Miriam O'Callaghan helps launch Give it a Swirl Day 2008

 02/09/2008

Miriam O'Callaghan, pictured obove swirling with Emmet Browne, Gerneral Manager of Wyeth Parmaceuticals helped to launch Give it a Swirl Day  Grafton Street today.

The initiative, managed by Volunteer Centres Ireland, will bring together a wide range of individual charity and community projects under one umbrella on Friday September 26th.  Its aim is to encourage businesses and individuals to adopt a ‘volunteer spirit’.
 
Organisations already signed up to participate in the day’s events include principal sponsor Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the Irish Cancer Society, The Hope Foundation, Irish Blood Transfusion Service, and many local community and Tidy Town organisations from around the country.
 
Miriam O’Callaghan who is the patron of Give It A Swirl Day for the first time this year was signing up shoppers and lunch time passers-by to get involved in hands on volunteering opportunities across the country along with the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Eibhlin Byrne, John Curran T.D. Minister of State with responsibility for Community Affairs, Emmet Browne of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Mickey Joe Harte.
 
“Volunteering is such a big part of who we are as Irish Citizens, it is a pleasure to be involved with the national volunteer day,” she said.  “I would ask people to get involved at any level be it helping out at the local crèche or rolling up your sleeves in a community clean up. Effort is all that is needed to make Give It A Swirl Day a real success for the entire country”.
 
“Give It A Swirl Day was such a great success last year, people really got what it was about, just giving one hour or one day to something that matters to them,” said Yvonne McKenna of Volunteer Centres Ireland.
 
“We set out this year to treble the number of volunteers, treble the time committed to volunteering, and double the number of projects that people can help with. We are already well on course to hit those targets.”
 
“Our objective is to encourage people to get out and get active within their communities.”
 
"Wyeth believes community involvement is much more than writing a cheque.  We are part of the communities in which we work and live, and therefore we want to give back to our neighbours, and do our part.  Give It A Swirl Day is the perfect opportunity for our employees to become involved in a range of volunteering activities. I believe it will be an exciting and rewarding day for everyone who participates", said Emmet Browne, General Manager Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
 
"Volunteers who give so willingly of their time and skills make a valuable contribution to the quality of life in our city. I know that those who volunteer find it a hugely fulfilling experience and would urge everyone to get involved", said Lord Mayor Cllr. Eibhlin Byrne.
 
An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen T.D. extended his sincere good wishes to Volunteer Centres Ireland adding, “I wish VCI every success with their imaginative initiative Give it a Swirl Day. The theme of the day is Community Makeover and that, in essence, is the spirit of volunteering the voluntary coming together of people and organisations with the aim of making a beneficial difference to their community.”

”Last year’s event was hugely successful, with over 2,500 volunteering hours contributing to 68 projects. What was even more impressive was the huge numbers of young people involved - all wanting to contribute, all wanting to make a difference. I am sure this year’s event will be even bigger and better and would urge everybody to get involved and Give it a Swirl!”
 
 
Volunteers who want to get involved can register for a project in their local area through www.giveitaswirl.ie