One Family and EBS call on you to host a Big Night In, 15 May

Money raised from Big Night In will go towards the running of the askonefamily helpline

To mark UN International Day of the Family on 15 May 2010, One Family and EBS Building Society are inviting everyone in the country to celebrate families by hosting a Big Night In. Big Night In is a new fundraising event in aid of the askonefamily national helpline, which supports people who are parenting alone or sharing parenting.

Speaking about Big Night In, Aidan Power, Head of Marketing at EBS Building Society, said: “This year, EBS is celebrating 75 years serving Irish people and their families. Family is and has always been at the heart of EBS throughout those years. In recognition of the ‘EBS family’ which now has over 450,000 members, we decided to partner with One Family to celebrate International Day of the Family on 15 May. We are calling on you to spend some fun quality time with your family whilst at the same time raising money for the askonefamily helpline which supports people who are parenting alone or sharing parenting.” Power continues, ”EBS offices all over the country are promoting Big Night In and asking people to register on www.bignightin.ie. People are holding all types of events – from games nights to karaoke nights to storytelling evenings – the list is endless. I hope families across Ireland will take part in this great excuse to have fun at home on 15 May.”

To host a Big Night In and to raise money for the askonefamily helpline, simply log onto www.bignightin.ie to register your event. The website has a helpful list of ideas and themes for your evening. When you register your event, you’ll be able to download invitations which you can then send to your family and friends, inviting them to your Big Night In on 15 May and asking them for a donation to attend. Once you’ve hosted your Big Night In, you can submit photographs from your night through the webpage and you will automatically be entered into a fantastic prize draw to win €1000 from EBS Building Society.

Commenting on Big Night In Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family, the national organisation for people parenting alone and sharing parenting, said: “We have been associated with International Day of the Family for a number of years and in the past we have marked the day with our clients. But we are now delighted to have EBS on board to help us raise awareness of the positive aspects of such a day and to raise much needed funds for askonefamily through this new initiative. I would encourage everyone to get involved on 15 May – there is also the added attraction of the chance to win €1,000 from EBS Building Society by simply sending in a photograph from your event so that you can be entered into the draw.”

For further information on ‘Big Night In’ log onto www.bignightin.ie

Ends

For further information contact:

Hilary Fennell, Communications Manager, One Family 01-6629212 /087-2359515
Suzanne Sullivan, Q4PR, 01-4751444/ 086-379729

Photo caps back to front and left to right –

Big Night In 2  – Louie Lyons, Hilary Fennell – One Family Communications Manager, Rosie Scully, Aidan Power – Head of Marketing EBS, Tilly Lyons

Big Night In 3  – Gary Scully, Hilary Fennell – One Family Communications Manager, Aidan Power – Head of Marketing EBS, Laura Birmingham, Rosie Scully

Notes to editors:

UN definition of the family: “any combination of two or more persons who are bound together by ties of mutual consent, birth and/or adoption or placement and who, together assume responsibility for, inter alia, the care and maintenance of group members, the addition of new members through procreation or adoption, the socialisation of children and the social control of members”.

For more information on UN International Day of the Family see

www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/IDF.html

About One Family:
One Family is Ireland’s leading organisation providing specialist support services for people parenting alone and sharing parenting. Services include parenting and skills training, counselling, parent mentoring and a national helpline askonefamily which can be reached on 1890 66 22 12 or www.onefamily.ie