Ian Dempsey Launches Family Day 2012 for One Family
Press Release
ONE FAMILY & EBS LAUNCH FAMILY DAY AND ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF THEIR FAMILY DAY ART COMPETITION AND A PICNIC TO BE HOSTED IN DUBLIN’S IVEAGH GARDENS ON SUNDAY 13 MAY
IRISH BROADCASTER, IAN DEMPSEY CALLS ON FAMILIES ACROSS IRELAND TO CELEBRATE FAMILY DAY
5 April 2012 – To mark International Day of the Family, One Family, Ireland’s leading organisation for one-parent families, and EBS are inviting all families in Ireland to attend a Family Day Picnic and a free day of fun and entertainment in The Iveagh Gardens from 11am – 5pm on Sunday 13th May 2012. Those who can’t make the picnic can hold their own event or enter the Family Day art competition by logging on to www.familyday.ie.
Today FM offer media support to Family Day and, speaking at the launch, broadcaster Ian Dempsey explained: “Family Day is an annual celebration of the diversity of families and family life across the world.” He added: “Families come in all shapes and sizes and Family Day is a day for everyone to celebrate their family, no matter what its make-up, and to think about what family really means.”
At the Family Day Picnic there will be lots of free events for families to take part in including family sports day activities, children’s entertainment, face painting, arts and crafts workshops as well as storytelling sessions. For those who don’t have time to prepare a picnic there will be a food village on site for the day serving a range of quality refreshments.
EBS have partnered with One Family for three years to mark International Day of the Family. Speaking today Aidan Power, Head of Marketing and Communications EBS, said: “EBS is delighted to be partnering with One Family to celebrate International Day of the Family for the third year in a row. Over the years it’s been great to see so many families take part and mark the day in some way. This year we’re also asking people to enter the Family Day art competition. It’s simple – all you have to do is draw your family and drop your entry into your local EBS office or post it to One Family. I hope everyone celebrates the day in some shape or form and I’m looking forward to seeing many of you on the 13th of May.”
You could win €500*for you and your family through the Family Day art competition by simply drawing or painting your family portrait. Entries will be accepted from those under 18. Just drop your portrait into your local EBS office or post it to One Family, 2 Lower Pembroke St, Dublin 2 and you will be entered into a prize draw.
If you can’t make it to Dublin then you can hold your own event and register it at www.familyday.ie. The type of family event you hold is entirely up to you and can be held any time during the week of Monday 7th – Sunday 13th May. Organisations may want to organise a family themed arts and crafts project, or a story telling hour or even a formal talk. Families may prefer to have a family outing such as a treasure-hunt, or a family X-Factor competition.
Karen Kiernan, Director of One Family, the national organisation for one-parent families, said: “This year is One Family’s 40th anniversary – and now more than ever, we need your help. Lone parents were badly affected by the last budget and we can hardly cope with the number of calls to our askonefamily national helpline. So, we’d be delighted if people would consider turning their events into fundraisers for our helpline so that we can reach out and help even more people who parent alone or share parenting – and their children.”
*Terms and conditions apply
For further information about how to celebrate Family Day with One Family and EBS log onto www.familyday.ie.
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For photographs of children with One Family, EBS and Ian Dempsey at the launch or further information please contact:
Karen Kiernan, Director, One Family 01-6629212 /086 8509191
Suzanne Sullivan, Q4PR, 086-3797291
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