Diocesan News
Parishes raise almost £85,000 for hospice care
Hospice care in Northern Ireland and Co. Louth has benefitted from the generosity of Church of Ireland parishes in both Armagh and Down and Dromore.
Since 2014, the Diocese of Armagh has observed an Annual Hospice Sunday and in 2017, raised almost £11,300. Parishes in the Diocese of Down and Dromore also gave generously to the appeal, raising almost £12,000. The money raised to date has totalled almost £85,000.
These funds have been distributed to the following hospices: the Southern Area Hospice, Newry; the Northern Ireland Hospice, Belfast (which includes the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice); the Foyle Hospice, Londonderry; and North Louth Hospice.
Depending on where the parish or parishes are located, the money raised by each parish throughout these dioceses has been given to its local hospice.
Armagh Diocese’s Annual Hospice Sunday Appeal is co–ordinated each year by the Reverend Matthew Hagan, rector of Tynan, Aghavilly and Middletown Group of Parishes.
Mr Hagan commented: “All hospices throughout Northern Ireland depend greatly on the support of the public when it comes to raising much needed funding for their hospice on an annual basis. I am extremely pleased at the magnificent amount of money that has been raised for hospice care in Northern Ireland and in Co. Louth through the generosity of the parishioners throughout the Diocese of Armagh and the Diocese of Down and Dromore.
“I encourage other dioceses in the Church of Ireland to set up a similar initiative to support the wonderful hospice care afforded to those people in our communities who need this high level of care. I can assure the many parishioners in the Dioceses of Armagh and Down and Dromore that their generosity will undoubtedly benefit the excellent level of patient care in local hospices. My sincere thanks to everyone who has made a donation.”