Taxback Take on the Jungle-In Aid of St. Patricks
Located on Kells Road, Kilkenny, St. Patrick’s Special Needs School caters for autistic pupils and pupils with moderate and severe & profound needs. At present, they have 82 pupils, 16 teachers and 32 special needs assistants.
Last year, our CSR Team visited St. Patrick’s Special School after they contacted us seeking sponsorship for Samsung Tablets. When we visited the school, we were absolutely blown away by the work they do and the level of care that they provide. The school’s Principal, Jane Dowling, showed us around and explained that they were hoping to start a fundraising journey to upgrade their playground as it was installed over 16 years ago. The existing playground is very basic, and there’s nothing for a child in a wheelchair, or who has difficulty climbing, to enjoy. The floor is tarmac meaning that if a child falls, they can pick up an injury very easily.
They want their new playground to be a place where the children can have fun and integrate in an environment where they feel safe and secure. This playground will have padded flooring, equipment for everyone and sensory activities that can really excite the children and motivate them to explore their surroundings. The cost of upgrading their playground is in the region of €20,000 which is undoubtedly a significant amount for a school that has very little government funding. Our CSR Team made the decision to help St. Patrick’s organise a fundraising event and after a lot of research, we decided to run “I’m a Celeb, Get me out of Here!”
The main event took place on Friday, November 15th and our Engagement and Communications Officer, Rachael O’Shea, was one of the brave contestants who took part on the night.
We were amazed and overwhelmed by the amount of people who came to support this worthy cause. It was great fun, the night involved watching Rachael gag at drinks and food, discuss her fear of enclosed spaces and run with a banana between her legs. We really enjoyed ourselves and most importantly, we helped to raise a whopping €74,830 for St. Patrick’s Special School.
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported this amazing school and we hope that the children have as much fun in their new playground and we did on the night!
Take a look at the highlights below.
