Barretstown and Glanbia will once again join forces and host a unique Barretstown garden experience at Bloom in the Phoenix Park over the June bank holiday weekend. Designed by the award winning landscape architect Tim Austen, the garden will recognise the five year partnership between Glanbia and Barretstown which has raised an amazing €1.6 million for the children’s charity.
Inspired by the magic that campers experience at Barretstown, three time gold star winner at Bloom, Tim Austen has designed an interactive fun-filled garden. References are made throughout the landscape design to Barretstown in Kildare and interactive installations including the Wishing Tree and the artwork wall will enable visitors to Bloom to add their own creative touch to the garden and leave their mark on the Barretstown and Glanbia garden.
“We know from medical experts that intensive cancer treatment for children can last up to three years,” according to Chief Executive of Barretstown Dee Ahearn. “While such treatment now produces so many very positive outcomes medically, its intensity and duration can seriously disrupt childhood. Through the Barretstown camps and our Hospital Outreach Programme we enable children to just be children, even while undergoing such disruptive treatment.” She added “We’re looking forward to bringing some Barretstown magic to this year’s Bloom and thank Glanbia for its longstanding partnership and dedicated employees who have raised €1.6 million for Barretstown.
“I am delighted that our contribution has made a tangible difference to the lives of over 350 families,” according to Siobhán Talbot, Group Managing Director Glanbia Plc
“Since 2008 we have proudly partnered with Barretstown. Our contribution means that Barretstown is now reaching even more families with camp capacity increasing by 75% since our partnership began.” She added “As a global performance nutrition and ingredients group, we are conscious of our corporate responsibility and in Ireland we always partnered with an organization that worked with children. To this end, Barretstown has been a hugely deserving partner.”
2014 marks Barretstown’s 20th anniversary and the children’s charity has welcomed over 27,000 children and their families since its foundation in 1994. Barretstown would like to thank Glanbia for its longstanding support and welcome visitors to Bloom to visit the magical garden over the bank holiday weekend. News and photos of the garden will be shared on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #Seedsofmagic.