GARDAÍ from the Clare and Tipperary Garda Division are to undertake a teddy trek at the end of this month in aid of Little Blue Heroes.
At the end of September, Gardaí from Clare, Tipperary and further afield will help transport “Teddy” from Carrick on Suir, Co Tipperary to Kilkee, Co Clare, as they run and cycle with Teddy on their journey over three days.
Teddy Picnics will be held in towns along the route with children invited to join and bring their own teddies to meet ‘Teddy’ and local Gardaí. All the runners and cyclists will be fundraising before and during the event to raise funds for the Little Blue Heroes Foundation.
Garda Gemma Maguire, Community Engagement, Clonmel wanted to support and highlight the wonderful work of Little Blue Heroes Organisation with her idea embraced by colleagues in both counties. She said, “Given the merger of Tipperary and Clare as one Division in 2023, this also provides an excellent opportunity to work together with colleagues across both counties to help promote and fundraise for the charity. I hope communities, and especially children, come out and embrace Teddy’s Trek, which promises to be an exciting journey for us all”
A three-day event, Teddy Trek will begin on Tuesday 24th September at Carrick on Suir where they will travel to Thurles via Clonmel, Cahir and Cashel. Day two (Wednesday 25th September) will see Teddy cross the border, beginning at Thurles and heading to Tulla, going through Borrisoleigh, Nenagh, Portroe and Killaloe. Tulla is the starting point on the final day with Kilkee the end point and Ennis, Lissycasey and Kilrush marked as stops along the way.
Prior to the event, a school colouring competition is to be carried out in schools and preschools in Clare and Tipperary with children getting the chance to name Teddy before the trek commences. Teddy road safety updates will also be provided appropriate to the age range which aims to increase road safety among children and adults alike.
An official launch of the event was held in Killaloe on Monday last which was attended by Mayor of Clare, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF), Mayor of Tipperary, Cllr Declan Burgess (FG), Supt Eddie Golden, Insp Noel Barry, Community Engagement Co-ordinator Breda Breen, members of the event organising committee and Little Blue Heroes Foundation plus the Killaloe Coast Guard.
Chief Superintendent of the Clare/Tipperary Garda Division, Aileen Magner said, “This event is an excellent initiative which is being run in support of the fantastic work of the Little Blue heroes Foundation, who support those who find themselves in time of need. The Little Blue Heroes Foundation does inspiring work to help families of children with serious illnesses in Ireland and they rely heavily on events such as these to help provide life altering supports. The event also provides an excellent opportunity for Gardaí across both counties to engage with communities, and hopefully for communities to participate in the Teddy Trek events”.
“This is a great cause, and I am delighted to assist Gardaí in promoting the event, which will hopefully raise much needed funds for seriously ill children,” commented Cllr O’Callaghan.
Little Blue Heroes Foundation’s vision is to support families of children with serious illnesses in Ireland while empowering the lives of children through positive community engagement. Their mission is to provide practical and financial support to families of children who have serious illnesses in Ireland while granting the wish of the children it supports to become Honorary Gardaí to empower the child and foster positive engagement with An Garda Síochána. Little Blue Heroes Foundation is a not-for-profit charity operated entirely by volunteers with no paid staff and is made up of Garda members/staff, retired Garda members, their families, friends and civic minded people from communities.
Fundraising will be via participant’s sponsorship, bucket collections, and a dedicated iDonate page. Any contribution, however small, would be much appreciated by the event organisers and the Little Blue Heroes Foundation.
