Ciara Doyle
THE Ratoath community came together for the annual Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland
#TeaDay2022 raising a huge €2,000, with the day being filled with friends and strangers
uniting for a cup of tea to raise vital funds for the ASI.
The fundraising event was held at the Venue Theatre on May 5 with Dancing with the Stars
winner and horse racing ace Nina Carberry among those gathered for tea, cakes, and music.
With the past two Tea Days being cancelled due to covid, Ratoath local Laura Murphy
decided to host the annual Tea Day as she has experience with the condition and the charity
and believed it would be an excellent way to bring the community back together after a tough
two years. With organiser Laura saying “But personally, I believe the biggest win was for
Ratoath coming together as a community in the heart of the village, the community centre. It
was a true community effort giving back and supporting others.”
Alzheimer’s is a disease that currently affects 64,000 people in Ireland, with that figure
expected to double in the next 25 years. The Tea Day is the biggest fundraising day for the
ASI. The ASI is th national support charity for people living with dementia, their families,
and carers. It is important for communities to come together for events like this and to
support those suffering with dementia, as it estimated that 63% of those diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s in Ireland are still living at home and locally within the community.
Dancing with the Stars champion and Ratoath native Nina Carberry, who attended the
fundraising event with her mother, hosted the raffle in aid of the ASI and spoke about her
experience with the disease as her father Tommy Carberry battled dementia before his death
in 2017. Nina Carberry’s DWTS dancing partner Pasquale La Rocca is also an ambassador
for the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland.
The event brought together the Community Centre, neighbouring café As You Like It and
Ratoath College amongst others to fundraise and bring awareness to the disease – over a cup
of tea, a sweet treat, and a chat. The Ratoath ‘Forget Me Nots’ choir also provided
entertainment and enjoyment for all event goers.
It was a successful day with €2,000 being raised for the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland. The
kettle remained on throughout, with the day being filled with tea, cake, songs, and stories.
With organiser and host Laura Murphy expressing her gratitude, by saying: “Ratoath should
take a bow and I take this opportunity to thank each and every one who supported the hugely
successful Tea Day.
Fundraising days are essential for the ASI as it helps them with raising vital funds to help
both dementia patients and their families. Just €10 can provide an hour for a person suffering
with dementia at an Alzheimer’s café, while €35 can provide an hour of
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. A session of Musical Therapy costs €70 and €150 can run
a Social Club for a day. For more information or support services for those suffering with
Alzheimer’s, or to donate to the ASI visit http://www.alzheimer.ie.
Meath South East News 