Winners alright for Irish children’s charity at Punchestown Festival Virtual Fillies Day
ALL the style and fun of the Punchestown Racing Festival in Kildare, Ireland was swapped for the Punchestown Virtual Fillies Day on Friday, 1st May, a day that is traditionally Ladies Day at the National Hunt racecourse for four days every spring. The brainchild of millinery and fashions boutique owner Kim Kelleher, the social media event was a fundraiser for the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, an Irish charity providing home nursing care for children with complex medical needs.
Fundraising for charity went ahead at a virtual Ladies’ Day that would have taken place at the Punchestown Racing Festival in Ireland
On the day, would-be racegoers stayed home and switched from casual and activewear and into high fashion, took a picture and posted it on Facebook, including a donation to the charity. First past the post won great prizes from participating local businesses while donating funds to the Children’s Foundation.
“I just wanted to do something fun and positive and help the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation at the same time,” said Kim Kelleher. “I asked a few friends who love fashion and style if they could help me put it together. In just a few days we managed to get over €5,500 in prizes together from companies who were very generous with their support.”
The home of Irish Jumps racing, Punchestown Racecourse opened more than 150 years ago, and the Spring festival has been a major event on the Irish racing calendar hosting the Ryanair Novice Chase, the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle and the Punchestown Gold Cup, among others.
“We want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported us and dressed up for the Punchestown Virtual Fillies Day,” said Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation CEO Carmel Doyle. “Every €16 that is raised funds one hour of home nursing care for a child with complex medical needs or who is at the end of life. Because of Covid-19 we cannot go ahead with so many of our fundraiser and events and we now face a shortfall of €500,000. We are really trounced that the community has come together to do this event for us (and) put the ‘fun’ back in fundraising.”
With best dressed ladies’ prizes including an overnight stay at Cahernane House Hotel and the G Hotel in Galway, Ireland, the Fab Filly winner was Linda Vittone-Malone from Meath, Ireland. Damien O’Kane was the best dressed man or ‘Fine Fella’ winner, bagging designer menswear and jewellery along with a BMW Experience at Mondello Racecourse in Kildare.
The ‘Cool Couple’ winners were Joe Jackson, 91 and his wife Mabel from Wicklow, Ireland while the ‘Fun & Quirky’ winner was Geraldine Walsh from Cork.
