Helping Bagenalstown In Bloom

Helping Bagenalstown in Bloom

Each year Bagenalstown yarn bombs the trees, gates and fences of the town, creating a vibrant tapestry of colour and creativity. This requires a tremendous amount of knitted and crocheted pieces to cover the many locations around town, and we have had a number of volunteers in over the past few weeks working away to help out.

We recently dropped off our volunteers' wonderful work with the Festival volunteers, so they can start preparations.

Our Knitting and Crocheting mornings are continuing each Thursday morning, with the focus on creating Purple Hearts for Hospice patients and their families, and new volunteers are always welcome.

by Helen Rothwell

Pieta and Darkness Into Light

Pieta

Pieta was founded in Dublin in 2006 and was established to provide free, accessible support to people affected by suicide and self-harm. Pieta now has over 20 centres nationwide with over 300 staff and offers a variety of supports to people impacted by suicide and self-harm, completely FREE of charge.

Vision, Mission, Values

Their Purpose

Pieta exist to reduce suicide and self-harm, and to support those who have been impacted by suicide and self-harm

Their Mission

Pieta provide professional counselling, support and education to those experiencing suicidal thoughts, self-harming behaviour and to those impacted by suicide and self-harm.

Their Values

Hope is at the heart of what Pieta do, guiding their values and behaviours, and at their core they believe in the following:

Respect: Acknowledging the inherent worth in every person and treating everyone with dignity, courtesy, and consideration.
Compassion: Demonstrating care, kindness, and a willingness to understand others' experiences and perspectives. Adopting a people-centred approach that is free from judgement.
Transparency: Communicating openly and honestly with integrity and taking responsibility for one's actions and decisions, while being held accountable.
Collaboration: Working together in partnership, seeing each person as one who is resourced to play their part in achieving positive outcomes.

How Carlow Volunteers Can Help Out

In 2009, in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, 400 people set off on the inaugural Darkness Into Light 5km walk to raise funds for Pieta. From small beginnings, the movement has continued to grow, and now there are over 150,000 participants in Darkness Into Light each year.  The participants begin the walk in the darkness of night, and will finish the walk as the dawn sun rises.

Each year the walk provides an opportunity for people to connect with their local community and to bring hope to people who have been impacted by suicide. Dedicated volunteers are essential year on year to make the event a success and to help us all continue to raise awareness and hope in the global fight against suicide and self-harm.

Darkness Into Light 2025 will take place at 4:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025. This inspiring event symbolises hope, as communities come together to support mental health and prevent suicide. Volunteers will need to be available from 3am, and will be placed at various locations along the route to provide directions and help to the participants.

by Helen Rothwell

Unum Volunteers and Tidy Towns at St. Mary's Cemetery

Volunteers from Unum Carlow partnered with Carlow Tidy Towns to carry out a clean up in St. Mary's Cemetery in Carlow Town. Thank you to all involved in improving an important location in the town.

by Helen Rothwell

International Women's Day 2025

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, honuors the achievements of women across all aspects of life - social, economic, cultural, and political - while also advocating for gender equality.

What are the aims of IWD?

IWD can mean different things to various groups, yet the overarching aims of IWD are to:

Celebrate women’s achievements through recognising and appreciating the contributions of women in various fields, highlighting their influence and successes throughout history and in the present day.
Raise awareness of gender inequality through shining a light on persistent issues like the gender pay gap, lack of representation in leadership roles, gender-based violence, and unequal access to education and opportunities.
Mobilise action for equality through encouraging individuals, communities, and organisations to take steps toward creating a more inclusive and equitable world for women.
Donate and fundraise for women-focused charities, and elevate the visibility of their work.
Foster solidarity among people of all genders in support of women’s rights and gender parity worldwide.

How the Carlow Volunteer Centre Recognised the Day

Here at the Carlow Volunteer Centre we decided the best way to recognise International Women's Day was to celebrate a great local woman, Sister Mary. She was instrumental in the development of An Gairdin Beo, the wonderful community resource in the heart of Carlow Town. She has been a force for action and improvement in Carlow, helping foster a strong sense of community and volunteering that we all continue to benefit from, and will long into the future.