“If someone calls to you door stating they are collecting on behalf of Laois Hospice Foundation, you should notify Gardai immediately.”
Laois Hospice Foundation has urged anyone approached for donations outside its usual fundraisers to carry out checks to ensure that the money will go to Laois Hospice.
The move comes after Laois Hospice received a number of phone calls from people locally who were visited within the last two to three weeks by door-to-door collectors they assumed were from Laois Hospice.
Mary Delaney who chairs Laois Hospice, stated that the organisation does not have door-to-door collectors or operate direct debit.
She said that people should be fully aware and informed of any organisation to which they are signing up for direct debit.
ID should always be checked and if there are any doubts, Gardai should be contacted.
Ms Delaney said: “Laois Hospice is a voluntary body committed to funding hospice home care services in Laois and all funds collected and donated to Laois Hospice Foundation are expended on these services,” she said.
The Laois Hospice chairperson said it was her understanding that there have been situations locally where professional collectors from the Irish Hospice Foundation called to local homes.
One woman who made contact with Laois Hospice Foundation had availed of the services of Laois Hospice and had signed up to a direct debit what she thought was for Laois Hospice Foundation, Ms Delaney said.
Another woman was under the impression that she could make a donation through Revolut which is never used by Laois Hospice Foundation, the chairperson said.
Ms. Delaney said that the Irish Hospice Foundation is quite entitled to fundraise.
“It does fabulous work including with the acute hospital and the development of the new mortuary here in Laois, but we are concerned that there may be confusion.
“We are not in any way critical of the Irish Hospice Foundation but people can get confused and think that if they sign up for a direct debit the money will go to Laois Hospice Foundation. Laois Hospice gets no funding from the Irish Hospice Foundation,” said Ms Delaney.
“There are loads of ways of donating to Laois Hospice including at the Laois Hospice Vintage Rally which will take place on August 19, and the Laois Hospice coffee morning in September. The money raised at those events goes directly to Laois Hospice Foundation.
“We just had a tractor and truck run in Ballybrittas which donated over €40,000 to Laois Hospice which is big money in any language. Sunflower day in June is another big fundraiser. We have a huge amount of volunteers and never have any issue getting volunteers,” the chairperson said.
“There is a need to be very clear about where the money is going,” Ms Delaney said. “We have to raise approximately €300,000 per year for services in Laois for the people of Laois. People can donate through our website, www.laoishospice.ie, and many make donations in memory of loved ones in lieu of flowers at funerals.”
A spokesperson for the Irish Hospice Foundation said the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is the national charity working for all matters of dying, death and bereavement. “Our goal is to ensure the best end-of-life and bereavement care for all.
“From advocacy and education, to our vital services like Nurses for Night Care, Bereavement Support Line and the Caru nursing home programme, we believe in the importance of dying well and grieving well wherever the place,” she said.
“To help fund our work, we enlist professional representatives who recruit people to give regular donations in support of our work. They wear branded IHF clothing, carry IHF ID at all times and do not collect cash donations.
“They are trained to share information about the work of Irish Hospice Foundation only and are not associated with any other charity or local group. We wish to be very clear about how our donations are used and everyone that kindly signs up will receive a telephone call letting them know they are supporting Irish Hospice Foundation and a welcome pack showing the impact of their support.
“If anyone would like further information, we are a happy to supply this at fundraising@hospicefoundation.ie, or see our website www.hospicefoundation.ie
“For further details of our core services, see:
https://hospicefoundation.ie/our-supports-services/healthcare-hub/nurses-for-night-care/
https://hospicefoundation.ie/our-supports-services/healthcare-hub/caru/
https://hospicefoundation.ie/our-supports-services/bereavement-loss-hub/bereavement-support-line/”
