Gala Retail marks a decade of supporting Special Olympics Ireland
This milestone celebration comes ahead of Special Olympics Ireland's annual Bucket Collection taking place on 19 April
Print17 April 2024
Gala Retail is celebrating a decade of partnership with Special Olympics Ireland. As a platinum sponsor the past ten years, Gala Retail has supported thousands of Special Olympics athletes, providing resources and helping to foster inclusion and celebration within its stores, local sports clubs and communities.
This milestone celebration comes ahead of Special Olympics Ireland’s annual Bucket Collection, taking place nationwide on Friday, 19 April. Volunteers will be stationed at participating Gala stores across the country, rallying support and raising funds for Special Olympics Ireland to help them reach more people with an intellectual disability and offer them life changing opportunities through the power of sport.
Partnership highlights
Since the partnership began, Gala Retail has helped transform athletes’ lives through sport in countless ways. Among the highlights of the partnership include Gala’s provision of essential support to families travelling with Team Ireland athletes to three World Games – more than 900 family members have attended World Games in this time to support Team Ireland.
The launch of the ‘Gala Gifts For Clubs Initiative’ has seen clubs across Ireland receive funding, enabling them to thrive both on and off the field, and in 2021, Gala became the main sponsor of Special Olympics Polar Plunge, which calls on supporters to ‘Get Freezin for a Reason’ and has raised over €65,000 since Gala Retail became the title sponsor.
Supporting almost 8,000 athletes across Ireland, Special Olympics Ireland Bucket Collection will take place Nationwide on Friday 19 April, with collections in Dublin City Centre and Belfast City Centre on Thursday 18 April.
Gary Desmond, chief executive, Gala Retail, said: “Special Olympics Ireland is a truly special organisation that does incredible work on behalf of its athletes. With clubs in locations all across Ireland, Special Olympics has a place in the heart of many communities and with almost 230 group stores in towns and villages throughout Ireland, there’s a real synergy with this partnership.”
Matt English, chief executive officer, Special Olympics Ireland, said: “For 10 years now, Gala Retail has remained a steadfast and superb partner to Special Olympics. Their community values go hand in hand with the grassroots nature of Special Olympics. Both organisations play a huge part in communities across the country. This partnership especially comes to life during the World Games, seeing thousands of family members decked out in the Team Ireland green thanks to Gala Retail as they cheer on their loved ones is an incredible spectacle.”
Supporters can donate online here.
Read more: Gala Retail celebrates 25 years with huge ‘Home or Away’ giveaway
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