Popular Moone Boy actors David Rawle and Ian O’Reilly today announced details for the 28th annual MS Readathon, Ireland’s largest school sponsored reading initiative. Joined by seven year old twins Leon and Mya Russell and their Mum Lucina, who has multiple sclerosis, the self confessed reading enthusiasts encouraged schools nationwide to immerse themselves in books this October and raise vital funds for people with multiple sclerosis in their community. Last year saw over 15,000 children in 450 schools take part. Schools are invited to visit www.msreadathon.ie for more information, and to sign up for the 2015 campaign.
Irish authors and illustrators to include Sarah Webb, Cecelia Ahern, Oisin McGann, Claudia Carroll, Marisa Mackle, Nicola Pierce, Judi Curtin, Sheila O’Flanagan and Sarah Bowie continue to lend their support, providing inspirational advice and useful tips for young readers and budding writers. They are urging Irish children to ‘open up a world of wonder’ and explore new worlds during the official reading month, which runs from Friday 9th October to Monday 9th November 2015.
MS Readathon is the key annual fundraising campaign of Multiple Sclerosis Ireland, the services, information and advocacy organisation supporting people with MS. An estimated 8,000 people have MS in Ireland, with thousands more family members affected. Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease and is the most common disabling neurological condition affecting young adults in Ireland. There is no known cause or cure for MS. Every year, MS Readathon school ambassadors, local people living with MS, visit schools as part of the campaign to help students understand more about the condition.
Ava Battles, Chief Executive of MS Ireland acknowledged the great support from schools and students throughout Ireland: “We greatly appreciate the efforts of these young readers, their families, teachers, principals and schools that participate in MS Readathon each year. The MS Readathon campaign is all about enjoying the fun and benefits of reading, while raising funds to directly help people with MS locally. Funds raised by young MS Readathoners support vital services - for example enabling one-to-one support for those newly diagnosed, physiotherapy and exercise classes to help stay independent, and respite care. We hope that even more children and schools will get involved this year and help us to support people living with MS in their local communities.”
For participating schools around the country, the 28th MS Readathon will provide:
- Individual certificate and gift for each reader
- School and Library awards
- 10% of the money raised goes back into much needed resources for each participating school
- The “Great Teacher Holiday Draw”
Get in touch
To get involved with the 2015 MS Readathon:
Tel: (01) 678 1600
Email: read@msreadathon.ie
Visit: www.msreadathon.ie
