The Connacht Hotel to host ‘Bubbles & Brunch at the Galway Races’ in aid of local charity

As the Galway International Arts Festival winds down, we begin preparing for one of the biggest weeks of the year with the Galway Races.

And among the festivities this year is a very special event “Bubbles & Brunch at the Galway Races” in aid of local charity ACT for Meningitis, hosted by the Connacht Hotel.

The event will take place on Wednesday, 1 August, supported by a number of Galway businesses including Catwalk Model Agency, local milliners Suzie Mahony Design, Emily Jean Design and Standún, with special guest appearances.

ACT for Meningitis, an amazing local charity, was was set up in 2011 by Siobhan and Noel Carroll following the tragic loss of their daughter Aoibhe, aged just 4, to Meningitis.

Losing Aoibhe changed their lives forever and they wanted to try and prevent another family going through that heart break.

They felt there was an urgent need for more awareness around Meningitis and that support be made available to anyone affected by the disease.

In July 2011 they set up ACT for Meningitis, with a Mission to raise awareness, promote education and provide support to those affected by meningitis in Ireland, and with a vision to see an Ireland where lives are no longer lost to meningitis.

And through their support services, no-one faces the meningitis journey alone.

In six short years, through self-fundraising, ACT have provided free support services to children, adults, families and communities in 19 counties in Ireland through our unique Meningitis Community Care Programme.

Wherever you are in the country, if you have been affected by meningitis either through bereavement or living with the severe after affects of the disease, they will provide free support services and therapies tailored to your needs, within your own community and without a waiting list.

They also run various National Annual Awareness Campaigns in creches, schools, colleges, clubs and workplaces, and provide free Meningitis Training Programmes to pharmacies and medical professionals.

In addition to all of this, ACT for Meningitis have just began a huge restoration project on a building in Kilcornan, Co Galway which, by next year, will be “Aoibhe’s House”; a Meningitis Centre of Excellence, a support centre, a training centre, a home for ACT and a loving community for anyone in the country who has been affected by this life changing disease.