Glanbia to raise €2m for charity

GLANBIA, the global food group, and its Irish consumer foods business, under the Avonmore brand, announced yesterday it is committed to raising €2 million between now and 2011 for Barretstown, the therapeutic recreation camp for children with cancer and other serious illnesses.

The cheese and nutritional group, working with Avonmore will leverage support for Barretstown through fundraising and other initiatives.

Avonmore is committed to creating increased awareness of Barretstown and will promote the camp on its milk packaging, as well as in its high profile advertising and marketing campaigns — including the popular Weatherline television sponsorship.

In recent years Glanbia worked with Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin where many of the children affected by cancer and other serious illnesses are referred to the Barretstown Camp in Co Kildare.

Glanbia human resources director Brian Phelan, announcing that Barretstown will be its designated Irish charity of choice for a three-year period, said that it has been proven that therapeutic recreation helps to rebuild confidence, trust and self esteem for the child and their family.

“Therefore the decision to work with Barretstown is a logical extension of our work with children and their families and we look forward to supporting the organisation with the long-term objective of sending more families to Barretstown — which currently has capacity for 1,900.

“Also, the association with the Avonmore brand reflects a conscious decision by Glanbia to align its corporate and employee giving programmes with the business strategy,” he said.

Glanbia’s Irish consumer foods division chief executive Colin Gordon said the Avonmore brand has a significant presence in Irish homes and it is only fitting that the number one fresh milk brand should reflect its wider social perspective.

“Over time it is our hope that through this partnership ourselves and Irish consumers can make a real difference and expand the Barretstown experience to significantly more families,” he said.

Barretstown chairperson Danuta Gray said they were delighted to be partnering with Glanbia and the Avonmore brand.

“This is a huge boost, not only to our funding effort, but also to raising awareness of the amazing work that is done at Barretstown year round,” she said.