North Dublin hospice heroes recognised ahead of coffee morning fundraiser

Two tireless North Dublin volunteers have received national recognition for their fundraising efforts in aid of their local Hospice.

Angela Flanagan and Phil Kavanagh have helped raise tens of thousands of euro for St Francis Hospice in Raheny through a series of seasonal collections, car boot sales and bingo sessions.

Both women were recently honoured with a Together for Hospice Hero Award in Bewley’s Grafton Street, recognising their immense contribution to the North Dublin facility.

And their dedication to St Francis continues as they urged everyone to support the Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning for Hospice, taking place right across

Ireland on September 25.

This year’s national fundraiser aims to raise over €2million and supporters can host or attend a coffee morning on a date that suits them, with every cent raised locally going to their local Hospice.

Angela’s coffee morning this year runs across three days at her home in 14 Drynam Court, Swords, on September 25, 26 and 27.

The 71-year-old also co-ordinates the hospice’s Christmas and Sunflower collections in several centres across north County Dublin, also hosting year-round fundraising events such as bingo, clothes sales and car boot sales.

The mum-of-three has always been struck by the dignity and compassion shown by staff at St Francis – especially when her beloved aunt Rita entered her final days in 2017.

“Before she died, they were so kind to her for her last three days, I felt honoured that they gave her a place there,” said Angela.

“I trained as a general nurse in the Mater and the nuns always emphasised that care of the patient was physical, spiritual and psychological, that our job was to carry out the instructions of the doctors but also to care for the person as an individual.

“I always carried that through and that’s what Hospice does, as well as taking care of the family.”

She also pays tribute to the army of other volunteers who backed her over the years, her late husband Tom and businesses such as The Pavilions Centre in Swords and Ger Ralph, who runs Spar in Holywell, Maxol in Donabate and Eurospar in Feltrim.

Equally, Phil Kavanagh from Raheny’s Grange Park Rise, has been a staunch supporter of St Francis, co-ordinating year-round collections and hosting fundraising events at her local community club, Grange Woodbine, a stone’s throw from St Francis.

“A lot of friends, neighbours and relations have been cared for there over the last 30 years and when you’re in there you see the good work they do, you try to give something back to them,” said mum-of-two Phil.

She was especially struck by the level of care staff gave her uncle Charlie Nicholson, who died in 2012.

“He was in St Francis for 13 days and the care that they gave him and the family was unreal.

“It feels like angels’ arms wrapping around you when you go in there.”

With the support of McHugh’s Centra in Edenmore and Kilbarrack, her coffee morning and raffle raised €2,000 last year.

But this year, Phil, rather than hosting one herself, intends to support the Grange Woodbine club’s coffee morning on September 25.

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 date that suits you – at hospicecoffeemorning.ie or call 0818 995 996.

If you cannot host or attend a coffee morning, you can donate at: hospicecoffeemorning.ie/donate