Press Release:
Ryanair donates €100,000 to support seriously ill local children
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 low cost airline, have presented a €100,000 donation to Naomi House & Jacksplace in the United Kingdom. Ryanair has supported Naomi House & Jacksplace through its scratch card game for over four years, donating over €300,000 to the charity during this partnership.
Ryanair scratch cards offer customers the opportunity to win cash prizes, luxury cars and the chance to scoop an impressive €1 million – all for a stake of just €2, with ongoing donations made to numerous children’s charities across the UK and Europe.
This enormous donation is enough to fund 2,850 hours of high quality nursing care for some of the most seriously ill children and young adults across southern England. Over the years, Ryanair's donations have provided Naomi House & Jacksplace with enough income to provide ongoing bereavement support for 100 extended families.
Paul Morgan, Head of Fundraising at Naomi House & Jacksplace, said:
“Naomi House & Jacksplace are delighted to be one of the British charity beneficiaries from the proceeds of the sale of Ryanair scratch cards. Since 2014, Ryanair scratch cards have become our largest single corporate supporter, donating in excess of €300,000 to help our work with the sickest children and families across our community. However, the support goes much further, as Ryanair also helps promote our services to passengers. Visits from Ryanair cabin crew also inspires our children and families – so much so that we even create Ryanair themed activities and creative therapies on via our Play and Activities team. We deeply appreciate the ongoing support from the passengers and crew involved with scratch cards. Thank you, Ryanair."
Aoife Greene, Ryanair’s Head of Retail, added:
“It is a pleasure to support the incredible work that Naomi House & Jacksplace do for the children and their families in the UK. Having personally seen the excellent services they provide in such beautiful surroundings, it’s important to Ryanair and our crew that we continue this partnership into the future. Customers who buy Ryanair’s scratch cards are also helping a wide range of charities across Europe, who receive ongoing donations, such as Jack and Jill in Ireland, Pequeño Deseo in Spain, Refúgio Aboim Ascensão in Portugal, The Meyer hospital in Italy and Kinder Hilfe in Germany. Look out for our scratch cards on your next Ryanair flight and you could be our next winner.”
Naomi House & Jacksplace care for 287 children and 136 young adults from across Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, West Sussex, Surrey and the Isle of Wight. The charity provides respite, community, emergency, end of life and post bereavement care to 555 families each year.
-ENDS-
Pictured:
Aoife Greene – Head of Retail for Ryanair and Paul Morgan – Director of Fundraising for Naomi House & Jacksplace.
Notes to editors:
Naomi House & Jacksplace provide respite, emergency and end of life care to life-limited children and young people across the central south of England.
Naomi House nursing and medical staff provide individualised nursing care that helps to enhance short lives and allows 555 local families to make the most of their precious time with their children.
There are 11 children’s bedrooms and a number of family bedrooms at the newly refurbished Naomi House. Additionally, the state of the art building includes spaces for music therapy, art and messy play, a multi-sensory room, a hydrotherapy pool and dedicated spaces for end of life care and post-bereavement support. Naomi House has an experienced family support team offering practical, emotional and spiritual support for the whole family, throughout their child’s life and after death.
Inevitably there are some sad times at Naomi House. On these occasions, Naomi House offers The Butterfly Bedroom; a chilled room in which a child can be laid to rest in the immediate post-death period, and until such time as the family are ready to say their goodbyes. The charity’s teams helps with funeral arrangements and other such practicalities. Specialist bereavement counsellors, sibling support staff and the hospice Chaplain offer support to families for as long as they are needed.
Many of the children cared for at Naomi House are living longer thanks to advances in medical technology and care. This is why Naomi House opened Jacksplace, a new hospice for teenagers and young people aged 16 and up. Jacksplacehas six bedrooms equipped with specialist beds, hoists and state of the art en-suite bathrooms. Jacksplace offers the same range of care and support available at Naomi House, including family support, an activity team, end of life care and post bereavement support.
Naomi House needs to raise £9.2 million each year in order to run a full service and deliver its plans. The charity receives less than 15% of its income from statutory sources, meaning that the vast majority of the charity’s income comes from the generous donations of individuals, groups and companies. It is this dedicated fundraising that allows the hospices to continue to offer their services to families across the South.