An Gairdin Beo to host Cuan Mhuire fundraiser
There'll also be a raffle with gifts and vouchers
CARLOW residents are invited to support a vital fundraising event this Saturday for the drug rehabilitation unit at Cuan Mhuire in Athy.
The fundraising event will take place at An Gairdin Beo community garden centre in Carlow on Saturday from 10am to 4pm. The event will feature a raffle with donated gifts and vouchers, with all proceeds going towards the refurbishment of the drug rehabilitation unit.
Organiser Rosaleen Fadden, a previous nurse and counsellor at Cuan Mhuire with over 15 years of experience at the facility, is working alongside Nicola Kelly, manager at Cuan Mhuire Athy, to make the event a success.
“This is the closest drug treatment facility to Carlow and many of our young, and not-so-young people have been treated there over the past 30 years,” Ms Fadden explained. “Nationwide, we now know that this need is greater than ever before.
“It’s to raise awareness around the centre because we used to have a Tuesday night drop-in session in Graiguecullen where people from Cuan Mhuire or people who wanted to know about their family member who needed to go into treatment would go, but we don’t have that since Covid and I just think we need to raise awareness again in Carlow because it’s the nearest treatment centre and a lot of Carlow people go through it.”
The event provides an opportunity for the community to directly support a facility that has served local families for three decades. Cuan Mhuire is Ireland’s largest voluntary provider of addiction treatment services and residential rehabilitation, treating approximately 2,500 people annually since its foundation in 1966 by Sr Consilio.
The Athy facility offers comprehensive residential treatment for alcohol, drug and gambling addictions. With 108 beds in the main house and drug unit, plus a 32-bed medically supervised detox unit and 39 beds in the dedicated women's facility, the centre provides a safe haven for those seeking help. The facility accepts men and women aged 18 and over, offering 12-week programmes for alcohol and gambling addiction and 20-week programmes for drug addiction.
“There is always somebody there to talk to a person, even if they only make the phone call and say ‘I don’t know what to do, I think my son or daughter is using drugs, what is my next step?’ They’ll be invited to come and have a chat and they’ll meet somebody who has been through the programme and come out the other side,” explained Ms Fadden.
The organisation’s work extends beyond treatment to focus on education, prevention and ongoing support to ensure lasting recovery. The Cuan Mhuire programme is based on the philosophy of total abstinence and strives to restore the confidence, self-respect and sense of responsibility of all individuals.
“Every day, we see the profound impact of our services as individuals rebuild their lives, reconnect with loved ones and contribute positively to society,” organisers noted. “However, the demand for our services continues to grow and with it the need for additional resources.”
Local businesses and community members can still contribute gifts or vouchers for the raffle. For more information, contact Rosaleen Fadden at info@rosaleenfadden.com or 086 0789241.
The Saturday fundraiser at An Gairdin Beo offers Carlow residents a chance to make a meaningful investment in the lives of individuals and families affected by addiction while supporting a facility that has been a lifeline for the local community.
