MX racing for the BraveheartsNI health charity takes place at Seaforde on Wednesday 17th June organised by the Mourne Motorcycle Club
THE Mourne Motorcycle Club is gearing up to hold its annual charity event at Seaforde on Wednesday, June 17th, with racing starting at 6.30pm.
The Mourne club started raising funds for local charitable causes in 2007 and this year they decided to raise monies for BraveheartsNI.
BraveheartsNI is a local charity that supports teenagers and adults who are living with congenital heart disease. The charity helps people by providing pastoral and welfare support to patients and their families.
Speaking after BraveheartsNI was chosen by the Mourne club, Clare Caulfield, who is the charity’s founder and Chair, said: “As a small 100% volunteer charity, we are so grateful to be chosen for this incredible kindness.
“Every penny we receive is precious and will be used to ease some of the hardest times for our Bravehearts and their families.
“We are so reliant on the support of our communities,” she said.
The Mourne club held their first charity motocross event in 2007. Speaking about the club’s charitable efforts MCC Chairman Billy McLarnin MBE said: “The charity race is certainly one of the highlights of our year.
“We always try to choose local causes that have helped club members, or people close to the club.
“We have raised monies for 27 local charities and charitable causes. This year we chose BraveheartsNI after club members spoke to a volunteer for the charity during an organised club day out.
“The more that we found out about the charity, we realised that it was another wonderful local charity, offering vital support to people when they really need it.
“Once again we are delighted to be raising monies for a great charity that we hope we don’t need the services of, but we are all in a better place knowing that they are helping people in some of their darkest hours,” he said.
One family that has benefitted from the support of BraveheartsNI is the Evans family from Bessbrook.
Aodhan Evans has had congenital heart disease from birth, but his family didn’t discover his condition until he was fifteen years-of-age. He has now fully recovered from a heart and lung transplant.
Speaking at the launch Aodhan’s father Cathal said: “Most families first hear about BraveheartsNI in the Royal Victoria Hospital, where staff tell them about the charity.
“When Aodhan first went into hospital I had to take about six months off work. At that time BraveheartsNI helped me to find support that was available to me.
“For me personally, without BraveheartsNI I would have sunk. They are literally the families life-support machine.
“Their support took so much pressure off me, so I could concentrate on Aodhan and the rest of the family.
“They also bring support to people and help them to prepare to go to England for surgery, at times when things can be overwhelming. They give people lists of accommodation, public services available and even services as simple as laundrettes.
“What they are doing is breathtaking. The kindness that has been shown to us and to so many other families has been amazing, I know they have helped to keep a roof over some families heads when they needed it,” he said.
(l-r): Mourne club men and BraveheartsNI representative – Mourne Motorcycle Club Chairman Billy McLarnin, Andy Boyd, Cathal Evans representing BraveheartsNI, Nathan Green and Andrew Shields.
