Tirlán and Aware launch ‘Grow Yellow' campaign to promote mental health awareness
Tirlán CountryLife has announced plans to collaborate with Irish mental health charity Aware on a campaign designed to promote mental health awareness through gardening and to raise vital funds.
The 'Grow Yellow – Brighter days ahead' campaign will run with support from Tirlán's network of 15 CountryLife lifestyle and garden retail stores, with €2 from every plant sold donated to support Aware's vital work.
Aware is a leading mental health charity supporting people impacted by depression disorder, anxiety, and related mood conditions. Founded in 1985, it was developed in response to the clear need for information, understanding, and support for individuals suffering from depression and other mood conditions, as well as their family members supporting a loved one.
In 2024, Aware directly supported up to 40,000 people via its support and education services. The organisation offers services to include support and self care groups, a support line and support mail, along with a range of positive mental health programmes designed to empower people with the knowledge, skills and tools to manage their mental health and live well.
The vibrant yellow-blooming Osteospermum or African Daisy plants are available now in all 15 Tirlán CountryLife branches for €7.50. The flower is characterised by its cheerful yellow blooms with purple centres and is available in distinctive yellow pots. The aim is to raise over €10,000 for Aware.
A vibrant yellow-blooming Osteospermum or African Daisy plants are available now in all 15 Tirlán CountryLife branches with €2 for every plant sold donated to support Aware's support services. Photo: Finbarr O'Rourke
As a dairy and grain co-operative, chairperson John Murphy said Tirlán was proud to support a cause that impacts so many people and so many communities throughout the country.
'Mental health is one of the most important issues facing Ireland today, whether you are living in a rural area, a town, or a city, and maintaining it must be a national priority. We're proud that our branches and our team of experienced horticulturalists can play their part in supporting the work of our charity partner Aware,' he said.
Ann Meaney, chief marketing and customer experience officer at Tirlán, highlighted the important role of Tirlán's CountryLife branches and the expertise available to support gardeners of all levels.
Commenting on the campaign launch, she said: 'Our CountryLife branches are serviced by experienced horticulturalists who are passionate about what they do. We invest in our branches to ensure our customers enjoy an excellent experience every time they visit. Gardening is not only a joy — it's a powerful way to support mental wellbeing.'
Dr Susan Brannick, Aware's Clinical Director, spoke about the therapeutic benefits of gardening on overall mental wellbeing.
'Gardening can be a wonderful opportunity to practice mindfulness. It allows individuals to connect with nature, reduce stress, and nurture their overall mental health. We are excited to partner with Tirlán CountryLife in this meaningful campaign to highlight the importance of protecting your mental health, enjoying the outdoors, and raising funds for our vital services,' she said.
The campaign is a seasonal one and will run for a short period of time in participating centres. Tirlán and Aware hope to sow the seeds for brighter days ahead, one plant at a time.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Vaping has led a surge of young people using nicotine/tobacco products
The number of young people vaping and/or using other tobacco products has surged from less than 20% in 2015 to 30% almost a decade later., new Irish analysis shows. Experts have also warned that the decrease in tobacco cigarette use has slowed in parallel with a rise in e-cigarette use. Ireland has seen an experiment in 'unrestricted access' to vapes with worrying consequences, warned Paul Kavanagh, chair of the Royal College of Physicians clinical advisory group on smoking and e-cigarettes. It follows a finding this week from the Irish National Cancer Registry that up-take of e-cigarettes has been 'particularly marked among young people and adolescent non-smokers'. Dr Kavanagh was co-author on new Irish analysis published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. He said: It may well be another 10, 15, 20 years before we have a definitive and clear picture in relation to the health effects of e-cigarettes particularly when it comes to some disease categories like cancer. 'Nicotine is a poison, it's a psychoactive drug, and it's addictive. These e-cigarette products contain nicotine and in fact they can contain it in uncertain and unpredictable doses.' Dr Kavanagh added: 'Of course there is then that concern also that using an e-cigarette may lead young people to go on and start smoking.' Surge in uptake of vaping The analysis showed that vape use increased from 3.1% to 8.4% across all ages, and dual use increased from 1.3% to 3.1%. Among those aged 15–24 use of vapes and/or tobacco increased from 19·6% in 2015 to 30% in 2023. They also found that while in 2015 the use of vapes and tobacco cigarettes together was 'strongly associated' with higher odds of wanting to quit smoking, that is no longer the case. This is against a backdrop of the ban on sales of vapes and tobacco products to under-18s since December 2023. Despite that ban, teenagers speaking to the Irish Examiner described how vapes remain very popular. HSE data on prosecutions New HSE figures show that 51 retailers were prosecuted for selling tobacco products to children last year including — for the first time — eight prosecutions for sale of vapes to children. Disposable vapes in breach of regulations that were purchased in Waterford City. Picture: Joe Evans HSE assistant national director for environmental health Ann Marie Part said: 'While the majority of retailers take active measures to confirm the age of someone buying tobacco or vape products, it is disappointing to see some retailers still selling to children.' She added: 'All it takes is a request for ID at the counter to ensure you are selling to someone over the legal age.' Also last year the HSE National Environmental Health Service prosecuted two shops for selling e-cigarettes with nicotine levels higher than legally allowed. In 2023, working in conjunction with Customs and Revenue, they seized 37.8 tonnes and last year 26.6 tonnes of vapes or refill products with illegal nicotine levels. Links between sales of vapes and the tobacco industry were discussed during the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin this week.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Extension of special sick pay scheme grants 'temporary relief' to nurses with long covid
Nurses affected by long covid have said they are grateful and relieved a special pay scheme has been extended for another six months with some now in their fifth year out of work. The Labour Court has recommended a final extension to December. It had been controversially due to expire this week. Fiona Walsh, a nurse living in Donnybrook, Cork, has been ill with long covid since January 2021. She has seen little change with time, saying: 'it's been very disheartening'. 'We are very grateful for the six month extension. It's a welcome relief,' she said. She and 158 other eligible staff had 'a very stressful day' on Thursday, waiting for the decision, she added. 'It's a temporary relief though, to be honest, as we all remain too unwell to return to work,' she said. She supports a call from health unions for covid and long covid to be recognised as an occupational illness. This could lead to better supports. Ms Walsh was one of a group of staff who met Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Friday. 'We presented to him the reality of living with long covid which we contracted while working on the frontline,' she said. 'He listened to what we presented him. He appreciates the work we did and is fully aware of the implications of long covid. He was very understanding and emphatic. We are so thankful he gave us his time.' The Labour Court decision means after December 31 eligible staff can only transfer to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. The Department of Health said Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill supports the decision, and will ensure the extension happens. The ICTU Group of Healthcare Unions welcomed the decision and repeated its desire to see covid-19 and long covid recognized as occupational illness. ICTU chairman Albert Murphy said this would place Ireland in line with other EU countries. 'Healthcare workers with long covid went to work when everyone else was told to stay at home during covid and are still suffering the consequences that come with a huge physical and mental cost,' he said. Mr Murphy, also Irish Nurses and Midwives Director of Industrial Relations, called on the Government to take action. Other unions in ICTU who support the move are Siptu, Forsa and the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association. Labour health spokeswoman Marie Sherlock said Ireland is one of only two EU countries which does not recognise covid in this way. 'I have had many health workers express to me their enormous stress and anxiety about how they will pay their bills, mortgages, and look after their families,' she said. She added: 'It is appalling that high court costs are wracked up by a case that workers felt they needed to take and that time was spent by department officials fighting trade unions at the Labour court.' Read More Online hospital dashboard lets public view a wealth of current Irish health data
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Hospitals dashboard data must be seen in proper context, say consultants
Consultants have warned that Irish hospitals are facing 'a capacity crisis' and have argued system change is needed rather than focusing on any one profession. This is in response to the Department of Health's new productivity dashboard which went online on Thursday. Among the data made public for the first time is the number of out-patient appointments per consultant per year. The data shows this stood at 1,686 in 2016 when the workforce was 1,812 doctors. Last year this reached 1,216 and the workforce was 3,061 doctors. 'Proper context' The Irish Hospital Consultants Association said it welcomes the focus on transparency but called for 'proper context' to the figures. It said the OECD does not see the number of doctor consultations per person as a valid measure of productivity. The IHCA said: Consultations differ in complexity, duration and impact, and the metric fails to reflect the significant volume of care provided to hospital inpatients, as well as time spent on diagnostics, research, clinical governance and administration. It called for analysis to reflect outcomes not just the volume of patients. The doctors called for investment in 'diagnostic staff, modernised outpatient scheduling, faster turnaround for test results, and the expansion of multidisciplinary support teams'. They argued the problems are 'fundamentally a capacity crisis, not a productivity issue involving any one group of staff'. It added: 'We are absolutely committed to doing more, but we cannot do it alone.' The dashboard, which can be read on the Department of Health's website, also looks at individual hospital productivity. Department officials said they would not say 'there is one clear winner' among hospitals. They said however the analysis showed University Hospital Limerick, Connolly Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital were the best performers based on their starting positions. A graph with this data shows levels of investment, recruitment and care given excluding work in emergency departments between 2019 and 2024. This shows University Hospital Limerick had the greatest increase in activity at 36%, following a 43% increase in workforce and 58% increase in funding in those years. In that time also University Hospital Waterford saw an increase in activity of 17%, following also a 43% rise in staffing and 57% increase in spending. Cork University Hospital had an increase in activity of 13%, following a 64% increase in funding and 32% increase in staffing numbers during that time. • You will find a link to the hospitals dashboard on this page on the Department of Health website. Read More Online hospital dashboard lets public view a wealth of current Irish health data
