Support ALONE with the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon

Siobhan O’Connor with sisters Christine and Margaret Farrell Pic: Jason Clarke Photography

Siobhan O’Connor with sisters Christine and Margaret Farrell
Pic: Jason Clarke Photography

Interested in taking part in this year’s VHI Mini Marathon?

ALONE is calling on Irish women help fundraise for them in the massive charity event.

The VHI Women’s Mini Marathon will take place on Bank Holiday Monday June 1, and sees women take on a 10 kilometre trek through Dublin City Centre in the biggest all-female event of its kind worldwide.

ALONE provides support to older people in need, in the form of Supportive Housing, Befriending, Community Response and Campaigning Services. They receive no support from the government for their day-to-day activities, and rely on public support to continue their work. Marathon runners who pledge their fundraising to ALONE will be providing vital support for resources provided by ALONE, specifically its Befriending Service. This sees volunteers being matched up to older people and visiting them on a weekly basis. ALONE view loneliness as a serious threat to health, and as such are working to maintain quality and consistency with other befriending groups across Ireland.

ALONE has always enjoyed the support of women, as the group’s CEO, Sean Moynihan pointed out: “We are hoping that women from around Ireland will pledge their support to the older people in our communities and run the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon to raise much needed funds for ALONE. Through the years, a high proportion of our volunteers and donors have always been female. We hope that women will choose to run for ALONE this year as all proceeds from this race will go towards vital befriending services for vulnerable older people.”

To register for the marathon, visit the event’s website. If you wish to fundraise for ALONE, you can receive your mini marathon pack and more information by emailing fundraising@alone.ie or by calling (01) 679 1032.

By Aimée Mac Leod

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