Charity
Milford Care Centre volunteer receives Together for Hospice Hero Award ahead of coffee morning fundraiser
Milford Care Centre volunteer, Maria Welford, second from right, receives her Together for Hospice Hero award at Bewley’s Café in Dublin, alongside, from left, Felix and Col Campbell of Bewley’s and Anne Marie Hayes of Milford Care Centre. Picture: Conor McCabe.
A local woman has received national recognition for her volunteer work benefitting Milford Care Centre ahead of national coffee morning fundraiser
Maria Welford, a Tipperary woman living in Killaloe, has been a volunteer at Milford Care Centre in Limerick for over 15 years.
Her tireless work was recently honoured at the iconic Dublin café, where she was presented with a Together for Hospice Hero Award. Her dedication to Milford Care Centre continues – as she urges everyone to support the Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning for Hospice.
Running right across Ireland, this year’s event aims to raise over €2million and takes place on September 25 – but supporters can host or attend a coffee morning on a date that suits them, with every cent raised locally going to their local Hospice.
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Maria said being on the other side of the hospice services gave her an even greater appreciation of the level of care involved.
“Milford is an amazing organisation and unfortunately, our family had to use it for the first time this year. My sister-in-law passed away in January and the care she got was just exceptional.
“That really opened my eyes to the work the hospice does and why we do this work – it’s the little extras, like a manicure or massages the patients get. Without those nurses and care assistants, there is no hospice; they’re its backbone and they’re angels.
“My family was blown away – they said, ‘now we know why you’re a volunteer, now we know why you never stop’.”
Maria volunteers each year on Hospice Sunflower Day, the Light a Memory Christmas campaign, the annual 10km fundraiser and the Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning for Hospice.
“I love my involvement in Milford and in the coffee morning – it’s hard work but I love it,” she said.
A former first-aid and safety rep, she is originally from Tipperary but has lived in Killaloe for almost 50 years and is an active member of the local community.
“People locally here in Killaloe, Ballina will never say no to Milford – nobody does,” she said.
“So many people have used the services in Milford Hospice and they are so grateful.”
Together for Hospice, The National Hospice Movement, represents 24 Hospice and specialist palliative homecare providers supporting patients and their families across Ireland.
Fundraised income is used by local hospice services to fund new buildings, refurbishment of existing buildings, staff, extra comforts for patients and their families, and innovative patient care projects nationwide. Funds raised through Together For Hospice campaigns support some of the core services funded by the HSE.
Register to host a coffee morning on Thursday, September 25 – or on a different date – online or call 0818 995 996. If you cannot host or attend a coffee morning, you can donate on the hospice coffee morning website.
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