Virtual Australia to Ireland Walk to Mark GROW's 50th Anniversary

At a recent event the Australian Ambassador  to Ireland Mr Richard Andrews  officially launched  GROW's virtual walk from Australia to Ireland to mark the organisation's 50th Anniversary.

The event was hosted at the Australian Embassy and included GROW's Chairman Rob Stephen, GROW' Ambassador  Derek Mahon, GROW members and staff of the Embassy and GROW. 

The Ambassador and his staff extended a very warm welcome and also participated in a walk around St Stephens Green.  We wish to thank the Ambassador and his staff.  A special thank to Alex who with her colleagues co-ordinated the event.

For more please click on the link     https://www.facebook.com/GROWIreland/videos/2222657347814747

The purpose and aim of the adventure is to help raise the profile of GROW nationally and all those participating and their supporters are encouraged to share photos and status updates, using the hashtag #GROW50ie. In addition, it is hoped that the campaign will encourage those in the GROW community to take up or rekindle a healthy habit involving more exercise, and thus reap the benefits. Accompanying the campaign, there is also a fundraising initiative and supporters are encouraged to donate online to their chosen team/region via the GROW iDonate page or to text the word GROW to 50300 to donate €2. 

The virtual journey starts in Sydney, Australia, where GROW was founded in 1957. It passes through Papua New Guinea, where Fr Sean O’Hanlon was stationed as a missionary. Sean was responsible for bringing GROW to Athea, Co. Limerick in 1969.  In order to clockup 50,000km – or 1,000km per year in Ireland – the route then doubles back on itself to Sydney. The trail passes by Mt Everest, Mt Elbrus and Mont Blanc, which have all been conquered by mountaineer Derek Mahon on his Seven Summit challenge in 2014, 2012 and 2013 respectively. 

The campaign artwork has been kindly produced by Jonathan from the Eastern Region and features a portion of the globe showing Australia and Ireland, with the well known landmarks of the Sydney Opera House and the round tower in Glendalough, Co. Wicklow. Mt Everest is also depicted, with a jubilant person on top, depicting someone who may have struggled but has ultimately succeeded in a massive challenge, one small step at a time. The observant reader might also note the Moon as in the same year GROW landed in Ireland (1969), so too did astronauts from Earth land on the moon – and of course the moon gave rise to the word “lunatic” – a word which thankfully is no longer in use!

Over the last number of weeks, a number of teams across the country, have commenced their walk from Asutralia to Ireland. Over the coming weeks we will be posting updates on our Facebook page to show how far we are in our journey.  We would welcome people to share their experience of coming together and what is means to them. 

Together we have walked an incredible 16,503klms. So where are we .  The temperature recorded is a very pleasant 26 degrees . We are in Uzbekistan.  You can watch some of the sites we have seen by clicking on our journey Qashqadaryo Region, Uzbekistan .  

Healthy Minds - Walking for health

The physical improvements you gain by walking can help to improve your mental health too. If you feel fitter and feel in control of your weight, your body image and confidence can increase - so it's not just the physical benefits that you'll notice when you start walking.

After each show Ray Darcy show  there will be a 5K ‘Run with Ray’ event at 6pm in association with Park Run. The locations for the week are:

Monday 10th June - The Regional Park, Ballincollig, Cork

Tuesday 11th June - TBC, Limerick

Wednesday 12th June - JF Kennedy Arboretum, New Ross, Wexford

Thursday 13th June - Royal Canal, Kilcock, Kildare

Friday 14th June - in St Anne's, Raheny, Dublin

National Conference September 19th - 22nd

Leadership Development though Wellness Engagement Training (WE Training) 12^th,13^th and 14^th June.

• Healthy Relationships as a way to understand healthy boundaries 
• Understanding the concept of structure as a tool to support someone to create self-directed plans when one’s life is in chaos - Plans within Plans.
• Tools to create self-sustaining peer support groups with shared power relationships.
• How to use language as a doorway to connection and a way to get started on the pathway to recovery.
• How to engage others in Crisis Planning after a difficult challenge.
• Tools to more deeply understand personal wellness and how to develop actions steps as a process of maintaining a well peer workforce

Dublin South FM supports Big Hello

GROW Eastern Region would like to express their gratitude to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Local Development Committee and Co Council.

Funded under the initiative of “The Big Hello” GROW provided a very enjoyable May Bank Holiday afternoon in Dun Laoghaire.

Meeting in the Royal Marine Hotel, twenty nine, past, present and potentially new members joined together for refreshments and a chat. One Grow member took the initiative to bring his friend and both singing and playing guitars they gave everyone a chance to sing along. Another GROW member shared his personal testimony as to how he came to being a GROW member, his journey to recovery and the strength he continues to get from peer support groups.

Area Coordinator, John Farren gave a short talk on GROW, how it works and the benefits of being a member. Taking advantage of the sunny afternoon, on John’s recommendation many took the opportunity to take a stroll along Dun Laoghaire pier. The afternoon proved to be a huge success giving current members from different groups the opportunity to mingle, past members the opportunity to remember how GROW helped / continues to help them to their recovery and the opportunity for new members to see the benefits of joining GROW first hand.

Ben Larkin of Dublin South FM invited John Farren to talk about the GROW, the benefits of Grow in the community and the Big Hello event held in Dun Laoghaire. You can listen to John's interview here.
 

Midlands Update

Fundraising

Members and staff undertook the Mullingar church gate collection on 6th & 7th April and a very good response was received form the public, helped by the successful group in the 1428 Club in Harbour Street in the town and by the Community Education Programme running in the Greville Arms Hotel which was very well attended.

Assumpta Lyons, Area Co-ordinator, attended the Rock ‘n Roll Bingo fundraiser organised by Medtronic for their staff in the Athlone Springs Hotel on Saturday 6th April. The event was very well attended and a large donation was given to GROW Midland Region as a result. Assumpta had given a talk on the work of GROW before the event and will follow up with their staff after it.

Michelle McCormick, Area Co-ordinator, received a cheque from Tesco Edenderry for their Blue Token campaign for GROW Midlands, while their Tullamore store will present one in the near future. Tullamore Credit Union also presented a cheque from their annual community support funds.
 

Workshops:

Assumpta Lyons Area Co-Ordinator gave an "Understanding Self Harm" day long workshop for the NOSP in Portlaoise on 11th April and 28 professional people attended. She will also undertake one in Mullingar on 15th May.

Presentations:

Michelle McCormick Area Co-Ordinator  gave a “Stress Management in the Workplace” presentation in St Vincent’s Hospital in Mountmellick on 13th April while Assumpta did a workshop on Understanding Self Harm. As part of the Community Education Programme in the Greville Arms Hotel in Mullingar Assumpta Lyons hosted the presentation “Coping with Bereavement & Loss” was held on 4th April and the talk on “Suicide: Recognising the Signs, Understanding & Supporting” was given on Thursday evening 11th April, hosted by Michelle while Assumpta gave an Understanding Self Harm workshop elsewhere. The Community Education Programme was very well attended.

Michelle also manned an information stand at the Cycle Against Suicide in Tullamore GAA on Sunday 28th April and gave a brief talk there on GROW. She also spent some time at the Green Ribbon Day in the Bridge Centre Shopping Centre on 2nd May and gave a monthly orientation in the Psychiatric Unit, Portlaoise General Hospital on 4th April

Pictured left   is Michelle McCormick at the See Change  Green Ribbon Event with Offaly Minding Our Mental Health in Tullamore Bridge Shopping Centre May 2nd.  
 

AGHADA ESB FUND & AWARENESS RAISING CAMPAIGN FOR GROW

GROW were one of two designated charities to benefit from a recent fund raising campaign organised by Margaret O’Connor, Health & Well Being Champion at the Aghada ESB Generating Station. Margaret’s aim is to raise awareness amongst staff at the East Cork Plant about the importance of taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing.

GROW Southern Region Area Co-ordinator Finola O’Callaghan was invited along to give a talk on GROW and general wellbeing on the 8th May and to receive the donation which was raised by the ESB employees.

The Marie Keating Foundation was the other recipient on the day, both very worthwhile charities, as decided upon by the staff at the Aghada plant.

GROW are very grateful to all at Aghada ESB for the opportunity to meet with their staff and provide information on our services and also for nominating GROW for this important fund raising event
 

Facebook Donations - Fundraisers

RISE Wellness Event

RISE is a holistic wellness event created by Ursula Cullen, Mindset coach in aid of GROW Ireland who are also celebrating their 50th anniversary! This event has inspiring speakers, nutritionist, mindfulness session, body positive advocate and a light fitness workout. The event is designed to inspire and teach us ways to maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit in the areas of mindset, mindfulness, nutrition and fitness.

Spot Prizes to be won! (1) Mount Wolseley Hotel 1 nights stay B&B, plus dinner in a deluxe room
(2) Dinner for two at the Baths Clontarf
(3) Fifth Avenue Salon - Orange Spa Experience Package
(4) Buff Day Spa - Back Massage & Voya product
(5) Peter Mark Hair Voucher

There is also a beautiful GROW gratitude journal for every RISE attendee!

Speakers and Appearances

Ursula Cullen – Mindset Coach and Speaker

Ursula is a lawyer by trade but decided to follow her passion for human development and helping others to live a more empowering life through the medium of mindset coaching. She works one to one with clients or groups changing mindsets and helping others to achieve their goals. She is an advocate for wellness and removing the stigma around discussing mental health. Having had her own struggles with anxiety, Ursula decided enough was enough and decided to seek out holistic ways to heal and develop skills to deal with this very common issue. It was from this basis that Ursula created RISE and had the vision of getting wellness professionals to join force for a half day holistic wellness event in aid of GROW Ireland and impart top tips and share amazing insights from wellness professionals.      Instagram: @ursulacullencoach

Nathalie Lennon, Personal Trainer and Online Coach passionate about spreading an authentic message

Nathalie is an inspiring health and fitness enthusiast passionate about spreading an authentic message based on positive body image, a healthy sustainable lifestyle, and establishing optimal mental wellness. As a personal trainer and online coach, she works to help others develop a positive relationship with fitness and food through sharing her story, tips, habits and experiences. She aims to showcase & help others find balance between extreme and enjoying all that life has to offer, whilst keeping on top of their physical and mental health.  Instagram: @nathalielennon_

Wini Moore – Nutritionist and founder of Wini Nutritional Therapy

Wini started her journey into fitness and wellbeing 5 years ago after the birth of her third son. Cooking and food have always been a hugely important part of her life and combined with a love of running she returned to college to undertake a MSc in Exercise & Nutrition Science to understand how food can nourish and fuel our bodies so it can reach its optimum performance.    Instagram: @wini.ie

Anne Marie Curran – Psychotherapist, Mindfulness Facilitation and founder of Lima Wellbeing

Anne-Marie is a psychotherapist, mindfulness facilitator and Reiki healer with a life-long passion for holistic well-being. Anne-Marie works on a holistic basis with her clients to help them find a balance in their lives, guiding them to achieve their individual needs to fulfil their purpose. Anne-Marie has a warm, welcoming, non-judgmental approach in her work as a psychotherapist, facilitator and healer.    Instagram: @limawellbeing

Gerry Farrell – GROW member 

Gerry gives a talk about overcoming adversity and shows how it is possible to make a full recovery from a mental illness. Gerry demonstrates that it is both admiral and a sign of strength for men and people in general to discuss their mental health.

GROW Website

Crag Cave and Killarney

Commemorative Event in of  Father Sean O'Hanlon - 6th July

Big Hello - Street parties among community events held across country

Some 1,100 neighbourhood street parties took place across the country as part of the annual Street Feast initiative.

Now in its tenth year, more than 120,000 neighbours gathered in their local park, on their street or in their back gardens, to share food and celebrate community. For some, it was the first time they met their neighbours.

The Big Hello initiative which aims to tackle social isolation and promote neighbourhoods. The Big Hello events which took place around the country on May Bank Holiday Weekend were  by local groups in estates, villages, towns and cities. GROW played an important part during the event hosting a number of coffee mornings in the community. 

Described as Ireland’s national community weekend, the nationwide gatherings are  funded to the tune of a quarter of a million euro.

Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring said the initiative is aimed at finding new ways for people to connect, in an age where many families and individuals have to divide their time between commuting and longer working hours.

Great Limerick Run

GROW is indebted to Martin Smith who completed his first marathon and raised over €4,400 for GROW, which included a generous donation from his employer, GECAS. We would especially like to thank Clifden Station House Hotel, Ballyneety Golf Club and the Cornstore Restaurant for their generous raffle prizes, which formed part of a “guess Martin’s finishing time” competition.
 

The Limerick GROW office is convenient to the start and finish area of the Great Limerick Run and it provided an ideal meeting and bag drop off point for all those involved.

This year, GROW welcomed a large group of over 40 Sanctuary Runners and Limerick City & County Mayor, James Collins, for post race refreshments.  The Sanctuary Runners is a nationwide initiative aimed at getting Irish people out running in solidarity and friendship with those living in the direct provision system in Ireland.
 

Farewell to Mary Purcell