Latest news with #CrannCentre
Irish Independent
26-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Dozens of Cork children to benefit from ‘crucial' RTÉ Toy Show Appeal grant for care centre
The Crann Centre, a facility in Ovens which cares for people with neuro-physical disabilities, will receive €140,000 over two years through the Toy Show Appeal's partners, Community Foundation Ireland. The grant will fund the centre's Social Capital Programme, which includes fully inclusive summer camps, youth clubs, ecology workshops, conservation, visual arts and music activities and family barbecues. The programme also consists of the youth theatre group 'Breaking Barriers', which staged two performances of Aladdin in Cork City Hall last Friday night. The Social Capital Programme is led by Tara O'Donovan, who said it is important to develop initiatives which offer unique experiences to children and help them to grow their confidence and abilities. 'We are extremely grateful to the Toy Show Appeal for including the Crann Centre this year. This funding will go a long way towards achieving our goals,' Ms O'Donovan said. Crann centre spokesperson Louis O'Sullivan said the grant will be vital. 'It is critical because we grew by over 30pc, which takes us to over 100 families now, and in order for us to continue to grow and deliver high quality services, we need funding,' he explained. Additional funding would allow the Crann Centre to accept more families into its programmes, which would be 'phenomenal'. 'At Crann, we do a lot of research, and we listen to our families to make sure they are receiving the types of services they actually need and want,' Mr O'Sullivan said. 'The money allows us to do that correctly, which is really good.' The Crann Centre provides care and programmes for a growing number of children and adults living with conditions such as cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida and osteogenesis imperfecta. In total, the centre currently provides support for 700 families of those with challenging conditions from across Munster. For more information on the Crann Centre visit:
Irish Independent
06-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Cork Rose contestant with spina bifida says selection night experience ‘built-up my confidence'
But it's back to work already, and Sarah's hard at it in her salon at the Crann Centre, which opened its doors in 2018 and has been a key charity for people with neuro-physical disabilities and their families. The facility is flat and wheelchair accessible and Ms Dullea said finding wheelchair accessible accommodation is 'really hard.' 'I opened the salon in November 2019 in the Crann Centre and I've been a beautician for 11 years. 'I knew of the centre since it opened, so I approached them and asked if I could use a space for one day per week and they said 'absolutely, no problem,' and now I'm there every Thursday and Friday,' she said. Sarah's Art and Beauty offers a range of services including nails, spray tanning and waxing, and Ms Dullea said she loves her job. 'I love my job, and it still feels like a hobby. 'I always say to people that when you wake up in the morning, you should feel excited to go to your job and feel like you're doing a nice thing,' she said. Her love for beauty started when she accompanied her mother to birthday parties as a pre-teen, as her mother offered a face painting service. Sarah would paint children's nails as part of the package. 'When I was younger, maybe 11 or 12 years old, myself and my mum would do these birthday parties for girls and I always have been interested in nail polish, so I would paint their nails and put stickers on them. 'All I ever wanted to do is beauty,' she added. ADVERTISEMENT The Dunmanway woman loves chatting with new and regular customers at the Crann Centre, and many of her customers would be wheelchair users who frequent the facility. 'I get to meet so many new clients and see my regulars, and there's always a new story every week and it's lovely to hear. The beautician is also a volunteer at the Crann Centre, where she chaperones fun evenings, kids' clubs and other events. Ms Dullea put herself forward for the Cork Rose selection in 2024 and 2025, and made 'fantastic friends' along the way. 'I had such a fantastic time and made such fantastic friends, and it really built up my confidence because I would struggle with making friends. 'With me being disabled, my friends were going off and living their lives and I might be a bit slower so I would struggle to hang on to them. 'I went for (Cork Rose) selection last year to build up my friendship group and some of my friends from last year came to support me on Sunday night (for the 2025 Cork Rose selection), which was fantastic,' she added. Sunday's Cork Rose selection saw Nancy Lehane earn the sash to represent the Rebels at the Rose of Tralee International Festival in August, and Sarah said she 'can't wait' to show her support for the Meelin woman. 'Nancy is such a sweetheart, and we were thrilled for her. 'She is the most genuine and down-to-earth person I've ever met. 'She is a darling and I can't wait to go to Tralee and support her,' she concluded.
