Munster Announce Charity Partners

Munster Rugby are pleased to announce the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and The Irish Heart Foundation as their nominated charities for 2014/15.

Over the season Munster Rugby will be working closely with each charity, providing them with active support on specific projects and will work to help them raise awareness and funds for projects in Ireland.

Commenting on the announcement Claire Cooke, CSR Project Manager said “Each year it’s a very difficult job to choose between all the charities that apply to us and over the years and we have enjoyed working with all of them. This season we are really pleased and excited to be creating a new partnership with – Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and The Irish Heart Foundation. We hope that by focusing with each charity on specific projects that are important to them we can make a real difference, through the involvement of our players, interaction at matches and the association of the Munster Rugby brand.”

Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind
Irish Guide Dogs provide Guide Dogs, Assistance Dogs and a wide range of training services to people who are vision impaired and children with autism. It is a national charity, based in Cork and each year trains people to achieve greater independence and mobility through its services.

The charity is reliant on public donations, with 80% of its funding through fundraising initiatives and your support is vital to its work.

It takes up to 2 years to train one Guide or Assistance Dog and the lifetime cost of a dog is €;38,000. All Irish Guide Dogs’ services are offered to people who need its services free of charge so money is not a barrier.

The Irish Heart Foundation
Today in Ireland more people die from heart and stroke related illnesses than from any other cause of death. However up to 80% of cardiovascular disease (CVD – heart disease, stroke and other vascular disease) is preventable. The Irish Heart Foundation is your national charity working to help everyone live longer, healthier lives free from heart disease and stroke.

This is done through Information, Prevention, Resuscitation, Patient Support and Research. The foundation gives vital patient support through its National Heart & Stroke helpline (1890 432 787) and by working with patient groups They deliver a wide range of health promotion activities throughout Ireland through healthy eating and physical activity programmes for Irish employees, as well as personalized heart health checks. In schools they provide support for PE and encourage activity throughout the school day and they are part of a national community campaign to get more people active and walking.

The foundation also funds pioneering medical research, campaigns for improved patient care, and promotes positive public health policies.

Unfortunately, heart disease and stroke affects so many lives, and may already affect someone you know:

• Every hour, across the country someone unexpectedly suffers a stroke
• Every day, 23 people suffer from a heart attack
• Every week, nearly 100 people die from sudden cardiac arrest
• Every year, hospitals see 17,000 emergency admissions for heart failure

But groups like Munster Rugby, your staff, players, supporters and the local communities, can make a huge difference! Sadly, the number of people – Dads, Mums, sisters, brothers and friends – that lose their lives to heart disease and stroke are too high. With your help, more people can live longer because of research, early detection of risk, positive lifestyle changes, advances in treatments and a healthier environment.