The Connacht Hotel will be kicking off race week this Summer with their 2nd annual gourmet Bubbles & Brunch event in aid of local charity ACT for Meningitis.
An action packed pre-races event on Wednesday, July 31. This year’s Bubbles and Brunch promises to be another wonderful day of fashion, food, racing and a few surprises, with the funds going to the Ballybane based ACT for Meningitis.
The day will kick off at 12:30pm with a drinks reception at the Connacht Hotel followed by a gourmet three-course brunch with Prosecco and live entertainment.
Guest will also get to enjoy a best dressed competition and be in with a chance at raffle prizes, and of course it wouldn’t be a Galway Races event without a Millinery showcase.
When all that’s done, guests will have the option to be chauffeured out to the Racecourse to arrive in style at Ireland’s most famous racing festival.
ACT for Meningitis was founded up in 2011 by Siobhan and Noel Carroll following the tragic loss of their daughter Aoibhe to meningitis when she was just four years old.
In the months afterwards they felt the need to do something to raise awareness of this disease, so that hopefully other families wouldn’t have to go through the same heartbreak they did.
In July 2011 they set up ACT for Meningitis to raise awareness, promote education, and provide support to those affected by meningitis in Ireland.
Dawn McGoldrick, Head of Fundraising with ACT, said they were thrilled to be working the Connacht Hotel to raise awareness and funds for their cause.
Though based in Galway, ACT helps people wherever they can, working with patients and families in 21 counties.
Dawn said a lot of the work they do goes into countering confusion and a lack of understanding surrounding meningitis and its symptoms.
Meningitis comes in two main forms, bacterial and viral, but it has a great many different strains and a wide range of possible symptoms.
According to Dawn, a lot of people people will often wait for the tell tale rash before getting themselves checked out for meningitis, but it would be a mistake to wait that long she said.
In fact there’s no guarantee that someone who has contracted meningitis will develop a rash at all.
According to the HSE early warning signs include muscle and joint pain, cold hands and feet, or pale and blotchy skin.
Dawn said people should get themselves immediately seen by a doctor if they suspect they may have come down with the disease.
The funds raised at the Bubbles & Brunch event will be used to support ACT’s Community Care Programme which provides a broad range of supports for people suffering from meningitis and their families.
Emer McDonagh, ACT’s Community Support Officer works with patients and families to help connect them to the help they need, whether it’s providing advice on recovery, linking in with local services, or helping a family cope with a bereavement.
If anyone wants to learn more about the symptoms of meningitis, and the work the ACT promoting awareness and supporting patients and families in their community they can find it at ww.actformeningitis.ie
Tickets are available from €45 for this Bubbles & Brunch event and can be booked by e-mailing conferencing@theconnacht.ie or calling 091 381200, For more information stay tuned to The Connacht Hotel Facebook page.
sponsored by the Connacht Hospitality Group
