Jack & Jill Launches Hares On The March
The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation launches its “Hares on the March” campaign sponsored by Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates.
The Jack & Jill Foundation’s “Hares on the March” campaign sponsored by Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates was launched at ArtSource in the RDS, with the unveiling of three of the 110 very colourful hares that will be on display all around Dublin City from January 2016 to March 2016.
At the launch were:
• Jonathan Irwin CEO and Founder of Jack & Jill
• Senator Mary Ann O’Brien founder of Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates and co-founder Jack & Jill
• Eoin Donnelly managing director of Lily O’Brien’s, title sponsor of ‘Hares on the March’ for Jack & Jill
• Dave Southern project manager of Hares on the March for Jack & Jill
• Mark Fitzpatrick and his son Eric who is supported by Jack & Jill
• Artist Patrick O’Reilly
This artistic fundraiser builds on the success of the charity’s previous Cow Parade, Big Egg Hunt and Pig Parade, with the art pieces designed to raise money to fund home nursing care for sick children around the country, while also raising awareness for the artists involved. The hares will be sponsored and ultimately purchased through an online auction, with 25 of the top ‘Golden Hares’ going under the hammer of DeVeres at a live auction in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland on Tuesday 15th March 2016. Some of the big name artists involved are John Shinnors, Donald Teskey, Pauline Bewick, John Doherty and Martin Gale, with a full list of artists published on jackandjill.ie and the charity is urging companies with budgets for Irish art to jump onboard. The general public can get involved in the Hare Trail from January, with competitions to find the hares and to really engage with this artistic programme.
Each of the hares tells its own story and on display at ArtSource were:
• Patrick O’Reilly’s design ‘Hare Hiding’ which was inspired by his friend and artist the late Barry Flanagan and shows a hare hiding in long grass under a full moon.
• Rachelle O’Regan from Swords, Co.Dublin has created a design whose inspiration is a combination of Celtic Druid’s Spring Equinox and the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre.
• Thomas Banahan’s design Hare-Boutin, is a stylish representation inspired by Christian Louboutin, the world famous shoe designer.
At the launch, Jonathan Irwin CEO and Founder of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation said:
“Our hope is that the hare, that once took pride of place on our coins, will top Jack & Jill’s fundraising in 2016 and take pride of place in homes and offices around the country. People can find, sponsor and buy one of these unique creatures, and every €16 raised helps to fund one hour of home nursing care for a sick child under our wing. The campaign also reminds our families that they do not walk alone.”
Senator Mary Ann O’Brien, founder of Lily O’Brien’s the title sponsor for the Hares on the March, and co-founder of Jack & Jill said:
The Jack & Jill Foundation is a charity very close to our hearts, with my son Jack’s home nursing care plan providing the blueprint for the home nursing care model that has supported over 1,900 families since 1997. Jonathan and his team have always had to be really creative in their fundraising efforts to keep the charity well funded and the Hares on the March is a masterpiece in quality art, family fun and clever fundraising. It is a great match for our ethos of quality and creativity at Lily O’Brien’s and a lovely fundraiser to showcase our brand. I know many families will really enjoy the ‘Hare Trail’ and art buyers will be attracted by the beauty and drama of these beautiful creatures.”
About the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation
Over the past 18 years, Jack & Jill has supported over 1,900 children from birth to 4 years old with brain damage who suffer severe intellectual and physical trauma. Its nationwide service includes home visits and care, advice, information, lobbying and bereavement support, with the Foundation providing funding for up to 64 hours of home nursing care per month at a cost of up to €1024 per family and up to 80 hours per month for end of life care. The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation relies on the generosity of the public and creative fundraisers like this to raise the €2.7 million in requires every year to provide this critical service.