THIS April, one of Cork’s most established charities, Cope Foundation, takes to the streets to fundraise for its ‘Flowers of Hope’ campaign.

Our organisation supports 2,350 people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism to live lives of their choosing by living ‘Your Life, Your Way’. We do this across a network of 69 locations that are dotted right across Cork city and county.

The Flowers of Hope campaign is taking place from April 1 to 14. As a disabilities organisation we are celebrating inclusive communities, workplaces and schools by bringing more colour to Cork through our Flowers of Hope campaign.

Cope Foundation is on a mission to make Cork the ‘Inclusive Capital of Ireland’. We are doing a lot of work to raise awareness about the importance of diverse workplaces, communities, sports groups and schools and this campaign will further help this mission.

No matter where you are, you can take part. You could organise a Flowers of Hope Coffee Break or Bake Off at work, school or in your local community and have a cuppa for Cope. Or lace up those runners and do a Flower Power Walk at lunchtime with colleagues, friends or classmates. Why not wear something floral and dig out that lovely floral dress or shirt and donate €4 to Cope Foundation by text and share your ‘floral selfie’ with the hashtag #FlowersOfHope.

Our Flowers of Hope lapel pins and seeds will also be available to purchase at various outlets across Cork. The seeds (nasturtiums) can be planted this Spring and they will add great colour to any garden.

There are many activities taking place over the two weeks of the campaign. On Tuesday April 9 the big Flowers of Hope Collection Day will take place in the city centre and city shopping centres. Also on that day there will be a Flowers of Hope bumper Coffee Break at University College Cork Centre for Executive Education at 1 Lapp’s Quay (which is open to all). On Saturday April 13 we will have a Flowers of Hope Gardening Demonstration at Beech Hill Garden Centre (our beautiful garden centre in Montenotte) with Irish Gardening Expert, Peter Dowdall. Tickets for that event are available online now at www.cope-foundation.ie

A number of Flowers of Hope events are also planned in towns and communities where our centres are located such as; Macroom; Clonakilty; Midleton; Fermoy; Mallow; Skibbereen and lots more.

Flowers of Hope is an exciting campaign for Cope Foundation as it raises awareness about the need to embrace diversity and accept people for who they are and not for what they can or can’t do. We want to see communities, schools and workplaces bringing more colour into their lives by supporting Flowers of Hope this April and in doing so, raising much-needed funds for potentially life-changing assistive technology projects at Cope Foundation.

Funds raised through Flowers of Hope in 2019 will be used to develop and progress Cope Foundation’s work with assistive technology. Assistive technology is any technological intervention that can enable a person to do something — from everyday tasks to those ‘never-seemed-possible achievements’. For most people, technology has the power to make things better. For people with disabilities, technology has the power to make things possible. For example, assistive technology could help a person to overcome or manage communication difficulties, cognitive issues, mobility limitations, and even social barriers.

Assistive technology has the potential to really change a person’s quality of life and gain independence. Cope Foundation wants to be able to provide more assistive technology solutions for people so that they really can live ‘Your Life, Your Way’. The possibilities are endless and already, we have seen incredible results when we have, through fundraising monies, invested in assistive technology. The outcomes are amazing and we want to be in a position to bring these opportunities to more children and adults that we support.

Our Flowers of Hope campaign centres on the people of Cork celebrating colour, growth and togetherness. Right now, we are calling on Cork schools, community groups and businesses and asking them to take part in Flowers of Hope this April. We have great fundraising packs available for people who would like to get involved. Get in touch with us if you’d like to do something special for Flowers of Hope, we’d love to hear from you.

Everyone in Cork is encouraged to join Cope Foundation and ‘Go Floral’ during the Flowers of Hope campaign. Dig out that floral shirt, dress or tie and share your ‘floral selfie’ on social media from April 1 to 14 April. Text COPECORK to 50300 to donate €4. (100% of your donation goes to Cope Foundation across most networks. Some operators apply VAT which means that a minimum of €3.25 will go to Cope Foundation. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278).