THERE HAS BEEN a surge in donations to BUMBLEance after thieves made off with €800-worth of medical equipment at the National Ploughing Championships.
Some €9,000 has been raised to date, meaning the money that was lost has been recouped several times over.
Public outrage following the robbery on 25 September soon turned into much-needed cash that will help keep the children’s ambulance on the road.
Tony Heffernan, the man behind BUMBLEance and Bee for Battens, told TheJournal.ie he wanted to thank every single person who made a donation.
I want to say a big thank you on behalf of the kids who use the BUMBLEance and on behalf of myself.
Heffernan said that the stolen equipment was replaced the next day to avoid letting down the children who needed the ambulance.
Following the incident, Lidl made a donation of €5,000, which Heffernan described as “amazing”.
A further €4,000 has been raised through donations from the general public, including a cheque from three people that covered the initial €800 lost.
“€9,000 and more to come we think,” Heffernan noted.
BUBMBLEance is still fundraising to get a new ambulance for 2015. They have raised €150,000 of their €250,000 goal to date.
Once they reach their target, someone who made a donation will receive a 151 Mercedes car.
“We’re still asking everyone to help … We want to give the car away in January if possible … hopefully to a TheJournal.ie reader!”
Heffernan stressed the importance of public donations to BUMBLEance, stating:
The service we provide is priceless … We don’t get one cent from the State, we couldn’t run it without people’s support.
He said reports claiming that the thieves were caught on camera are incorrect as the ambulance’s engine wasn’t running at the Ploughing Championships so none of the onboard recording equipment was working.
Despite this, Heffernan said that he remained hopeful the thieves would be found, adding: “The guards have been extremely helpful.”
Although the equipment is now of no use to them, he made a fresh appeal for those who stole it to return it.
They’ll have no luck for it.
Heffernan said that the BUMBLEance has been extremely busy of late, carrying out six ‘angel trips’ in recent weeks, where the charity brings a terminally ill child home to die.
To contribute €4 to the cause, text BUZZ to 50300.
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