THEY provide the sweat and the gears but it is up to you to provide the blood.
Over five days, from May 12 to May 16, a group of around 20 gardaí, including Sergeant John Ryan and Chief Superintendent John Kerin from Ennis Garda Station, will undertake a gruelling 1,000km cycle that will see them visiting each one of the 26 counties.
The Garda Blood4Life 2014 Cycle is a novel charity event. It’s not a fundraiser. Instead, it aims to recruit blood donors and to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation in communities in every county.
People are asked to pledge a unit of blood on the IBTS website at www.giveblood.ie
. Alternatively, call 021 4807400.
Better still, attend a local clinic and turn your pledge into a donation. Many of those who pledged a unit of blood last year have since returned to give second and third donations.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.