Life sciences company Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced the Irish Community Air Ambulance, Down Syndrome Centre Cork, and UCC's wiSTEM Society as the recipients of its €40,000 Community Partnership Grant.
Thermo Fisher opened the fund to local groups in Cork's Lower Harbour area that make their communities healthier, cleaner and safer as part of its Making a Difference initiative.
"For the third year running, we have been blown away by the generosity, passion and strong sense of community in the Lower Harbour, and we are proud to support them through this funding," said Caroline Barry, operational excellence lead at Thermo Fisher.
"This year's inspiring recipients for our €40,000 Community Partnership Grant share our mission to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. From Tidy Towns groups keeping their local areas clean to charities and groups providing vital services to enhance the health and well-being across all sectors of society, we are heartened by the knowledge that this year's grant will be put to use by a myriad of worthy, inspiring causes."
Commenting on what the funding means to the organisation, Irish Community Air Ambulance CEO Micheál Sheridan said: "We are a completely charity-run organisation, so funding like the Thermo Fisher Community Partnership Grant is vital to maintaining our core services.
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"This money will be directed to help the running of our Air Ambulance, which responds to over 500 emergency calls a year and costs up to €1.5m a year to run. We also currently have a team of eight Emergency Medical Responders, on-the-ground Volunteer Doctors who respond to an average of 600 emergency calls in rural and hard-to-reach communities across the country each year.
"With funding we are able to provide them with specialised vehicles and medical equipment to be able to respond in local communities. This year we have seen a 70% increase in fuel costs for our helicopter and increased pressure on emergency services nationwide has increased demands on our services, so it is more important than ever that we have the funds we need to ensure people in distress get the help they need, when they need it."
The schools and educational initiative supported by the Community Partnership Grant are: Sonas Special Junior Primary School; Carrigaline Educate Together National School; St. Marys Special School; School of Divine Child, Lavanagh Centre; Adventum Racing F1 in Schools Team at St. Colman's College; and Octane Racing.
Sports groups Carrigaline Badminton JR Academy; Carrigaline Tennis Club; and the 55th Cork Carrigaline Scout Group will also receive funding.
Ringaskiddy Tidy Towns; Shanbally Tidy Towns; and Crosshaven Tidy Towns and Development Committee will receive funds to support their community efforts.
Funding has also been awarded to Covers of Comfort; Hope Foundation; St Vincent de Paul, Sacred Heart Conference, Monkstown; Cope Foundation; Cork Deaf Association; Ringaskiddy Active Retired; Homeless Drive; Jack and Jill Children's Foundation; Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism; and Cork Stroke Support.
NYSE-listed Thermo Fisher has annual revenues in excess of $25bn and employs more than 75,000 people worldwide.
Photo: Roy Foley, process operator at Thermo Fisher Scientific; Edel Collins, general manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific; Mícheál Sheridan, CEO of Irish Community Air Ambulance; and Jess Wright, donor care officer at Irish Community Air Ambulance. (Pic: Alison Miles/OSM PHOTO)
