Kingspan raises €72,500 for Irish Hospice Foundation

Kingspan, the maker of high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, has presented a cheque for €72,500 to the Irish Hospice Foundation. The money raised will be used by IHF’s Nurses for Night Care which is a national service providing free nursing care for families affected by non-cancer illnesses.

A team of nine people from the Kingscourt-based company were due to travel to Italy recently to take part in the Cycle Challenge in aid of the Nurses for Night Care service. The team and other cyclists had planned to take-on the stunning landscapes of Northern Italy in a 6-day journey from Bassano del Grappo to Lake Como, a distance of over 550km.

Unfortunately the event was unable to go ahead due to travel and safety restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, but the team in Kingspan continued to raise much needed funds for the Irish charity.

Team Kingspan have participated in all of the IHF Cycles over the last eleven years. The Kingspan-sponsored cycle has raised over €2 million for the IHF since it started in 2009, of which over €400,000 was donated by Kingspan. Over 4,500 families have been cared for by the Nurses for Night Care service with over 13,000 nights of care delivered since it was established.

Alan Lawlor, Chief Financial Officer, Kingspan Insulation presents a cheque for €72,500 to Louise McCarron, Fund Raising Manager Irish Hospice Foundation. Picture: Paul Callaghan Photography

Gene Murtagh, Chief Executive of Kingspan said: “Kingspan is delighted to be associated with the amazing work of the Irish Hospice Foundation. At a difficult time for families, the Nurses for Night Care service provide invaluable care and support. I have taken part in the Cycle Challenge several times and it was always a great experience planned by the fantastic organising team. The team at Kingspan, in particular the nine staff who planned to take part in the cycle, are thrilled to be able to present this cheque and provide funds at a time when charities like the IHF are struggling to raise money through their usual fundraising activities”

Sharon Foley, Chief Executive, Irish Hospice Foundation added: “We are grateful to our sponsors Kingspan for their continued support and to all the staff who signed up for this year’s cycle. Despite cancelling the cycle, the team in Kingspan have continued to raise funds. It is a challenging time for many in the charity sector and the money raised is making such a huge difference to people and their families all over Ireland. It means they are able to spend their precious final moments together, at home”

Kingspan have a strong history of supporting Irish charities, local sporting organisations and community initiatives in the locality including Junior Achievement Ireland, Cavan GAA, Kingscourt Stars GAA, Ulster Rugby, and golfers Shane Lowry and Leona Maguire.

Kingspan has supported ARC Cancer Support Centres with a €15,000 donation this year, and a total of €126,000 donated since the company started working with this charity that provides vital support services to people diagnosed with cancer.