particularly encourage new families and families we may not have seen for awhile, to come along for the weekend. You will be very welcome.

Bookings should be made directly with the hotel by Friday, 13th March quoting the “SOFT Ireland Spring Break” at (023) 8848722. Website address is www.celticrosshotel.ie. If you require a family room, it is advisable that you book early.

Please contact us to confirm your attendance.

Takes place over the weekend from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th of November 2008 in Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth, Co. Kildare (http://www.glenroyal.ie/).
Contact info@softireland.com for further information.

The New SOFT booklet, Why Our Baby?, will be launched on Saturday 8th of November during the 2008 AGM Conference.

A New SOFT Ireland website design will be launched on Saturday 8th of November during the 2008 AGM Conference.