BUMBLEance makes a return visit to Newmarket on Fergus

The children of Scoil Na Maighdine Mhuire visited Newmarket on Fergus Public Library on the morning of the 5th of February for a very special reason. It was the second time in five months that they met with Mary Heffernan founder of the Saoirse Foundation and the driver of the BUMBLEance Mr. Jim Burke.

As part of the annual children’s book festival Clare County Library programmed a Books and BUMBLEance tour in October 2018. Over three consecutive days the BUMBLEance visited Scariff, Newmarket on Fergus, Miltown Malbay and Shannon libraries with children’s writers on board. The children had a unique opportunity to see the equipment the BUMBLEance contains, hear about the services they provide and why the charity was set up, as well as focusing on the comfort of reading and how books can make a difference to children’s health.

Having experienced the stress and challenges that parents of sick children face, Mary and her husband established the Saoirse Foundation after their two children sadly succumbed to the fatal Batten’s Disease and the BUMBLEance was launched.

The children’s national ambulance service reaches into every town, city and county in Ireland, delivering safe and comfortable transportation of sick children to and from children's hospitals, national treatment centres, respite and hospice centres. BUMBLEance provides the highest standards in professional medical care, and a suite of top-of-the range entertainment facilities designed and tailored for children. The aim is to distract, comfort and entertain Ireland's youngest and most sick patients as they travel, allowing children to be children and parents to be parents. Their mission is to deliver smiles and compassion in equal measure, along with all additional medical supports when needed most.

So taken by the story of the BUMBLEance and its founders were the staff and children of Scoil Na Maighdine Mhuire, Newmarket on Fergus in October, that they decided to do what they could to join the Bee Team and help the children who need the BUMBLEance services.

Staff and children organized a cake sale especially for BUMBLEance on the 2nd of November and €310 was raised. The presentation took place at Newmarket on Fergus Library on the 5th of February 2019 during one of the weekly visits that the children and teachers make to their local branch to choose the latest reads and to access additional books to support the Accelerated Reading Programme running in their school since 2015. The children of 4th class were accompanied by teacher Emer Pigott and SNA Pauline O’Neill.