Yvonne Roche who won a brand new Ford car courtesy of Irish Guide Dogs and Ford Ireland receiving the keys of her brand new vehicle from Eddie Murphy chairman
Yvonne Roche from Carrigaline in Cork, was the lucky winner of the 2013 Irish Guide Dogs/Ford Ireland car raffle.
Yvonne Roche sees the benefit daily of what Irish Guide Dogs do. “My sister’s son has autism and he has an Assistance Dog from Irish Guide Dogs. The difference the Assistance Dog has made in his life and all of the family has been absolutely amazing. They are able to do things a family again, which they couldn’t before. It is such a worthwhile charity. I’m so delighted to have won the car and my sister is very happy to have sold the winning ticket to me!”
Since 2011 and now into its fourth year Ford Ireland has worked with Irish Guide Dogs by providing them with key vehicles for fundraising and for training purposes. Each year Ford Ireland donate three fleet vehicles to the organisation and a car specifically to fundraise. The fundraising partnership has raised more than €400,000 since it began in 2012.
Speaking at the handover Eddie Murphy Chairman and MD of Ford Ireland and Chair of Irish Guide Dogs said: “Well done to Yvonne. I’m delighted to continue this fantastic partnership with Irish Guide Dogs. We are happy to be able to support their fundraising endeavours and also their practical training needs and I look forward to continue to work with them into the future.”
“The addition of the car to raffle has been very powerful in generating much-needed income which helps us meet the needs of the people we train,” said Padraig Mallon, CEO of Irish Guide Dogs. “We are grateful to Ford Ireland for all of their support. I would like to thank Jennifer Foran Smyth who co-ordinated the project and all the staff and volunteers who helped out at our car raffle ticket sales locations along the way. We are aiming even higher in 2014 and aim to raise €200,000 through the campaign.”
The 2014 car raffle campaign or the Heidi and Hayden Tour of Ireland (two fundraising dogs that are a key attraction at car raffle locations) kicks off in March 2014. There will be car raffle locations all around Ireland where Irish Guide Dogs staff and volunteers will sell car raffle tickets for €5 with the help of many fundraising, working dogs and pups in training. Tickets will also be available to buy online from March 2014. Check out www.guidedogs.ie for further information and location details
24th February, 2014
