Local calendar raises funds for vital Cancer Connect

NOW in its twentieth iteration, the Bantry and Beyond calendar continues to be a valuable fundraiser for Cancer Connect. 

The calendar is produced by the Bantry Active Retirement Association’s camera club and is a core activity of the club. At the cheque presentation, generously hosted by the Westlodge Hotel on Saturday February 24^th, Margaret Hubbard presented the cheque for €7,500 to Helen O’Driscoll and Neilie O’Leary of Cancer Connect. In her speech Margaret acknowledged the work of Seamus Larkin who led the camera club over the past year and who was mainly responsible for the calendar this year along with Charles Coombs. 

Margaret expressed thanks to the businesses and other non-commercial outlets, both large and small, who help to support the charitable efforts by selling the calendar each year. She praised club members for the consistently high standard of photography over the course of the year which made the task of selecting just a handful of pictures for the calendar so difficult. In closing, Margaret thanked Cancer Connect for their service which is a lifeline to cancer patients and their families in West Cork. 

In response, Helen O’Driscoll thanked Bara camera club for their ongoing support. She said that Cancer Connect is totally dependent on donations and receives no financial support from the government. Despite the lack of government funding, Cancer Connect have recently expanded the service to cover the whole of County Cork and are slowly building recognition in the new areas being covered. Receiving the cheque, Helen again thanked the camera club saying that it was local support that was so vital in keeping the service running. 

Neilie O’Leary then spoke about the importance of the local volunteer drivers and the growth of Cancer Connect. After the presentation, everyone withdrew to the balcony for refreshments which were sponsored by the Westlodge Hotel.