13 July 2017
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Come and see the new Sumatran tiger and cheetah cubs – All proceeds raised will go to the charity
In two weeks time, on Thursday, 27 July, Fota Wildlife Park in Cork will host a fundraising Twilight Walk for BUMBLEance, the Children’s National Ambulance Service. The walk will take place from 6.30pm to 8.30pm (last entry is 6.45pm) and the cost of entry on the night will be €10 per adult and €5 per child with 100% of the proceeds going directly towards BUMBLEance. The PR BUMBLEance, one of the state of the art ambulances used at public events to showcase the work of the charity, will be on site that evening, along with the BUMBLEance BEE Mascot.
Speaking at the launch of the Twilight Walk today, Director of Fota Wildlife Park, Sean McKeown said; “We are delighted to open Fota Wildlife Park for a very special evening in support of sick BUMBLEance children. The public can enjoy a magical evening viewing the animals, including our new Sumatran tiger and cheetah cubs, whilst helping us to support this wonderful children’s charity at the same time .’
All of the proceeds raised from the Twilight Walk will go directly towards a new Southern Region BUMBLEetteService. Based in Cork, the Southern Regional BUMBLEette will facilitate and support young patients who do not require full ambulance support with a paramedic on board, but who nonetheless are seriously ill and who require transportation to and from treatment centres nationwide. Based on a Mercedes Vito vehicle, the Southern Regional BUMBLEette will provide support to sick children and their families throughout Cork city and county as they travel to and from home to hospital, national treatment centres, and respite and hospice care facilities nationwide. The service will also provide a unique and specialised service through their end of life Angel Trips, which is the final journey a terminally ill child, takes on earth before he or she grows their Angel Wings.
Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf with Sean McKeown the Park Director get ready for Thursday 27 July as Fota Wildlife Park will host a fundraising Twilight Walk for BUMBLEance, the Children’s National Ambulance Service and the cost of entry on the night will be €10 per adult and €5 per child with 100% of the proceeds going directly towards BUMBLEance
Photograph: Gerard McCarthy
Speaking today, Founder & CEO, Tony Heffernan said: ‘We are very grateful to Fota Wildlife Park for so generously opening up the park in support of BUMBLEance and we hope the public will come along and enjoy this very unique experience in support of our service. Our main goal is to achieve an Ireland where the fear and stress of an ambulance journey for a child no longer exists and our new, regionally based, Southern BUMBLEette service, will enable us to provide vital assistance to even more sick children and families in need of our help throughout the Rebel County.’
The Southern Regional BUMBLEette will be fully kitted out with all the BUMBLEance features, such as a TV, play station, DVD’s, music, fun BUMBLEance branding interior and exterior and sensory lighting and will have a defibrillator and suction machine on board. The BUMBLEette will also be utilized as a Chemo Cab service and will facilitate wheelchair and stretcher usage whilst enabling family members to travel with their loved ones in a safe, comfortable and secure environment.
